Ground breaking(?) Husqvarna MC6 2022/23

[TKB]

Just saw this video of the new and quite radical Husqvarna MC6:

Really would like to try this bike but we have to wait until next autumn/winter. Lower riding position, better suspension kinematics, fairly light (sub 23kg), 720Wh battery (easily removable), EP8 motor, etc.
What are your thoughts on the bike?

 

[RickBullotta]

I'm not exactly sure what is "groundbreaking" about a 50 lb eMTB with an EP8 and an air shock/fork though. Looks pretty generic.

 

[TKB]

I'm not exactly sure what is "groundbreaking" about a 50 lb eMTB with an EP8 and an air shock/fork though. Looks pretty generic.

Since I'm new at eMTBs I'd like your feedback on the bike but according to the video the ground-breaking stuff would be the lower riding position, suspension kinematics and better handling. I'd guess we'd know when some real reviews come out this fall.

However, I'd like to stress that Husqvarna has a 100-years of 2-wheel design knowledge and should be able to rattle the industry.

 

[RickBullotta]

Since I'm new at eMTBs I'd like your feedback on the bike but according to the video the ground-breaking stuff would be the lower riding position, suspension kinematics and better handling. I'd guess we'd know when some real reviews come out this fall.

However, I'd like to stress that Husqvarna has a 100-years of 2-wheel design knowledge and should be able to rattle the industry.

Having owned a KTM eMTB (and many KTM dirt bikes), I'm not sure moto suspension experience translates all that well. Pretty much every bike suspension design you can imagine has been probably tried already. Just small variations on a theme.

 

[jbrown15]

Since I'm new at eMTBs I'd like your feedback on the bike but according to the video the ground-breaking stuff would be the lower riding position, suspension kinematics and better handling. I'd guess we'd know when some real reviews come out this fall.

However, I'd like to stress that Husqvarna has a 100-years of 2-wheel design knowledge and should be able to rattle the industry.

Husqvarna the motorcycle company has nothing to do with design and knowledge of the ebikes, the same group that owns KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas owns Raymon bikes. Raymon bikes designs and builds the ebikes. There's nothing ground breaking on this new MC ebike, it looks good but nothing I'd say is amazing about it.

 

[Bad Mechanic]

The geometry is a step backward from the current Mountain Cross line. The current geometry is pretty darn good, though it could be a little longer with a little steeper seat tube. However, the new MC6 increases the seat tube angle from 76* to 77* while simultaneously decreasing the reach from 480mm to 475mm. This has the effect of making the effective top tube noticeably shorter than before and making the bike a little less stable at speed. What they should have done is increased the seat tube to 77-78* then increase the reach by a proportionate amount.

I also like that is fixes some annoying design flaws in the current Mountain Cross line, but then uses a clevis to actuate the shock. That's just lazy engineering and is going to cause shock reliability issues.

 

[#lazy]

I think it looks ugly , abit like the WBA football kit . Bet it’ll be a creak monster

 

[Rusty]

Having owned a KTM eMTB (and many KTM dirt bikes), I'm not sure moto suspension experience translates all that well. Pretty much every bike suspension design you can imagine has been probably tried already. Just small variations on a theme.

Yup.

I will say however, a couple suspension techs I know spend years in the FIM MXGP/MotoGP areas and definitely learned tricks that work on MTB suspension.
The biggest knowledge from MX suspension that carries over into MTB comes with the knowledge learned about linkages and how a vertical mounted shock allows the suspension to work far better in most areas over a horizontally mounted one.

 

[Alexbn921]

Yup.

I will say however, a couple suspension techs I know spend years in the FIM MXGP/MotoGP areas and definitely learned tricks that work on MTB suspension.
The biggest knowledge from MX suspension that carries over into MTB comes with the knowledge learned about linkages and how a vertical mounted shock allows the suspension to work far better in most areas over a horizontally mounted one.

The orientation of the shock has zero effect on how it works. All that matters is the leverage ratio and how it changes.

 

[#lazy]

Yup.

I will say however, a couple suspension techs I know spend years in the FIM MXGP/MotoGP areas and definitely learned tricks that work on MTB suspension.
The biggest knowledge from MX suspension that carries over into MTB comes with the knowledge learned about linkages and how a vertical mounted shock allows the suspension to work far better in most areas over a horizontally mounted one.

Has anyone made an upside down fork yet or doesn’t unsprung weight affect Mtb’s the same way ?

 

[urastus]

I'm not exactly sure what is "groundbreaking" about a 50 lb eMTB with an EP8 and an air shock/fork though. Looks pretty generic.

Yes, it's an advertisement. That's when outrageous claims are made.

The whole seat tube triangle looks too weak - and front looks over engineered.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

you could take all the bits off and use the frame as a shovel, then it would certainly be groundbreaking..

otherwise its just another EMBN paid advert which is 'most' of the content to be fair, I bet the presenters are sick to death with it but there are worse ways to earn a living

 

[Rusty]

Has anyone made an upside down fork yet or doesn’t unsprung weight affect Mtb’s the same way ?

Yes, but to be fair upsdie down forks are not all they are made out to be. I had a pair of '97 Showa conventional forks that I put on many a different bike, to vastly improve the front suspension over the USD forks provided. Never could get them to work on a 2010 or newer 450F, but they are still out there being used on a 2015 YZ360 in California.

 

[Rusty]

The orientation of the shock has zero effect on how it works. All that matters is the leverage ratio and how it changes.

Incorrect. Any oil dampened shock absorber WILL work better on the vertical - has to do with oil distribution mostly.
However, putting aside the efficiency of a properly valved shock with the oil in the proper location .... the way a horizontal shock loads up (and unloads) the front under hard braking in bumps makes that location not ideal. Of course, 90%+ of the riders out there probably wouldn't notice, but it is what it is.
Greg Minaars machine with the RN01 Honda told me that is there was one thing that could have made it sunstantially better it would have been a rebuild of the shock location. He found it funny that Honda, being at the forefront of vertical shock and linkages on MX bikes would not follow their own philosiphy.

 

[RickBullotta]

Yes, but to be fair upsdie down forks are not all they are made out to be. I had a pair of '97 Showa conventional forks that I put on many a different bike, to vastly improve the front suspension over the USD forks provided. Never could get them to work on a 2010 or newer 450F, but they are still out there being used on a 2015 YZ360 in California.

I had a first generation KTM Kapoho eMTB with a Magura Boltron inverted fork. Nothing special, and worse, no spare parts anywhere nor any authorized service centers in the USA at the time. Swapped it for a Fox 36.

 

[Alexbn921]

Incorrect. Any oil dampened shock absorber WILL work better on the vertical - has to do with oil distribution mostly.
However, putting aside the efficiency of a properly valved shock with the oil in the proper location .... the way a horizontal shock loads up (and unloads) the front under hard braking in bumps makes that location not ideal. Of course, 90%+ of the riders out there probably wouldn't notice, but it is what it is.
Greg Minaars machine with the RN01 Honda told me that is there was one thing that could have made it sunstantially better it would have been a rebuild of the shock location. He found it funny that Honda, being at the forefront of vertical shock and linkages on MX bikes would not follow their own philosiphy.

You are talking about linkage and packaging, not shock orientation. Orientation as zero effect on how a suspension loads or unloads.

All a shock cares about is leverage ratio and leverage curve. Shocks valves function the same as long as there isn't air in the oil.

If a shock doesn't flow the same while not vertical then it's a bad design or broken.