Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:53
A NEW BREED
Husqvarna has always strived to innovate and bring new ideas to the world of off road motorcycles. Now, as always, the motorcycle brand with the longest tradition in the world in the Off Road sector is fully committed to the ongoing research and development of the perfect off road bike: easy to use, ready to race and easy to maintain. The design of the new 449/511 range outstrips that of other off road models and stands out immediately for its looks, exclusive layout and cutting-edge technology.
Husky TE449
Design and Layout
The line is completely new: slim and refined. The single piece side panel runs from where traditionally the fuel tank would be, all the way back to the rear mudguard, allowing the rider free and unhindered movement. There is no chance of snagging boots or pants on the edges of the panels with this design.
Besides the aesthetic and ergonomic aspects, the new design also makes maintenance easier as the air filter, rear shock and throttle body can all be accessed with ease. The long seat, which runs from the rear mudguard to the steering head, offers completely free longitudinal movement.
Aesthetics, technology and serviceability too: the graphics on the side panels are applied using the 'In Mould Design' technology for increased resistance to wear and the 2 litre fuel pump housing is transparent so that the remaining fuel level can be easily monitored.
Center of Gravity
The idea behind the TE 449/511 range is 'mass centralisation' - to keep the weight of the bike concentrated as close as possible to the centre of gravity and to design a chassis which adapts perfectly to the demands of competitive Enduro racing. The crux of this concept is the union of the rear wheel swing arm pivot point and the gearbox output shaft sprocket. This solution, which Husqvarna calls CTS (Coaxial Traction System), eliminates the variation in the length of the chain during rear suspension movement, minimising the effect of the final drive on the bikes handling. This solution allows a longer swing arm whilst still retaining a wheelbase similar to our competitors, ensuing greater traction, which for Enduro means tangible advantages.
The chassis layout allows the modern DOHC engine to be mounted closer to the centre of the bike, whilst tilting the cylinder further forward allows a long and straight air intake path at the same time as keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible. This has also meant that the throttle body and fuel injector nozzle can be mounted in the ideal position.
TE 511 Model - Notice the tank under the seat
Again, continuing the theme of mass centralisation, the two part fuel tank design provides a total of 8.5 litres capacity in a low mounted 2 litre pump housing and a 6.5 litre under seat main tank. The under seat fuel tank layout permits the airbox to be located in a protected and fluidodynamically favourable position above the engine with the actual air intake being at the height of the steering column, in a raised and sheltered position to minimise the intake of dust or water.
The air filter box has an elongated intake manifold and a newly designed air intake to provide greater breathability for the sponge filter, which is easily removed thanks to a hinge system in the airbox.
The battery is located adjacent to the under seat main fuel tank to again centralise the mass.
Husky TE511
Performance Setup
The TE 449/511 bikes are equipped with a cutting-edge 4 valve dual camshaft engine which has been significantly improved to previous year models.
Fuel delivery is managed by an electronic injection system with a Keihin 46 mm diameter, double flap throttle body which provides progressive and predictable throttle response.
All components are top of the range – the bike even comes with two exhaust silencers: the Euro 3 compliant silencer fitted as standard and a steel Akrapovic Racing exhaust, developed in collaboration with the Slovenian company to maximise the potential of the engine, whilst minimising the weight.
The gear ratios for both the Enduro and MX versions have been completely changed: the Enduro now uses a 6 speed transmission and the ratios have been modified on the basis of the experience gained during Salminen and Tarkkala's races. The ignition timing has been optimised with maps specific to the two different capacities and exhaust systems.
The clutch is controlled hydraulically, offering a smoother and more progressive action with greater consistency also under stress.
The motorcycle has a high energy electronic ignition and, thanks to the powerful battery and fuel injection system, a supplementary kick start is not necessary.
Handling
The challenges posed by the conception of geometry and by the general concept of the motorcycle itself were linked to the tough demands of riding in the most severe and extreme conditions. The result is a surprisingly effortless and smooth ride along with agility and outstanding steering stability.
The perimeter design chassis is made of high strength steel tubing. The geometry of the rear suspension is revolutionary, with a new linkage mounted on top of the alloy swing arm.
This solution offers many advantages: it increases the ground clearance, improves general reliability thanks to the reduced exposure of the components and makes maintenance easier.
But there's more: dynamically, by exploiting the advantages of the double cradle frame made in high strength steel tubing, the roughness of the ground is absorbed more gradually, attenuating the stresses on the rider.
The advantages when jumping are also remarkable with the recoil effect of the rear wheel being significantly reduced and the smoothness of the suspension is particularly perceivable on rougher and more difficult ground.
Coaxial Traction System
A real refinement in the field of chassis design and exclusive to the TE/TC 449/511 range is the CTS, the Coaxial Traction System. This system represents an evolution compared to the one adopted on the BMW G 450X. The solution, which originally used a single swing arm pivot spindle, now has two independent semi spindles which reduce the stress on the swing arm and facilitate the replacement of the gearbox sprocket.
The advantages of the CTS system compared to the traditional systems are huge. During the suspension movement along the whole stroke, the chain is not subject to any change in length. The tension of the chain remains constant regardless of the swing arm position, while the chain and sprockets benefit from reduced wear. An important positive effect on the riding characteristics is the marked reduction of the impact of alternating the load on the transmission.
This aspect has been studied by a spin-off company of the University of Padova called Dynamotion which has proved that the CTS improves traction in the various stages of acceleration and consequently during also the vertical movements of the suspension on rough terrain.
The result is better traction during acceleration and surer, more confident gear changes. More in general, the values obtained by adopting the CTS have a much more uniform trend in all conditions, leading to improved ridability and stability of the motorcycle.
Components
The new TEs are equipped with the most advanced components in the Off Road sector.
For the front brake, there is a Brembo system with floating caliper and 260 mm wave rotor, while the rear brake consists of a floating calliper operating on a 240 mm rotor.
The suspension is entrusted in full to the specialists of Kayaba, with 48 mm forks, adjustable for compression and rebound damping and a Kayaba rear shock absorber designed specifically for Enduro use with settings optimised in collaboration with the racing team.
The tapered diameter handlebars, original equipment hand protectors, compact and efficient instrumentation, shockproof plastic engine / chassis guards, rear mudguard with incorporated racing number plate holder and led rear light complete the fittings.
TC 449
The motocross version stands out not only for the normal MX chassis changes (no lights, 19" rear wheel etc) but above all for the engine which has been specifically tuned for MX use, delivering significantly more power than the Enduro version.
The timing and camshaft profiles are completely different as is the compression ratio which has increased to 13:1 instead of 12:1 in the Enduro version. The electronic injection system still uses a 46mm Keihin throttle body but is fitted with a single flap instead of the Enduro twin flap version to provide a sharper, more aggressive throttle response. Additionally, the TC449 is fitted with a dual mode switch on the handlebars, which allows access to two different fuel injection/ignition timing maps to provide a softer power delivery for low traction conditions.
The titanium exhaust system with carbon fibre tipped silencer has been developed specifically by Akrapovic and the five speed transmission has specific ratios for use in MX. The suspension is provided by Kayaba with multi adjustable sealed cartridge front forks matched to a Kayaba fully adjustable rear shock.
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