Good overview of the TE610

Pros and cons of the TE610

Mid-range grunt- both the TE610 and 610SM put out heaps of mid-range torque and there's no need to go anywhere near the rev limiter, as either bike will be flying along riding between 4000 and 6500rpm.

Service intervals - oil changes are only required every 4000km / 2500 miles. Generally the TE610 and 610SM engine is quite low maintenance.

Handling, gearing and weight - all good news with quality suspension and Brembo brakes. The TE610 and 610SM both weigh in at a claimed dry weight of 139kg / 309 pounds, more than the high performance bikes but a lot lighter than old 650 thumpers. The six-speed gearbox has one of the widest spread of ratios out to cope with all types of riding.

Versatility - The TE610 will not be all that good as a dedicated adventure bike, dirt bike or road bike. But if you want to do all three then it would have to be one of the best all rounders out there.

Good fuel range and economy - both the TE610 and 610SM are surprisingly economical, and get a decent range with the 3.3 gallon / 12.5 litre tank, around 180km or 120 miles before the fuel light comes on with easy riding.

Remapping - the fuel-injected TE610 and 610SM models can be remapped by removing the O2 sensor which puts the bike into a "race map" if you want to gain some more top end power at the expense at lower revs.

Motard / dirt options - the TE610 is quite easy to convert to a motard, or the 610SM back to dirt trim. You can get a set of 610SM wheels and the front caliper adapter, although these will be very expensive as factory items.

WEAK SPOTS OF THE TE610 & 610SM

Don't be deterred by list, it's compiled from several years of forum discussions and any bike would have a similar number of problems, if not more.

Cam chain? - Some early model TE610 and 610SM owners have reported the original factory cam chain wearing out at only 5000km, while others find around 25000km the norm. Do your own reseach, but it looks like Husqvarna put crap cam chains on pre-2007 models?

Seat - the TE610/610SM seat is a typical enduro seat - hard and narrow. But there are aftermarket seats available, or get some vinyl, medium-density foam and staple gun to make your own.

Weak rear subframe for heavy luggage - if you want to use a rear luggage rack or pannier bags you may find the alloy subframe will eventually break.

Exhaust pipe - Unlike KTMs and other Husqvarna models, the exhaust pipe on the TE610 and 610SM is quite restrictive and still not all that quiet. The Leo Vince slip-on is a very popular pipe with a claimed increase of around 10% power with rejetting/remapping from stock.

Airbox screws - crap design! It usually doesn't take long before these just start spinning in the plastic and you can't get them out.

Clutch cable - some TE610 and 610SM owners report the clutch cable wearing out quickly near the gearbox end. Make sure it is properly in place and not doing a tight bend.

No bash plate - a strange oversight by Husqvarna to put no bashplate, even a cheapo plastic one, on the TE610! http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Speedo failures - the TE610 and 610SM electronic speedos often failed, at least on the earlier models.

Not a huge range of aftermarket stuff - most TE610 and 610SM riders would agree that sales of these bikes are surprisingly low given how brilliant they are for dual purpose riding, so there simply isn't a massive range of aftermarket gear.

Footpegs - Some TE610 owners say their footpegs eventually fail because the bolt and/or mating surfaces have rough bits that cause wear. They report pulling them apart and sanding these smooth will be worth doing.

This info is a condensed version of this TE610 website.