The Decision: 2019 Husqvarna TE250i
compressed by crankcase pressure atomizes with the raw fuel in the transfer ports. That air is already lubricated with oil, as the oil is delivered in the throttle body, well before the fuel is injected. When the piston is at the bottom of the stroke, that mixture of air, fuel and oil is forced into the combustion chamber. The computers ability to regulated fuel and oil delivery, and the velocity at which the mixture atomizes in the transfer port is what makes the bike incredibly efficient in terms of both fuel and oil, but also very efficient in terms of emissions as well.
First Impressions: The first thing we notice is just how smooth and powerful the motor feels! The throttle response is very good, and the crisp and clean fuel delivery make the bike feel more powerful than the carb version. We also noticed that the stock suspension settings are very plush. On the small trail debris and cobbly rock the bike handled great, on the big hits, especially at speed the forks would use up the first 2/3rds of the travel but was very resistant to bottoming. We also noticed that the bike
settled into corners well and worked very well when turning across flat ground. After riding the suspension in for a few hours a quick sag adjustment helped the balance of the bike tremendously. All in all, the stock settings were pretty good and you could definitely race this bike right out of the box. And that’s what we did! With 4 hours run time on the bike we took it to the opening round of the 2019 Hare Scrambles series. The Magura brakes worked amazingly! Coming off a Brembo equipped Husqvarna I was a little worried that the Magura brakes, particularly the front brake, would not perform as well as the Brembo. Fortunately, that was far from the case. I’m not notoriously abusive on the rear brakes so brake fade wasn’t a concern, but I do like a really firm feel from the front brake and the Magura delivered that no problem. After racing the bike the only complaint was in the size of the rider area.
Tall Guy Problems: At 6 feet 3 inches tall, I’m probably not the guy Husqvarna had in mind when they designed the ergonomics of the TE250i. Past experience told me that would be the case, but I always like to get some seat time on a new bike before making any changes, that way I have a starting point when I go looking for the right feel. To make more rider space, we moved the bars up to the third position and mounted a set of Renthal Twinwall 996 bars. The bar bend is all personal preference but moving the position forward makes a big difference! We also went with a Husqvarna accessory tall seat and mounted a set of IMS Core Enduro foot pegs that are both 5mm lower and 5mm rearward. Those few changes are a game changer for a tall guy!