As a huge Husqvarna fan. and the owner of a Husqvarna 360 Dessert cross bike. I can remember when these bikes came out. at first they weren't very well accepted. because riders and other people didn't think. an automatic would work good for use in motocross racing. but a little time went by. and we started to hear about these bikes starting to win events. but ultimately Husky stopped producing these bikes. but one thing for sure the big bore huskys were real monsters. I remember having to start mine by standing beside it. I loved mine and had that bike for a long time. and had very few problems with it. I can remember it had a nasty habit of not being able of keep the front wheel on the ground.
Amazing video and what a great bike !! I currently ride vintage on a 83 500cr husky, 81 and 84 250 cr as well ! I rode a 420 auto some time ago and it was very nice- thank you for sharing all the great rides with us 🏁
I had an 81 430 XC back in the day. Man that bike was tall. I should have got the WR for enduro. It was a beautiful bike but I don't miss it. Cleaning out the brake drums constantly. the vibration. kicking it over when you are tired... give me a modern 300 any day.
Notice how the 85 Husky still has the original pipe. I am not sure about rear tire size the 85 may have had a 17 inch and I am sure tire choice today is good I just wonder what a 19 inch wheel would be like. Nice layout for the comparison with the long straight and not too rough. This would have been a good track for your TM 400 which if you still have it I would like to see it do a start comparison against modern 125, 250 2 and 4 stroke, 450 and your 500. Also do a rear wheel weight comparison between the TM 400 and a modern bike.
I really dig the left side kick start, I had my right foot tore off in the 90s...I'd never start a cold 500 2stroke with my right leg! Same reason for digging the automatic motocross bikes! Great video Max!
I owned a Husqvarna 360 dessert cross bike. and standing beside it to start it. was the preferred method used to start them. it was strongly discouraged to sit on the bike while starting it. you could really get hurt doing that. with mine it was pretty awkward at first. but it wasn't too long before I got used to it. and it didn't feel awkward anymore. in fact it go to where I preferred starting it that way. I absolutely loved my Husky, I had it for a long time and rode the hell out of it. and had very few problems with it. and I would have to say the quality of the Husqvarna. was better than Japanese bikes. but the purchase price and parts were more expensive.
that husky had a lovely crackle to it and sounded to change gear quick also what a machine for its day, Kong is awsome theres no more to say about that monster, great vid
No we don't...I'm 59..I know.. It's very bad on the trails ,, especially if you go in water...the brakes don't work,,and since you can't gear down .The inertia of the motor forces the bike to speed up..Then your brakes fail..After that you crash...This is why they don't make them... The bike doesn't, down shift into lower gears.
Montesa experimented with a big bore bike. sorta along the lines of the same concept. they had a really torquey engine with a four speed gearbox. they figured because of the torgue the rider wouldn't have to shift as much. the rider could dive into the corner. and at the apex of corner where most of the riders would have to downshift. with this bike you didn't touch the shift lever. and it would just pull back out of the corner. most riders like it, but it wasn't enough to help Montesa. ultimately leading to them stopping production of all their motocross models. leaving them only producing trial's bikes.
Remember guy named Frank Tokaz.. a Husqvarna fanatic, riding a 360 auto in the Amca Experts 750 class back in 1977 i think.. He didn't have it long. Interesting video mate👍🏴
Was quicker than I thought it would be! I agree with Sean. I takes the fun out of it. They keep making bikes easier to ride. I play everything on Hard. More challenge, more reward!
Another fantastic video Max, you and Sean must have had a blast on it, imagine if you got one at auction and convert it to disc brake and improved the suspension , but nothing beats Kong the destroyer !!!!!
Great video. Love the old bikes. I had a 1984 cr250 back in the 80's would love to see you get a hold of one for testing. But anyways keep up the great videos
I really recall the 82 chassis was much better than the 85. When everybody else was trying to figure out single shocks, Husqvarna had really dialed in the Olan twin shocks. It was much better than their early single shock version. Even the 83 and 84 early versions with a twin shock did not match the 82 version. 83 was when they started trying something new.
My first recording of the husky auto was Perry least I'm pretty sure that was on a 125 when I was in schoolboys and at a championship quote me if I'm wrong
I have had 2 500 ae , small tip,, Keep the revs up just off ide when you are slowing down,, do not just close the throttle, , it will keep the first gear engaged, and give you engine braking,, All so be moving the bike fowerd when you put it in gear , the dogs will last longer
I had a strength problem w/ my left hand and could'nt operate the clutch properly. Rode Husqvarna 420AE and a 500AE in enduros, they were a god send for me.
Grew up with these goergeous huskys ! All around. My racing jumped to another level..when i Got my WR 250 1979..racing east coast enduros famous 150 milers SANDY LANE. CURLY FERN. Serious machine for serious competition !! Fond memories !
The older bikes are proving to still be fast, and make the power. Anything can be modified, and more times than not…it’s the RIDER. Newer bikes are great, but those older bikes are still fast💫
Would love to see some videos on the various 2 wheel drive motocross/rally raid bikes that have been built. I know Ohlins had one, Christini, and I think Yamaha too.
I had one...the blk tank model...I could never keep the rpm at peak power....didn't like it at all ...even changed the spring rates on the trans...no change...fidnt enjoy it
Im super jealous that its january and you fellas are still out riding. I fired up the old KDX just before christmas and she did not like the cold weather one bit, shes tucked away again with all her sisters until spring..
In my early teens I did quite a few hours on a Husqvarna Mc258, the military bike which had the automatic gearbox in a 250cc engine. I instantly recognized that N -> D lever on your bike. It was great fun on the gravel roads I had access to, but then anything above the 50cc mopeds I was used to was great fun :) I thought having the kick on the left side was normal, having a Crescent moped with a Sachs engine as my first moped. That Sachs engine also had the kick on the left :) I thought my friends mopeds were weird, having the kick on the right side. Fun times! Cheers!
You sound like my dad 30 years ago. Talking about yacht racing. Should cats be allowed to race against mono hulls? Moaning about the America's cup rules. I'm sure he would be turning in his grave about foils. But in the top end of the sport you've got to let people bring the best and not argue about technology. If electric beats petrol so be it. If automatic beats manual so be it.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (Jn.1:1-14)
Somehow those old Husky’s will grow on you. 2 knobby tires, a throttle, some suspension, and race gas mix; I’m having fun! It’s really fun to ride lots of different 2-strokes over my 43yrs of riding…and the different power deliveries of all the different motors! Dirt bikes are just addictively fun to ride👌😊
See, I completely agree with you! I like the old twin shock Husky. She puts down plenty of power & speed for how old it is, compared to the best $ can buy! Not that much difference if your just digging a field up having fun!
I live in oarnge county California USA..its funny watching you guys ride ( WHAT YOU CALL ) A trake.. Its all flat. Were i live ..if you cant launch your bike over the tripple jumps.... Then your just a beginner..
The thing with older 2 strokes I use to find when I raced was occasionally you would get a Stuck Throttle, Wide Open, and I always thanked God that I had a clutch and kill switch! 😆 Besides the auto gearbox, I would never own a left hand kick bike because if you're right footed, you can't get going quickly if you stall. My Fave big bore ride is the KX500. Fun bikes!
Don't get why everyone wants an automatic bike these days my childs bike was automatic, and i loved shifting afterwards... ride Beta RR390 and love it, have nothing against Stark Varg they should co-exist
Great 👍 So All Skill of matching engine speed to traction, control & power requirements given over to a " Slush Box" probably has an ECU that will fail & be costly! Millennial appropriate ! Nice engineering so now we have Off Road Motocross Scooters ?
My good friend had a husky 501 automatic...funky bike.. crazy sounding bike if we got separated on the mountain just kill your bike and listen for him..very unique sound
I own a 1985 Husqvarna 500ae. It's really fun to ride in the woods. The worst the terrain, the better it shines. In the United States, who sells automatic transmission oil for these machines?
I'm not a Husqvarna expert, but at first glance that look more like a 1982 model. In 1983 Husqvarna introduced the more laid-down rear shocks, and I think it was called the ITC rear suspension. Edit: After I wrote this comment I heard you explain it was a mix of 1985 and 1982.
Yeah I'd love to ride one of those things I think they should Implement them into the lower CC class you know for beginners you know like in 80cc 90cc 100cc and even 125CC oh what the hell make it to 250cc to
Driving them there on ice was exciting. The defense then had no dub tires. When the wheel lost grip, they switched up. Are there many wr 515 and what was the name of the 503? In Sweden
Where do you find these bits of land you practise the flat courses on? My lad has a pitbike but it's most places won't allow them. Just want a big field like this not anything special.
I have a husqvarna wr 125 and its probably the quickest 125 ive ever seen it was the last of ghe true huskies before they sold the company dont think ill ever sell it
Motocross and is always been about using your physical being your clutch gearbox thinking sharply shifting gears that's Motocross and not just hit the throttle and go they can have it
So, 40 years and only ~3.4seconds.... And if you´d run that husky for a couple of days to get the same feel for it as the kong i would say you would certainly cut off over a second. As i actually suspected for a long time, that BRC kit doesn't actually makes an improvement worth the money. Something is wrong with that BRC kit. Looking at a 'modern' 1000cc snowmobile(2cyl 2 stroke) they easily pump out above 200hp with separate pipes(160hp in sock form) This would be ~80hp in a single cyl 500cc with a 'bad' pipe. Yeah, and i know it isn´just the power, i´s the chassis too. Hell,, that husky is a vintage iron with really bad chassi compared to the newer bike.
The brc is 100% an awesome bit of kit, don't forget this was a very short lap and wet. We have had several pro riders on the BRC on MX tracks and they all love it, but that doesn't take anything away from the older Husky which sounded great and was so fun to ride. I think 2 strokes are the real winner in this test. Thanks for watching.
I prefer shifting on my bikes. Electric bikes should be turned into vacuum cleaners. Love them old vintage machines auto or not. How bout the YZILLA with a Lectron carb. Great vid.
We used to call it the Auto-tragic, as it blew up gearboxes. Nightmare also due to lack of engine braking, as you say. All dirt bikes of the 80’s had crap brakes.
As long as it is a Husqvarna, I don't really mind the winner. My absolute favorites though, are the 82-83 models, maybe because I was 15-16 at the time and desperately needed one ( I had to wait 10 more years for that) and because the Husqvarna dealership was close to my house and I could do endless window-shopping. Who knows? The fact Is that I still ride my TE 610 and my TE 250.
