Husqvarna Te 610e
HUSQVARNA TE 610E
Quick Ride
Meet the new Husky
I’M IN A THUNDERSTORMsoaked sandwash in the Nevada desert, riding Husqvarna’s new TE 610E. As I roll on the throttle, the liquid-cooled Single comes on strong from just above idle, its smooth torque pulling me along like a tractor. The midrange is crisp, and on top, the engine screams far beyond what would seem sensible for a big four-stroke.
The experience is not unlike my very first ride on a Husky Thumper. After all, memories of seemingly never-ending power and enduring character don’t just fade away. I was still a teenager, and the bike was a big enduro model from the company’s made-in-Sweden days. Difference is, the TE 610E is a full-fledged dual-purpose bike, and street-legal in all 50 states.
The electric-start, sohe, fourvalve, 576cc engine is a new design. It combines the previous powerplant’s top end with fresh
cases, which is a simple way of saying the chain final-drive is now on the bike’s left side.
With 35 horsepower on tap, the Italian-made Husky will run with anything in the licenseplate-carrying class. Moreover, it easily tackles terrain where tractabiIity is an issue. Vibration is simply not a concern, and there’s enough oomph to push
the bike to 100 mph. In fact, with its low first and tall sixth gears, the six-speed tranny is just about perfect. Same for the clutch, which aside from a bit of sticky-plate syndrome when
cold, is superb. There are little green stickers on the sidepanels that suggest the presence of catalytic converters (as on European models), but the dual, underseat mufflers bear no such devices in the U.S., only traditional spark arrestors.
Much of the chassis and running gear are specific to the TEE. Compared to a full-on
dirtbike, the Husky’s Marzocchi/Sachs suspension (which is only rebound damping on the shock away from being fully adjustable) is on the soft side. For most dual-purpose rides, however, it is spot-on. Better also to soak up the street miles this bike is intended to tackle.
But for me, the clincher is the TE-E’s low, 34-inch seat height. It’s just plain comforting to be able to plant both feet flat on the ground. No more treading water at stoplights, and trail blunders are more manageable. Unfortunately, the gas tank holds just 2.4 gallons, which is only good for about 80 miles.
Of course, knowing w hen you’ve gone 80 miles is another matter entirely, as the odometer is marked in kilometers.
If you think the TE-E is beginning to sound like a thinneddown Suzuki DR650SE, you're right, even if the scales put it at a
weighty 340 pounds ready to ride. To the bike’s credit, I didn’t really feel the weight unless I was plowing through soft sand at slow speeds.
The biggest surprise of all, though, is the fact that the $6399 TE 610E is a surprise. It’s managed to retain the ol’ Husky character while losing a few flaws along the way. If you're in the market for a well-rounded and unique dual-purpose bike, you can't go wrong with this Euro-Thumper.
Jimmy Lewis
