We test a TE that's done it tough

Story & photos by Tony Kirby

In the photos Mike Shearer

It's not often that we get to ride a current year model that has done some seriously hard kilometres, so when enduro expert Mike Shearer offered us a run on his TE450 it was hard to resist. Some may be wondering why we'd want to ride a bike that had been ridden completely without mercy - and let's face it, that's the way Mike rides - for months on end in enduros, motocross, and on many rides through the hills. Wouldn't we rather ride the shiny new variety that was fresh out of the crate? Yes and no. We like the new ones because they haven't been stuffed with and look good to photograph, but as we all know many of the modern bikes take anything up to 1000ks and beyond to bed in and start working. Motors and suspension need to loosen up before they reach their full potential. Plus, it is always interesting to see what has bent or broken once the showroom shine has been scraped off by the bush. On top of all that, Mike's a clever bloke when it comes to setting up bikes so riding his own 450 was bound to be pleasant.

Mike's Mods
As you'd expect from its pedigree, nothing drastic has been done to the bike. Mike has gone for heavier springs at both ends with the fork springs going from .45 to .48, and he runs 5wt fork oil with the height set at 100mm. The shock has a 5.4 spring instead of a 5.2, and the rebound is set almost criminally quickly. We gave the back a shove down and the bloody thing bounced back fast enough to take your teeth out, but Mike was adamant that it would work.
"I know it feels strange, but ride it like that before you say anything!' Fair enough. We would.
Mike runs 15:48 gearing for the trail and 14:48 when racing, and since we were on the trail the 15 was in play here. The carb breathers come complete with T-pieces from the factory so Mike has run two of the hoses up under the tank so the carb doesn't suck water in the deep. He's also placed a small alloy elbow over the hole in the bottom of the airbox to slow water entering that way on extended crossings. It's important not to block this hole off completely though, otherwise water entering through the top will have to exit through the motor.
The loom has been simplified by the removal of the stock switchgear. Mike runs WR Yamaha switches - the non-ADR bits - in its place, which means the indicators and horn are no longer functional, but ignition and lights work normally. Renthal bars are set on higher risers and Acerbis handguards protect the levers. The chain guard has been shortened to aid wheel removal, and while we're in this area Husky and KTM riders need to keep an eye on the pressure switch for the rear brake. Mike's had one break, but the identical switch on KTMs seems to fail more often. So what? When the switch goes, so does the rear brake fluid. Lastly, Mike's put a dab of Silastic over the steering lock to stop water getting at the steering head bearings, and another dab under the speedo to stop it rattling.
That's pretty much just simple sorting, and it's worth noting that nothing has been revalved, bored out, reground or shaved. Those who feel the need for more speed from the TE450 might consider simply holding the throttle wider for longer.

"THE REBOUND IS SET ALMOST CRIMINALLY QUICKLY. WE GAVE THE BACK A SHOVE DOWN AND THE BLOODY THING BOUNCED BACK FAST ENOUGH TO TAKE YOUR TEETH OUT"

The Engine
In our nine bike 400/450 Super Test last year the Husky had one of the quicker engines, but while still fast, Mike's bike felt smoother in the power delivery It pulls very well off the bottom and if you get caught unaware at the wrong end of a long and nasty hill the torque right off idle will pull you through. It's not as good as the new 450 VOR here, but it does come close.
Clutch action in these situations is superb. It engages seamlessly and although a touch heavy it's nowhere near as stiff as the Huskys of four, or even three years ago. Truth be told though, you can leave the clutch alone unless you're looking for more snap or to loft the front.
There's a big, meaty mid-range to play in. It's broad and easy to use, with no surprises to upset the rear or frighten the less experienced rider. The 450 can be punted around in the midrange all day and it'll pretend to be a mild-mannered trail bike, but the devil comes out of hiding in the upper revs. Let the crank really spin and you suddenly realise that there's a lot more revs there than you gave the beast credit for. It's very much like the power delivery on the old 610s, where what you think is close to the limiter is actually second-wind time and there's a whole howling upper-top-end to play with. Wind the TE out all the way and things start happening very fast indeed.
This extended power delivery comes in handy on transports. Top gear isn't all that high so the motor feels busy at 110kph, but cranking the throttle open brings up silly speeds in a flash and the engine feels comfortable doing it. The gear ratios are closer in the 2004 TEs than they felt in earlier models. First is a touch taller, top a touch lower, and while this is excellent for racing we'd prefer just a slightly wider spread for the trail. Shifting, even on Mike's well-used bike, was excellent with a quick nudge-through all that was required going up or down.
All in all, then, it's an excellent engine. It'll lug or rev out, has a smooth, fast mid-range, and doesn't vibrate until the revs are really wound out. The lack of a kick-start hasn't caused Mike any worries and there have been very few reports of engine failures with 2004 Huskys.

The Husky can be ridden very hard without complaint

On the Rebound
That rapid rebound setting had us worried but it worked brilliantly. By going to a stiffer shock spring Mike has ensured that the ride height is spot on, so the shock is working in the optimum part of its stroke. The quick rebound allows the compression to feel more plush so what you get is a rear wheel that responds quickly to undulations, and therefore hugs the ground and gives buckets of drive. Repeated sharp-edged hits from deeply exposed roots failed to upset the rear and there was no bucking involved anywhere. Even big erosion bank jumps failed to cause the rear to rebound too quickly, and the back's behaviour when crossed-up in ruts was superb. Mike is definitely onto something.
In fact, despite the heavier springs at both ends, the set-up was definitely very plush for a Husky. We figure that the stiffer springs allowed for softer damping settings and gave the sweeter, firm-yet-supple feel, something most of us will remember fondly from our teenage years ... The bike was certainly a joy to ride, with a stunning ability to hold a line on hills, fast corners, and tight single-tracks. Jumps resulted in that cat-like landing feel usually reserved for well-sorted MXers, and quartering bad ruts gave nothing more than the odd quiver through the bars. It was very, very easy and safe to ride fast, which points yet again to the value of having a well-dialled suspension system.

Turn Out
With the suspension working well and the power delivery under control the Husky would have to have crook geometry for the rest of the package not to come together. The geometry is superb. Time and again we entered corners looking at a wider line and managed to cut in much tighter, and if you can find something to bounce off or rail the bars can be pushed dangerously close to the deck. It has a very neutral feel in sandy corners, with a little weight movement fore or aft all that was required to get the front to float or bite.
Single tracks brought up an interesting point, though. The TE is in no way heavy - 118kg with a full tank - yet it does feel heavier than some of the other 450s. It's nothing drastic and it certainly isn't enough to wear you down, but the likes of the Husaberg 400 feel lighter to toss around.
Straight line stability is very good on everything from rutted hills to flat-out on dirt roads. There is very little movement at speed, which means Husky has done a clever job of matching a steepish steering head for tight turning with enough length in the wheelbase to give stable tracking. It is excellent over rough ground and seems to become even more solid as it is pushed harder. It'd be a brave man who'd find the limits, but there'll be plenty of blokes around who'd be happy enough to simply enjoy the superb ride.

Range Finders
A lot of riders are put off the Husky by the size of the tank. 7.7 litres may be a lot of Italian wine, but it isn't much when it comes to Aussie petrol. The bike's saving grace is that it is remarkably fuel efficient and we've consistently got 110 to 120ks out of a tank, which is an okayish fuel range. Bikes not as precisely jetted will get less though, and we're hoping that Husqvarna will put bigger tanks on the next model. Who knows, the factory might even decide that being able to see the fuel level would be handy and drop its black tank fetish. But we're not holding our breath.

The new plastics are more robust than those on past models
The cases show how much work the engine has done, but it still feels tight and fast
The Euros still have the monopoly on brilliant stock mufflers that you can run without drama
The Renthals and risers set the bars higher than stock and are much more comfortable

Odds and Sods
The digital speedos have held together well and give plenty of information.
We don't like the way the well-constructed engine protection plates ignore the frame rails.
The seat is comfortably shaped, is easy to move around on and is actually soft enough to sit on.
Husky plastics are getting better. Over the last couple of years they've become more fade-resistant and less prone to scuffing.
The headlight is fine to ride in the dark with. We know this because when you ride with Mike you come in after the sun has disappeared to the west.
Both brakes are top of the line.

In the End
Age has definitely not wearied this TE450. Compared to the new bike we rode last April, Mike's bike is a better thing everywhere. Okay, it has been set up by a bloke who knows his bikes, both as a mechanic and as a rider, but having a few hours under its belt has done the TE a world of good. The suspension is more supple, the engine revs more freely, and nothing has deteriorated to the point where things are getting loose and floppy. We're looking at the motorcycle equivalent of a fit woman in her 30s, and it is a fine thing.
This has prompted us to look at the TE450 in a new light. It is mellower in the suspension so it is sweeter to ride; an excellent adventure bike - tank aside - for sure. The TE will save you when the going gets tough but won't bite you in the simple stuff, and has proven to be reliable while some of its contemporaries are having mechanical problems. What's hard to grasp is that this bike has been tweaked to win enduros yet it is excellent to ride at trail speeds, a happy coincidence thought impossible five years ago. Is this because trail speeds are getting higher, or because race suspension is becoming more supple and throttle responses less brutal? Who knows, but Mike has had considerable race success with this TE450 and we'd be happy to ride it anywhere. Any way you look at that it has to be a good thing.

Plenty of mumbo under the right hand