Husqvarna SM630

During the recent launch of the 2011 Husqvarna enduro range in Braidwood, ACT (well, almost all, as we’ve still got the all-new TE449 and TE511 to ride in mid-December), I also grabbed the opportunity for a quick fang on both the adrenalin-inducing SM630 supermoto and TE630 adventure bike. Both found some accommodation in the truck for the long journey from the Paul Feeney Group headquarters in Nerang (Qld) to the ACT, and for that I was most appreciative.

Both the TE630 and SM630 have been overhauled by the Italian/German company from the previous TE610/SM610 iterations, both in aesthetics and the place where the real authority lays – the engine.

A dual overhead cam engine replaces the SOHC design of the 610, and there’s been an increase in displacement from 570 to 600cc thanks to a 2mm larger bore. Stroke remains the same at 76.4mm, while the cylinder head is derived from Husqvarna’s SM510 factory supermoto race bike, and uses a 12.4:1 compression ratio.

The fuel injection now gets a 45mm throttle body, up from 42mm, and the end result is that Husqvarna claims a 20 per cent boost in power – most a function of the extra capacity, with the other tweaks adding to the brawn.

Both bikes are essentially the same, save for the brakes, suspension and wheels. Both bikes share the same 220mm rear disc, but the TE’s front disc is 260mm, as opposed to a whopping 320mm on the SM.

The TE’s wheel sizes are 21 and 18-inch, and the SM has 17-inch hardware at both ends. Obviously, that has an immediate effect on ground clearance, which is lower on the SM – and suspension travel is also appreciably shorter, too.

Internal gear ratios are the same, although final gearing is way shorter on the TE – 15/42 as opposed to 15/38 for the SM.

I only managed to grab a quick-fire 10-minute ride on the TE630, but it’s certainly a bastion of authority with its stable and predictable feel. The fuel injected engine is crisp, albeit with a slight tendency to surge on a half-open throttle, and the brakes are powerhouses. A nice clutch action from the Magura set-up too, although no feathering required as the TE gets up to speed quickly with its short gearing and torquey engine.

And it’s not only on the dirt where the TE is sure-footed, as I found out when I took the SM for a spin along a majestic country road just outside of Canberra, peppered with beautiful sweepers, punchy straights and tight first and second gear corners.

It amounted to around 15km of sinuous bliss and I was having the time of my life, flicking the 151kg bike from side to side with absolute ease – and without a hint of nervousness through the tapered Tomaselli bars as the 17-inch rubber (120/70 front and 150/60 rear) grabbed the tarmac by the scruff of the neck.

For an asphalt lover, it doesn’t get much better, and I didn’t have to work the gearbox as hard as the TE with its taller gearing. And I didn’t feel the surge that was evident on the TE, probably because I was operating most of the time with close to full throttle.

The SM simply doesn’t waste one bit of its talent, and next up is riding it in traffic. The dynamics would certainly be different – more grind, less unbridled joy – but I reckon it would still amount to great company with its confidence-inducing lower saddle height (it’s 30mm lower than the 610) and its honest slow-speed skills. And with a decent-sized 12-litre polyethylene fuel tank, a couple of hundred kilometres on a tank shouldn’t present any major problems.

Perhaps I was too relaxed on the SM (although I was scraping my toes on most corners, Your Honour), as about halfway through the 15km I looked over my shoulder to the sight of the aforementioned TE right in my tail.

It didn’t make a lot of initial sense, but then I realised that 1. The rider was Paul Feeney, himself a former top-level Superbike racer; and 2. The TE may have been a little more nervous than the SM around the turns (the dual-sport tyres don’t help), but it gives little away in the quickness of its steering, even with bigger wheels, a longer wheelbase and more trail. That’s a real fillip for the 630 brand -- and for pure school boy antics, the TE’s front wheel is easier to get in the air.

Just as the TE makes a solid transition from dirt to pavement, the SM does it the other way with some aplomb, although not quite with the same level of intuition.

But it’s still a nice feeling when something that has such a sixth sense for the road can get the job done in another environment. In that scene, the 320mm front disc (gripped by a radial Brembo caliper) is probably overdoing it, but I certainly appreciated it on the tarmac.

And the aesthetics? Well, the SM bodywork is all new, which includes the seat, fuel tank, LED tail light, side panels, air ducts and both mudguards.
Just on the seat, it has new dual density padding to “ensure greater comfort for rider and passenger, even on longer routes”.

Supermoto bikes are notorious for serving up fatigue-inducing seats and, while the SM630 is a marginal improvement on previous iterations, it’s still not going to provide too much long haul enjoyment other than for the hardcore iron butts of this world.

The passenger at least gets two grab handles, which are anchored to the rear sub-frame.

The new headlamp offers greater lighting performance and is integrated into the headlight shield, which in turn integrates with the front mudguard.

The frame and swingarm now have new black paint, working with the two new colour schemes: white/aluminium or the “more aggressive and sporty” white/black.

Husky’s in-mould design process also gets a look-in, but it’s also something that can’t be changed – you’re stuck with it. For me it’s not an issue, but it does deal personalisation a bit of a blow.

Optional accessories on the SM630 include an accessory luggage rack and soft luggage bag.

Prices are $11,995 for the TE630 and $12,495 for the SM630. Contact your local Husqvarna dealer to organise a test ride.

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel tube cradle
Front suspension: 45mm upside-down Marzocchi fork with rebound adjustment, 250mm travel
Rear suspension: Sachs shock with rebound, compression and preload adjustment, 290mm travel
Front brakes: 320mm disc with Brembo radial twin-piston caliper
Rear brakes: 220mm disc with single-piston caliper
Wheels: Light alloy, front 3.50 x 17, rear 4.25 x 17
Tyres: Pirelli, front 120/70-17, rear 150/60-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: Not given
Trail: 83mm
Claimed wet weight: 151kg
Seat height: 910mm
Wheelbase: 1495mm
Ground clearance: 240mm
Fuel capacity: 12 litres

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: Not given
Claimed maximum torque: Not given

OTHER STUFF
Price: $12,495
Bike supplied by: Paul Feeney Group (www.husqvarnamotorcycles.com.au/)

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