125-200cc Joining the 165 club

Last summer started trail riding again after many many years of just vintage motocross racing. Quickly realized the KDX200 I had wasn't cutting it so I started snooping around the web to get some ideas for something newer. I was all set to take the KDX down to the Husky gathering at China Hat last fall and check out some of the members Huskies. About 2 days before I would have left the tranny in my Ford Exploder did just that. Good that it happened close to home rather than an hour or two away. But sadly that meant no trip to China Hat and my motorcycle money got put down on a used Tundra. It was a long sad winter.

Killed time by putting together a basket case WR200 Yamaha that I'd been sitting on for a while. When I was able to get out on the Yammy I loved it's engine (signature ported by Hoffman Engine Dynamics) but the front end is so stiff it is nearly unrideable. It wouldn't turn for crap, I was just along for the ride. Odd because my brother has the same year WR200 for a buddy bike and it rides fine.

All the while I'm checking out Cafe Husky on a regular basis and reading about how killer these WB165's are. So I start hunting craigslist for a 125. Found nothing for quite a while, then all of a sudden a 2005 shows up on Portland craigslist... And it already has a 165 kit on it!!! I trade some emails with the seller, Marc. It turns out the bike is in Montana and the owner is a regular riding buddy with the creator of the WB165, Walt and he's a member here. Just had a phone call tonight with Marc and he's gonna trailer it this way over the weekend and I will meet him to pick it up on Sunday.

I'm totally stoked. I have a feeling these next few days are gonna be long. Looking forward to throwing a leg over it!

You will enjoy getting to ride the bike, instead of just being along for the ride! Congrats!

You Will have fun with it

Congrats

Robert-Jan

Thanks Blake

Never ridden a bike that wanted to wash out in every corner like that. Literally had to brake slide every corner to keep it on the trail. I know its fixable but I'd rather have a newer bike than to put more money into a prior basket case. Was just trying to see what i could build on the cheap.

You will be amazed with handling of this husky if you come from a KDX

not to bash a KDX (they are OK bikes) but the husky is a different league

Robert-Jan

The forks on Marc's bike are pretty much stock, so you will want to do some re-valving to make them more compliant. Kelly can attest to how the 45's can be good it just takes some work.

Marc did say he has had them revalved but is still on the stock springs. I'm sure I'm too bike for the stock springs.

Kelly's thread on his Frankenbike is what made me pull the trigger on this one.

Big congrats you are gonna love the WB165 . Look forward to your ride report; enjoy.

Thanks Robert.

Funny but that's almost exactly what Marc said in regards to the KDX compared to the Husky.

Marc gave me a call and wants to get an early start. I'll be heading out to meet him tomorrow instead of Sunday. This is cool. Gonna have to figure somewhere to take it for a spin on Sunday.

Loaded up before the trip home.




Just got home with the 165, dropped it out of the back of the truck and hit a mile of quad trail at the end of my road.

Here's my first impression!















It's... okay.

The bottom is flat. Very flat. The EFM slipper clutch slips a lot. That might be part of the problem. I've never had a slipper clutch before and it feels weird. The throttle doesn't feel connected to the rear wheel. I like to be able to lift the front wheel on demand. If this bike isn't on the pipe the front tire isn't coming up. Seat bouncing doesn't help much

It's very 125 feeling. Light and nimble and very narrow. A good bit taller than I expected. I like that as it should help to keep my feet out of danger. It revs out well. Feels stable yet moves where ever I want it.

I found a bank with tall grass that i couldn't see the debris underneath. I ran up and down it a few times. It absorbed the rocks and a railroad tie I couldn't see. With it's height I can see how I might end up dumping it on a hillside if I tip to the wrong side.

Overall it feels and handles great, very tight. I just can't get very enthused about how soggy it feels when it's not on the pipe. On the ride back I thought to myself the KDX has more bottom than this thing. Wondering if I wasn't recalling clearly or not being fair I rolled my unwashed KDX out of my trailer and took it for the same ride. Oh yeah, there's the bottom I was looking for. Back to back with the Husky I realize how loose this thing is. It rattles like a calliope going down the trail. It's a low slung fat pig by comparison, BUT it will lift the front wheel rolling on from idle. Top speed and over all trail speed is not even close. The Husky will leave the KDX.

Parking the KDX I decided I really don't like that slipper clutch. I'm either going to have to ride the bike a gear lower than I'd like or I'm going to plow through every obstacle on the trail. Can it be adjusted to engage sooner or at a lower RPM? If not it's gonna have to go.

I might see if I can make it out to Capital Forest tomorrow and try it out some more.

get a original clutch in there

(is it a slipper clutch or an auto clutch? (two different things)) you might find some one that is just willing to swap and the result is 2 persons happy in one time

I am running with an original clutch and its still a 1 finger affair in operating it (personally i don't see the need for a auto clutch on a 125)

a slipper clutch is normally used in a supper motar set up it allows you to shift down 3 gears lower and just drop the clutch open without that your tranny is exploding.

Robert-Jan

I have the EXP in my WB165 and I have no problem lifting the front wheel; sometimes even when I don't want to . Don't know which clutch you have in your bike but the EXP has adjustment.

Id be checking the carb jetting - sounds off. Post what you find. Needle position .
I still recall riding a guys 04 cr 125 that wheelied without using clutch real easy - it had lots of compression . I should have bought it and it was only a 125.
Huskies aren't the easiest bikes to wheelie but a 165 should be pretty good, I like to flick the clutch and it will bring it up or get more aggressive with throttle.
These take a little fettling to get them how you want them . Even the rear silencer changes the feel.
A longer one feels smoother and less aggressive hit with possibly more down low -

Robert

It is an auto clutch. Thanks for explaining the difference for me. I've heard people use both terms and never knew there was a difference. Like I said I've never ridden with one before. I'm with you on not seeing the need for an auto clutch on a 125. I can see it on a stall happy 4t but that's about it.

Ride report #2.

Got out to Capitol Forest this afternoon. Middle Waddell trail head to be exact. Got in about 8 miles. I would have done a lot more than that but a broken radiator cut my day short.

Okay first off I'm really starting to like this bike. That being said, I still realllly HATE that clutch. The jetting seems to be okay with the throttle response being crisp and sharp but with no pinging. I'm getting fairly certain the flat feeling on the bottom is the clutch. It's slipping way up into the RPM range. I spun the cable adjuster all the way in so now it drags a little when I put it in gear and it will still at times surge clear up on to the pipe without any change in acceleration while at a slow roll. I think the plates might be glazed. I'm gonna scuff them when I get some time later this week.

I love how this thing handles. It's very precise. I can snap it over and it turns right now! I spent a lot of time trail riding my KDX and I know it's no great performer but it allows me fairly precise steering I can put the front wheel anywhere I want it and it stays there. The best thing about the KDX is that it does very little that's scary. It's heavy and underpowered and it wallows a bit but it's stable and I know what it will do in every circumstance. I know next to nothing about adjusting suspension. My background is in racing vintage motocross. The bikes all run dampening rod forks that aren't really adjustable and I run Works performance twin shocks on the rear of all my bikes that have no external adjustment. I have to send them back to Works Performance for a revalve if I'm unhappy with them. When racing old bikes you kind of have to learn to adjust yourself to what the suspension is doing. I know what I like but I don't know a whole lot of what to do about it.

On the trail like I already said the Husky steers very sharp and precisely, lays into a corner nicely and feels flick-able. I have to sit a little further forward than the KDX allows me to stay in the sweet spot. It blasts through the whoops like a rocket! Lots of fun! What I don't like is that it feels harsh and deflects badly off exposed rocks and roots. It skitters and skates in the looser stuff. With what little I know that means it has to much compression dampening. Is that correct? It bounced me off the trail a couple of times. After that I just started focusing intently on my line and steering around the sharp hit stuff. It does that very well.

I was riding on the west side of Waddell Creek Rd, staying close to the parking area because I was riding alone. I went a couple different ways then doubled back. I decided I wanted to cross over to the east side of the road so I road over to the corrugated pipe tunnel under the road. The approach is loose round river rock. I was just rolling along in second looking ahead through the tunnel and hit a grapefruit sized rock mixed in with the smaller stuff. It punted me hard to the left. For a fraction of a second I thought I was going to hit my body sideways on the mouth of the tunnel half in and half out. Thank God there is a wood railing on the approach. The bike glanced off of it back into the trail and I held on well enough to follow it and end up in a pile just inside the tunnel. That should NOT have happened that way. I ended up fine but the bike didn't fair so well. The left radiator has seen better days.



Next paycheck will probably see me ordering a set of those Chinese radiators. I definitely need to get the forks sorted.

I checked with the guy that worked on the forks and all he did was rebuild the forks. New seals and wipers. It is essentially stock valving which is awful. My guess is that there are a number of riders on the site who would be interested in the EFM auto clutch that is in the bike. I had been bugging Marc since he bought the bike to get the forks re-valved and the shock at the same time for balance. He always just had other priorities. Sorry about the crash. If you can't find another set of rads, pm me as I have a reserve set.

Hi Walt

That makes a lot of sense looking back at my conversation with Marc.

While i really don't like the clutch I'm gonna play around with it some more before I give up on it entirely. See if i can shim it to make it engage sooner for example.

Hi Kelly

Yes suck is an adequate way to describe the way the forks deflect.

I thought a few members might know that area. That's why I gave the specifics.

I like the way you put that. "A good start" That is how I see this bike. I'm gonna put the money into it to get it sorted out right. I like it enough for that. I may have to do it in stages though instead of all at once.

Your Frankenbike thread is what got me taking a hard look at the 165.

So it's all your fault!