Help me find a 250 Class EVO....input?..comments?

Finally got my 84 frame for my 83XC500....
will strip it, paint it and swap all the running gear...get Ten Fins to turn.


Question for all the Swede Experts here...

I need background experience help looking for a 250 class machine to race EVO now....
(racing open and want to race 250 class for the 2011 season)

EVERY rice bike is TOOOOO small for me....

My XC fits awesome with my fav bars etc...
so..........husky search for the 1/4 liter....is on.


Evolution class rules where I race:
Air cooled
Drum Brakes
NO linkage

Im a low to mid range motor kind of guy....dont like to scream things...
no 125s on steroids...love torque...
dont care about the fastest out there...my age and our tracks, smooth wonderful handles and short shifting wins.....

(just like now with most folks, smooth motor, good legs and great handling trumps max HP every time)

and our tracks...
smooth, generally tight, wet sand (yes to dream of)
...but do get rutted towards the end of the day.
Nothing "technical" no whoops etc...but generally a turn fest, tight.
no jumps per se....(doubles etc) table tops etc...yes...

so....
XC ?
WR ?
CR ?
dont care....

Perfect mate for HR?
would "like" a grunter. or a nice wide powerband pull, focused to low to mid vs top end.. (raced open bikes most my life)
5 or 6 speed...dont care....
SHE MUST love to turn and carve.....

(unlike my 83XC Cruise missle)...fingers crossed on the 84 frame helping it turn a bit.

Me....6'3" 235+ with gear.
so scrunched up DONT HUNT.

thanx folks, not sure where to start in the search...
81
82
83?
80
79?????

yikes....

doing a frame up rebuild now on a 81 YZ465...first coat of paint on after the primer....
shock rebuilt....etc etc....

Thanx ahead of time.....

HR

I sure your aware many orgainizations have age classes that allow you to ride any displacement you choose.
In other words, whatever size you feel you can ride at your best on.
Some guys like the horsepower some don't.
The factory designed their top of the line race bikes with close ratio transmissions, because they are most effective.
But, they also enlist top notch riders, who can utilize and need a close ratio transmission.
Wide ratio bikes are easier to ride (you don't have to shift gears as much) but you pay the price in accelleration and rider fatigue.
In the lower ranks that may be a positive.
Riding style make a big difference too.
Husky's like to steer with the back wheel. If this is not your style, Husky's will feel ackward and difficult to lay over.
However, setting up the suspension properly will make a huge difference in how your bike turns.
IMO a properly set up 81-82 CR, will be the most effective.
I would rule out the 79-80 bikes, unless you swap to 40mm forks.
The 35mm's (although the damping was good) flexed to much.

age group +

Yup
Im running my open bike in the age class (50+)
We have the full spread of classes, age and skill level....

just looking hard for a 250 to run in the 250 class against the open in the age class.

Thank you for the insight....on the 81-82....

how were the 83 CR?

HR

Geeez, what else do you want under the Christmas tree? You dont ask for much do ya Me being "el cheapo" as my wife and daughter have tagged me that. Why don't you find a 84 WR250 engine and swap back and forth with Ol' Ten Fins chassis? The 84 WR engine is air cooled, better ports than previous 250's. Another would be to find a 84 WR250 and upgrade suspension to CR/XC specs. I like the 250 in the 500 chassis, you already have your suspension dialed in, been thinking the same thing myself. Engine, carb, pipe, throttle cable, air boot and your good. Why not? One less bike in the garage for the wife to take inventory on. Thank God my in-laws have a ranch with various out buildings my wife never looks in!
My favorite handlling bike is my 84 WR250 with CR/XC suspension, forks,shocks,swingarm. It is faster around the track than my 82 CR 250. Only complaint on the White bikes is the shock bulge, dang size 13 boots catch heels on shock springs, personal complaint, not really bikes fault.

Scott, glad you found A 84 frame. I'm going to use my spare 84 frame to build a 84 430XC, love that 430 engine!

82 to 84 250 air cooled engines are pretty much the same, they all have the updated reed valves.
i think Leadville Husky is going to sell a nice restored 84 250 CX pretty soon..

hey...dreams are free....

swapping motors BETWEEN motos would/could be challenging...
unless you are offering to be at the races and do it for me?


Just looking for a nice handling 250 with more of a torque down lower power band.
as you mentioned, I can work the legs etc...not a worry, just need the core starter....

Maybe its just the Christmas season, but vintage bike ads have dried up......
not that I dont have enough going on in the garage now, but the season starts in the first week of Feb (time flies when you are old like me)

I wear 13s as well....
my solution?
I wear Asterisk knee braces...pushes your knees out far enough you dont notice the twin shock width on the bike!!!


HR

Leadville Co I am assuming...?

Didnt find a web site for them, is there one?

Thanx...

HR

If you want torque in a 250, it won't be a EVO Husky. I've run the gamut with my 83 250xc. Stock, they run like a 125, no bottom, little mid, all on top. You actually ride them like a 125, all corner speed and clutching the beejesus out of it.
I tried the Husky bulletin mod for 83 also. Take a wr liner, put in the xc/cr barrel, and port judiciously. Helped a little, but not worth the effort.
I even called Eric Gorr and talked to him awhile. My question was " Can you get competitive power out of the 250 Husky? I have 82 & 83 barrels & heads, whatever it takes to get in the ballpark with the japanese bikes? He finally said he could help it some, but not enough to run with the japanese bikes.
Then I toyed with the idea of making a 300, stuffing a 400/430 crank in a 250, talked to Eric Gorr about that also.......lots of work & development.
Then I thought about putting a 430 motor in a white chassis, picked up a 430 motor and that's as far as I've got.

Oh, and I weighed the top ends of a 500, 430, and 250. The 250 was 8 pounds lighter than the 500, the 430 was 2 pounds lighter than the 500.

Soooo........ Back to getting my 500 running first. ( Just love the power of that beasty!!)
Going to build up a 430 motor and put in a white chassis. Probably pull the rake in to 27 degrees and see how that works.

80 to 83 is 30.5 degrees , 84 twin shockers are 28.5, 85 single shockers are 27 degrees. Best handling Husky I've rode is my 83 250 XC with cut frame( around 28 degrees). Corners better than most modern bikes I've rode.
The 83 500 with cut frame is okay, but not as confidence inspiring as the 250. Not sure if we got the geometry different or if weight & power are the culprits.

Working on all my Huskies to get ready to run our new team race series in the air-cooled class, see how many moderns we can embarass.
Lights? WE GOT LIGHTS!!!

It helps that the track owner will probably lay out the courses to benefit Huskies, fast & choppy.

Scott

Thanx Scott....

So......
84 Husky Frame....

and....Japanese motor...?

Frankenbike.....

hmmmmmm

HR

Leadville Husky is my younger brother,,,yes,,Colorado...not a shop, just a red neck with a new addiction to vintage Huskys..
look at his post in resto projects of this sight...youll see the bike, and its progress.
he wants to sell it and put the money in his 83 500
http://www.cafehusky.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15137

Your joking right??? The 83 250CR is the Joke of Husqvarna. They were dogs from the get go with the "worst factory porting ever" and that's if you got one with a round cylinder bore. Now it's a great engine if you use a XC cylinder and modify the engine correctly.

sorry.....didnt remember the black sheep of the swedes....


so
an XC or WR (1984)
could work....and work well.......?

or am I just chasing my tail in the 250 class


HR

well if your wanting a very nice 84 250 xc mine will be up for sale very soon , just waitn on plastics and decals. you can see pics on the site . freshy painted frame, rebuilt forks didnt need much when i started

Any new photos of the XC you are rebuilding?

I understand you are building an 83 500?

XC?

I have one that i recently went through and about to put on an 84 frame...

HR

I liked the Husky chassis and didn't want to put the money into a blown up motor so I did a heart swap. CZ motor in a Husky chassis. It worked real well and I loved it. Franken bike for sho. Simple installation.

Really? Wow...... Looks like a nice job though......

Isn't the '84 watercooled? Plastic tank, dual shocked watercooled?

View attachment 7573

Like this?

84 250CR was watercooled. 84 250 wr and xc were still air coolled.