Ok, I'm a big fan of the true open class 2 stroke. So I think if in 2015 Husqvarna really wants a stand out model, bring back a 500cc six speed 2 stroke. They could easily reclaim their desert/Baja racing heritage with a model like that. Not to mention the "buzz" a bike like that would create for the brand. My two cents
I think they would sell some. Others manage to sell their 500 kit/ re-make bikes. I know I'd like to ride one .
500cc 2stroke enduro with 6 speed,carby and a big fuel tank? sign me up! the orange overlords and husaberg have sold good numbers of 500+cc 4strokes so there`s obviously horsepower junkies buying them
This, is a 'no brainer', of epic proportions. I've been saying for well over a decade now, the first company that brings out a Modern 2t, Any type, be they dirt, and more importantly, road - well, Road Registerable, evrywhere - Will reap huge rewards. Now, I ride a 500 2t, but I'd rather a modern 350 / 400+ cc 2t. Whatever they do, a DFI'd (of any one of the variations that DFI is / can be), or Modern carb'd / EFI'd, Trapping Valved, AST etc, etc, etc 2t, will sell in good numbers. Just like in the Seventies, mid capacity 2ts, will be as much needed, to make use of a 4t, seem rather silly. Mind you, a 450cc 2t ( hey, we've got to keep it in the same CC 'equivalency', can't demand another 'handicap class......... ) , could be a near indestructible, mellow as any could want it / mental as any could want it, in a modern guise, bike. Cripes, my 500 is a pussycat. A wonderful, easy to use engine. I just ride it accordingly. I would kill for a 6spd, or even to be able to find a reasonably priced, warranty'd (Madman Engineering ones aren't), wide ratio 5 spd gearbox, so the bike was more 'pleasant' on transport sections. An ES would be wonderful, though my decomp. enables me to use an near 80cc size KS lever ( legs only bend to just 90 degree angle now - it's the leg lift / lever height that's the issue for me - and the end hit of the lever to the peg ). Then give thought to modern, clean running, fuel miserly Road Bikes as 2ts. Think of a 600cc twin, wiping the floor with 600 4s and 675 Triples. Then think of 1000cc 2ts, in either Superbikes or Moto GP. Moto 3 Single cylinder 2ts against Moto 3 single cylinder 4ts. That's how you get affordable racing - which Moto 3, (well, all ) GP racing is not, despite it's intentions as such. Not Going To Happen, of course - the racing class revisions, I mean.
My dream is. Husky sm510r 2010 model. Some big cc single, not so high maintenance egine like now, or some creazy v-twin
Service Hondas are still very popular in my area. I think a big bore modern 2t with adjustable power valve would do well.
the 2t engine could hardly achieve the performance of the 4t engine. apart from a slight weight advantage, this would be a "race among equals". my proposal would be to let bone-stock 250-2t dirtbike engines compete against the current moto3 engines. racing couldn't get more affordable than this. r
Rasputin, I can only assume you must not have knowledge of the sort of HP and Torque the Aprilia 500, the Honda 500 , and the KR / Proton 2t V Twins put out? Or, perhaps you did not know of their existence? They were, quite a few years ago, I know. The Honda, could be bought. The irony of the Honda Twins, especially the one or two "factory works bikes", was that they had so much of a Torque / HP spike, they tied themselves in knots, even moreso than the 4 Cylinder bikes, when Honda tried to make them genuinely competitive with the 4 cylinder 2ts. They, the twins, very much needed engine management systems, probably moreso than the 4 cylinder 2ts, akin to those that exist, on more than a few production street sportsbikes, for the last few years. No World Supersports level 600 4cyl. / 675 3 cyl 4t, let alone the Moto 2 spec Honda engines, come close to what the Honda Twin, Aprilia Twin (the later, near 500cc versions of them) and KR / Proton Twin 500cc 2ts put out. And, give thought to what production HP4s, RV4s and Japanese 1000 cc 4s, and Ducati 1200cc twins (well, also KTMs lovely, much more 'analog' VTwin) put out now, in comparison to Y2K proddie bikes, and even the 1st year Moto GP 4ts - well, consider what levels of development that could be applied to the mid / late 90s 500cc 2t Twins since they were last used. If you think a modern 2 cylinder 600 2t could not match a 600cc 4t four cylinder or triple, you really, really have it wrong. Then, one could consider the same cylinder quantities, but it wouldn't be needed. I'd prefer retaining the simplicity / lightness advantage (if allowed), when more cylinders are of no need. Bone stock dirtbike engines? And, I'll hold you to exactly what you wrote - bone-stock 250- 2t dirt bike engines - as in, std gearbox, primary drive, well everything. Beware of what you write. As, you will be held to it. Sorry, such a thing would not have a hope in hell, against a Moto 3 bike. Even the 21,100 English Pounds NSF250R, World Customer model bike would kill a Moto 3 2t 250 that had to use a "bone-stock 250-2t dirtbike engine". On top of that, the Honda is being very overshadowed by the RC250R KTM, but the actual Moto 3 World Championship spec Hondas, are another thing again on from what you or I can order from our Honda distributor. KTMs customer RC250R, at 46,986 English pounds, would slaughter the "bone-stock 250-2t dirt bike engined Moto 3 bike. Just as it does the Honda Moto 3 production bike. Then with the 45,000 English pounds KTM GP Kit, there'd be an even greater divide. But, I can see what you might be getting at. I myself would , to 'get' capacity equivalency in what is now Moto 3, agree to a 250 single cylinder 2t, having to be based (so, still a "handicap class) on a production 250 2t - inevitably a dirt bike engine, as road bikes really don't exist as 250 2t singles, nowadays. An MZ ETZ 250 really wouldn't cut it. And the late / great Santi Herrero's gorgeous 1969 / 70 Monocoque single cylinder 250 2t Ossas, were the last of the 'just' competitive singles, to my knowledge. Though, that engine, was a fairly special, rotary valve unit. Here's a link to it : http://www.bikeexif.com/ossa-motorcycle Something specifically Banned from Moto 3 4ts - you are Not allowed to use a modified 4t Dirt Bike engine in World Championship Moto 3, it must be a Prototype Engine, though it has very specific restrictions / rules. They dropped the whole "modified dirt bike engine" idea, rapidly, as it would have made things very expensive, due to their fragility. For the costs of bringing a 2t Dirt Bike engine up to Road Racing spec - special gearboxes / clutches etc are Not cheap - it might just be cheaper than a Moto 3 GP spec 4t. Better , and, probably far more affordable, would still be a specific Moto 3 designed 250 2t engine module, that met 'similar' controls as a Moto 3 4t. The Moto 3 class, was brought in as a 'control class' - to make things "affordable". Now, it does sound hilarious , the 'affordable' bit, but, with the favouritism, and the mega bucks required to obtain a top of the line Aprilia 125, it really wasn't that laughable an idea, on the face of it - 125 racing having gradually priced itself into extinction. 125 2t GP racing, had really become a case of the have, and have nots - and, to 'have' meant huge amounts of money, or much favouritism / ' much love' from Aprilia. A lease / buy set up for Aprilia / Garelli 250s, was only about a 100,000 Euros below that of a lease specification Honda RCV Moto GP bike. Either just below, or just over, 1 Million Euros. Aprilia, are just as guilty in the demise of 2ts, as Honda (and the other Japanese manufacturers, plus KTM) are - most seeing Honda as the massive driving force for the "all Fourstrokes, All the Time" racing, that we now have. But, if they were serious about having an 'affordable' introduction class for GPs, a Control Series spec for Single Cylinder 125 2ts, or Single Cylinder 250cc 2ts, would have been the real answer.
actually, i do. and it confirms my statement. the average 300cc (or 250cc) dirtbike puts out 50-55 hp. you can tune those engines to 70-75 hp. take two of those, and you'll arrive at "reliable" 100-110 hp (same as a standard supersports bike) or "high-end racing" 140-150hp (same as the moto2 engine, slightly above 500cc 2t v2). you may want to add 10-20 hp, to consider "grand prix level efforts", but please consider the same also for the 4t engine. i'm a huge fan of the 600cc-v2 concept, bytheway. for a road bike. yes, i was exagerating, but you finally understood my point :-) i wonder about the real cost of a moto3 engine... r
Since they're sleeping with KTM now, all they need to do is update the old 380 motor (I have an '02) with E-start, the current 6-speed, and a few mm more bore and bring it in around 420cc, broad and smooth. I've been saying for years that something like this would kill the 4-stroke fever.
The old 500's disappeared when the 250/300's started making as much power, vibrated less, got way better MPG, were EZ to jet and people found the 55 hp a 300 makes is more than enough for 99% of what we do. And don't take that wrong, i have owned many a big bore 2 stroke and still have a WR400 husky and KX500.
Well now there's an even better idea: Bring back the famous Husky 430 name while they're at it. Considering the number of 430's out in the Picklito Secret Evil LabORatory... why didn't I think of that?!?
My 300 is already way more saucy than I ever need. I have zero interest in the weight and rotating mass of a 500 cc 2-stroke.
Which is why they are not offered anymore. The modern 300 with a powervalve make more power then most can use. 500's are still fun though and would sell just not sure how many would really opt for one.
Right on, Picklito. Bring back the 430 2t. Some might say it was the best Husky motor. They certainly made alot of 430's through the years.
Exactly. I think they could really benefit from this "we're getting back to Husky's roots" claim if they brought back one of their old big bores. Doesn't much matter if it comes in at 360, 400, 430. Base it on the current 250/300 platform, as Husky did with their own 360 and KTM did with their own 360/380, and it will weigh within a pound or two of the current 250's. Make it broad and smooth... very few WANT the punishment that the old 500's had... using modern PV and ignition tech, and it'd be a winner. There's a reason I still have my 02 380: No current similar options.
