250-500cc WR250 Subframe is Junk!!

I bought my 2010 new as a leftover last winter. That makes this the second season I've been riding it. Now, I ride it hard, and I race harescrambles, so the bike definitely takes some abuse, but certain things should just never happen in the life of the bike, let alone in two seasons.

The lower subframe mount holes, through normal use, became elongated. This is due to bad design. First off, most every other bike designs the mount so the load is taken by some kind of shoulder or by the end of the subframe member, not by the bolt hole. Second, the section of the bolt that takes the load is threaded. Third, they use what seems to be fairly soft aluminum at that joint, when it really needs a steel bushing or something if they want it to take that abuse. So, after 2 seasons, I had to have my subframe tig welded for no reason other than I ride it hard.

And don't get me started on the silencer mounts! This January I was in a race and my silencer fell off. I didn't crash or anything, it just fell off. The mounts broke right in half. Last month I saw another guy on a 250 Husky who had the exactly same thing happen in a race. I was able to get my silencer back and bolted some pieces of steel to what was left of the mounts. Not 2 months later the rear one broke again, this time at the weld. So I made a bracket which used the mount for the right side number plate. The riv-nut couldn't handle it so I ended up drilling thru and using a nut and a bolt.

Just when I thought I was done, last week the front mount breaks off, again at the weld. Oh, and did I mention that both mounts to the expansion chamber are broken? So I have the stinger of the expansion chamber hose clamped to the subframe for lack of a simpler solution. And it's sturdier than ever! Unless of course, the subframe snaps in half from the added load....

Time to sell this piece of junk and buy a real dirtbike!!

Ok and how much do you weight? ...Not counting you ego also...We wanna keep the real abuse a real racer of your caliber is actually handing out ...

I weight 170 without gear. I am by no means fast by racing standards which make it even worse! A bike should be able to handle the abuse of an expert racer!

I'm not 100% sure on the 010 model machines specifically , but that basic engine and frame has been made for probably > 15 yrs ... Thanks for finally, possibility, finding a real flaw ...

Buddy of mine had a 07 with all the same problems you describe except he also had a gas tank that leaked from one of the shroud bolts, he sold the bike and has refused to return to the Husky brand. It's a crying shame that Husky has refused to update the 250 platform and it's just discrasefull that the same problems that existed 5 years ago are still present on the current bike.

Ray Ray- shame on you for sticking up for Husky on this one.

It always nice to hear from the peanut gallery ... I have a life time to stick up for Husqvarna dirt bikes in the Husqvarna cafe ...

My 02 CR250 had some issues in the subframe as well as other places (the pipe) due to my crashes and bad riding but to call it junk would be false .. Coming to this forum and screaming that part is junk is not only uncouth and ~childish, but not true also ...

The mud flap on some of the current bikes can carve notches in the SA ... Should we call the entire bike junk? Maybe the SA is junk? Is the mud flap junk? Should we cry like a baby over this or can common sense be applied?

I have an 09 WR250 and have had none of the problems you describe. No matter your skill level, the first question that came to my mind is how often do you crash or even tip over and put the bike on the ground. I have seen posts with pictures of destruction claiming minor tip overs had caused massive damage and also viewed horrendous crashes resulting in little to no damage. Lifting the bike up by the silencer is a habit I have noticed other riders doing that I have wondered if it would cause stress cracks. If my silencer breaks I will buy an FMF but your comments about the sub-frame has me wondering.

On my 10th Husky, all 2T , wr mostly. Always run a stainless hose clamp around the subframe/pipe stinger[with a spacer that will not burn] and one around the silencer/subframe. Very simple to replace a broken hose clamp. Any enduro/xc bike gets tortured.

The lower subframe mount holes can only elongate if the bolts weren't tight enough - movement allows the elongation not the fact it is a threaded or shouldered bolt. If you know anything about 2T you will know that vibration causes monuting brackets etc to crack - you are obviously are an ace rider (at least keyboard warrior) would it not be worthwhile checking for cracks, tighten bolts etc when doing you race prep or have your team check it over?

I've not had or seen any of these issues with the WR's. All the ones I've been around have been very solid bikes.

Now, I could go on for hours about my other friends different brand bikes and the issues they've had, but then I don't think they maintain there bikes very well, either. Might be the problem here.

I ground away the notches on my my mudflap like Motorhead suggested, but it's still wearing on the swingarm some. I was thinking of adding some washers behind the flap to move farther back. Does anybody have any other tricks for the mudflap problem?

You can make a rub block from some hard plastic, like a chunk of teflon, or rubber and fasten it to the swingarm in front of the flap. Then the flap can ride on the block and not the swingarm.

i also ground the notches down on mine, albeit after it had chewed into my swingarm so just cut a section of heavy duty tube out & siliconed it onto the swingarm where it rubs. maybe not the prettiest fix but effective & easily replaced when worn out(probably done 80-100 hours & hasnt wore tube through bugger all yet!). subframe, silencer mounts all sweet. did have a pipe bracket mount hole(thread in frame) get flogged out but only for the fact i didnt check bolt tightness. put my hand up for that one-it is a 2 stroke after all!

I have abused my 300 a lot over the last 1.5yr and the subframe quit breaking when I loosened the silencer bolts. You can not run the tight at all, about 1/2 turn past the "unable to spin by hand" point. Sounds like the lower bolts were too loose.

I just use a couple plastic black tie wraps around the cross member of swingarm. It keeps the mudflap off the swingarm and doubles up as a wear surface.