Howdy folks! Might as well start a thread about this bike since it's new/remodeled for 2011. Not much info about it. Wondering if anyone has ridden one and if you have, could you provide feedback and comparison to other bikes you've ridden? Cheers
The new 449 and 511 are even more similar than the old 450 and 510, the new 511 is just 30cc bigger than the 449 and it's the bore that's bigger, not the stroke, so I post these links about the 511 as pretty darn close to the 449: http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/te511-first-oil-change-tire-change-and-some-protection-bling.17412/#post-152939 http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/te511-rides-2-dualsport-and-3-single-track.17065/page-2#post-151036
It's interesting these bikes have been out for a while and their has been no real interest in the bikes. Has BMW made the right move. In New Zealand and Australia Husqvarna is sewing machines and chainsaws. BMW will have it's work cut out selling numbers of these odd ball bikes. They thought their own 450 was a slow seller
Husqvarna has been the biggest growing bike brand by percentages over the past year or so in Oz. There is a fair bit of talk about these bikes plus the new Te310 and the WR250 and WR300 on the trail and enduro web sites like DBW. They have a close ratio box (449 and 511) and are more race bikes than anything ADV or dual sport (?).
Sounds like the TE630. From the looks of the TE630 thread in here there must not be much interest in that model either. I was interested but I haven't read anything about them that makes it seem like it's an improvement over the TE610. Not to mention the local dealer had the first TE630 they received still sitting on the floor 6 months later. I don't know if they ever sold it.
May be, if you sell 5 bikes in the first year and 10 the next year then it up 100%. I think BMW has made a mistake with the 450. BMW are known to make mistakes on bike designs all you have to do is count the amount of different bikes they have brought to the market in the last 10 years and you'll find a lot are now gone. They must have a lot of spare cash due to over pricing of there bikes.
The sales figures for Australia would show that Husqvarna would be the way to go for BMW off road after the poor sales of the GX450 and 650 XChallenge. BMW were giving away over $3000 worth of gear and upgrades with the 450 last year and still couldn't move them. I didn't mind the 450 and own a XChallenge, but BMW were never going to break into the dirt market in Australia with either of these bikes at the time they were introduced. You will see the increase in 2010 3rd quarter sales for the BMW when they were advertising the bonus with the bike. Will the 449 and 511 sell well, have to wait and see. Sales figures for first half 2010. -- Top Ten Brands (Dirtbike Sales Only) (Figure in brackets represents the increase or decline in sales compared to the first half of 2009 results) Yamaha 4615 (-20.8%) Honda 4524 (-5.7%) Suzuki 2629 (-12.9%) KTM 1991 (-19.6%) Kawasaki 1631 (-17.8%) Husqvarna 865 (+43.0%) Husaberg 243 (-16.2%) BMW 25 (-54.5%) Motovert 13 (0.0%) Aprilia 2 (-88.2%) Sales figures for 3rd quarter 2010. -- Top Ten Brands (Off Road Only) (Number Sold) - [Percentage improvement or decline compared to Third quarter 2009) Yamaha 7389 (-21.8%) Honda 6620 (-10.7%) Suzuki 3987 (-8%) KTM 3265 (-10.8%) Kawasaki 2596 (-6.4%) Husqvarna 1133 (+17.5%) Husaberg 309 (-25.9%) BMW 58 (-31.8%) Motovert 13 (-75%) Aprilia 6 (-73.9%) HUSQVARNA The Paul Feeney Group, Australian importers and distributors for Husqvarna Motorcycles, is pleased to announce an all time record retail sales year for Husqvarna in 2010. Husqvarna achieved a growth of 21.1 percent compared with 2009 and this is highlighted by the fact that the Husqvarna brand was one of only two manufacturers in the Australian motorcycle market to post positive gains in 2010 versus 2009 in the off-road segment. The latest ERG (Equipment Research Group) figures showed a decline in the total motorcycle market retail sales in 2010 and more specifically a decline of 9.7 percent across all manufacturers for the Australian off-road marketplace. Apologise for the thread hijack. Bobby started a thread on these bikes yesterday here. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=674695
When KTM came out they said the same about their bikes, but they started winning and they took off. BMW never got behind the bike fully and most dealers where not interested in the 450.
So true.... One of their dealers said this to me then added....and they don't waist time with models that don't sell. Personally, that's fine by me. It seems like some of the odd-balls they have turn into great odd-ball creations thru the aftermarket that accepts them (Tourtech) and turns them into something unique.....taking a life all their own. Love it or hate it......buy low, sell high!
Here's the answer to your question. Start looking at the comments on thread #4. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=643626&highlight=hp2 In short, the HP2 is known for a weak rear subframe, not something more then soft luggage should be used. Can we get back to talking about the TE-449?! OH-WAIT, nobody has anything to say............ COME ON, somebodies gotta already bought this bike?!
If you haven't seen it, maybe take a look at this post by a happy new owner: http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/te511-rides-2-dualsport-and-3-single-track.17065/
http://http://www.dirtbikeworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78500 http://www.dirtbikeworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78585
I rode at Medcalf today, took a TE-310 after riding most of the day on a KTM 450EXC.....boy they felt very different indeed!! Anybody with a TE-449 near the San Jose area willing to let me ride around the parking lot with their 449 so I can compare?! I keep hearing the power band on the 449 is more linear then the 310. The 310 to me almost felt like a two stroke by the way you hit the power!! It took a little getting used coming off an 450EXC!
for a 310 or a 449? the 449 in epa street legal trim is the same as a G450X pretty much which is about the best FI out of the crate you'll find on a dirt bike. The TE310 needs be uncorked to get it right.
This is whats really gunna sell Husqvarna Bikes and nothing else: Husqvarna domination at wec opener in spain (the camel toe will help too!!) E1 Round 1 Ponts Spain 1, Juha Salminen, Husqvarna 2, Matti Seistola, Husqvarna 3, Eero Remes, KTM 4, Fabien Planet, Sherco 5, Rodrig Thain, Honda E1 Round 2 Ponts Spain 1, Juha Salminen, Husqvarna 2, Matti Seistola, Husqvarna 3, Fabien Planet, Sherco 4, Rodrig Thain, Honda 5, Thomas Oldrati, KTM E1 Standings 1, Salminen, 50 2, Seistola, 44 3, Planet, 38 4, Eero Remes, 35 5, Thain, 34 E2 Round 1 Ponts Spain 1, Antoine Meo, Husqvarna 2, Ivan Cervantes, Gas Gas 3, Cristobal Guerrero, KTM 4, Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Husaberg 5, Simone Albergoni, Husqvarna E2 Round 2 Ponts Spain 1, Antoine Meo, Husqvarna 2, Ivan Cervantes, Gas Gas 3, Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Husaberg 4, Simone Albergoni, Husqvarna 5, Hans Vogels, Husaberg E2 Standings 1, Meo, 50 2, Cervantes, 44 3, Renet, 38 4, Albergoni, 34 5, Basset, 28 E3 Round 1 Ponts Spain 1, Mika Ahola, Honda 2, Christophe Nambotin, Gas Gas 3, Sebastien Guillaume, Husqvarna 4, Oriol Mena, Husaberg 5, Taddy Blazusiak, KTM E3 Round 2 Ponts Spain 1, Mika Ahola, Honda 2, Christophe Nambotin, Gas Gas 3, Marko Tarkkala, Husaberg 4, Sebastien Guillaume, Husqvarna 5, Joakim Ljunggren, Husaberg E3 Standings 1, Ahola, 50 2, Nambotin, 44 3, Guillaume, 38 4, Tarkkala, 33 5, Mena, 33 Stu
It's funny how Husqvarna make out the 449 is a new bike. We all know it's a BMW 450 with some small improvements.
