Great team of Huskies
By TMX Archives on 12th Oct 07
AFTER a subdued couple of seasons on the motocross front, Husqvarna is back with a bang in 2008.In what could be a hugely important year for the Italian marque, following its recent acquisition by motoring giant BMW, the Husqvarna designers have gone back to the drawing board on their four-stroke models, both motocross and enduro, completely re-designing the chassis, virtually from the wheels up.
Frame, swingarm and the rear suspension system,front forks, bodywork all are new and all, says Husqvarna, with threemain goals in mind, handling, performance and style.
Forced primarily by the need to reconfigure theframe to accommodate the electronic fuel injection system that has beendebuted on the four-stroke enduro machines, Husqvarna also recognisedthe need to improve the all round handling performance and comfort of arange that had a reputation as being a bit cumbersome.
To this end, the brand-new frame has been loweredby 10mm, the footpegs moved 15mm further forward, the steering anglesteepened, and a completely re-designed sub-frame fitted also. As aresult, completely new bodywork is also fitted and 40mm has been lostin the width through the tank and radiator shrouds.
The need to produce a straighter line from theairbox to the EFI units that adorn the enduro machines, and willpresumably appear on the motocross models in the near future, the rearsuspension is offset to the ride hand side of the machine,
necessitating a new swingarm design which Husqvarna claims reduces load on the frame by 40%.
The shock itself is a new Sachs unit with larger18mm piston, up from 16mm, that creates a more progressive action,while a new linkage has also been utilised for further altering of the progression.
The front suspension is also new, with the latest50mm closed cartridge Marzocchi forks fitted for improved action andstability.
The chassis changes have dominated and all three four-stroke engines 250, 450 and 510 receive only minor changes.
A new valve-lifting system and chain tensioner,and new clutch basket are fitted to improve reliability, whileinstantly noticeable is the exhaust system now mounted down theleft-hand side of the bike which is again another result of the EFIunit.
A new kick-start system is fitted for easierstarting while the remainder of the engine mods are purely cosmeticwith the always style conscious Italians painting the cylinder head redand the cases black. A nice touch for sure.
The trusty two-stroke CR125 meanwhile receives nochanges to the chassis but does get a new five port cylinder block forbetter engine performance.
Husqvarna is very confident with what it has donefor 2008, but do the TC models deliver in those three key areas ofhandling, performance and style?
Well you just have to look at the bikes to seethat they are visually stunning, but after hopping on a plane to a verywet Germany recently to spend the day splashing and slipping around inthe mud at a test facility north of Munich it is evident that the 2008Husqvarna TC range has made big, big leaps forward in terms of theirhandling and all round performance.
Husqvarna is certainly back on track, so read on.
TC250
Of all the four-stroke models, the TC250 has benefited the most from the chassis overhaul Husqvarna has measured out.
For a small engine machine it felt big, top-heavyand hard to steer previously and definitely lagged behind itscompetition in terms of handling and riding comfort. Not any longer.
Across the board the TC models feel transformed interms of their feel, ergonomics and rider comfort, and in terms oftheir handling too there is a big progression. In the case of the TC250this makes a considerable difference to the bike and its all roundperformance.
It was the bike I rode first on the test and, thesecond I climbed aboard, it was evident Husqvarna has really turned acorner with its chassis design here.
The loss of 10mm on the seat height to 968mm, theshedding of 40mm from the width in the tank/rad shrouds, and the movingof the footpegs 15mm further forward, combined with the steeper newsteering angle that the new frame design permits, as well as the newseat and bodywork, produces a much more conventional' feelingmotorcycle and a significantly more comfortable one for the majority ofriders.
Initially pulling away and onto the track, Iimmediately felt at home and comfortable on the bike, something whichwould not have happened before. The relationship between the pegs, barsand seat felt natural and roomy while the reduced height and width,combined with the new bodywork, make for a very neutral feelingplatform which was significantly less bulky and easier to move aroundon, into and out of corners in particular, and promotes a moreaggressive riding posture from the rider.
The mud might not have created a great environmentto test the performance of a motor, but it was great for giving anindication of the stability and handling prowess of the range and onthe whole I came away very impressed.
Aside from the comfort issue the bikes, and allthe TC models, all round stability has been improved significantly bythe new frame which lowered the centre of gravity and also theimprovements to the suspension, and the TC250 handled so much betterthan in recent years too. The bike just felt sharper, lighter, morere-sponsive and tractable in all areas, and the suspension action hasimproved noticeably also, particularly on the front end.
It is cornering where the rider really benefits from this new found stability and better handling.
Whereas before the combination of the top-heavy,tall feeling bike and under-sprung suspension made for a somewhatwishy-washy handling bike, particularly in the faster stuff, the newTC250 and the rest of the TC range feel so much better.
The new frame is very sharp handling but veryforgiving still and there's a new found balance to the bike in turnswith it sitting very nicely and tracking much better on the front andrear ends which gives you much more confidence to push harder incorners without worrying about the consequences or fighting to keep thefront-end gripping.
This is something which is noticeable across thewhole TC range with all the machines dramatically imp-roved in allaspects of handling.
My only complaint would be that the new Sachs rearunit is still a bit undersprung and not up to the same standard as theMarzocchi units straight out of the crate.
It felt soft all the time and made the bike sit abit low in the stroke for my liking and with, the extra weight of themud stuck on it, did plough through the stroke quite fast indeed andbottoming out occurred regularly on the few big jumps dotted around thetrack. With a bit of work though, this could easily be remedied.
The engine, well it was a bit of struggle to get areal impression of the motor, given the fact that you had to wind it tothe stop to even get a bit of forward momentum, but the impression thatI got is that the TC250 motor produces power quite differently to therest of the 250F pack and is perhaps still a little underpowered incomparison to some of the class leaders, although it is eminentlysmooth and incredibly easy to use.
One thing that stood out instantly is that becausethe TC250 runs a five-speed box compared to the six-speed that most250Fs run, the gearing is quiet tall and thus makes a very smooth,torquey motor rather than a revver. It is deceptively smooth in factand I often found myself carrying a whole lot more speed than I felt Iwas.
The key to getting the best out of the motor is toride it like a mini 450 and use the torque rather than just rev theguts out of it and, when you do, it is a very enjoyable motor to ride,particularly in the meat of the mid-range, but I do think it doesn'tquite rev-out enough and is lacking just a little bit on the top-endfor faster guys. As a complete package though the TC250 is greatclubman machine.
TC450
THE TC450 is my pick of the four-stroke models. Itis the most complete and competitive package in the TC model range anda solid all round performer that will appeal to a broad range ofriders, not just those looking for something a bit different.
It's not the most powerful 450 on the market, andit is not the top of the tree in the handling department either, butwith the developments made to the chassis and the minor engine tweaksadministered, the TC450 is a very balanced and impressive motocrossmachine.
The big selling point of the TC450 now is just itssheer ease of use and rideability, particularly for the clubman andintermediate level riders who make up the bulk of the market.
The engine is really very smooth indeed, right offthe bottom and from there on out it builds progressively through themid-range to the top end without any sudden surges of power oraggressive mid-range hit. In the mud this was a really big bonus.
Everything is just nice and smooth, you're notfighting the bike anywhere because of the motor, and because of thisyour confidence rises and you feel capable of pushing the bike harderand being more agressive on the throttle.
Revving the nuts off the bike is not the way toget the best out of the bike though, as with all the TC bikes, ride itin the meat of torque band in higher gears, short-shifting to keep upmomentum and it'll respond much better.
My only real grumble would be that the bike doesnot rev out particularly strongly right at the top-end and because ofthis I did find myself having to snatch and extra gear here and therewhere perhaps on other machines I wouldn't have to, but the very heavyconditions did play a significant part in this.
Still though, I think that top level riders may beleft wanting a bit more grunt from the bike in general, but especiallythe top-end. For the vast majority though, the motor is more than fastenough and very rewarding ride.
With the motor teamed with the improved chassis,which has already been discussed at length, the feeling of a silkysmooth, very rideable machine is carried over. In a way, the engine hasbeen given a new lease of life by the new chassis as previously itsattributes were masked because the chassis was a handful.
Now they compliment each other well and theengine's smooth, flowing nature is mirrored in the handling which inparticular sits nicely in corners and turns very well for a 450.
The lowered centre of gravity and the upgrade tobig 50mm Marzocchi forks has made a significant improvement on thefront-end stability and turning with the response and grip from thefront tyre much more positive and staying planted and stable on thechoppier stuff impressively.
TC510
Running as just a larger version of the 450ccmotor, the 501cc TC510 was virtually identical in its performance tothe TC450 in terms of its handling and all round feel.
Obviously the big distinction is in the engineperformance, but with the conditions as they were it there wasn't toomuch in it, and I don't think in the dry there will be too much to behonest.
The big difference in the power delivery of the510 is that has just a bit more grunt right off the bottom-end and intothe mid-range. It's not a huge amount but it is noticeable and you findyourself fired out of corners a bit harder, especially if you give thebike something to turn against. It's not really aggressive by anystretch of the imagination, but it does require a bit more respect.
The silky-smooth characteristics of the 450'spower delivery is mirrored by the 510 as it powers through the rest ofthe rev-range though and on the very top-end it does pull just that bitharder and longer than the 450 obviously.
Overall I would have to say that the although the510 is a very good bike, with excellent manners on the track, it is aniche bike and for your average everyday racer I feel the 450 is betterbet.
CR125
DESPITE the fact that the CR125 two-stroke has notreceived the same kind of attention that its four-stroke counterpartshave seen and retains the old-style' frame and bodywork used inprevious years, it is still a superb 125cc machine.
The bike has always had World Championshippedigree anyone who remembers Chico Chiodi's frighteningly fastfactory Husky that took him to three world titles can testify to that and it is the performance of the motor that really shone through inGermany.
It's a classic 125 motor and I think the new cylinder-block is responsible for this.
Previously I always felt the bike had blisteringtop-end speed but this was achieved at the expense of a relativelygutless bottom-end, but with the inclusion of the this new block,developed for the Husky racing teams, the all-round performance of themotor is nothing short of fantastic.
From initially kicking the bike-up it sounds crispand meaty, and when you pull out onto the track this crispness isevident. The track threw up that horrible combination of being bothincredibly claggy yet super-greasy, and I was expecting the CR125 toreally struggle to pull even my light frame around the track, but itwas superb.
The improvement to performance is noticeable rightaway, and despite the clag right off the bottom-end, there is abundantpower on tap. Although the superbly crafted Domino clutch-lever feelsfantastic to the touch, there is virtually no need to abuse it, justget your gear selection right coming into a corner, crack open thethrottle and the bike responds instantly with strong, but ever sosmooth and linear power.
From there it builds through an equally impressivemid-range that holds impressive torque for 125cc two-stroke, and on upto a top-end that is still the highlight of the bike, it just keeps onpulling. The over-rev is amazing. You get the bike wound-up in thirdgear and keep thinking right, any minute now it's going to tail-off,but it just doesn't seem to.
I think it manages to pull even longer than themuch-loved KTM SX125 and easily outstrips any of the Japanesemanufacturers efforts in terms of power. To say it sings at full poweris an understatement and riders will love how long they can hold gearswithout having to make another shift.
The gearbox shifted faultlessly as you wouldexpect nowadays to be honest, although I did have a bit of a problemselecting neutral, and for the weather conditions and the track thejetting felt spot-on as it was.
Frankly is was surprised how good the CR125 enginewas, especially given the conditions for sure it reminded me just howmuch easier and less cumbersome two-strokes are to ride in the wet itmanages to combine silky smooth delivery and ease of use withblistering pace. It's a motor that really does encourage and rewardhard riding.
Although the CR125 does not receive a new chassis
or bodywork for 2008, though for '09 it is likely, it is still a pretty sharp handling machine.
The problems of feeling too tall and wide, a bitoff-balance, and cumbersome out on the track that afflicted thefour-strokes previously were not particularly an issue for the CR125and it rails the corners superbly, holding the lines well and is aslight as a feather to flick around.
It would benefit from the narrower tank and thelower frame that the four-strokes received as it is a bit bigger thanits competition in area, and the beefier 50mm Marzocchi's too to boostfront-end stability but it's not going to miss these for a year andafter just a couple of laps you do feel right at home.
Anyway, with a motor like the CR125 has, you'd bea fool to grumble that your knees are splayed out a little wider thanyou are used to, it's mega.
Enduring EFI
IT wasn't just the motocross range that waslaunched by Husqvarna in Germany, its hugely popular and successfulenduro range was debuted also, and the big talking point was naturallythe ground-breaking use of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) on theentire collection of TE four-stroke models.
Suzuki may be launching an EFI-equipped 450 laterthis year, but Husqvarna has got in there first, and it has gone onebetter too, being the first manufacturer to offer EFI on enduromachines.
T+MX News will be conducting a full test of theentire Husky enduro range very soon, but we couldn't leave Germanywithout taking a spin on one of the EFI machines to bring you our firstimpressions of this hugely important development, and the catalyst forso many of the changes that have benefited the Husqvarna range acrossthe board.
The TE450 was my weapon of choice and I can tellyou that, even from my short test ride, it is obvious that EFI is goingto seriously benefit off-road machines in years to come, it was veryimpressive.
We all know the theory behind EFI; theinstantaneous throttle response, the end of engine fluffing andbogging, the end of the need to re-jet you bike for differentatmospheric and track conditions, and the easy of tuneablility viacomputer, and in practice those elements that you are able to test onjust one day at one place were very evident.
Throttle response and engine pick-up werenoticeably improved over a carburetted model for sure at all speeds,but particularly impressive to me was the bike's pick-up right offtick-over without any bogging or coughing.
The 450 was an ideal bike to test this on and in aslow speed trials type area where we shot some images the EFI reallyimpressed me. I could bumble the bike on virtually no throttle for 20to 30 seconds, crack the throttle right open and the pick-up wasinstant, crisp and clear. No slow reaction, not bogging while itcleared excess fuel out of the carb, nothing, just instant andidentical response every time.
In tight going this is a real appealing thing toriders, it will certainly make attacking rock sections or othertechnical elements easier, and also it made a big improvement on thebikes ability to labour in higher gears without stalling or struggling.
I was really very impressed with the EFI systemand its application for enduro purposes and look forward to giving it amore serious test along with the entire Husqvarna enduro range soon.
SPECIFICATIONS
2008 HUSQVARNA TC250
ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder liquid-cooled four-valve DOHC four-stroke
Displacement: 249.5cc
Bore x Stroke: 76x55mm
Compression Ratio: 12.9:1
Carburettor: Keihin FCR-MX 37
Ignition: Electronic CDI with variable advance
Starter: Primary kick
Transmission: 5-speed
Clutch: Wet multi-plate type with hydraulic control
CHASSIS
Frame: Steel single tube cradle with sub-frame in light alloy
SUSPENSION
Front: 50mm Marzocchi closed catridge type telescopic hydraulic fork with compression and rebound stroke adjustment
Rear: Sachs progressive Soft Damp' type withsingle hydraulic shock absorber; spring preload adjustment, compressionand rebound adjustment
Travel Front/ Rear: 300/ 296mm
WHEELS
Front/ Rear: 1.60 x 21"/ 1.85 x 19
TYRES
Front/ Rear: Pirelli 51R-MT 32A/ Pirelli NHS (62)-MT 32
BRAKES
Front: 260mm Brembo fixed disc type with floating caliper
Rear: 240mm Brembo floating disc type with floating caliper
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1,495mm
Overall length: 2,207mm
Overall width: 820mm
Overall height: 1,285mm
Saddle height: 968mm
Ground clearance: 300mm
Dry weight: 100kg
Fuel Capacity: 7.2 litres
SPECIFICATIONS
2008 TC450/ TC510
ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder liquid-cooled four-valve DOHC four-stroke
Displacement: 449cc/ 501cc
Bore x Stroke: 97 x 60.76mm
Compression Ratio: 12.9 : 1
Carburettor: Keihin FCR-MX 41
Ignition: Electronic CDI with variable advance
Starter: Primary kick
Transmission: 5-speed
Clutch: Wet multi-plate type with hydraulic control
CHASSIS
Frame: Steel single tube cradle with sub-frame in light alloy
SUSPENSION
Front: 50mm Marzocchi closed catridge type telescopic hydraulic fork with compression and rebound stroke adjustment
Rear: Sachs progressive Soft Damp' type withsingle hydraulic shock absorber; spring preload adjustment,compressionand rebound adjustment
Travel Front/ Rear: 300/ 296mm
WHEELS
Front/ Rear: 1.60 x 21"/ 1.85 x 19"
TYRES
Front/ Rear: Pirelli 51R-MT 32A/ Pirelli NHS (57)-MT 32
BRAKES
Front: 260mm Brembo fixed disc type with floating caliper
Rear: 240mm Brembo floating disc type with floating caliper
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1,495mm
Overall length: 2,207mm
Overall width: 820mm
Overall height: 1,285mm
SPECIFICATIONS
2008 HUSQVARNA CR125
ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder, liquid-cooled
two-stroke
Displacement: 124.82cc
Bore x Stroke: 54 x 54.5mm
Compression Ratio: 8.8: 1
Carburretor: Mikuni TMX 38mm
Ignition: Digital controlled electronic with variable advance
Start: Primary Kick
Transmission: 6-speed
Clutch: Wet multiplate type with cable operation
CHASSIS
Frame: Steel single tube cradle with rear frame in light alloy
SUSPENSION
Front: 45mm Marzocchi telescopic hydraulic fork with compression and rebound stroke adjustment
Rear: Sachs progressive 'Soft Damp' type with spring preload adjustment compres sion and rebound adjustment
Travel Front/ Rear: 300/ 320mm
WHEELS
Front/ Rear: 1.60 x 21"/ 1.85 x 19"
TYRES
Front/ Rear: Pirelli 51R-MT 32A/ Pirelli NHS (57)-MT 32
BRAKES
Front: 260mm Brembo fixed disc type with floating caliper
Rear: 240mm Brembo floating disc type with floating caliper
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1,460mm
Overall length: 2,165mm
Overall width: 820mm
Overall height: 1,320mm
Saddle height: 990mm
Ground clearance: 370mm
Dry weight: 93kg
Fuel capacity: 9.5 litres
Specification:
