1977 Husqvarna 250CR Ready to ride

Hi Guy's
Finally got my bike finished. I'm going to take it out Sunday for some breakin time.
Here are some before and after pictures.

Very nice work. Looks great!

Ron, like I said yesterday one beautiful machine. Do you do your own paint and wheel lacing.
HUSKY 54

Hi Alvin,

Yes, I did the paint work. I had to do the tank twice. In my first attempt I placed the side panels to low and it looked weird. Used PPG Omni 2 stage base coat/clear coat. I don't have a spray booth, so a bug landed on it. I tried to pick it off and he left a leg behind. I could show it to you, but its hard to find now.

Also did the wheels myself. Buchanans is about a 1/2 mile from where I live, so I just buy the spokes and nipples. Saves $95.00 per wheel for lacing and truing. Although if your rim has any bends or flat spots, they will straighten them, included in the $95.00.

Didn't realize your in Texas. I have a daughter in Austin, TX.
I'm planning to ride the ISDTRR in Tulsa, OK Oct 2012. My son-in-law and I rode it in Tulsa, OK 2008.

We teamed up with the Hodaka guys. I rode a Hodaka 100cc (picture below) and my son-in-law rode a Hodaka 125cc. We had a blast and got to meet many of the ISDT vet riders.

This year my son will be coming, but we plan to be on Husky's. It would be great if you want to team up with us.

Hi Ron,
I live in Porter, Tx. about 40 miles north of Houston. Never tried the ISDT thing. Rode in many hare scramles to get a break from the moto cross grind. Yea in 71 I had a sponsor on a 100 Super Rat. The guy that owned the shop had it together with the port and reed valve installation. It was extremely fast. We also run it with a pumper carb. Actually back then I was winning about the same racing that I earned on my job.

Hi Alvin,

The ISDTRR is only as serious as you want to make it. There are no time keeping requirements, you only have to get to the next check before your minute comes up to zero the check, there's no penalty for arriving early. At a normal pace, you will usually get there 15 minutes early. Extra points are scored by individual timed speed tests, along the course.

Its a 2 day event, 40 - 50 miles each day, with a 5 lap motocross on Sunday afternoon (by class), also sort of a tie breaker, as you score more points.

It's still a long ways off, but something to think about. We could meet up in Austin or somewhere along the way. Wer'e planning to rough it in tents at the site, but there are hotels nearby in Tulsa.

Everybody had a Hodaka or wanted one. Back around 90 - 91 my son was getting to big for his Kawasaki KDX 80cc, but wasn't big enough for a 125cc yet. So I thought I would find him an old 100cc Hodaka to fix up. After he out grew it, it went into my shed for about 15 years.

I didn't realize Hodaka's had such a strong following and so many guy's still riding them. I stumbled onto a Yahoo Hodaka website one day and everyone was talking about getting as many Hodaka's as they could to the ISDTRR in Tulsa 2008. I decided to do it and pulled the Hodaka out of the shed and fixed it up again.

I used my daughters place in Austin as a base (left my wife there with the grandkids) and helped my son-in-law get a bike together. We rode together on the same minute, had a great time!!

The ISDTRR went to Ohio the next year and then the last 2 years have been in Arkansas, but 2012 will be back in Tulsa, so wer'e making plans.

Hello Ron,
I will keep that in mind. sounds like fun.

Hi Ron,

I have a 1977 250 WR disassembled to the frame, ready to do restoration. I'm looking for parts, replacement fasteners, stainless spoke kit, re-lace service, paint codes, etc. Could you provide some tips?

Thanks,
Ken

Hi Ken,

Where are you located?

My bikes are not really restored in the proper sense. I build them to ride them, so I'm not to concerned with concourse correct. I try to improve them if I can.

A lot of things on my bike are not correct for a 77. Gold rims didn't come out until 78 and they were 17", pipe is off a 76 250GP, FMF spark arrestor silencer, modified swingarm (moved the lower mounts back for longer shocks), Works Performance shocks, Renthal bars.

For fasteners I use stainless socket heads and polish the heads. I found a guy on Ebay that sells
flanged M6 and M8 self-locking nuts (kinda of pricey and they are not original BUFO), but I have not found them anywhere else.

I have www.buchananspokes.net about a 1/2 mile from where I live, so I just buy their spokes and lace them myself. You can send them your wheels and they will do the whole job, but you might want to dissassemble your wheels to paint the hubs first though.

Paint codes are: Dupont Chroma Base B/C
Chrysler Import Code: H84
color: Grace Silver

Dupont Chroma base B/C
1993 BMW code: 248
color: Mugello red

I took the paint code info above to a local paint supply and they mixed it up for me.
I used PPG OMNI 2 stage Epoxy base coat / clear coat and sprayed it in my garage. Make sure you have the proper air mask.
I find a lot of things on Ebay. I had a guy on Ebay take my old seat cover and duplicate it, he sells them on Ebay now.

I always contact Steve at www.huskydoggg.com first for motor parts, gaskets etc, but also buy fenders number plates and misc from www.vintagehusky.com

Hope this helps, Ron

Looks like he started with something not so far gone)

If you consider "something not so far gone" a complete engine rebuild, repainted engine, frame, pipe and gas tank, replaced steering head races and bearings, rebuilt shocks, added Race Tech emulators, springs and seals, re-laced rims new wheel bearings and seals, rebuilt seat, new handlebars, controls and cables, new tires and tubes, refurbished airbox, new fenders.
Did everything myself except rebuilding the shocks, boring the cylinder and rebuiling the crank. No elves
How do I churn them out so fast? Unemployed, LOL.

Great job on the refurb. Who is your seat cover guy?
Bill

Hi Bill,
A guy was selling a cover on Ebay with the heat embossed pleats like I wanted, but he had it listed for a 75 Husky. I asked him if it would fit a 77 and he said he had no way to know. I offered to buy one and try it if he would take it back, if it didn't fit.
He agreed and said if it didn't fit, to send him mine as a pattern and he would make one for me.
I was a little nervous when he gave me an address in Thailand to send it to. But 3 weeks later it showed up in the mail and looks great. He sells them for the 77's now on Ebay now. see Ebay item # 280779619608.

I got one from him awhile back but haven't put it on yet mine may be a little short on the back but I won't know till I try to put it on. It's for my 78CR so I hope it fits ok,I may buy a new foam and see how it goes.
Thanks

When I got the one for the 75 it was to short, but the Husqvarna name on the back wrapped to far under the back of the seat and it would have been to tight anyway.
The one for my 77 should be the same as your 78. I got the new foam from Speed & Sport. It has the correct shape on the front of the foam. Some of the foam I've seen have a sharper nose shape and won't fit the cover correctly.
I should mention the Speed & Sport foam is much harder than I would have liked. It appears to be a more dense type of foam, although they say it's the same as the original. I don't remember my 78 having a hard seat though.
I had a hard seat on an 96 ATK 250LQ I was riding awhile back and fixed it by taking the cover off and drilling holes into the foam, from the bottom side.
I may do that to mine if it doesn't break in and start softening up soon.

Hi Ron, is that a universal FMF tail pipe on your bike? Have you had a mounting tab welded on to it? I have used one on my 390, but I have used the mounting bracket supplied with it. Fitted up nicely.

Do you find the bike quieter with this tailpipe? I personally was a bit disappointed that it did not quieten the 390 down significantly. Certainly runs ok though.

Hi Murph,
Yes, it is a universal FMF silencer/spark arrestor. We have to spark arrestors out here in the west.
With the stock FMF mount and the way I mounted the pipe, the silencer was positioned to low,
hanging from the FMF mount..
I welded a tab to the frame and then welded a rubber bushed mount, to the top of the silencer.
I agree with you on the sound level, not horrible, but I louder than I expected.
I never got to ride mine before the rebuild, so I can't compare how it ran before. But it runs great.
Ron

Ron,

Thanks. I'm in Georgia east of Atlanta. I have the frame stripped, working on cleanup of other assorted parts to paint, purchased Dupont Nason acylic enamel, and lined up a painter. The tip on buchananspokes is exactly what I'm looking for. I'll break down the wheels, recondition hubs, and send parts in to lace with stainless spokes. I'm in touch with Chuck at huskyjunk.com for parts. Another interesting item on this bike is it came with the optional speedometer for Cross Country model. The front hub has the drive. I'm looking for the speedo guage mounting brackets if anyone might them.
I'll post pics shortly.

Ken

Ron, great job on the resto. Question on those Works shocks, I bought a Husky an '82 430CR and they are on the bike, didn't rebuilt them yet but have the kit. What do you think of them so far (compared to the Ohlins)?