KTM 525EXC vs Husaberg FE550e vs TM530FES vs Husqvarna TE510

Except for one thing: they're all different. We'll come back to that topic in a moment, but first let's have a brief look at what these maulers cost and what you get for the money.

Husky TE510: The Husky retails for $12,590. The warranty is a two year deal, the most generous in the industry, but while other manufacturers offer all kinds of 'spares kit carrots', Husky plays it straight down the middle. There's a basic tool kit and that's it.

TM530FES: TM plays the same game - no spares kit - and you get a six months parts-only warranty. The 530 retails for $13,990.

KTM 525EXC: The RRP is $12,895 and the warranty is three months parts-only. When you buy a KTM you get lots of prezzies though, such as:

HUSABERG FE550e: The Berger retails for $12,595 - cheaper than the KTM now - and comes with a 12 months parts and labour warranty. In the spares kit are the mandatory mirrors, a backpack, hand-guards, a toolkit, dirt or road gearing, and a parts manual.

From the figures above, if you believe that how much you pay determines what you get, on the face of it the KTM or the Husaberg is the best value for money. The Husaberg is the cheapest bike - only just - but that's something we never thought we'd say, while the KTM has the most value added. But that's from a purely dollar value point of view and doesn't take into account each bike's X-Factor. If that were the only criterion the TM530 or the Husaberg would win by a country mile.

VARIETY THE SPICE
Now back to that bit about these bikes being different. Park them side by side and they sure as hell look different, but it gets more interesting when you start noticing small but crucial things. 

Of all the engineers who worked on these machines, only the Husaberg boys found a clever way to solve the "where do we put the battery" problem. On all but the Husaberg, batteries share the airbox with the air filter, seldom an ideal solution because the filter is harder to get in and out with a battery in the way. Husaberg put the battery between the frame rails behind the engine, which gets it out of the way and helps keep the bike's C of G lower. They eliminated the problem of a fiddly airbox by eliminating the airbox. The filter sits in a slot at the rear of the tank and couldn't be easier to get at. Having no airbox markedly improves access to the shock too.

It has come to our attention, a little late in the game perhaps, that what we once considered quirky engineering on Husabergs now makes wonderful sense. The FE550e was by far the easiest bike to work on and the easiest to clean. But quirks remains. Why, for example, does Husaberg reverse the fuel tap so you can't see, let alone read, the ON, RESERVE and OFF inscriptions? Is it to protect the fuel tap? No. How many times have you come home without a fuel tap? And there's still that BIG single radiator.

QUIRKS AND PERKS
We can forgive the TM530 almost anything for it's a source of instant gratification. It's the hand-made beer of dirt bikes. The Ferrari big bore. The Satan of all dirt road sliders. And talk about feel-good. But it's quirky here and there. TM too is playing funny buggers with the fuel tap. They put it behind the righthand radiator shroud where you need fingers like ET to get at it. The 530 also has the largest engine breather we've ever seen, which suggests to us that crankcase pressurisation with this machine is something TM is still working on. The engine spat small amounts of oil from the breather all day, although not so much that oil volume was affected.

The TM has the longest sidestand which, for some reason, is also powered by a return spring that generates enough force to remove a knee-cap. All the engine fittings have Allen heads. The air filter is cramped by the battery, therefore access to it is so-so.

Very much on the plus side, the TM has a light hydraulic clutch, terrific brakes, and freeplay adjustors on the brake and clutch levers (as do all these bikes). Couple 50-13 gearing to that nuclear engine and you have a powerplant that will move enough gravel to build a new freeway.

The KTM 525 has an enormous air filter and very good access to it, despite its proximity to the battery. The side panel covering the filter is a push-fit, meaning it's held in position by friction between the plastic components and therefore requires no bolts to secure it. It doesn't look right and doesn't fel right but it works. And it's clever.

 The worst thing about maintenance on the KTM is the time it takes for oil changes, and the money it costs. You're looking at $50 for an oil change on this bike, about $35 for two filters, $15 for the oil, and 45 minutes to get the whole circus on the road again.

Quirks? Only one, and this time it's funny buggers with the choke. KTM puts it behind a cut-out in the fuel tank. You don't try to reach it through the cut-out; you reach behind the cut-out and pull on the choke.

THE DEVIL AND HIS DETAILS
We reckon there's a covert competition going on among bike designers to see who can hide either the choke or the fuel tap in the silliest bloody place. Husaberg gets points for originality with its backwards fuel tap, TM's ahead on points with its ET model and KTM's running a tight third with its choke-in-a-cut-out. It's neck and neck as the ergonomics handbook is chucked out the window.

TM and KTM share the most uncluttered handlebar layout and both have quality tapered bars. The KTM tank is very unobtrusive for someone used to, say, a DRZ400. As one of our testers observed, "There seems to be very little in front of me when I sit on this bike", a common response to the KTM's racey ergonomics.

The last Husqvarna TE510 we rode had granite-like suspension. We twiddled screwdrivers all day and couldn't get a decent ride, but the 06 bike is much improved. So, therefore, is the ride quality.

The seat is retained by a single Dzeus fastener. That's good. Husky's idea of fixing the 'where do we put the battery' problem was partially solved by putting the battery in a hinged cradle that, theoretically, swings out of the way to give access to the air filter. It swings alright, but in reality access isn't improved much. As far as we're concerned, Husaberg gets the Ease of Maintenance Award and that's the end of that.

Engine fittings on the Husky are 8mm hex-head. Gearing is 50-14, or was on the test bike, a setup that made the Husqvarna feel as if it needed at least two more gears. In fact, replacing the 14T with a 15T front sprocket makes a world of difference, as any competent dealer in the middle of a derestriction exercise will tell you.

THE ENGINE ROOM
When it comes to big bores there's one thing everyone expects; power on tap and plenty of it. These bikes deliver, but each is very different in its power characteristics.

When it comes to power the Husaberg has served up the Berger with the works. The power delivery is instantaneous. Crack the throttle and it goes, NOW! It comes on fast and it comes on strong everywhere in the rev range. If you want to go fast, just crack the throttle. You want to go insanely fast, just wind it on a bit more. If you want to loop out and do yourself permanent brain damage, rip it open to the stops. In the class that is king of horsepower, the Berger is the king of kings. The engine needs to be ridden a gear higher than the other three big-bores just to keep the wheelspin in check. It's "experienced riders only". If your man enough to take this thing on it'll bring you nothing but smiles. Just don't forget to treat it with the respect.

The Husky has a good, strong, all-round engine. It is strong all through the rev range, it's smooth and it's willing to rev. The fact that it isn't as responsive as the Berger makes it easy to manage so there's a good deal less fear factor in the rough stuff.

Unfortunately the gearing was way too low and didn't allow us to make the most of the good spread of power. We revved the ring out of it all day. Another tooth on the front sprocket will fix this.

The big Katey is the mild mannered one of the bunch. Well, as mild mannered as a big bore can be. It lacks the urgency off the bottom that you expect from a big bore. It wasn't weak by any means, but it wasn't as strong as it's three shootout counterparts. The midrange comes on in a spirited surge and it's equally willing to rev if that's your caper. This is a bike that can be pushed along quickly without scaring the chocolate out of you.

Like the KTM, the TM isn't strong all through the rev range. It's a bottom end and mid-range engine. This was the easiest engine to live with. Off the bottom it pulls like a fourteen year old and the mid-range is just as impressive. It's got a torque curve flatter than a supermodels chest and the most linear throttle we've ever encountered. The rear wheel does exactly what you want. But don't let this fool you into thinking this bike is a plodder. It's free revving and deadest fast.

THE COCKPIT
The Berger had good bars-seat-pegs layout, although the bars are positioned further forward. Our first impression was of riding a Brahman bull but 50 metres up the trail we were comfortable with it. The seat is wide by modern standards and is the most comfortable to sit in all day. The tank bulges noticeably, a by-product of the fuel tank having to wrap around the air-filter. It was the widest of the four. 

The Husky is much more modern in it's lines but it too bulges at the tank, although not as much as the Husaberg. The bars-seat-pegs layout was good for littler guys but our really tall guy (Jacko lines up at 6'5") found it too cramped when seated.

The big Katey has been the class leader in ergos for several years now and KTM have stuck to their winning formula. It feels too small to be a big bore. It's quite tall but it's super-slim. It's like the anorexic cousin of all the other big bores. It prompted one of our test riders to ask "who stole the petrol tank?" Sitting on this bike, it just feels right. Our tall rider also thought the KTM gave him the most space to stretch out.

The TM is also very slim. We didn't get the tape measures out but we think the KTM has beaten it by mere millimetres as the slimmest bike in the pack. The TM doesn't feel as tall as the KTM and is dead flat all the way from the mudguard to the petrol tank.

CORNERS AND ROUGH STUFF
Handling and suspension is much harder to get right on a big-bore than on a less powerful bike like a four-stroke 250. It's great to own a bike that pumps out 50-odd horsepower but it all means naught if it tracks like your grandfather after four pints of Guinness.

The Berger is an open trail blaster. The suspension was terrific. It is a little on the firm side, which suggests that you're expected to be quick, but it was still comfortable. It took everything we threw at it and still tracked dead straight all day. The huge tank impeded efforts to get up the front and drive it through the turns. This is ok where you can steer with the rear wheel but in the tight stuff you're as busy as a squirrel in a walnut tree. And at the end of the day when you're buggered it just seems so far to the other side of the tank.

The Husky was suspended the most like a trail bike. It was like cruising in a Cadillac at trail pace, but the rear had a tendency to occasionally step out when the going got rough. All our testers commented on it so it's not our imagination. Once you're moving the Husky seems to slim up a bit and it's quite good at turning into corners. Overall it's a good package.

The handling and suspension is an area where the Katey walks the walk. It doesn't feel like a big bore. It's easy to move around on and it's light, which means it tips into corners effortlessly. Back this up with suspension that's supple and compliant, yet takes big hits well, and it's a handling package that's damn near impossible to beat. 

In fact it would be perfect if it didn't have headshake. It's never that bad that you think it's going to spit you off but it's there and you know it. And it's at it's worst when you back off. Up until now it hasn't been an issue because the KTM was so far ahead of the competition that this minor flaw still had it miles in front. But now the competition is sharper, it's little things like this that can take you from top of the tree to a mid-trunk position.

We've been impartially running through the bike attributes in alphabetical order. This has meant that the TM always gets the last shot, appropriate here because the best has been left to last.

Everything you can say about the KTM applies to the TM, but without the headshake! The amazingly flat seat lets you climb all over this thing like a $20 hooker. The suspension is firmer than the KTM but still supple, and at the end of the day no-one had bottomed the TM. The wheels are always exactly where you put them; it's like they've been Velcro'd to the ground.

Confidence inspiring is just not a good enough description, but it's all we can come up with. If you can't ride this thing fast then someone's turned off your fuel.

SO WHO'S THE DUDE?
So with all we've said in mind, how do these bikes stack up?

Surprisingly, two of our testers said they'd take the Berger as a trail bike. These guys are experienced riders and thought that the huge supply of power on tap would let them run any gearing they needed. Plus the widish, comfortable seat would make eating up lots of kays a comfortable affair. For this sort of stuff the extra width is not an issue.

The Husky is the most user friendly so it's our pick for newer riders who want to try their hand at a big bore. The softish suspension and smooth strong engine make this an easy bike to live with, especially when you've bitten off a bit more than you can chew.

The KTM has the handling we've come to expect from a European bike in what's proven to be a very reliable package. It's got that race bike feel to it but it's normal enough to appeal to everyone. If we hadn't made a last minute decision to throw the TM into the mix, the Katey would have been the unanimous favourite. If you've been riding for a while and want a bike which can help expand your skills, for God's sake ride a TMN 530 before you buy anything else.

The TM is from a thoroughbred racing stable and it makes no pretence at being anything else. Our trail riders found it to be a little too hard edged for them. It goes, it handles and it stops. Everyone agreed that if they wanted to win a championship then they couldn't get a bike to make it any easier. And, for some, the same attributes also make it a great weekend ride. If you're a fast guy, or you want to be, and the woods are your caper, nail 'em on this.

THE DBT AWARDS
X-factor (engine): Husaberg FE550e
X-factor (handling): TM 530FES
Tallest bike: KTM 525EXC
Fastest bike: Husaberg FE550e
Slowest bike: Get real!

THESE ARE ALL FAST!
Best bike if you're tall: KTM 525EXC
Best trail bike (novice): Husqvarna 510TE
Best trail bike (experienced): Husaberg FE550e