1. Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

WRX400?

Discussion in 'Vintage Restoration Projects' started by ajcmbrown, Nov 24, 2017.

  1. wrx Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    845 newyork
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1973 to 1986 husky's various models
    Other Motorcycles:
    RM -250 / Buell / Penton 400 mc5
    what you have there is a 400WRX . I've owned one of each. 250 and 400 . awesome motorcycles and fast as hell !!!
    ajcmbrown likes this.
  2. wrx Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    845 newyork
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1973 to 1986 husky's various models
    Other Motorcycles:
    RM -250 / Buell / Penton 400 mc5
    ps : nice restoration . looks bad ass !
    ajcmbrown likes this.
  3. NCSteve Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Appalachia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    12 WR300 13 WR165
    Other Motorcycles:
    02 XR250R 00 XR100R
    ajcmbrown likes this.
  4. oldbikedude Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Honey Brook Pa.
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1988 wr 430 with cr suspension
    Other Motorcycles:
    66flh,67 CA77,76 CR125M,73H1,74ty250
    Bike looks great. Take care of it.
    ajcmbrown likes this.
  5. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S

    I'm tempted to order the 400WRX decal for the airbox lid.......
  6. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
    This bike performed flawlessly on it's first outing this weekend, it took the pilot a bit of time to become accustomed to the TLS front brake, but the rest was great. My DIY shock service/seals/bush showed no signs of leaking, my refurbished forks worked well with no leaks, although it feels very different to my 88 250, its a great bike to ride.
    I may look at replacing the seat foam, it's not too bad but a short ass PO has shaved it down and it feels wider than my others, maybe I'll get accustomed to it too.
    As usual, the 250 performed brilliantly, it's a great bike in our Vinduro events, good gear ratios, with great top speed if needed, it's no 400, but impressive all the same.
    Tony.
    Kam1, oldbikedude and 86 400 XC like this.
  7. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
    Here I'm pointing out the seal head cap that needs replacing, replacement in my left hand, machined by fellow VTR member Rod White.
    This pic was downloaded from FB, looks like I have severe sunburn or something, not the case at all.

    Braidwood 2018.jpg
    Kam1 likes this.
  8. suprize Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Bendigo, Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR 400, bike in a box Moto Villa 350
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 300
    four X flu i rekon:lol:
    ajcmbrown likes this.
  9. jimspac Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Connecticut
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    82 250WR, 82 430WR, 84 250WR, 85 400
    Other Motorcycles:
    86 400WR, 82 Montesa Cota 349
    For what it is worth, I have an English test of what we know here in the US as a 250WRX. The machine the Englsh tested was known over there as a 250WRB . Likely the same for the 400WRX outside of the US market.

    Also they did not come from the factory with kick stands. My 400WRX had a very cobby accessory stand fitted so I am welding a threaded boss to the swingam so I can use the 1986 kickstand that were standard.
  10. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
    Jimspac, I believe the bikes we received here in Australia were "WRX's" as you know them, but were never called that down here.

    The importers had the option of acheiving full Australian compliance (all vehicles registered in Australia must have a compliance plate) which required extensive crash, noise, equipment and brake testing, or could avoid that by simply choosing to opt for what was called "Low Volume Compliance" which had much more lax rules and requirements, but restricted how many could be sold with that plate, even if it wasn't policed. :cool:

    All Australian compliance plates fitted to Huskies sold new here are hand engraved up to a certain date in the 90's I believe, where the full compliance models after that had stamped plates issued by the relevent authorities.

    Simply put, through the eighties and early nineties, the importers just kept issuing their plates that they were authorised to, without trying to add new models as they came out.

    While we may not have called them WRX's, (and we also had the WR single shock with shorter suspension) these were it seems the very same bikes the rest of the world called a WRX or it seems in the Brits case, a WRB.

    In 1995 I worked in a motorcycle shop and purchased a new KTM620, it was the first model KTM sold in Australia with full compliance, prior to this, all LC4 models were (hand engraved) plated as "KTM500GS" by the importer Bert Flood, even though they were 350, 400, 600 and 620's.

    The importer just kept engraving the plates for the imaginary KTM500LC4 regardless of capacity.

    I know this is of no relevance to the guys from the USA and Europe, but I feel it explains the argument that there are no WRX's in Australia.
    Technically that is correct, even if it was the identical bike.
    I hope this makes sense! :cheers:
    Tony.
    Eric The Leg likes this.
  11. suprize Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Bendigo, Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR 400, bike in a box Moto Villa 350
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 300
    interesting comments Tony. i rode a WRX 400 in 1986 that the local husky bloke had complete with drum brake. im sure it was wrx on sideplate....
    Eric The Leg likes this.
  12. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S

    You have a good memory JC, it seems there was a magazine test done in Australia on a, you guessed it, a 400WRX.

    Apologies to Dave White, not sure if he's a member here but this was posted on Facebook recently.

    34188975_10216405470273098_4272994973458104320_n.jpg
  13. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
    Well it's been a while since I posted anything about this bike,now that I've retired, I should have more time to complete this engine and finish my 85 500CR, should being the operative word.some pics of my engine progress. IMG_20200208_214605_4.jpg
    Steve-F likes this.
  14. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
  15. ajcmbrown Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Metung Victoria Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    400WR 250WR 07 WR500 430AE 360AE
    Other Motorcycles:
    1985 500CR Ducati Multistrada 1200S
  16. dartyppyt Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Illinois
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    17 TE 150, 82CR 500
    Other Motorcycles:
    82 125,250,430&500 79 390 83 250
    Awesome work Mr Brown!
    oldbikedude likes this.
  17. suprize Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Bendigo, Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR 400, bike in a box Moto Villa 350
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 300
    not long to blast off!!