Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1366987
Yes, the res could be considered a compromise for situa ons that the bike wasn't intended for, but they worked perfectly for what I was doing at the me, dual spor ng. Being drawn to the dirt, I head- ed off the pavement onto a sweet, fast and flowy logging road and was treated to a cool sensa on. Being a big bore four stroke, the 501 s has plenty of torque to break the rear wheel loose and set it sideways, steering with the thro le in the corners. Surprisingly, those Con nental Twinduros didn't do anything scary. In fact, they felt quite predictable. Not what I'd expected. Heading deeper off the beaten path and forge ng what kind of machine I was aboard, I ripped up a loose rocky sec on of single-track li ered with baby heads. Yes, I'd found my limit of the res, but thankfully it really didn't do anything ridiculous. Just asked for some respect and I slowed my roll, dialing it back a tad and began to enjoy the ride for what it was and what it is. As for handling, surprisingly the FE 501 s is rath- er nimble. An en rely different animal from dual sports of past. It's a narrow bike, and there's no doubt of its heritage; it's a dirt bike at heart. Trans- mission is six speeds with a Dampened Diaphragm Clutch. Vibra on is minimal as the big single (510.4cc) is counterbalanced. Power delivery is electric in feel. Suspension du es are handled with a WP XPLOR fork with compression damping in the le leg and rebound in the right. As a bonus, the 501 s has preloaded spring adjusters in the fork caps as standard equipment. Rear suspension is of linkage design with a WP XACT shock. We've grown to appreciate the WP linkage rear as it offers a lower seat height from the PDS we've been used to on our KTMs for so many years. In the braking department, Magura components feel progressive yet strong with a confidence-in- spiring feel. Magura controls also grace clutch actua on with a linear yet light pull. Another point of men on that surprised me is the lack of flame-outs, my main bitch of riding four strokes. Being a street-legal motorcycle, yes, it's choked up with pollu on control devices and runs on the lean side to meet emissions specifica ons in all 50 states. Dual spor ng is hot right now, and I can't think of a be er way to get outside. One can ride a dual sport to work, even hi ng a few trails or dirt roads before punching the clock.