Christmas present to self will be here Thursday ('88 510TE), yahoo

Well, wasn't specifically looking for another bike, as much as watching whats around forsale. Sometimes the rescue dogs pick you it seems. And she's a little late model, and a little messed with cosmetically, but she'll be here on Thursday Real excited, and anxious to see what I need to fix, aside from the obvious. Already have some mint shrouds, and an awesome condition ceet seat on hand. Looks like I'll have some decisions to make as far as take it back to correct original appearing or to what degree, etc.

Not sure exactly what somebody was shooting for with the color changes, but it doesn't really look half bad to me. Except that I prefer a more original look, generally. Still amazes me how much time has passed, and that these bikes are already as old as they are now. Plenty of time for people to mess with them, unfortunately

Here's some pics. Once she's in hand, I'll take some latest pics, and add one to the specific pics thread.

Thats not a bad look at all !

Thanks. Yeah, not to bad. But the more I look, the more I can't figure out just how big of a mutt/mix she is. See different plastics, different sub-frames, forks, and every combination. Can't seem to nail down just what it looked like when new. When google searching, it doesn't seem there are a whole lot of pics of these out there.

I posted these pictures perhaps a year ago in the show us your bike. Mine is a 1988 te510 sold at the discounted price of $25??.00 as I got the sales reciept. I also have a title and had a plate on it so whatever was on the certificate of origion was what I state it is.

http://www.frannyk.addr.com/cafehusky/88tewv.a.JPG
http://www.frannyk.addr.com/cafehusky/88tewv.b.JPG

Just looking at the picturs you post i notice these things
The fender and subframe of yours aren't like mine, I have another lens for that tail lite in a box I bought on ebay I think from someone in your state.
I changed to an earlier brake set up and switched fork legs left to right you can see a big casting on my right fork leg.
Your mufflers look in fine shape however when you fall or tip over and they hit the ground the rubber mounts in the area of the airbox brake and it gets frustrating keeping those mounts whole.
Of course I stripped off the headlight number plate assembly,
The bike had tazmanian devils drawn on the origional side plates at the radiators. Those are off something else but seem to be the same base plastic.

I really like the look of this bike as well it screams wheelie monster

I litterally laughed out loud on that one. Well, I hope it screams, and I hope it's a wheelie monster, and thanks it's looks are growing on me too. After my first 4 stroke, and bike period a '73 XR75 back in about 77/78 or so, I've kinda been 2 stroke all the way regarding dirt bikes. Rode a hopped up YZF 400, when those were the hot new thing, and was impressed but not near enough to convert to a 4 stroke devotee. Have also ridden a several year old XR650 a number of times, and again only so impressed. Now fortunately I will have my 500XC up and going in a few, so this 510 doesn't have to live up to being a huge hotrod for me. I'm sure it would serve better duty as a woods bike or perhaps single track riding than the 500XC. Or atleast thats my assumption currently. Regardless, good laugh, and I can't wait. I love it already, cuzz it's a Husqvarna, albeit, one made in Italy, with left over Swede parts, first year out of Sweden built lol. But when your on the cheap, you gotta work with mutts sometimes, and make em into what you want.

Thanks fran...k., I was hopeing you'd sound in, as I'd noticed your bike. I'll tell ya, I've done extensive internet searching for pics of these, and only found a handful. What's the deal. Did the only make a few 510's in 88 or even 87 or something. Really amazed at how few pics I've found of these late 1980's models.

But yeah, I was quick to note the differences from yours and others. I do already have a rear subframe on hand from an 88 WR430, so perhaps that would work on the 510, with minimal fab work. As I do like the subframes with the rear hoop over the fender. Will try to keep an MX shapped rear fender, even if I had a tiny running light. I will be wanting to add a headlight to this bike, as I just think the versatility and docile running nature compared to the 500XC will lend this bike to be the better all around riding condition machine. Depending, may wind up eventually upgrading the front end, to the KTM WP 50mm conventionals, but we'll just see how satisfied I can be with the 40's.

Thanks guys. Yeah, this is kinda special deal for me, as I'm lucky to be here after a serious auto accident in 08. Finally feeling a little ready to start living again. Hopeing this bike can be the best physical therapy tool a person could hope for. Real anxious to see how aggressive I can get after it, after some serious practice time ofcourse. As I've had doctors telling me not only that I never would ride again, but too lol never ride again. Among a big list of other physical things they've said no way to. Should be a blast even if I can only banzai trail ride, with limited MX track riding. Whatever I can make of it, I'm going to. This is one lifes dream (to get back into riding), that isn't slipping away, before I'm on the wrong side of the dirt lol.

So, very special gift to myself. Long overdue. Have had to sell alot of car parts I had stashed away, and work hard to come up with the funds to even buy this mutt. Wish I could have gotten a mint original, but it is what it is, and I can rebuild her.

Haven't gotten anything this big and special for Christmas, since that '73 XR75 way back in X-Mas of '77.

2 days and counting, till delivery, and despite her negatives, I'm already getting the perma grin / smile. Like you experience on those great very very rare occassions.

What lol. OK, now I'm gonna have to go look for a pic to see what that is hun, cuzz I have no idea lol. Sounds funny and possibly cute though. Maybe I made the wrong present to self choice.....

Yeah, I saw that. Actually really liked the looks of that bike you picked up. The air cooled stuff is really gaining my attention. No rads to puncture, or overheated coolant to overflow. Lower weight center balance.

Well, that's very roughly what I was picturing lol. Pretty cute, I must admit. Especially like the little glimpse of the KX. Looks like the first furry cuddly KX I've ever seen! Not at a 500 count yet, well, theres still time. Looks like somebody as a soft spot for soft cuddly toys. I understand that's addictive too (have seen a few similar collections). Bam, next thing you know, you've got a collection. Girls and their toys......

Most of my obsessive interests involve things you put gas into. And my interests in soft cuddly things, is in the breathing kind (critters, dogs, etc). But hey, nobodies perfect. So I deal with my flaws as best I can.

Yippie, ......yahoo. Just got confirmation. Bike will be here Thursday forsure. Ooh, man, gotta get to work on some other stuff, and try and distract myself lol. The little kid inside is jumping off the walls.........

That sounds like what I heard at the dealer maybe in 1993 or 1994 when looking at a one year old bike. He said the crank and some main engine components were made in Sweden. He also didn't use terms like left over.

Fran

Something wrong again lol, fran...k.

I'm assuming, based on the appearance alone, of the 1988 bikes, that they were perhaps, very much built simply useing all the inventory of parts and sub assemblies they may have just taken delivery of, from Husqvarna in Sweden. Just a reasonable guess on my part, but may be completely inaccurate.

View attachment 7742

Here's a pic of mine, not sure if it's an '89 or '90 but I imagine yours should have been very similar.

Great pic dirtaddict23, appreciate seeing it. It's interesting how they decided to build them. Each year there, it seems they bacame very much a transition to useing the 2 stroke plastics, etc.

Mine, from what pics I've spotted that show'd enough of the original aspects, appears the last year for the conventional forks, last year for the unique 4 stroke airbox and side panels. As well as the last year for the silencers/mufflers being on each side, which I love by the way. And that's the reason for the retention of the unique airbox and sidepanels. Though 88 appears the first year for the use of the introduced in 87 2 stroke style gas tank, and radiator shrouds.

Mine forsure although it has Acerbis fenders, they are both incorrect. But I like em, so will try and keep them. She's forsure missing headlight, and speedo (see the drive down at the axle still), and them she's missing the big black chain guard, which I will replace. Oh, and finally she has the incorrect sub-frame it appears. Seems like somebody was simply rebuilding with the intension of a more TX/TC appearance. Probably easier.

I'm noticing the silencers are highly modified, and shortened. It's possible she was looped out badly and damaged the ends of the long stock silencers, and to attempt to save them meant shortening them or cutting them off past perhaps a bent part. These repairs might have also been the reason for the change for the subframe, and handlebars. But that's kinda my extreme case scenario of why. May also just have been somebodies idea of "cool". Plenty of years to be messed with.

She seems pretty darn clean as she sits, and is suppose to only have like an hour on the fresh completely rebuilt engine. So I think she's a pretty easy candidate to take all the way back to correct, with some small changes like the fenders left as is due to my own tastes. I have I believe a correct sub-frame already on hand, and mint radiator shrouds. Just need to locate a few other pieces in NOS or real nice used condition, and should be pretty easy to blow it appart and reassemble correctly. Forgot to mention, somebody also painted the frame a gray silver. Looks nice, just not correct.