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Husqvarna TE 610 E.

With buttons

The bastion of the enduro purists is shaking. The reason: All off-road manufacturers around the world cultivate their Spartan hard enduro bikes on a gentle cycle with a strong shot of fabric softener into a user-friendly all-rounder. The Husqvarna strategists have recognized that the number of Kickstarter fetishists is running out and complete their range with the new TE 610 E with an electric starter.
The angular, idiosyncratic line of the TE 610 has remained as well as the simple single-tube frame in which the new engine was implanted (technology presentation, issue 7/1998).
Put on your helmet and off you go into the rutted, bone-dry motocross track. Surprise number one, the engine. Razor-sharp on the gas, it accelerates gently and smoothly from a standing start and is equipped with a well-dosed portion of flywheel, so that you have to be pretty stupid to stall or slow down the single cylinder. If you give the four-valve engine the spurs, the entire herd of 46 Cavalli reports immediately and with playful revving and drives the 159 kilogram T 610 E with ease over the undulating steep driveways. Surprise number two: Despite the hefty pounds of excess weight, the husky wags jaggedly through neighboring areas and alternating curves. One of the reasons for the likeable lightness: the extremely slim tank / bench combination.
A steering geometry trimmed for stability keeps the TE 610 E on course even when the Sachs shock absorber, which is overdamped for such ground conditions and unfortunately not adjustable, only fights stuckily and insensitively against the short, hard blows. No, brutal motocross inserts are not the thing of the new T 610 E. The enduro style, from playful circles without jogging to climbing over almost insurmountable steep sections, that is her element, she was brought up to do that. Even the weightless ones
U-turn on the steep slope in first gear, which is short for enduro, loses its horror under the literally down-to-earth seat height of just 890 millimeters. And if the husky does tumble in the dirt, the electric starter wakes up the spirits within a few revs, despite the overflowing carburetor, while the start attempt via kick starter also fails because the enduro rider collides with the pillion seat during a swinging kick.
The downside of the new Husky should not be swept under the carpet, despite all the sympathy. Firstly, the luggage rack sometimes rudely compresses your backside when riding off-road (tip: simply unscrew it for off-road use), and secondly, the deep intake openings of the air filter (photo on page 41) could force you to perform unscheduled cleaning work on the 40 mm Dellorto carburetor when wading through knee-deep water or mud baths. And thirdly, the open frame beams do not provide adequate protection against damage to the engine block. Is there anything else? No, then off to the streets, after all, the soft-rinsed TE 610 E should score huge more, especially here too. Surprise number three: The husky swirls around the bends, annoys with clumsy, imprecise steering and even worse, she commutes and wobbles from 130 km / h to, God mercy. That is why we put proven Enduro 3 rubbers from the same company over the aluminum rims instead of the coarse Metzeler Karoo tires and we are now looking forward to a Great-cool curve planer of the highest quality. Maneuverable, accurate and stable to drive, with a grandiose engine that, despite all the maneuverability and power, shows astonishing restraint in terms of engine vibrations and consumption. Soothed by the balance shaft, the TE 610 purrs over the track at 160 km / h even at a constant speed without material-killing vibrations.
As was to be expected, the small 260 mm brake disc does not push waves into the asphalt, but it is definitely sufficient for the brisk country road chase.
But you shouldn’t lose sight of the essentials out of sheer childish driving pleasure. For example for the petrol lamp. After a good 150 kilometers of rural roads, the small 9.1 liter plastic bucket is dust dry. Or the short, rock-hard seat for the pillion passenger, who only has the consolation that the chauffeur does not fare much better on his upholstered, hand-wide seat wedge.
D.There’s an almost lavish arsenal of instruments and control lights, switches and levers that function perfectly and, not to be forgotten, two small catalysts that make the modest contribution made by motorcyclists to the climate catastrophe even more modest.

Conclusion

If you leave out the demands of the brutal enduro riders, all doors are open to the new Husky. A silky engine with full power, a chassis that generously forgives unsuccessful maneuvers and on which little people don’t have to desperately look for a stop at every traffic light. An enduro that starts electrically and is automatically fun. If the Husky should keep its qualities in the long run, the KTM dealers have to prepare a few good arguments so that customers don’t exchange sides with waving flags.

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