Modern day TDR250

[ajlog]

What about the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Same motor as the KTM 390, bit more of a nod to an off road stance compared to the Duke.

I enjoyed my ownership, they feel tiny and light, like a BMX with an engine.
Nice eager motor, bit lumpy, but any single is really.
The riding position is more dirt bike than racer, semi upright pitched over the nose with very little of the bike in your vision when riding.
About 40bhp and 140kg, sounds a similar kind of mix to the TDR.
Looks can be a bit Marmite, but it never failed to prompt questions when parked up.

[Bustaspoke]

Could you do something based on the Yamaha MT07?
Small chuckable bike with a reputation for having a good motor.Just get a used one & put some decent suspension on it.,or go mad and add some spoked wheels.
My bike,675R Street Triple, is pretty good down the back roads but the stock suspension is way to harsh for bumpy roads,maybe get a early model & sort the suspension? They're a fun bike.

[Potter]

In my head my TDR is not my favourite bike, but when I'm back it's the first one I put back on the road and if I only have time to get one bike MOT'd and sorted then it's that one. It's just so easy to ride and does everything you could reasonably want, I use it for nipping into town, nipping to the shop and then having a couple of hours hoon around on it.

You can have serious fun at <75mph and feel like you're really on it. It's got bags of character and hits every tickbox as a fun bike, including the nostalgia and 2T smell.

Nothing else (and I do mean nothing else) feels like a TDR. There isn't another bike on the market that is anywhere near the same, an XT660 is ok but soulless, the KTM390 the same, my LC is a hooligan weapon and will get me banned one day, anything modern and fast is too fast to ride like a twat.

I could use various analogies but if you want a TDR then buy one, don't buy something else as a substitute because it won't be a good one.

It's weird because if I was forced to sell up and keep only one bike then my initial thought would be the TDR would be the first to go - then within a couple of seconds I've changed my mind and then it would probably be the one I'd keep. It's the least focussed and as a consequence it's the most adaptable and the most fun.
I meet a lot of people that had one, felt like it was fun but they didn't connect with it, then sold it, then regretted it forever, they're weird bikes like that.

[DefTrap]

What about the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Same motor as the KTM 390, bit more of a nod to an off road stance compared to the Duke.

Looks lovely and right up my street, and I rarely say that about new bikes.

Are they reliable though? Huskies have a terrible rep for going bang don't they?

[weeksy]

What about the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Same motor as the KTM 390, bit more of a nod to an off road stance compared to the Duke.

Looks lovely and right up my street, and I rarely say that about new bikes.

Are they reliable though? Huskies have a terrible rep for going bang don't they?

IT runs the KTM390 engine, they're very reliable.

[Potter]

What about the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Same motor as the KTM 390, bit more of a nod to an off road stance compared to the Duke.

Looks lovely and right up my street, and I rarely say that about new bikes.

Are they reliable though? Huskies have a terrible rep for going bang don't they?

I had a sit on one in the showroom and it literally feels like it looks - like sitting on a bench.

My lads 390 is way better in terms of ergonomics and if it's the same engine then it's a no brainer to get the KTM, unless you really are keen on the looks of the Husqvarna and willing to compromise - although in fairness the 390 is hardly a looker.

[KungFooBob]

The 401 is for girls tho', you'll be needing the 701.

[Potter]

The 401 is for girls tho', you'll be needing the 701.

I suppose it depends on your view, when I ride my boys 390 I feel like it's underpowered and I end up caning the bollocks off it - but then I realised that's how I ride all my two strokes of similar CC and that's how they're supposed to be ridden - I think. So it's just a recalibration of your brain from big bhp and mostly using half the power, or small bhp and using it all.

[KungFooBob]

Two strokes are meant to be caned.

I love thrashing smaller capacity bikes, especially stuff like JDM 400's.

I do worry about the longevity of a four stroke single being trashed to within an inch of it's life every ride.

[Potter]

Two strokes are meant to be caned.

I love thrashing smaller capacity bikes, especially stuff like JDM 400's.

I do worry about the longevity of a four stroke single being trashed to within an inch of it's life every ride.

These days 20k miles is probably a lifetime of use for many people, I put less than 1,000 miles a year on mine, the last few years it's been less than that. My two strokes have been rebuilt and should last 20,000 miles, so I'm not expecting to need to do much to them for the next couple of decades.

[weeksy]

Two strokes are meant to be caned.

I love thrashing smaller capacity bikes, especially stuff like JDM 400's.

I do worry about the longevity of a four stroke single being trashed to within an inch of it's life every ride.

These days 20k miles is probably a lifetime of use for many people, I put less than 1,000 miles a year on mine, the last few years it's been less than that. My two strokes have been rebuilt and should last 20,000 miles, so I'm not expecting to need to do much to them for the next couple of decades.

We're not exactly a bunch of high milers on here are we

I think most of us are sub 3000 a year, let alone 30,000

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I do worry about the longevity of a four stroke single being trashed to within an inch of it's life every ride.

Not good in my experience

[PitaNaanRoti]

The 401 is for girls tho', you'll be needing the 501.

FTFY

[Supermofo]

Are they reliable though? Huskies have a terrible rep for going bang don't they?

No such thing as Huskies anymore really. They are KTMs in a different frock.

[PitaNaanRoti]

Two strokes are meant to be caned.

I love thrashing smaller capacity bikes, especially stuff like JDM 400's.

I do worry about the longevity of a four stroke single being trashed to within an inch of it's life every ride.

These days 20k miles is probably a lifetime of use for many people, I put less than 1,000 miles a year on mine, the last few years it's been less than that. My two strokes have been rebuilt and should last 20,000 miles, so I'm not expecting to need to do much to them for the next couple of decades.

We're not exactly a bunch of high milers on here are we

I think most of us are sub 3000 a year, let alone 30,000

I must be the odd one out then.
Over 20k across the bikes in the last 2yrs but then lockdown hasn’t really affected me with work.
Another 20k+ in the van+4x4

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Are they reliable though? Huskies have a terrible rep for going bang don't they?

No such thing as Huskies anymore really. They are KTMs in a different frock.

Huskies haven't been Huskies since 1989, they were rebadged Cagivas from 1989 to 2005ish, rebadged BMWs after that and now rebadged KTMs, the Cagiva made Huskies were fun but fragile.

But KTM can claim that their Huskies are Huskies because the Swedish Husqvarna motorcycle people formed Husaberg after Electrolux licensed the Husqvarna brand to Cagiva, KTM bought Husaberg in the late 90s, all of the modern KTM engines are based on a Husaberg design.

[Supermofo]

all of the modern KTM engines are based on a Husaberg design.

Says a lot for their reliability

Actually other than the rocker arms (which is a big other) the 690 engines are good, lots of high milers about. If you are happy checking/changing rocker arms then the engine should do big miles with ease. Or get a 16 on and have no rocker arm issues and 70 rwhp

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

all of the modern KTM engines are based on a Husaberg design.

Says a lot for their reliability

Actually other than the rocker arms (which is a big other) the 690 engines are good, lots of high milers about. If you are happy checking/changing rocker arms then the engine should do big miles with ease. Or get a 16 on and have no rocker arm issues and 70 rwhp

I think KTM beefed everything up, the first 400s and 525s that were quite close to the Husaberg design weren't very reliable (but they were better than the LC4 they replaced), and to be fair the smaller Husabergs were okay reliability wise, but the 650 was a bit over stressed.

The 4 stroke motor cross engines from the late 80s and early 90s are quite interesting, KTM built a 4 stroke on a two stroke bottom end, I don't think any of them have oil pumps, Husqvarna had a weird reed valve that got oil up to the cylinder head, loads of weird and wonderful solutions to a non existent problem - 2 strokes are better, why try and make a 4 stroke competitive against them, there were no emissions regulations on MX in 1989.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

So I've thought about this a bit more, and I've thought "what is it I want about a TDR250" answers below

1. Riding Position
2. Free revving engine around 50bhp
3. Handling suited to poorly surfaced, bumpy B roads
4. Comfy seat
5. Easy to live with

This also made me think what don't I need

1. Loads of ground clearance
2. Big fuel tank
3. Fairing

[weeksy]

So I've thought about this a bit more, and I've thought "what is it I want about a TDR250" answers below

1. Riding Position
2. Free revving engine around 50bhp
3. Handling suited to poorly surfaced, bumpy B roads
4. Comfy seat
5. Easy to live with

This also made me think what don't I need

1. Loads of ground clearance
2. Big fuel tank
3. Fairing

XT660X