Once they were good, then they weren’t, then they got good again and then they were gone.
In its short lifespan, Husaberg managed to give us maybe one of the greatest big-bore four-strokes. The technicians at Husaberg really thought outside the box with this design and came up with a cylinder inclined at 70 degrees on top of the gearbox. This helped centralise mass and made the 570cc, 115kg big-bore tameable.
The power is smooth and easy to manage while still being able to give you a fright or leave you sitting on your backside while the bike continues on down the track without you. When Husaberg first hit the market with the 70-degree engine, a lot of people were taken aback by the design but, over a short period, they startd to love the bike as they got the chance to experience what it could do.
Straight off the bat, the bike came out with quality parts such as WP suspension plus brakes and a hydraulic clutch by Brembo. The WP fork was a closed-cartridge 48mm unit held in place by billet alloy triple-clamps.
These triple-clamps got a lot of praise when the bike was released due to the solid and precise front end feel that they provided, with very little deflection. The WP linkless shock was fully adjustable and the air filter could be serviced quickly without tools as it was under the seat.
When the Husaberg was released there were issues with fuel pumps which had to be replaced by dealers. This issue only occurred on the first of the 570s but if you are buying one second hand it would be a good idea to check and see if the current owner has any information about the pump being replaced.
An issue on the later 570s was the fuel filter, which was too fine and reduced fuel flow. The filter was either removed by owners or replaced with a coarser filter by dealers. The only other issue I see with Husabergs is the wiring behind the headlight.
This is quite messy and moves a lot with the steering so the wires can become stressed and break, leaving the bike without power to the ignition. The waterpump also can cause a problem as the telltale hole that lets you know that the pump seal is leaking can become blocked and you don’t know your waterpump is stuffed until it causes major damage. For that reason it is a good idea to make sure this hole is always clear.
PRICE GUIDE – USED
$6300 – $9200
Full feature can be found in issue #434 of ADB Magazine.
