Posts
1159
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7/21/2018
Location
Phoenix, AZ
US
Fantasy
1468th
Edited Date/Time
2/22/2021 1:34pm
You know that feeling when you were younger and see a bike that really stood out in your mind? There was a shop in the next town over that had a Husky CR that seemed really cool and unique to me. I saw Steve Lamson race one later on and thought it was such a sick bike. (Lammy always had great style)
Anyways, I was thinking about getting a 2 stroke to play with and I’ve been looking for a CR125. Anyone have any opinions, thoughts, experience or cool pics of the old yellow Huskys? Seems like they were pretty rare and haven’t seen many reviews or anything out there
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/07/23/276271/s1200_9A2C4421_93…[
Anyways, I was thinking about getting a 2 stroke to play with and I’ve been looking for a CR125. Anyone have any opinions, thoughts, experience or cool pics of the old yellow Huskys? Seems like they were pretty rare and haven’t seen many reviews or anything out there
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/07/23/276271/s1200_9A2C4421_93…[
I just realized the bike pic I posted has the chain on the opposite side of the swingarm than in these pics, interesting
The Shop
Just spend the winter up till now on a rebuild of a 2000 Husqvarna CR 125.
Bike is ready, just working on getting the jetting perfect.
Bought the bike or $250 all in pieces from a guy who wanted to do a rebuild but didnt get to it. He allready had the forks serviced and had a new crank and clutch. My dad and i powdercoated the frame, blasted the engine and basically rebuild it (replaced some parts in the gearbox). Also bought graphics and a new
All in all i have the bike done for +-$900.
What i found out is that the husqvarna cr from that era is quit unpopular. it is hard to find parts and not that many used bikes are available over here (and all for a low price). Also the bikes were not considered to be good compared to the other makes (at least that is the feedback i get).
If you don't have a specific reason for going for the husqvarna i would suggest to spend your time on a more popular bike. Better availability for spare parts, and if you want to resell your likely to get a better price with a different make.
Different is scary to many, but cool to others. These bikes were awesome and parts are around, sometimes searching is part of a resto... I had no durability issues and the bikes were at least as good as the others.
I’d say the 125 was ok...stock is was competitive and maybe a touch faster than a CR/KX/RM. But behind the YZ and KTM. But another problem for it was that this was the period the YZF 250 pretty much took over the 125 class. My 125 clutch basket exploded at Hangtown and Ferracci took a billet one out of a spare race engine and put in my bike which was cool.
The 250 as JT has talked about anytime this comes up was really dated and behind the other bikes in every way. To be fair to it....it had seen very little changes motor wise since it was called a 1988 Cagiva WMX 250. Some Pro Circuit parts really helped it....but still it wasn’t something you’d choose to ride over the other brands unless you were trying to make money (contingency was decent) or just be weird (guilty of this too).
Still beautiful bikes. I love the colors (like 80s RMs) and the FBF riders always looked super cool in the TLD gear.
Years later I found out a French Distributor (Moto Evasion) used pictures of me for their Catalog..
I have heard the 125 was a bit better bike. And I wouldn't mind finding a equally good deal on a CR or WR 125/144.
Went to look at this 08 CR125. Came with a spare spring in the box. New Protapers, FMF silencer unused. $1400, Paint wasn't even worn off the cases on the 125. Pretty mint condition.
Ended up getting an 05 TC250 at same time. Was in pieces to be ebay parts. He had bought the bike brand new. Said engine ran till warm then would stall. Ends up giving me the 05. That became my project.
Pit Row
Having said that it is a 20 year old bike so it is lacking in power. Today's 125's (almost?) hit 40 hp's, this one doesnt hit 30 hp and has a much smaller range. And it was allready down on power back in the day compared to other bikes.
All in all i like the bike, but really see it is a 'play-bike' and 2nd bike for me to enjoy and every now and then i invite some buddies and they ride the husky and i ride my ''race' bike.
Anyway, my advice would be:
* Money: It's not that hard to quickly spend $2000 on this rebuild (your WR360 example: bike + crank + piston, some other parts, $200-300 on seat cover & graphics, etc. etc.). If you want to ride the bike a lot that is a good price for a fully rebuild bike, however if you want to resell and recoup your money it likely isnt going to be a hot market.
* I wouldn't focus on a specific make/model, but just wait for the right project to come by. I wanted a Kawa or Suzuki 125 2-stroke of mid 00's but ended up with the Husky because after months i've only seen $1800 Suzuki's that needed way to much to do compared to the price.
* realize that re-building a 20 year old bike is going to take time and that you'll find a lot of unexpected surprises (stuff that ends up being broken or in need of replacement that you didnt expect). If you want to ride quick buy something that is running. There were some shitty jobs that i was lucky to have my dad retire recently so he spend some days on that which helped a lot.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have owned and ridden almost all of the late model Italian Huskys.
I’ve owned the following models:
2000 wr250
2000cr250
2009 wr250 my first new bike I bought in 11 as a leftover while in high school.
2012 tc250r/tc449 they were john dowds bikes.
2013 wr125/144 came with both cyclinders and one of my all time favorite bikes.
2013 txc310r
2014 txc310r
The 2000 wr250
The 2000 cr250
The 09 wr250 I had the suspension worked on by Wyatt Seals he ran the Gncc team for a few years back then and we got hooked up with him. This bike hit harder than any bike I’ve rode and man was it fast 450s did not like this 250.
This is the 12 tc250r and tc449
One of my favorite and most capable bike is the 13 wr144. Never tried it in 125 form. Just messed with the needle and it was fine from sea level to 5000ft
Don’t let people tell you these bikes are slow I pulled many holeshots on these bikes live engine and dead engine start. This next pic is from a harescramble in open c back the day. I’m on the 144 and my dads on the 310r we both pulled everybody.
Now I currently don’t own any huskys but my dad has one of the 310s and a 2000 wr360 with a lectron and efm auto clutch and recently wrapped up the championship in 45+ Setra harescramble series with multiple wins on this 18 year old dinosaurs against newer bikes.
Not racing nor worried about resale myself. If I see another CR or WR Italian Husky. Am on it.
I never had reliability issues with the engine or the works 5 speed gearbox for years but in 16 years I have had to big ends, replacement gear box back to stock as I couldn’t get the factory gearing and additional gears, usual clutch wear and other wear items they were just unpopular cause they were different but I wouldn’t ride any Japanese bike I’m it’s place
The 250 was works 65hp of powerful machinery it would compete with any other marques and had uprated suspension Paul Copper and Carl Nunn took it to some great GP results a solid top 5 bike the Honda and Suzuki were hard to beat in that era though
I probably have enough spares to build another bike I have a frame on the shelf swing arm sub frames wheels even a modified stock engine minus the gearbox inners though it is tough to get parts for them now I struggle like hell
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