New Bike!! 1979 Husky OR 250

[Norman Foley]

On your 250 before you get into engine mods you may want to consider a few simple things. A new air filter, check the condition of the reeds, clean out expansion chamber and clean and change packing in the silencer. My '82 came with an aftermarket silencer that was too loud. I put the stock Husky spark arrester back on, much quieter with a little less power. Point being flow in and out could give some power. An old non-powervavle 250 Husky is more like a modern 125(you have to keep it on the pipe to get the power) and the 430 is more like a modern 250(more power and torque). Just wait until you stall it a wet spot with a muddy boot! The Husky bent kickstart is a skill you learn to master though. Get in touch with Huskyclub.com and get an owners manual, service manual and parts book. Your life will be simplified by this move. I would stay focused on the '79 for now, your Husky source sounds like it will be around for awhile.
Norman

 

[TVRider]

Norman,

Sound advice, thanks! The air filter is new, it was replaced before the bike ran in the ISDT Reunion last fall.

I described the silencer about 10 posts back, does that sound like stock?

I will check the reeds as soon as I get a chance. They are probably OK as he replace the carb to head boot before the reunion as well. I can't imagine him doing that and not checking the reeds.

Again, the guy I bought it from feels like it is an exceptionally good running 250 and he has these things all over the place. I'm just in this power freak mode. :silly:

Re: the kickstarter, if he has one that looks straighter, should I switch with him or is that just an illusion (they're all bent)?

I sent an email to Craig at the Husky Club a few days ago wanting to join and buy several books and manuals from him and he has never replied. I think I'll try calling him.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Dirtvet]

Kickstarting a husky is quite a task because of the position and throw of the lever. I've had alot of practice, unfortunately. A couple of tips:

1. get a box to stand on while you kick. Put it on the ground on the left of the bike, stand on it with your left foot and kick start the bike with your right foot. This helps alot. Out on the trail look for a natural step so that you are as high on the left side of the bike as you can be. Kick backwards, not straight down.

2. Do not relocate the kickstarter such that it turns the engine more with each kick. I've been warned that you can brake your cases if you relocate the kickstarter lever and your engine backfires.

 

[Dirtvet]

Did Vintage Iron really say the bike (1972 450) was bad? How so? Too powerful? I am trying to determine if my bike is naturally slow or my jetting is just off. I expected the bike to have alot (too much) power.

 

[TVRider]

By TVRider:

I talked to Vintage Iron and one of the guys there said the '72 450 was a POS. It was a bike built for the desert but even the desert riders didn't like. He said it was the Husky version of the TM400 (whatever that means, I guess it's bad).

This is almost verbatim what he said. I didn't ask him to elaborate because in my ignorance I don't know what a TM400 is.

The bike I rode was slow to wind up but seemed very fast once it got going. I think some of this was because I was uncomfortable with the suspension (the rear shocks didn't seem to work well with the bike). I think the other thing is that the bike was so hard to start that he machined the cylinder head dome to lower the compression and that took away low end.

Come to think of it I mentioned that to the Vintage Iron guy and he said "there you go, if you lower the compression that will affect your low RPM power".

If you look at the article that Oregon Trail posted by Rick Siemen, it shows the 450 Desert Master as 5 *'s and the 400 CR and WR as 9 *'s. That's about all I know. The bike I rode looked very good! and it was fairly easy to start (but not near as easy as the 250). I would listen to Oregon Trail, he has a 72 450 on his website that looks great and he is probably very experienced with them. I think the bike I looked up was just not a "runner". This guy had a 450 Desert Master new that he raced in California back in the day. He claims that it was a MUCH better runner than this bike. The other thing that made me decide against the 450 is he hemmed and hawwed and wouldn't name a price. I think because he used to race one, he just really doesn't want to sell it.

When I first called him he told me about the 250 OR, but said he didn't want to sell it. He said he had some others that would make good project bikes. When I got out there I talked him into riding it, liked it and asked him for a price. He reluctantly, after a lot of uncomfortable silence, said $975. I said sold! His response was "I was afraid you would say that". He was probably afraid I would say the same thing if he gave me a price on the 450.

He's just a really nice guy that likes fixing these bikes up. I pretty sure he's retired and it's his hobby. He's not in it for the money, he just likes Huskys and he loves to talk about them!

That's everything I know! ;)

Tom

 

[COLEMANAPP]

get a box to stand on while you kick. Put it on the ground on the left of the bike, stand on it with your left foot and kick start the bike with your right foot. This helps alot. Out on the trail look for a natural step so that you are as high on the left side of the bike as you can be.


I hear ya Tommygun. Thats what I always did with the 430 til dying in a flat sandy area with no hills, no terra. That sucked til in my exhaustion from trying to start it ( it was like running in loose sand ) I took off my helmet to cool down. That's when it occurred to me to stand on the helmet while trying to kick it over. Works great!!!

 

[Oregon Trail]

Tommygun, your 450 should be a hand full, the timing could be off, bad jetting, worn ring, etc. :aj: Mine wants to wheelie from 1st to 3rd. I just last night put some Protapers on with Tag 10mm rise in the forward position to see if it helps keep the front end down when gassing it. I have raced it twice in the last year and ride it like a 4 stroke. We have the Steve McQueen Classic coming up the last month of June so I may race it then, a nice hilly track which the 450 does well in. Oh, I also run a 14-56 sprocket combo.

TVRider, changing your gear ratio may also put the bike in the 'powerband' where you like it.

 

[TVRider]

Ok, I went for a long ride tonight with some friends on my 250 OR. I just thought I needed more power.:eek: It has plenty of go, go, go!! I had trouble keeping the back wheel planted through the first 4 gears! I'm going to have to learn some throttle control. :scream: This bike is great, a couple new fenders, a new rubber mount under the tank and maybe a paint job on the tank is really all it needs. It fouled a plug early (B9ES) and I switched to a B8ES and it ran great!! A 400 or 450 might still be fun, but maybe not in the tight woods we have here. The 250 had enough power down low to pull the hills without clutching it but watch out when that powerband hits! The traction wasn't real great so the front end stayed down, but the back end was wagging everywhere. Maybe it was the tires, do "Noname Dirt Blasters" work well for everyone else? ;) What a blast to ride. :aj: Everyone has to remember though that I have ridden strictly trials until recently, before this March the last time I was on a "fast" bike was a '75 or '76 RM250 and it was new! So what I think is fast may be pretty tame to the next guy. It didn't scare me, but it has all the power I need. I took a picture of the bike with Jack (the guy I bought it from) and I'll try to post it tomorrow. I also took a picture of the 450 but it was in the shed and not as good a picture. Thanks for all the input guys, I'll keep you posted. :thumb:

Tom

 

[Oregon Trail]

Pretty fun ripping around on the old bikes! Just wait until you become addicted to them. :eek: I had to rent a storage unit and am picking up 2 more bikes this weekend. :p It helps being single, no kids and 2 minutes from a riding area that I ridden for 6 years and still have not dicovered all the trails! :yeehaw:

 

[TVRider]

Here are a couple pictures:


Jack & 79 250 OR

72 Husky 450

*EDIT* Jack is the former owner of the Husky 250 OR

 

[Oregon Trail]

NEW BARS! That 450 looks pretty clean. I've found quit a few clean 450's since I figure guys got them and decided they were too tough to tame. The black fork legs on the 450 are from later bikes which is a better way to go. I bet when you set up the 250 OR the way you like it it will be a blast. Those metal ape hangers seem to transfer the vibration pretty well. :ugg: On the 250 or even the 450, you can run 1 1/8" bars with a TAG oversized bar mounts which bolt right up. My buddy used to run his 35mm forks way up there like on your 250 too, otherwise he said it felt like a chopper. I went with a Circle F pipe on my 450 since I figure it was cheaper and less painful than buying new pants after every race, since both time I burn myself. :flame: They look pretty nice, good job on the finds! ;)

 

[Dirtvet]

Hey OregonTrail, I'm happy to report my '72 450 is now officially a handful. It really goes now after getting the jetting sorted out. I can ride my local track in practically one (4th) gear. A new ring and leaner main jet in the mikuni solved the problem. I actually had some good starts yesterday in my vintage club races. What a great bike.

The faster guys in the club put '75 360 GP engines in their huskys, to save 15 lbs and get a faster bike. It has a reed valve. I can't see why anyone would want more. You can only land so hard from the jumps!

 

[huskycr500]

cr 500?

anyone know about the cr 500's of 1982? i'm having trouble finding anything out about them on the web. i know they made them, but hard to find info...and manuals.

 

[TVRider]

Try Craig at www.huskyclub.com

Tommy

 

[asandiego]

Husky 450 kick position

Kickstarting a husky is quite a task because of the position and throw of the lever. I've had alot of practice, unfortunately. A couple of tips:

1. get a box to stand on while you kick. Put it on the ground on the left of the bike, stand on it with your left foot and kick start the bike with your right foot. This helps alot. Out on the trail look for a natural step so that you are as high on the left side of the bike as you can be. Kick backwards, not straight down.

2. Do not relocate the kickstarter such that it turns the engine more with each kick. I've been warned that you can brake your cases if you relocate the kickstarter lever and your engine backfires.

At the tail end of restoration on a Husky 72' 450WR, engine was professionally rebuilt, came to me with kickstarter off, was wondering is you had suggestions on the positioning or kisk lever, as now I am paranoid about setting it to tight resulting in cracked case on backfire. HELP ME oUt

asandiego

 

[80Husky]

Anybody know the horsepower and weight of these old Huskys? I have a '80 250OR and would love to know the weight, power, and plug gap (guess I should spluge and get a manual).....