• Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

    When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.

    Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.

    Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.

    Thanks for your patience and support!

A quick review on the Gas Gas 300 and yes I'm back on a Husqvarna

fletchman45

fletchman45

Husqvarna
Pro Class
Most of you guys probably know all this stuff already, but just thought I would put my 2 cents in. Picked up a 12 Gas Gas 300 and did the 13 updates. No time to practice went to race entered senior A and got 2nd place! Sounds good right? Worked out a few minor quirks and loose bolts. Nothing strange. Suspension very compliant for stock and not to bad in tight woods. Engine great off idle power runs out on top (Magazine is right I think it is the small airbox) Very easy to start and much easier to start then a Husky WR 300. Mostly due to kickstart lever I believe. Choke on handlebar well liked. Fit and finish not bad. Weak spot. The bike is HEAVY. If you are a B or C rider I don't think the bike being a bit heavy will matter much. Whenever I tried to push the envelope and keep in mind I am approaching 50 years old! The bike would try to control me! Over shooting corners, swapping on whoops. Front end seemed to push a little as well. Again if not pushing the bike it was very enjoyable! Brakes not near on par with Brembo's!! But mostly related back to the weight issue. I bought my bike without electric start already knowing they were a tish heavy . Rear brakes would not work properly with a EBC semi metallic pad so went back to stock but would boil over even with high $$$ fluid. (I do tend to ride the rear brake) So I did what the Gas Gas race team does. Drill a 3/4 inch hole thru the top of the brake caliper. Bingo worked pretty well from that point. Entered race 2. Very nasty race. Crashed numerous times and tired out and again the weight of the bike reflecting when a guy gets tired at all. Backed off throttle rode like a wuss and finished! No trophy. Very sexy looking bike. I feel for a trail bike this bike would work great!! But for and older guy like me that pushes the envelope all the handling shortcomings (mostly related to weight come out!) Grabbed a 13 Husky 144 and as everyone knows. Handling is incredible and PRESISE and inspires confidence!!! 165 kit will be installed for next year. Nagging injusies have held me from riding (most from the Gasser LOL!) The Gasser was LOST in the whoops but nice in the tight stuff! Husky POUNDS thru the whoops but front was a tad stiff so had a revalve. I heard the 14 Gassers are going to lose 9 pounds, but still not sure that is enough. Praise for the engine! it will lug down to about 0 RPM and chug you out of anything and get on the pipe to! Jetting needed work. Needle as lean as it would go and still fat. (Back to small airbox design???) Neither brake as strong or progressive as a Brembo. Ergonomics slim and comfortable!! High end components! Zoke 48 mm fork nice. Plastic material for airbox makes carb removal a little tough. Quite a few different fasteners. Bike feels like it would be long lasting and still looked great upon sale. Again this is all just my 2 cents. No hate for the Gasser just not my ideal choice for a race weapon and for sure faster on a Husky 144!
 
Sounds right on target with my feelings about GG. GREAT trail bikes, very nice smooth EZ to use motor that does not beat you up. The weight is noticeable, not crazy but noticeable. The ergonomics, at least on the older ones as they were based on a small KX250 frame is just to small for me. I like a more open layout like the huskys have. Mine was an older model and a very solid bike. Was a great trail bike. Was very good at Moab, perfect for that. It was kinda complicated to work on with the perimeter frame, tight packaging and funky way of connecting some stuff but int he end was a very good bike.

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Coffee said:
Heavy flywheel?
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Well yes the bike has great flywheel effect but I really mean the weight!! Very very porky on a scale! A non estart model is 245 pounds dry weight and and 3 start adds around 10 pounds! 255 so in perspective some 450F's are even lighter. It is well built just heavy!!
 
Motosportz said:
Sounds right on target with my feelings about GG. GREAT trail bikes, very nice smooth EZ to use motor that does not beat you up. The weight is noticeable, not crazy but noticeable. The ergonomics, at least on the older ones as they were based on a small KX250 frame is just to small for me. I like a more open layout like the huskys have. Mine was an older model and a very solid bike. Was a great trail bike. Was very good at Moab, perfect for that. It was kinda complicated to work on with the perimeter frame, tight packaging and funky way of connecting some stuff but int he end was a very good bike. I must say the 12 and ups have a MUCH MUCH better layout! At 5 foot 7 I even feel cramped on the 11 and priors but the ergos on the 12 and up are nice and spread out and the sitting to standing transition feels much more natural then the old chassis.

IMG_1323-X2.jpg
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I have an 08 EC300 and have to agree that's its not much of a race bike out of the crate, but is one hell of a trail bike. The compact size and relative low seat is an advantage in the rougher stuff where the brand gained its reputation. I never thought of the weight till the recent magazine tests, its still easier to heft around than most 4 strokes, I'm a bit stronger than most and tend to forget it. Mine at 5 years old and many miles and at least 10 sets of tires is still on the original rings, I'm going to change them just because. I had an 04 Husky WR250 that I liked and would buy another that the gasser replaced, its that around my area 6th gear is sweet indeed, at the time of purchase gassers had 6 everyone else had 5.Gas Gas in my opinion tends to throw off the shelf stuff on there bikes, like the carb, the slide cutaway was too rich, and riders are less tuners than they used to be. I put a Safari tank on it and a good skid plate and have ridden it all over with zero issues aside from the usual flats and too far between gas available. I would own another if one became available in my area at the right price. Though I'm an old flat tracker and avid recreational trail rider not a racer by any means. I really like my 2013 TE511 that is replacing the gasser, that bike is a whole other discussion. I can tell you it is way better than the 04 TE450 I had several years ago,about as good as an 07 KTM 450 EXC I had occasion to spend a few days on. But for an old slow guy that rides a wide variety of everything it is stellar.P9110162.JPG
 
Sad to say but put and old one on a scale and a new one and I will bet you lunch the old one is lighter! For me even at only 5 foot 7 the new chassis (gas gas) feels FAR superior to the old cramped dated one. And yes 6 gears are nice!
 
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