'81 vs '82 430WR

[Tony T]

Can anyone tell me if there's any difference between the 1981 and 1982 430WR's?
And if one might be a better buy than the other for any reason?
Ta. 

[mustanggrahame]

No difference? Both good Tony. Buy the best one. Are there lots available?
Cheers, Grahame

[Moto]

82 has a different bottom end and primary kick starting.  Get the 82 if you have a choice.

[JohnnyO]

82 has a different bottom end and primary kick starting.  Get the 82 if you have a choice.

Yeah that's what I thought..

[Ktm181]

I had both, pretty much same bike, both primary kick, '82 had some fork internal upgrades, different porting, same ignition and box, same chassis etc, both EXCELLENT off-rode and both outof their league on mx track!  Most of us ran cr suspension back then,not sure why, the shorter travel was better in the trees (pre-bark buster days, remember them?), some othr minor differences but none in can remember!  ON the fork difference i see to recall the '82 needing a part replaced in the damper rod regularly & both needed the shock shafts straightening after most mx days!  Bloody young blokes fighting for sheep stations! No realweak spots, a good thing really.

Kt.

[Tony T]

Thanks fellas. I thought I read something about the '81 having regular gearbox problems, but 30 years down the track and a lot of red wine under the bridge could mean I imagined that. 

[bigk]

I've had lot's of Husky's including '81 430 with never a gearbox problem in any of them. The linkage on the shift mechanism is a tad frail and can be bent if the gear lever cops a decent hit. They also wear easily so it's good to have a spare set in your tool bag. Easy to change on the trail.
K

[Michel Dufayard]

430 wr 81 has a 35 mm fork diam, and 40 mm on the 430 wr 82.

[Ktm181]

BOTH are the same fork.  "valving" difference inside only.  Smaller forks on the 390/420 and earlier my friend.

Kt

[Tony T]

That's interesting. I've got a test in front of me and it states that the '82 had a 40mm fork and the '81 35mm. 

[PEZBerq]

Same part number for fork tube on 81 and 82. No question about it...81 Model has 40mm. Cycle World article on the new 81 says 40mm forks also. 35mm ended in 80 For Husky's ....except for maybe the autos which gets leftovers it seems  What test are you looking at Tony?

[Tony T]

US Dirt Bike Feb 82.
Now that I've read it again, I could be misunderstanding it.
But the headline is 'New 40's up front'.
And the text is: The WR now has the 40mm forks. Primarily they are the same as the CR's, except for shorter travel.
So I read that as saying that the '81 CR had 40's, the '81 WR had 35's and the '82 WR now has 40's as well.
But who cares really...... 

[PEZBerq]

Tony I think you are right. My bad  . I misread actually.

The 81 430 WR has the same fork tube part number as the 82 125WR not the 82 430 WR. The 82 430 WR has a different part number.

It was the 250 and 430 CR's and XC's that has the same part number between those years.

In 82 the 125 WR still had the chicken legs! So the 81 WR was still a skinny legged bike.

I don't know why I am even checking this stuff ....must be a disease. You are right..who cares

[Ktm181]

  yeah i read that as well !  Besides who knows, these days how many are original! The smaller forks still worked well, especially in the shorter travel, they did flex a bit in certain terrain but they did work well in the bush, the later bigger size helpped the steering a fair bit, i tried a set on a 390 with no other changes and the difference was a lot, but it was at Dargle (mx track Nth West Sydney).  We have a 390 auto with the small ones, shorter travel and even now it is good, stock as a rock, even original fork seals AND TYRES still ok, you'd never have thought tubes would last this long but they still hold air!  If only it had a manual box!  The 81 430 was a BIG step up chassis wise, '82 was pretty much same bike, a few updates only.  Both are a nice bike, really nice bike, come to think of it i should have one, where is this one for sale.....

Kt

[Mike52]

The 83 is quite nice.