Husqvarna Dream Team Win Transmoto 6-Hour

An enduro rider, a mechanic and a motocross racer that neither of them knows, walk into a 6-hour… It may sound a bit like the start of a bad joke but actually it’s the start of the story of how an unusual Husqvarna entry made off with the chocolates at the weekend’s Transmoto 6 Hour at Conondale.

The team saw Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team Head Technician Christian Horwood down spanners to join forces with Husqvarna Factory Support MXD racer Zak Small – having his second ride in the bush – and 17-year-old Brisbane rider Fraser Higlett.

Despite its eclectic appearance, the trio was more than capable of turning fast laps, with Horwood a one-time motocross pro, and newly-crowned Queensland MX1 Champion Small – despite his lack of tree-dodging savvy – having plenty of ability to twist the go-tube and back the lap times of AORC U19 podium regular Higlett.

The Husqvarna squad won the event ahead of the KTM Team of Dakar champion Toby Price and friends Matthew Macalpine and Matty McFerran, while the team of Tom Harth, Billy Harth and Sam Batham was third.

The Husqvarna men were riding 2017 model 350s (a pair of FC models and one FE in the hands of Horwood), and all rated the new bikes extremely highly.

The Transmoto events are designed to be unique, team-based events that sit somewhere between a recreational trailbike rally and an enduro race, with an emphasis on fun, and the event attracted more than 300 riders.

Husqvarna rose to the top in the Ironman category as well, with hard enduro regular Robert Byrnes busting out 12 laps to win the class from Dudley Duffy and Tim Egan.

For more information on Husqvarna motorcycles visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team Technician Christian Horwood (FE350): “Transmoto are putting on some really neat events that are growing each year in popularity. It is more than just a race, it’s an atmosphere with the whole camping weekend and great fun riding locations. They have attracted some sponsors that see good value in where there events are heading.

“It was Zak’s second attempt at riding in the bush, and Fraser is obviously a talent there already, so it was an interesting mix in our team with two young guys with big futures ahead. They’re two very casual boys, both with their personality and their riding, but very fast – a lot of fun to be around. Fraser’s still new to the big stage of sport, but he is quick learner.

“It was so much fun with my wife and child and Zak and Fraser’s parents there just helping out with food, transponder changes and motivation. The 2017 FE350 was the perfect bike for that course with its mixture of open and tight stuff. It’s a totally redesigned bike and it’s so light and nimble and good in the corners, and has some more horsepower on the uphills as well. The traction control was also a massive advantage for us.”

Fraser Higlett (FC350) said, “It was heaps of fun. We still tried to go as good as we could and it was good that we got the win as well. I hadn’t met Zak before, and it was good to meet him. Our times were reasonably similar so that was pretty good. I’ve never seen Christian race other than Mountain Man last year – he goes pretty good! I’m pretty sure he had heaps of fun, and we all crossed the finish line together for a form finish.

“I really enjoyed the track, it was a bit of a challenge but it was good, in the bush was real tight but there was also some motocross and grass track sections so Zak went pretty good in that stuff and I went pretty good in the bush so it evened out.”

Zak Small (FC350) said, “All up it was an awesome weekend, Christian and Fraser, with their experience, helped me through it heaps. It was a good way to get back on the bike after a few weeks off after the race season. The 17 FC350 I’d only ridden once before the weekend, but I gelled with it straight away, I love the new traction control, it was awesome.

“I’d never met Christian before, or Fraser but I had a blast camping with them. We worked together awesome. Fraser and I are always having fun and joking around so it made the whole weekend fun.
To be fast at enduro you don’t give it 100% all the time, you’re off the throttle a lot. I thought that I was riding real slow but my times were pretty good. I would definitely line to do that again.”

Robert Byrnes – Ironman Winner said,“It was pretty brutal there, at the end I was definitely starting to feel it and my hands were all blistering up. I didn’t really even notice until there was about three laps to go that I was actually in the lead. It’s very hard to tell when you’re overtaking a lot of people but you got the real quick boys going past you as well. It was a fantastic event. We’re going to Sea to Sky next year, and I hope that’s half as good as that event. The atmosphere was really good. I’ll be at Wildwood for the next one so I’ll miss it, but I will definitely be going to the 12 hour to give it another crack.”