When it comes to Husaberg’s in Canada, Corner Grass Racing Team’s Lee Fryberger is the man. A Pro rider in his own right, his Husaberg-mounted team have taken on the toughest races in the world and even hosted their own: Xtinction. Husaberg’s are solid bikes right out of the box, but Alberta’s Badlands are the ultimate proving grounds. CGRT’s success is arguably the number one reason for strong Husaberg sales in Canada, and when it comes to bulletproofing ‘Bergs nobody knows the tricks like Lee Fryberger.

Here’s the first instalment of Lee’s walk through the steps to prepare his 2011 FE570 for Pro level competition.

The standard plastic skid plate is mounted with a single 6mm bolt at the upper front, and hooks into the rear cross member of the frame.

I rough up the plastic and use a bead of “Automotive Goop” on the skid plate where the frame rails will contact it. Mount the plate loosely, then put the bike on a work stand for the night. I tighten the fasteners after the bike is on the stand.  Automotive Goop is like silicone but has a bonding aspect to it, so it works very good this application. I have ripped the spacer and bolt out of the frame on hard impacts before, but the bonding keeps the skid plate on the bike where it needs to be. Oil changes are still a cinch, even with the plate glued in place.

It’s happened to every ‘Berg owner at least once after they have reinstalled the frame rails; the loop for the seat release is left on top of the rail! Once the seat is reinstalled and latched it then becomes impossible to get the seat off without a funny shaped thin screwdriver, or a o-ring pick. We use a simple zip tie to extend the loop to keep it below the frame rail. I use yellow so it is easily noticed if it is left out, plus the extra length makes it easier to pull with gloves on.

I always re-oil a factory air filter. They work in wet conditions, but they are too lightly oiled from the factory for dust.

Use a length of safety wire to secure the brake pad pins to the brake line banjo bolts. It’s amazing how quickly these clips disappear, even in a domestic environment. Do this to the front and rear clips!

On the brake side footpeg we always install the pin in from the bottom. The clip wears quicker, but if you smack a rock it won’t push the pin up, severing the clip and possibly causing the pin to fall out. It’s a once in a lifetime failure, but…

Two items in this photo: The obvious one is the brake snake, but the less obvious modification is to the inside edge of the brake pedal pad. We grind the inside edges off the pad, as they project beyond the inside edge of the pedal and these ‘bits’ are what would actually puncture the clutch cover in a crash or when hitting a rock.  By removing those sharp edges you greatly reduce the chances of clutch cover damage.

Stay tuned for part two, when Lee continues preparing his Husaberg for battle!