Things to check when buying a te510?

[sgomes]

Hi, first post here, and I would like any information or suggestions of things to check out when looking at a te510 for purchase.

 

I will apologize up front to those who find this annoying, and who are inclined to post that it has been asked many times.  But, I can tell you that I have searched for hours and haven't found anything that seems to encompass the important things to look for.

 

With 08 being the first year of FI, I am wondering if there is reason not to pick one from that year?  Also, any pros or cons re carb vs FI?

 

I am a fat (6' 260lbs) old guy (62), and I want to turn in my SV650S for an endure/dual sport bike while I am still able to ride.  I grew up on dirt bikes back in the 60's; and, while I have no illusions that I will be able to do the crazy stuff we did back then, I would like to run fire trails, any old dirt road, as well as winding canyons.  So, the bike I eventually buy must be tractable up to 70 mph on freeways for 100 miles or so, to get me to destinations.

 

At first, I was considering both the 450 and 510, but there seems to be a general consensus that someone of my, errrrr, proportions would be better served by the extra torque of the 510.  If anyone would like to opine re this topic, I would welcome the discussion.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice, general information, or suggestions.

 

Steve

[biggziff]

I can assure you that you will not want to ride a TE510 at 70 MPH for any distance on the road.  The vibes will kill you.

[sgomes]

Thanks for the input.  Since I will not be single tracking or serious hill climbing, I will be using some kind of crossover tire; and I plan on getting a second set of wheels, with tires that are tamer, yet.  I assume the knobby's play a significant role in the comfort at speed factor.  Also, I will likely come up with a different sprocket setup.

 

Thanks again for the tip.

 

I welcome a discussion on this subject, but I'm still hoping to get some thoughts on things that might help me buy a solid bike.  Of course, all of us would like to have a nice looking bike, but I would gladly accept some scrapes and bruises keeping the price down on a bike that has been well maintained and is fit mechanically.

 

Steve

[shrubitup]

most vibrations come from motor vice tires. big single piston. not sure if it has a counter balancer or not. those with one vibrate much much less. 100 miles on any plated dirt bike and you will be in pain. need more of a ADV bike to arrive comfortably but then they`re awful off road. I use a pickup to haul my bike to the fun places to ride.

[sgomes]

Sure, I am prepared for the roughness of a single, but there are many riders who claim they have found the TE to be quite streetable with the changes I mention above.

 

Ok, now I'm beginning to backstep.  I recently talked myself out of the SMR, thinking I wanted something that would be more off-roadish; but, maybe the SMR would work for what I plan on doing.

 

Man, just when I thought I had identified the bike, now......maybe not.

[Big and Husky]

You want a TE 610 / 630 or Terra 650

Big

[J-train]

Get a carbed model IMHO, the FI, they never freally worked it out all the well. An FCR equipped mill runs much smoother 

[dzrhnds]

Ya If you plan on doin 70 mph for any distance at all you need the big one..Ive got an "o6"TE510 that I ride locally.The reason I bought it is because its light.My last bijke was a DR650 and it would easaly do 70 for as far as you stay on the seat ,but it was like 100 lbs more wouldnt spin the tire and was difficult to pull the front tire off the ground without some pre-meditated plan.When i bought it it had knobbies ,and when I changed to Some Metzler Toureg  tires it made a huge differance on the hiway.So im kinda HIP to what your talking about.Now this 510 I have now?Its a comnpleatly a different animal all together...Even with a smaller45 tooth rear sproket and Pirrelli Scorpian tires top speed is 82 MPH and comfortable speed is like 59-61MPH and that isnt for a ghuge distance mostlyon ramp to off ramp .I guess if I took some heavy drugs  I could ride it for a hundred miles but iT SEEMES a little inhumane.The bright side is ,It makes me feel like a kid agian,It stops much better its way more fun on trails.It gives me a sence of control and last but certinatly not least anywhere between 2nd and 5th gear is wheelie zone ...

[handyman0708]

I currently have an 06 TE610- carb model. It had the Metz Karoo's on it when I got it. Now has the Sahara's- much better for any street work and will still do well on gravel and firm off road- not too bad on sand either. Looked at the TE510 when I ended up with the TE610. The big issues for me were the more "competition" nature of the TE510. TE510 has close ratio gearbox, more power but more peaky, very short service intervals, higher maintenance all the time. I am more interested in riding than doing spanner work all the time. TE610 is really pretty easy to live with. Nice flat, fat torque. Any skilled rider on a TE510 will go past me easily but if you want to do any time as in more than 100 miles- you will still be going on the 610.

[dzrhnds]

I currently have an 06 TE610- carb model. It had the Metz Karoo's on it when I got it. Now has the Sahara's- much better for any street work and will still do well on gravel and firm off road- not too bad on sand either. Looked at the TE510 when I ended up with the TE610. The big issues for me were the more "competition" nature of the TE510. TE510 has close ratio gearbox, more power but more peaky, very short service intervals, higher maintenance all the time. I am more interested in riding than doing spanner work all the time. TE610 is really pretty easy to live with. Nice flat, fat torque. Any skilled rider on a TE510 will go past me easily but if you want to do any time as in more than 100 miles- you will still be going on the 610.

You got that rite!

[handyman0708]

You got that rite!

Which bit in particular, or the whole lot?

[dzrhnds]

I have to agree with everything you said...you know the first thing I thought when I ended up buying a 510n ,cause I was set out lookin for a six10 was this should help with my mid-life crisis,lol.you know what id really like is to have one f each...That would pretty much cover my needs...