The last and only Husaberg I ever competed against was about five years ago on a motocross track 7,250ft up in the Asir Mountains of southern Saudi Arabia. The rider was a 60 years old Swede and I was a relative youngster, at 58 years but on a 1999 Honda CR125. I could catch up on the twisty and bumpy bits but on a fast straight, the Husaberg disappeared into the dust with the engine thudding away lazily. (or so it seemed compared with a 125 two-stroke having its neck wrung, screaming up through the gears).

I always wanted to try one of those fine machines with their fantastic torque and often wondered how the engine would perform on a long distance road circuit, like the IOM Mountain Course.