2005–2010 · Supermoto · Buyer's Guide
The Big-Single Backroad Hooligan
The SMR 510 is Husqvarna supermoto at its most unfiltered. It runs a liquid-cooled 501 cc single making 58 hp at 8,000 rpm and 36 lb-ft at 6,400 rpm, in a lean chassis with 9.8 in (250 mm) of fork travel and 11.4 in (290 mm) at the rear. It has no ABS, no traction control and no ride modes. Nothing sits between your right wrist and the rear tire but a chain, and that's the point. It's a race-bred tool built around light, flickable handling and enormous lean clearance. In the supermoto class, the recipe doesn't get much purer than this.
On a tight back road it rewards commitment and punishes nothing but hesitation. That same focus is what you pay for over the years. The rod bearing and piston can wear early on this high-strung single, and hard-ridden bikes need fork seals, swingarm bearings and clutch work. The electrics can also leave you stranded as the bike ages. This is a bike for the rider who owns a toolbox and enjoys using it. If you want a low-maintenance daily ride, look elsewhere. If you want a big single that makes every short ride feel like an event, this one delivers.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 58 hp (43 kW) @ 8,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 36 lb-ft (49 Nm) @ 6,400 rpm |
| Displacement | 501 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 150/60-17 |
| Wheelbase | 58.9 in (1496 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 10.6 in (269 mm) |
| Front travel | 9.8 in (250 mm) |
| Rear travel | 11.4 in (290 mm) |
| Seat height | 34.8 in (885 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.4 gal (9.1 L) |
Over the years I've gathered plenty of owner talk on the SMR 510: paddock conversations, club nights, chats after rides and the messages riders send me directly. The pattern is consistent. Owners love how hard it pulls and how sharply it turns, and they're just as frank about the upkeep and the discomfort.
Riders consistently single out how the engine pulls from the midrange to the top of the rev range, and many describe it as feeling like a race bike. The handling gets the same praise. Owners talk about sharp cornering and quick changes of direction, and kart tracks keep coming up as its natural home. Several say it needs very little work before a track day, and they rate its brakes as competition-grade.
The most common gripe is the service schedule. Owners report oil changes every 500 to 700 mi (800 to 1,100 km), regular valve checks and short intervals for internal engine parts, which keeps them busy in the garage. On the road, riders call the seat hard, the suspension stiff and the vibration hard to ignore, so long trips wear them out. A smaller group raises rod bearings on higher-mileage bikes, and some prefer to replace them before trouble starts.
Conrod bearing premature wear
The conrod bearing is a known weak point; Husqvarna recommended rod and piston replacement at 10,000 km (6,200 miles). Failures can lead to catastrophic engine damage.
Premature rod bearing and piston wear
The connecting rod big-end bearing can wear prematurely on this high-strung competition single, first showing up as a light tapping that progresses to a pronounced knock. Piston and connecting rod are short-lived wear items on this race-bred engine, and some riders run into trouble well before the scheduled replacement is due.
Rear shock fade and seal failure
The rear shock can overheat and fade during intense use; seals may blow, reducing damping performance.
Fork seal leaks
Front fork seals are prone to leaking, especially after riding in dusty or rocky conditions, requiring replacement.
EFI model stalling and idle instability
On 2008 models with Mikuni EFI, owners report stalling at idle or during deceleration. Often traced to a weak battery or need for an ECU re-calibration.
Electrical system gremlins
Recurring complaints of weak batteries, pick-up sensor failures, and temperature sensor issues cause random cut-outs and starting problems.
Front fork seal leaks
Fork seals are prone to leakage, especially if the bike is used hard off-road or suffers stone chips to the stanchions.
Swingarm bearing wear
Insufficient maintenance leads to premature swingarm bearing wear, causing play and imprecise rear-end handling.
Electrical system failures (stator, pickup sensor)
Owners report unreliable electrics including defective pickup sensors and stator failures, leading to sudden stalling and no-start conditions, particularly as the bike ages.
Premature swingarm bearing wear
Swingarm bearings can wear out early, causing play and handling vagueness; regular inspection and replacement are needed for hard-ridden examples.
Overheating and stalling in traffic
Some owners report the engine overheating and stalling in stop-and-go traffic, possibly due to poor low-speed cooling or carburetion.
Clutch slippage
Clutch plates may wear prematurely, causing loss of acceleration; requires replacement.
Clutch hydraulic system failures
Clutch lines can develop leaks at banjo fittings or the plastic sheathing can cut, leading to loss of clutch pressure. The Magura slave cylinder is also known to fail.
Where this Husqvarna SMR 510 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the SMR 510 is actually built for.
In the tightest canyon sections this Husky is a riot, with lean clearance you won't use up. The freeway grind out of LA and the heat in stop-and-go traffic are where it struggles.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Twisty Hill Country roads suit it perfectly, but it's no road-tripper and comfort is limited. Treat it as a weekend toy for short, fun loops, and stay on top of the maintenance.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Texas Hill Country BDR-X · Twisted Sisters
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