2013 Husqvarna 650 Terra

[RidingDonkeys]

Getting a dealer to work up some options for a Strada with 21"/18" spoke wheels while keeping the ABS in tact. It's go time this weekend and I'm hoping this option pans out.

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

[RuggedExposure]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

" ... The KLR is really easy to ride off road ... despite rubber covered footpegs, it's really a dirt bike chassis and feels like one".

Editor:
"Not far behind, but much less confidence inspiring, was the Husky."
(refers to ON ROAD behavior)

Jimmy Lewis:
" ... The TR's handling is a bit awkward. The bike has lot of weight on the front wheel and feels unstable at high speed." (Lewis's comment refers to ON ROAD handling, not off road)

Further comments deride the Terra for lack of weather protection and highway capability at speed and short range. They had cold weather and sounds like they'd rather be on Gold Wings than dual sports. The KLR rated high everywhere, a huge surprise to me, having owned one. It out did the Terra every where but in deep sand and more technical rocky tracks.

But remember the theme of this "Comparo" was a sort of ridiculous post apocalyptic theme, with a survivalist tone, IMHO, not a valid way to pick a good dual sport ... but hey, I guess that gets the ratings.

The Terra rated next to last. Here are some final comments:
Just a few more modifications would have vaulted the TR650 into the mix.
"It's a dirtbike wth blinkers and luggage - sort of," said Ziegler. "It was like cheating in the sand and rocks. It's maneurverable and fun and makes a really good dual sport bike, but in this comparison, its on-road shortcomings stood out too much. It's not a survival bike. "

Right......

So in this 'post apocalyptic' theme that favors bikes with better highway handling my only question is-
'Who is going to be maintaining these highways during the apocalypse?'

[RidingDonkeys]

Trigger pulled.

Bought a Strada, turning it into a Terra. Parts are on order, but i get to see her in factory form in a few hours.

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

[hambone650rider]

Hey riding donkeys , I'm in yadkin county near the foothills let me know when ur up and running, maybe we can get together and ride. Would love to see that strada in action. Ill chase on the dr650. My purchase is delayed for a while. Congrats!!

[Flashback]

Originally Posted by hambone650rider

Hey riding donkeys , I'm in yadkin county near the foothills let me know when ur up and running, maybe we can get together and ride. Would love to see that strada in action. Ill chase on the dr650. My purchase is delayed for a while. Congrats!!

Way to go Donkey! You must let me play with it sometime.

hambone - my inclination is to say that the DR650 can spank the Husky both on and off road but especially off road. Maybe we will get the chance to find out in person

I have both a F650GS single and DR650. The 650GS is a comfortable highway bike, which I imagine the Husky is as well - built for comfort.

With carb mods (jet kit) my DR spanks my F650GS on the tarmac (power on wheelies in 1'st and 2'nd with 5 gallons of gas in the tank) but doesn't quite get the F650s 70 mpgs. Carbed bikes will never beat injected ones for fuel economy but it certainly out accelerates the F650GS and will carry as much baggage on 1,000 mile days.

Why, I've taken the DR fully loaded with hard tail bag and soft side bags from Raleigh across the Appalachians on super slab on knobbies, onto the Hatfield McCcoy trails, then back onto slab and up towards Chicago without even airing down tires never mind lightening the load (on the same ride).

Off road I'll claim and put to the test that the DR outperforms all of the big pigs (except truly high performance lightweight dual sport bikes like the KTM 640 adventure) and certainly can hold its own against the 450 class. Ever jump a 650GS or KLR off road? Didn't think so...jump a DR. with stock shocks..yep, all the time. I have a dirt jump in my backyard that I play on. Jump a Strada without expensive shock mods???? I imagine, if I ever tried, that the Strada would jump like my now dead and buried F800GS (RIP White lightening) did...get's off the ground fine but landings are a bitch.

So as far as who will be chasing who...methinks the Husky will be chasing the DR both on pavement and off. Will need to test that one sometime, maybe in Nantahala or at the Ricks Rendezvous.

Let the games begin. Will I eat crow? Only one way to find out.

[RidingDonkeys]

Here she is...still in her street clothes.



You'll likely spank me on the DR. This is my first dual-sport. But i bet i can beat you on some forest roads on my chop!

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

[hambone650rider]

Flashback, now I'm not sure but I think you love your dr650:. I love mine as well but did you see that picture. Beautiful bike it's killing me I'm a motorcycle hore gotta have it when I can. By the way landing a1100gs sounds and is painful.

[hambone650rider]

Originally Posted by RidingDonkeys

Here she is...still in her street clothes.



You'll likely spank me on the DR. This is my first dual-sport. But i bet i can beat you on some forest roads on my chop!

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

If I may ask where did you buy your bike Capitol BMW?

[RidingDonkeys]

Eurosport in Asheville. They were great to deal with! If anybody is wanting to do a "Terrafied Strada" package, they know how to do it for a reasonable price. Justin worked it out and found a great way to do it. We worked this over the last couple of days, and he's already had another customer request it today.

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

[Royal Tiger]

Under the conditions favored in the article, the KTM is the top pick. For more off road the Husky is the clear winner. Regardless a 4wd quad would be a far better choice. Street legal means nothing when shooting people for food & water. If you have to go on 2 wheels a diesel KLR would be my pick. If you can find one. The Terra is still my favorite of the medium weight 50/50 dual sports. Although a F800GS would be a close second.

[Flashback]

Originally Posted by RidingDonkeys

Here she is...still in her street clothes.



You'll likely spank me on the DR. This is my first dual-sport. But i bet i can beat you on some forest roads on my chop!

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

What a fine looking bike! I want one.

I love those 650 thumper engines. My favorite 10k mile in one sitting bike is the Rotax 650 Single even though my favorite all around travel bike is the DR. If BMW/Husky just put that engine in a real off-road bike (like a KTM) they'd have a true all-around winner.

Just joshing on my ribbing...we all find the ladys we love the most and we stick with them. I love yer chops btw. I'm in the market for a Ural if you need to make some room in the garage.

As far as lovin' my DR...it's true. Having had everything from european cafe racers to boss hog harleys to heavy weight beemers, if there is just one bike that does it all, combines the best compromises between weight/balance, power/torque, carrying capacity/functionality, ease of use/ease of maintenance, long/short distance enduro and ralleye, it's the DR650.

Seriously though, my 6k (total cost of bike and mods), DR has gone more miles, been to more crazy places, and out smiled any other bike I've ever owned.

It seems to me that if I've learned anything I've learned this:

The more a bike costs (Harley and BMW pay attention) the more it's going to break down and the less fun you are going to have with it.

F800GS cost me 20K when upgrades and mods factored in. Lasted 1.5 years and 30k miles before the engine suffered a catastrophic failure that BMW said (and I quote) "Is NOT covered under the 36k warranty" End Quote.

That was it...dead f800gs with 7k repair bill because engine failed under warranty and BMW felt it wasn't worth fixing. Way to go BMW. Your product is soooooooooo good that you won't even honor the warranties you give your customers. Awesome. We love you. NOT.

And we all know that the warranty is the only thing BMW has going for its Chinese made product these days. Read the fine print...BMW bikes are built in China not Germany.

Will NEVER buy BMW again. Cheap ass chinese garbage = BMW motorcycles.

DR650 has already surpassed any BMW I've ever owned on every satisfaction level, gone to far more "adventure worthy places", and cost 1/4 of the price of the BMW. More importantly, the smile...it's everlasting on the DR whereas my smile turned into a frown every weekend I had to take the F800 into the BMW shop for warranty work.

DR650 can only be beat, imho and experience, by one other bike I've owned, 1982 Yamaha Maxim 400 air cooled cruiser - my first and ultimate dual sport motorcycle.

[Cruz]

Ok, you love your DR and hate all BMW's but don't really now that much about them by claiming that they are all Chinese made.

Will presume you are trolling and having a dig at a mate.

[Roadscum]

Originally Posted by RidingDonkeys

Trigger pulled.

Bought a Strada, turning it into a Terra. Parts are on order, but i get to see her in factory form in a few hours.

Sent from the voices in my head and transcribed by their drinking buddy...

Tell me more about the transition to a Terra..... Why did you not just buy a Terra?

Regards, Paul

[Royal Tiger]

Originally Posted by Cruz

Ok, you love your DR and hate all BMW's but don't really now that much about them by claiming that they are all Chinese made.

Will presume you are trolling and having a dig at a mate.

Agreed.

I have two BMW's currently and owned one in the past. That one was German made and of these two, one was made in Germany, and the other Italy. The new G650GS is made in China I believe. Not sure what other models might be. And I wouldn't trade my Italian G650X for a DR650 under any circumstance.

[Butters]

Is this the point at which everybody in this thread says "Holy ****, why are we even looking at Terras when we could just get a DR?!?!?" Thread closed.

The DR650 is an awesome bike in a lot of ways. It's reliable, it's adaptable, and it's versatile. But it can't be the perfect bike for everybody. In fact, I'm quite certain the vast majority of DR650 owners do the following (or want to do the following): re-jet, new seat, bigger tank. Then they move on to tweaking the suspension and maybe adding a windscreen if they log a lot of hwy miles. None of which detract from it being a great bike.

I was on my way to getting a DR when the G650Xs got blown out for $5995. Like RT, I've never regretted it. Doesn't mean the G650X is "better" than the DR - just better for me.

Now last time I checked this was a TR650 thread with a bunch of happy owners and prospective owners. And most people came here to read about that bike.

If they wanted to read about the DR, they could just go to one of the numerous KLR threads.