Which bike for ALL occasions??!!!

[b490]

Did this 430 sell?
  Looks to be a nice (unmolested) example   ;  =  tidy start   for  good bike to do up.
 
  These bikes, set up / done  proper     are  a nice  ride .
 
 Regards ,
                 Steve
 
   
 
 
 

[enzo906]

80-85 Husky
That explains it then, the 2 bikes I had were shocking to say the least and they were so fast that it made it seem even worse!
My Honda's and Yanaha's could lock the front easily and the Husky was barely able to retard you enough to be able to race competitively.
the Alloy tank XC was average but the Plastic tank XC was disastorous, When I would go and talk with the importer at Penrith he would scratch his head and and take more of my money to resolve it

this one had bad brakes compared to a IT 465


this one had bad brakes compared to any bike I have ever owned (over 60 so far)


Just my experience and as mention in other replies it does not mean all Huskies had this issue, I am sure Pelle Granquists 390 had decent brakes

BUT
I loved them both with a passion as they were 500cc MX'ers that I could ride down the road legally and then head up into the Forests!

[Tim754]

 Which bike for ALL occasions??!!!

There isn't one.

[Rookie#1]

Which bike for ALL occasions??!!!

There isn't one.

Probably not, but we've had nearly 2000 views on this thread and 6 pages so far of agro free discussion so im glad i asked 

Cheers, Brendan

[Tim754]

Yep good stuff!!!! Cheers

[bigk]

Well, a mate & myself have taken my own advice and have a couple of 390 Huskies on the way right now. Can't go wrong.
K

[80-85 husky]

that's the money shot there I rekon...

[b490]

 May be of interest  to some ?

   Regards ,
                    Steve
 
   http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1983-HUSQVARNA-WR430-VMX-CR-RM-YZ-KTM-/131157618975?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item1e899a711f

[Rookie#1]

May be of interest  to some ?

   Regards ,
                    Steve
 
   http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1983-HUSQVARNA-WR430-VMX-CR-RM-YZ-KTM-/131157618975?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item1e899a711f

Have already made an offer 

[Mike52]

its weird as some of those husky brakes were shocking. I had a good one on my 240 but ol mates 510 wouldn't even lock the wheel.

I can get the rear wheel into the air if I try on my 85/400.

I have a GN DLS fitted to my 78/250 PE with the same results except the frame/forks do funny things when I try.

It's all in the setup and it's real simple to do , no tricky bits at all .

[80-85 husky]

stoppies were no drama on the old 240 but I will have to work on my 400, its a weight transfer trick ive lost after using disc brakes to do it on the ktm!

[Husky500evo]

      I saw this thread a while back, but was too busy at the time to put up a post and wanted to have a look back through some of my old photos first. The original post was asking about a bike that would be pre '78 legal and be able to have multiple other uses. I owned this Husqvarna framed TT500, back around about 1980. I had it road registered and rode it to work , but also used it to race motocross, enduro, flat-track, hillclimbs and general trail riding. I think that the frame was from a '78 WR, which is pretty much the same as a '77 CR frame. It felt heaps lighter than a XT/TT Yamaha, handled well and the suspension worked ok too. I had it fitted with Ohlins remote reservoir shocks, a set of Ceriani magnesium forks and Yamaha wheels (so the brakes were ok as well ). It did everything that I asked of it, so I would say it was a bike for all occasions and I probably should never have sold it.
       But if I was going to have just one bike now to have road registered and race Evolution class motocross, it would be an '81 Maico GS490. I am a big fan of Huskys and have owned '82 and '83 WR430s, as well as '83 and '84 XC500s. But I would rate the Maico as a better and easier to live with bike than the Huskys.

[bigk]

Interesting how everyone has a different opinion or experience. I too have owned 490 Maico's but am adamant that the Huskies are easier to live with than Maico's. I guess if we were all the same the world would be a boring place.
K

[FourstrokeForever]

I like that Yamvarna. That would make a Husky so much easier to live with....

[Husky500evo]

Interesting how everyone has a different opinion or experience. I too have owned 490 Maico's but am adamant that the Huskies are easier to live with than Maico's. I guess if we were all the same the world would be a boring place.
K

      My main gripe with Huskys is the use of Magnesium. The small amount of weight saved isn't worth the hassles with corrosion and brittleness later on and it is very difficult to repair. It is very hard to find a set of (2061) Husky 390 crankcases that aren't cracked or corroded and clutch covers for 430s and 500s are much the same (and that is before we even start talking about watercooled motors and Magnesium). On the 430/500 motors, you have to change the needle roller bearing that the kickstart idler gear runs on, regularly, or the sideplay in the gear will wear out and feather the gear on the back of the clutch basket. If the ignition timing is even slightly too advanced on the 500s, they will kick back and have a tendency to crack the left crankcase half. The 500s vibrate a lot as well and can be hard to start if they are not jetted correctly. If a WR430 or 500 still has a working SEM ignition, it would be the first thing I would change for a Motoplat or aftermarket ignition. It sounds like I don't like Huskys, but I have a dozen or more of them and would prefer them over just about any Jap bike of the era. Most of the problems can be avoided with proper set up and the use of things like a decompresser in the head for easier starting and an aftermarket aluminium clutch cover.
      The Maico 490 is not without issues either , but I still think that they feel lighter, turn better and generally handle nicer than the Huskys. You need to keep an eye on the primary chains and regularly change the gearbox oil, as it only holds 600ml. I would spend the money on the best set of rear shocks I could buy for the Maico, if it was going to be my only bike. I would also change the Magnesium front brake backing plate for an aftermarket billet aluminium one with the extra mounting bolt and use the brake shoes with the Kevlar material used on rollercoaster brakes. Some people say that Maicos are hard to start, but maybe I have been lucky as all mine have been easy, with a decompresser on them standard , a Bing carby and a good Motoplat ignition.