Husqvarna held its 2011 model launch at Braidwood in New South Wales this month.

Middleweight dirt bikes are becoming increasingly popular in the current era, proving the ultimate balance between a usable range of power while still retaining nimble handling.

Husqvarna’s TE 310 has received a host of development upgrades for 2011, coming in as one of our favourites at Husqvarna’s new model launch at Braidwood in New South Wales recently.

The new TE 310 uses the lightest engine in the 250cc four-stroke category that’s featured in the TE 250, albeit having a capacity of 302.44cc thanks to an increase in bore and stroke at 82 x 57.3mm.

Compared with the 250, that extra engine power in the trails works wonders, and you’ll be thankful for it when negotiating steep hill climbs or even if you’re simply cruising on dirt roads at speed.

There are two ignition maps that are changeable at the flick of a switch on the right handlebar, with the first mapping a lot gruntier off the bottom, but the second ‘tamer’ setting also was popular as it had very tractable torque.

Apart from the engine capacity boost, the 310 is very similar to its 250 sibling, and that converts nicely into the trails when you’re looking for a bit of extra punch.

The exhaust system is specially designed for the 310 model and has a new heat protection on the silencer, but many of the changes for the new year are in the chassis.

The chassis has been redesigned and reinforced thanks to feedback from the CH Racing World Enduro team, featuring a narrower area below the cradle, while the area around the footpegs and rear brake pump have been improved to reduce contact with riders’ legs.

The suspension settings have been optimised and the fuel capacity has been increased to 8.5 litres. Another bonus is that the fuel pump is now positioned to use every drop of the fuel in the tank.

Its air box has been redesigned to resist water better by placing the air filter in a revised position, while the engine guards are made of a new material for better protection.

The TE310 has plenty of power and torque, creating a superb all-rounder.

The latest TE 310 is six kilograms lighter than the 2010 model, and key features include Kayaba 48mm forks, a Sachs shock absorber, new hand guards and new graphics.

Those six kilograms make a huge difference when on the bike for lengthy rides, and you could be fooled into thinking you were actually on the 250 if it wasn’t for the impressive power on tap – it handles that good.

The revised suspension settings are super compliant and respond well to clicker changes. At first the forks felt a little too soft, but we added a few turns of compression and the difference was extremely noticeable.

Riding a 310 four-stroke truly does provide a perfect blend of good power and usable handling, allowing you to hit the trails with ease while also conserving plenty of energy as the bike makes things easy.

Maneuvering the 310 is far easier than if you’re on a big-bore, and personally, I couldn’t really see a reason why you would purchase the 250 over the 310 unless you’re planning on racing in the E1 (125cc two-stroke and 250cc four-stroke) category.

With a great spread of power, plenty of feedback in the handling department and ever-improving styling from Husqvarna, the latest TE 310 may just be one of the greatest all-rounders available in the off-road market today.

While the 310 stole the show at the launch as one of the greatest all-round models on the market, the TE250 has many of the same great features and a greatly improved package.

The chassis handles very much similar to the 310, albeit a touch easier to turn with very good steering, but you do need to adjust to the quick-steering since the suspension up front is ultimately very soft.

It’s more suitable for the bush, but a few clicks of compression – just like on the 310 – definitely made it better on the grass track. All in all the chassis are very similar between the 250 and 310, but despite the larger capacity motor, they handle in similar ways.

Where the 250 severely lacks in comparison to the 310 is the engine. The difference between them is massive, and you really have to push the 250 to its limit if you’re going to get around the trails at speed.

Handling on the 310 is almost on par with the 250, and that is a huge benefit when logging long hours in the bush.

On the other hand, it’s super friendly to ride with a good throttle connection, consistent torque one in the mid-range and a nice gearbox ratio. The gearing is tall, but second gear is particularly strong and you can maintain it in many different scenarios.

The 250 also has two different power maps, but they aren’t as different as the 310’s and you’ll very rarely want to switch to map two. Maybe it’d be a good option in the mud, but our test was dry and dusty.

If you’re a racer hoping to contest the E1 class you’ll probably be looking for extra ponies, but the lightweight of the bike will come into its own when on the more technical terrains.

In summary, both the 310 and 250 are greatly improved once again for 2011, featuring their own strengths and very minimal weaknesses, which puts them on par with the opposition brands better than ever before.

Stay tuned for more from the launch, including the WR two-stroke 250 and 300.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Antoine Meo and Matti Seistola have tested and ridden to victory the TE 250 in the first part of the Enduro World Championship. For the enduro version the most important changes concern chassis parts, as the 2010 version engine already had a Mikuni fuel injection system.

The chassis has been redesigned and reinforced at the specific request of the official CH Racing team, with a streamlined area below the cradle preventing knocks from uneven surfaces.

The area around the footrest connections and rear brake pump connections has been improved to reduce contact with the heel and to facilitate movement by the rider on the pedals. A single plate covers the footrest and rear brake pump/pedal connections. The suspension has been optimised.

In order to better facing the longest and most extreme enduro trials the fuel tank capacity has been increased to 8.5 litres. The tank has a new pump which enables 100 percent exploitation of fuel available.

The air box has been redesigned to better hold the filter sponge and improve resistance to water.

The engine guards are made of a new material, providing better protection against knocks.

The mirror-finish aluminium hubs are new, now with standard perforations.

The 250 is super agile, but you need to focus on making the most of its power on hand.

The bodywork has new graphics on the tank side panels, with In Mould Plastic Decoration which is incorporated in the actual material, not applied afterwards.

The design and look of hand guards included in the kit are also new.

The engine has been redesigned, improving power at low revs thanks to the ability to choose between 2 different CDI maps configuration through handlebar switch – for hard or soft ground, depending on the style of riding and condition of the track.

The layout of radiator hoses is new, as well as the position of the exhaust silencer now with new db killer and heat protection.

The new TE 310 uses the lightest engine in the 250cc four-stroke category that’s featured in the 250s, boosted to 302.44cc thanks to an increase in bore and stroke – now 82 x 57.3mm.

The throttle body is the same as that on the TC 250 – a Mikuni 45 mm diameter. The exhaust system is specially designed for the 310 model and as in the other models has a new heat protection on the silencer. The bike is much lighter than the previous version (-6 kg) and comes with significantly higher torque and power.

Otherwise the bike has the same features as the TE 250, with the new reinforced chassis, new Grimeca hubs, Kayaba 48mm front forks and Sachs shock absorber with new settings, 8.5 litre fuel tank, new hand guards and new bodywork graphics.

Click here for detailed specifications on the Husqvarna range

All images: Paul Feeney Group

Check out our Launch Test on the WR two-stroke 250 and 300 by clicking this link.