ultimate post vintage air cooled Husky 250 MXer ???

[ruwfo]

Guys,
Been toying with building the ultimate post vintage air cooled Husky 250 MXer , over the Winter, as I fell into a running 83 & a 84 XC parts bike, In the last couple of weeks. Does the steering head angle change in 84 (30.5 to 28.5) really make that much of a difference turning. I’ve gotten so used to the 80’s frame geometry & steering with the rear wheel, is it worth it?

Also what’s your opinions on stock Plastic vs alum tanks & seat combo’s

Here’s the break down on what I’ve got to toy with. Sort of mix & match style.

1) 83 XC 250 with a 82 250CR pipe… runs great, metal tank & matching seat

2) 84 XC 250 with locked up bottom end, No pipe & pretty hammered.. has plastic tank & matching seat

3) Both have the same suspension as the CR (18.5 Ohlins on back, & long travel 40mm forks).

4) Also have a pair of 81 & 82 CR frames & Swingarms & mating 17” Ohlins shocks.



Is there a better combo, then a 83 air cooled motor in a 84 frame (remembering the 84 CR was watercooled)

Or would it be better in a early frame using the 83/84 swingarm & suspension.

I know it’s going to be Winter in NorthEast before you blink, so has any one gone down this path or Is it just a waste of time .

Husky John

 

[scoott]

Guys,
Been toying with building the ultimate post vintage air cooled Husky 250 MXer , over the Winter, as I fell into a running 83 & a 84 XC parts bike, In the last couple of weeks. Does the steering head angle change in 84 (30.5 to 28.5) really make that much of a difference turning. I’ve gotten so used to the 80’s frame geometry & steering with the rear wheel, is it worth it?

Also what’s your opinions on stock Plastic vs alum tanks & seat combo’s

Here’s the break down on what I’ve got to toy with. Sort of mix & match style.

1)83 XC 250 with a 82 250CR pipe… runs great, metal tank & matching seat

2)84 XC 250 with locked up bottom end, No pipe & pretty hammered.. has plastic tank & matching seat

3)Both have the same suspension as the CR (18.5 Ohlins on back, & long travel 40mm forks).

4)Also have a pair of 81 & 82 CR frames & Swingarms & mating 17” Ohlins shocks.



Is there a better combo, then a 83 air cooled motor in a 84 frame (remembering the 84 CR was watercooled)

Or would it be better in a early frame using the 83/84 swingarm & suspension.

I know it’s going to be Winter in NorthEast before you blink, so has any one gone down this path or Is it just a waste of time .

Husky John

I have an 83 250 xc with internal rotor ignition and the frame cut and pulled in to 28 degrees. Bike turns phenominal. Front end sticks, low effort to initiate turn.

Part of it is I run the 84 seat and tank. Plastic Tank is shorter than aluminum with 84 seat longer to make up difference. This allows rider to get more weight on front end. My Maico buddy with 3 490's says my 250 and 500cr will out turn any of his Maicos.
With the stiffest Ohlin spring and a revalve, I think there is no comparison with the 81-82 back end. I also own a 82 430 and it doesn't work as well as the tweaked 83's.

 

[ruwfo]

Scoott,
Weird to here you don't like the 82 430CR as much as the tweaked 250, i can fly on mine, especially after i had Drew Smith redo my rear
shocks . I loved my 83 250XC (which Drew now owns now), but the gearing stunk for starts. I've got a 83 250CR now as well, though
i haven't had the chance to get any laps on the track yet. I've got the Fall/Winter to tinker , so if i go down that path i'll post my finding
here.
Thanks
Husky John

 

[jimspac]

John I have a question for you. I am being forced to reduce the herd. So what I need to what I can expect to get for each of the following. 1984 250WR the frame is immaculate so it is currently down to chrome moly waiting for primer and final paint. The engine has been bored out to 2nd over from standard as several POs rode it on the original piston. The fuel tank will be epoxy coated fully inside with Deltron paint with decals clearcoated over. New brakes fr & rear, Ohlins ITC shocks rebuilt. It will be a very presentable rider. The next is the 85 400WRX. It was used for one year by a Husqvarna rider, rebuilt by Husqvarna, given to the rider, and then stored in a semi heated barn for 22 years. The bike is mechanically excellent so I am not going to strip this one down for refinish. The last is the 86 400WR I got as a basket case. I had to strip the frame down because the PO claimed it was powercoated but had standard automotive paint sprayed over the OEM paint that was covered with a Swedish blue coat. This bike will be a refinished rider, not a show queen as the engine guard loops on the side of the cradle are crushed.

I intend to finish all 3 this winter and sell in the spring. Thank you

 

[ruwfo]

Jim,
I just PM you.

John

 

[fran...k.]

I don't do mx, the guys who had these bikes I know, one got run off the moto x track on purpose and injured, the others rarely talk about mx besides why they sold this bike to get that one it is the off road stuff they recall fondly.

As to putting the itc shock white swing arm on the silver frame it will call for re locating the top shock mount into the air box area.

The way I look at modern progress it is in the tuning of the swingarm itself. Instead of a round tube or pipe they are using sort of rectangular sections. I picked up a magazine lately (last year probably) Yamaha is changing their swingarm on the four strokes to tune the vertical and the horizontal deflection and leaving the two stroke one unchanged. Cast swingarms are becoming more common if not the norm and surely there is a lot of engineering in them. So depending on the rules of the classes you enter I would think or strengthening the part the swingarm pivot goes through, perhaps more tubes welded in perhaps another sheet or kind of pocket to the extent the kick starter still works. Add material to the swingarm to make it more rectangular. I haven't cut into any modern aluminum swingarms but the husky aluminum ones of this section are hollow but the Kawasaki of the same era have a web parallel to the top and bottom in the middle. You want is stiffer in one axis than the other and to tune it to work as well as possible with the way the rest of the chassis flexes.

 

[auto]

Kind of have the same project on the back burner.I have a 84 500ae that I bought for parts.Want to find a 84 250WR air cooled top end to put on this 84 CR250 lower end I have.

 

[ruwfo]

Got a nice surprise the other day, work'n on my 83 250XC, my buddy said man this bike has a huge cylinder, did you notice that? Well Duh the
motor is a 430 NOT a 250. So someone put a 430 into 83 250 frame , now i'm thinking of swapping it into a 84 frame. Sure was a fast 250 until i found out it's a 430, which hasn't slowed it down any LOL.

Husky John