125-200cc looking to get a new REAL cr125

Alright guys well I'm very new to this thread. I currently ride a 2007 Honda cr125. I'm just looking for a good comparison or a test of the new or 2011 husqvarna cr125. I'm looking to move away from the current japanese brands because they no longer support 2 strokes aside from yamaha who jokingly re-releases their 2006 every year. Don't get me wrong i've had a 2006 yz250 (and still have it, although it is now my dads). It is an amazing bike, same with my 125 i have now. I love the 125's even though i'm a little big for them 5'11" 180 without gear. They're just so much fun to ride, and i'm quite a bit faster on the 125 as well. Basically i want a good comparison, i'm particularly looking for a comparison between the ktm 125, yz125, and the cr125. My honda cr125 is fairly close to the yz so i have at least a decent thing to compare it to. Please lend me your thoughts and try not to be to biased towards the husky, just trying to find the differences not so much the "i think its better because.." mentality

I am wanting to get a new husky pretty soon, ive heard a lot of good things on them already just wanting some more feedback from you guys since everywhere ive looked has basically pointed me to you guys.

btw here's a pic of the current ride

oh and i'm located in Texas, so if any of you other texan's have one that is fairly close to me (temple, tx) i'd be glad to pay for the trouble and let me swing a leg over and see for myself

P.S. 2 stroke rule. that is all

oh and just to let yall know it will be used purely for mx and maybe a little single track, nothing to crazy, but i do like to switch it up every now and then

I have the 08 Husky CR 125 and they are awesome in stock trim. I'm 200 lbs and I got the bike new for $2,999.00 OTD as a "play" bike...so I thought! Turns out it was to become my favorite bike of all and at 53 now it's been quite a few. Since then I had it bored to a 144 and the fun just got FUNNER. Now to take it one step further I'm having it bored to a 165 and hope I don't mess things up. They are so much fun and the guys on this site so helpfull I can't see any other 125 taking it's place. I haven't been on the KTM 125 but have tried a few of theirs and honestly their ergo just don't suite me at all. I've had a short ride on a Yamaha 125, 06 I think and the suspension was very good and power was ok but I was ready after a few laps to get my Husky back. The YZ owner fell in love with my Husky and has since picked up the WR for himself. I hope you can get a ride on one and see for yourself just how good these Husky bikes are. Keep in mind the new 12's come with 124 and 150 (144) set ups. Good luck.

they make a 165? crazy, talk about a 250f killer. I really hope to get on one soon and spin a few laps, and yes that is another great thing ive noticed about them is that on top of the 1k off of a new ktm price, they come with a free 800$ 144 kit, that is a huge plus. I'm guessing since the forks are kayaba? i think that's what i read somewhere on the 12's. Will a decent suspension shop be able to revalve the suspension? or is it more of a specialty thing with the sachs shock? I'm new to the euro bikes so i have no idea. Please forgive my ignorance

We Husky riders have several excellent suspension shops that can get you dialed in; no problems there. On the 165 Kit a fellow member is the brains behind the kit and several members are testing it now with awesome results. The kits will be for sale through Motosportz a site sponsor and real Husky guy. Heck my 144 was a 250F killa. I will say once you go euro you won't go back. We had 2 Honda's, 1 Yamaha, and a Suzuki. Now we have 2 Huskys, 1 GasGas, and 1 TM. All excellent bikes and IMHO all better than anything from Japan. Like you said it's hard to stay at the top if you haven't built a new bike or made changes other than BNG for years. Don't worry about asking questions on this site we are here to help and I was in your shoes a few years ago.

Every new 2012 CR125.... comes with a 144 big bore kit in the crate for the same price. Pretty sweet getting 2 bikes in 1!

i am honestly just tired of indirectly supporting a brand that couldn't care less about 2 strokes, which is everybody besides yamaha, they're at least good in my book because they still produce them. Hopefully going to a husky dealership this weekend

ya when i read this i was even more excited about them

...just checkin' in..are you the gentleman on Facebook who posted onHusky' page for info? If so ,I was one of the fellas that mentioned CafeHusky...Great bunch of guys and girls here.I'm sure that you'll find any or all the info here....kinda like a one stop shop. Hope to be seeing you posting pics of your new Husky!

Yes sir i definitely was! thank you for that i appreciate it, and me too!

Go with the Husky. As you read members posts I think you will get the impression that you wont be disappointed. No offense but if I remember correctly the CR125 (Honda) was quite a dog for the last few years of production. I owned a '06, rode it once, and sold it. I am pretty sure that the Husky will rip it in half and thats without the 144 kit. I recently went 165 with my WR and its amazing. If you really want people scratching their heads go with the 165 kit and leave the 125 stickers on the bike! No one has to know!

haha no offense taken, but the magazines all said that it was pretty even all around with the yz125 of those years 05-07 and besides a little bottom end that the cr doesn't have compared to the yz they're pretty much equal. I originally wanted a yz125, but i got this 07 cr for a steal 1500 bucks, it was barely ridden. So I'm not complaining at all. So far i haven't read anything bad about the husky's. But i knew it was giong to be a learner bike bc i'd first of all never ridden a 125 before, and second of all i had just gotten off of a yz250 2 stroke. So it was a huge learning curve. But i could sell my bike right now for probably 2300 and still make money off of it, even after i did suspension work to it. I had originally planned to go orange and get a ktm 125 or 150, then i came across the husky's and the price itself is worth getting one, much less i'm sure the obvious overall performance difference.

My story is a lot like john01's. I picked up a leftover 09' cr125 for a steal and thought it was gonna be a fun play bike (as I'm 210lbs), but it absolutely rips and is WAY beyond my expectations in the performance category. I've ridden quite a few yz125's and I think the Husky bests it in every category. Handling and braking are WORLDS better on the cr125 and I think the motor is stronger too. I own a yz250, so brand loyalty is out the window....

I will also say my local dealer (Bill's Husky in Salem, OR) has made owning the brand an absolute breeze and I loathe having to buy OEM Yamaha parts anymore. Bill stocks at least one of everything and has it to my doorstep in less than 24hrs for less than the gas money its costs me to drive 45 minutes to Salem. Beaverton Honda-Yamaha stocks a bunch of hugely marked up t-shirts & helmets, but I'll be waiting 2 weeks for that powervalve gasket to arrive

My 125 had some setup issues that needed to be resolved, but they were pretty minor once dialed these bikes are ass kickers. Getting the IMS tank to fit was an ass kicker on me, but i was able to get it working.

Where do you live? I'm sure someone in your area has one you can check out.

i live in central texas, an hour north of austin, thanks for the review

Cedarchopper is in College station and just got done installing a 165 kit. Maybe you can bum a ride on his for comparison. I think he just sent his suspension off so it will be a couple of weeks.

not riding a MX bike but the WR (enduro bike) i only can say that in comparison with my previous rides the husky is the most balanced one
not the lightest not the most powerful of the bunch but for sure the best handling one I ever owned.

And my bike is now 10 years old

my cylinder will go in 1.5 week to America and it will be transferred to the (almost compulsory) 165cc WB kit

And yes I will keep the 125 sticker set

tight tracks it's not an isue to keep up or lead the 450 four strokes even rock climbs the 125 is amazingly good in climbing them but you cant follow a 450 4 stroke in the lose sand. I hope the 165 will give them my dust

Robert-Jan

First off my bro has a 05 YZ144 that use to be a 125....I raced Desert on a CR125 Honda then a CR125 Husky then a CR195 Husky and a bunch of 125s since including KTM 125, 144 and 200....

As you can tell I have shopped around since my buddy convinced me I wanted a 300....

Also i am 6ft and 220 lbs...

I like the Honda feel, fit and finish...the biggest down fall to me was the 5 speed...just had to ring its neck in the high speed stuff and no torque

I personally think the Yamaha feels very nuetral....nothing good nothing bad...definitely better as a 144...gives it the torque it needs....

The KTM200 I could never comes to terms with the feel...feels like a under powered 250 or a super fat 125...

The KTM 125 had no problems with it except the turning radius is weird...lock to lock it doesnt turn as far as you need sometimes and I have actually crashed in lowspeed turns because of it...same with 144

The husky...as a 125 it has more torque than the 144 Yamaha or KTM....it rails turns very consistent inside or out....it is very planted chassis that doesnt do anything crazy...

So in my shootout...
Husky
Yamaha-because 6 speed
Honda-because 5 speed
KTM125/144
KTM200

I think the more people would try these things the more would buy...crazy good machines and a great value too....

Great comparo!

When you say you had a husky 195, what are you talking about? Just curious as you can't make more than a 175 max stroked out of the current 125.