1984 AE 500

I found this site, and it has motivated me to restore my 1984 AE 500. It was Everfree's thread about restoring his AE 500, and 430 that got me hooked. I am the original owner of this bike. It has been sitting in my basement for 20+ years.

I think most of us ( automatic owners) have second hand and used automatic bikes.
So we never have known new auto bikes.
Can you tell us about how it worked when new ?
What were the problems and parts that needed to be changed ?
How fun the bike was running ?
Have you ride it on competitions in past ?
My 430 ae 84. The motor is used and 1st clutch springs breaks.

Ok. Before the Husky, I raced several different bikes CZ, Honda (many), Macio, BSA. This was the best bike and the worst bike of all of them. I have raced Flat track, enduros, MX, Hare Scrambles, and competed in trials events. This bike gave me the most advantage of any bike that I raced during any period when it was in top form. But there were times when it was pure hell. Once in a HS, I bet I hadn't gone a 1/4 of a mile when a couple of dudes piled up in front of me, and I slid into them. No big thing just a bump, but we were tangled up. During all of the jerking to free up our bikes, my rear brake rod broke. Try riding an automatic down hills in a slick HS with just the front brakes. One of the things I loved about this bike is when you crashed, 9 out 10 times it would be laying there still a running. More than once I crashed this thing and never lost my position.

The only thing I ever did to my bike was take the lights off, cut down the handle bars, and put on bark busters. The bike was hard to crank brand new. No problem on level ground, but if you were ever stuck in a situation with bike above you, well it was tough to crank.

On the MX tack I would win hole shot after hole shot. The Automatic was just hard to beat off the line. It wasn't the best MX bike, but it was good enough.

I got my 78 390 Auto in 1981 from my neighbor that bought it new with complete enduro trim. I had gone on a group ride with him soon after he bought it. I was on my MR250 riding my heart out trying to keep up in the open areas and most other places too. He was not a great rider but the 390 made him look like one. A couple years later after I moved out of my father's house I was visiting my father and he came over to see me. I had sold my MR250 the year before so I was without dirtbike. He told me the 390 ate 2nd gear and asked me if I wanted to buy it. I asked How Much? He said for you, with everything on it $500. The bike was cherry except for 2nd gear. I went to the local Husqvarna dealer and got the gear and was tickled to take the tranny out without taking off the top end or splitting the cases. Got it going and found out the magic of the Auto. With the 78 frame it cornered like a kitty on carpet. The power reminded me of the 69 360C I had before the MR250. The frame gave me what I thought I bought the MR250 for. I loved it and hated it all at the same time. I wanted a six speed the whole time riding it. Losing the brakes on an auto after each water crossing with no compression braking going down long slick hills is quite un-nerving

I had my exhaust and frame powder coated. Here is a couple shots of before and after on the frame.

Your off to a great start! I am looking forward to watching your progress on this build. I grew up with a neighbor who had new Huskys every couple of years. I was a kid riding used beatup stuff & only dreamed of such bikes as his. Well, I've had two 87/88 430s & still have one. I remember him having a couple autos but I never rode them. When I was about 14 he put me on his 77ish 390 & let me ride it. Like I said....looking forward to your thread.

It'll be very interesting when you'll attack the motor !

The motor is in good shape. The next step is rebuild front and rear shocks. I have ordered RT FRK SPR 33.6x521mm .50kg springs for the front forks from Race Tech, and I plan to get the ohlin seal kit for the rear shocks. Along with a new throtle cable, an assortment of jets, new brake shoes, and she will be ready to go. I must admit I have never rebuilt front forks before, but after watching several youtube demos; I believe I can do it with the rights tools.

In the very early 80's I had a Montessa H6 360 and would ride it to work.
The motor was brilliant and with standard gearing was capable of 100mph.
I would drag race a guy on an auto every morning and never did beat him.

Mate who worked with me had a Z750 Kawasaki and one morning came in and told me he had just been blown off by a guy on a dirt bike.
Yep the auto had struck again.

Orville Story
Nice work....it will be great to see the finished product.
Have you previously done any work to the auto tranny? Cut slots into the first gear shoes? Changed springs? etc?

PS. Nice collection of tanks in the background, more projects?

The only work I have done on the tranny is to take down and inspect it a couple of times. I changed the fuild after every event. I still have one bottle left of the Husky auto tranny fuild. I never lost a spring, or had any problems with it at all. I never had any issues that would cause me to consider cutting slots into the first gear shoes. The bike may have been in 10 events total, 2 HS, 1 Enduro, and 7 or 8 MX races. Just guessing I believe the bike might have 800 miles on it. It's been over twenty years.

I am working on a couple of 1970 BSAs. One a 650 Lightning that is 95% complete, and the other is Thunderbolt that I am considering making a Cafe Racer.

Re: Cutting slots into the first gear shoes - there's a Husky bulletin 8-128 that says that by cutting the shoes (the same as earlier models I believe) the clutch engages at lower RPM. So I was just wondering about the difference. I'm about to pull mine down for inspection, so I guess I'll find out when I've done it.

Re: the Thunderbolt - it's the $64000 question - original or modified

Here's the husky bulletin 8-128 and technical data sheet.
I can provide also the article by Paul Rooney on maintenance on 500 ae but on PDF.
So send me your email on my PM if you want it.

I robbed parts off of the Thunderbolt to make the Lightning original. So the Thunderbolt is going to be Modified. Plus I want to be able to race it in some old classes for fun. Check out my web site at http://tymedrywall.com/index.html

Michel thanks for the bulletin. My email addy is ostory@tymedrywall.com

This site is just a great place for information.

Others service bulletin for 500 ae.

A mate had the 500 AE and it was fast and interesting to ride but he had all manner of trouble with it.
cooked clutches were his main problem.

I dont remember what happened to it as he went spectacularly broke!

I opened her up for a look see. One of the pins was just floating lose. I am going to wait on my service manual that I ordered a week ago, before I do any more than look.

Great article Michel, the freewheel on a trailing throttle showed me just how much time in any given corner with a conventional bike i used the "engine braking" (nonexistant on a 2-) when i should have been either braking hard or powering on!