Husqvarna TE 410

This Husqvarna 410 doesn't go off like a .410 calibre shotgun, rather the power delivery is very smooth, with plenty of revs all the way to the willing top-end.

It's very similar to the Husaberg in that respect.The front forks are easy to steer, and there's none of this bouncing or locking - only plenty of solid feel instead. The steering feels a little slow, but this is probably due to its wheelbase, which is the longest in the comparo.The forks firm-up smoothly as the suspension compresses, and it really took the sting out of the jumps on the motocross track. It's one of the few bikes where I upped the compression and rebound damping to slow the action down a bit - it's usually the other way around.

When things start getting a bit tricky again, the solid mid-range torque helps the rear wheel to find grip, and you know the front-end is going to hold whichever line you choose to take.

While riding, I caught up with a few old riding mates and met a few new ones. Their comments on the bike ranged from "nice smooth, broad power" to "easy to ride".

I think they were expecting the 410 would be a bit of a monster that would take them for a ride; they were pleasantly surprised at how much of a user-friendly bike it really is.

The only negative, especially for larger riders, is that the riding position is a little cramped with the stock handlebars.

This Husqvarna is still a good example of a European bike which is not an out-and-out weapon like some of the other examples in this class. Instead, its mandate is on taming rough conditions in a most user-friendly way - and, of course, being very stylish in the process.

I'm very happy with my Husqvarna 410. Having given this bike a thorough thrashing on Moto courses, this is one of the better bikes I've used.