The great FE501 conversion

[ReGenesis]

Yep, just the same...............ask Warlord what's best though

All I am saying is, from experience...........you can't beat good/improved suspension, on any bike over the stuff that the manufacturers fit as OEM

On all my bikes - I've done suspension first.
Only on 2 have I then gone on to do engine work, remapping, etc.
One because it was then raced, the other just because I could
The difference between a standard ZX10r and one with full WP was over 10s at Almeria. Over 2mins to sub 1.54

 

[kurienp]

More photos, he still hasn’t fitted the lower front mudguard and the wheels will go on when he’s got the brake discs, sprockets etc on them.

Rear luggage rack with subframe bracing.

Toolbox/bash plate

Arse end view

Side view

Front view

Another shot of the toolbox but open & empty

I’ll take a few photos of where he’s fitted the instruments, USB power supply, ignition key etc when I get it home.

The indicators and mirrors are about as small as you can get but less is better when you want everything tucked away and minimal weight.

I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far

Ooooh! Sexy indeed. Awesome build Andy.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Toddmeister]

Considering Ohlins have run rebound in the right fork and compression in the left on their factory gas forks since the early noughties
What’s the issue? Means lighter kit, larger valving, etc.
Good enough for Rossi, Marquez, et al - fairly sure its more than good enough for a fat twat crashing around a green lane somewhere in Surrey......

Yep, agree with that (I'm only 75Kgs though so just a twat, not a fat twat! )

Good suspension makes a bike better, look at Tim's 640...........it may lack in outright power to newer bikes, but because the suspension is fully sorted it can be ridden faster

Better suspension offroad, doesn't beat you up, fatigue you and wear you out............I would say it's more important than road

I get that JB, and to an extent agree with you. I've spent loads of money over the years on improving the suspension on my road and track bikes, but I'm a much better and more experienced rider on tarmac than I am off road.

For the level I ride at when doing a bit of trail riding I have honestly found the Husky's OE suspension to be fine, in fact a hell of a lot better than on my Yamaha WR250F! Appreciate that everyone is different though and some folk may find the benefits of an upgrade are worth the money!

 

[ReGenesis]

Yep, agree with that (I'm only 75Kgs though so just a twat, not a fat twat! )



I get that JB, and to an extent agree with you. I've spent loads of money over the years on improving the suspension on my road and track bikes, but I'm a much better and more experienced rider on tarmac than I am off road.

For the level I ride at when doing a bit of trail riding I have honestly found the Husky's OE suspension to be fine, in fact a hell of a lot better than on my Yamaha WR250F! Appreciate that everyone is different though and some folk may find the benefits of an upgrade are worth the money!

You've got 5kgs on me

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

On a road bike I can work out what I need to do to improve the suspension but off road I’ve no chance.

The only thing I might look at is the spring rating and if I’m planning on carting 20-30kg of crap around put a stiffer spring on it.

 

[MarkR]

I’ve left the suspension well alone because the Xplor forks should be up to the job and the 501 has a separate linkage for the rear shock rather than being direct as with the KTM 500EXC.

If they need a bit of messing about with then it won’t be a big job and at least the 501 has the basics of a decent suspension set up.

My old KTMs forks were marvellous. You can tell the Xplor forks are cheaper.
But I've managed so far.
What I have considered following some chat with people IRL is this:

https://store.ktechsuspension.com/f...ve-system-piston-kit-wp-xplor-2019-18101.html

Bit cheaper than some of the alternatives.
Probably cheaper than grafting some revalved older forks on as well.

 

[Tall Terry]

tools boxes & farkles , forks yadayada
Wheres the damn fast forward button to a ride report - this thing is dragging on - we need to know how it rides .........

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I’m on the 11pm ferry from Harwich tonight to pick it up then the 2pm ferry home from the Hook of Holland on Sunday so not long to wait

It’ll be another fortnight before I get a chance to try it out in it’s natural environment because I’m back to work on Monday morning and won’t be home until the 20th though that could drag out until Xmas Eve if certain things take longer than expected to start/finish. The downside of going down this kind of route is that it all needs paying for and that necessitates keeping the people that pay me happy.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Final photos arrived this morning so here it is in all it’s blinged up glory.

New wheels, chain & sprockets, front disc and calliper mount plus a heat shield for the right hand side pannier are about the only updates from the last batch.

Lots of blueness about the rear wheel plus a tyre more suitable to road/hard packed shit than the standard knobblies. The wheel has a cush drive hub because I’ll be doing a lot of road work in Europe and I don’t want any problems with the output shaft.

Left hand side.

Right hand side. It’s also got the larger capacity clutch cover fitted now which will make service intervals a bit longer when I’m away on longer trips.

Should I charge Nomad for using pictures of my bike on their website?

 

[jonnie comet]

I don't know anything about off road bikes but I do know that that looks the absolute dog's bllx !! I didn't know if the blue hubs would 'work' but they look ssssso good.


I know that I will get shot for saying this but I wouldn't like to get that dirty...


Health to enjoy...

 

[Trekker3]

It will be interesting to see how the insurance companies receive it, it may have to be a specialist company as the run of the mill companies don’t like aftermarket silencers, LED lighting or much alterations from standard, seems to get harder each year. Earlier this year, not one company would insure my 350EXC on the compare sites.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

The insurance company were perfectly happy and accepted a higher valuation with no quibbles but I didn’t use a comparison site. It helped that I told them I’d be modifying the bike before I’d even collected it and described it as a Nomad ADV Husqvarna FE501 conversion. I was expecting problems but all they wanted to know was as below:
Was I fitting an ignition lock to it?
Could any of the parts be described as performance parts?
Would I be carrying passengers?
Would it be kept in a locked, brick built garage when at home?

The reality is that it now has indicators, better brakes, better lights and an ignition lock so nothing to upset them.
Would it have a Sold Secure lock fitted when away from home?

 

[dean0n0]

Looks good, 950/990 front mudguard?
Not the usual ally/steel back sprocket, is it a few teeth less than standard?

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I’m not sure what the front mudguard was designed for but it fits ok so it’ll do for me. The gearing has been changed but they haven’t said what they’ve changed it to, the front is definitely up one tooth and I think they’ve dropped a couple of the back to make it lazier in top gear. It’ll still have a very low first gear compared to a road based adventure bike and I’m hoping I can use the new chain with the standard rear sprocket when I change wheels.

 

[Toddmeister]

Well that looks absolutely stunning

Hope you enjoy your first ride on it and look forward to a full evaluation sometime early in the New Year (that's New Year 2020 Andy, not 2021 )

 

[Arsey]

Looks amazing.

Someone has to ask so may as well be me!!! Dare I ask how much this has set you back ?

 

[Trekker3]

The insurance company were perfectly happy and accepted a higher valuation with no quibbles but I didn’t use a comparison site. It helped that I told them I’d be modifying the bike before I’d even collected it and described it as a Nomad ADV Husqvarna FE501 conversion. I was expecting problems but all they wanted to know was as below:
Was I fitting an ignition lock to it?
Could any of the parts be described as performance parts?
Would I be carrying passengers?
Would it be kept in a locked, brick built garage when at home?

The reality is that it now has indicators, better brakes, better lights and an ignition lock so nothing to upset them.
Would it have a Sold Secure lock fitted when away from home?

That’s good then, it is a real eyeful so you are going to have to be careful where you park it especially out and about in the UK, it will be light enough to lift into the back of a van.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Looks amazing.

Someone has to ask so may as well be me!!! Dare I ask how much this has set you back ?

Almost exactly the same amount as I claimed back in VAT on the new company van I purchased this year so the company paid for it

If you want it in proper money all that bling cost me just over £5k including putting it all together. I could have traded in my old 1290 SDGT for a 1290 SAS and paid only marginally more but I’ve had enough of big heavy bikes so I decided the way forward was to buy a base bike then pay someone to turn it into the bike I really wanted. Another way to look at it is I could have kept the SDGT and bought a fairly new enduro bike for trail riding and throwing in my van then taking it to Eastern Europe to ride on the longer trails you find there but the voices in my head said this was a better idea

 

[Arsey]

Almost exactly the same amount as I claimed back in VAT on the new company van I purchased this year so the company paid for it

If you want it in proper money all that bling cost me just over £5k including putting it all together. I could have traded in my old 1290 SDGT for a 1290 SAS and paid only marginally more but I’ve had enough of big heavy bikes so I decided the way forward was to buy a base bike then pay someone to turn it into the bike I really wanted. Another way to look at it is I could have kept the SDGT and bought a fairly new enduro bike for trail riding and throwing in my van then taking it to Eastern Europe to ride on the longer trails you find there but the voices in my head said this was a better idea

Ha ha . I edited my post but had put up a guess of £4750 so wasn’t far out .

I think that’s good value. Looks a great bike . I’m ALMOST tempted to get a 701LR with the 25 litre tank and do similar , but would be a bit overkill as I’m shite off-road .

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I’m sadly lacking when it comes to deep muddy ruts or really technical stuff where I don’t feel confident on a bigger, heavier bike because I know that if I drop a 1290 Super Adventure or a big GS I’m going to be waiting for someone else to come long and help me pick it. On a big bike I’d be stopping and looking for another route if I come to a rocky descent or a steep climb but I was perfectly happy doing them when I was riding in the longer Welsh enduros on a 250 EXC so this is a compromise where I get the lighter bike but it’s going to be capable of taking me on longer trips.