1. Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

Cylinder marking

Discussion in 'Vintage/Left Kickers' started by Brad-in-STL, Feb 10, 2017.

  1. Brad-in-STL Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Greater St Louis Area
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '80 390 WR
    Other Motorcycles:
    '79 XR185, '81CR125, '07 Ducati ST3
    Pardon the rookie question, but my C/H searches found nothing - Most of my old cycles have a CC value cast into or stamped onto the outside base of the cylinder. Is the same true for Husqvarna's?

    If so where is it?

    Thanks!
  2. justintendo klotz super techniplate junkie

    Location:
    mercer, pa/northwest pa
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    84 250,86 400,87 430,88 250,95 360
    Other Motorcycles:
    99 kawasaki zrx 1100
    none of the swede huskies that ive noticed ever have that, other than a few exceptions on a few parts. theres a number on the left case half but transmissions, cranks, and cylinders will swap around.
    the swedes were pure competition machines and i guess they saw no need for it. parts were identified by visuals..sometimes a part number would be handy to id some pipes or heads.
  3. suprize Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Bendigo, Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR 400, bike in a box Moto Villa 350
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 300
    125's were 6 fins, 250's 8 390 9 500 10 fins of fury....... am i right??
  4. Brad-in-STL Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Greater St Louis Area
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '80 390 WR
    Other Motorcycles:
    '79 XR185, '81CR125, '07 Ducati ST3

    Good way to double check a bike, if so. The reason I asked is I'm trying to connect with a guy with a 250 CR and was wanting a way to verify the CCs.

    Thanks for the responses.
  5. Brad-in-STL Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Greater St Louis Area
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '80 390 WR
    Other Motorcycles:
    '79 XR185, '81CR125, '07 Ducati ST3
    FWIW - it looks like the 250 CR that's for sale has 6 fins on the jug.
  6. Eric The Leg Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Currently Tacoma, WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    1986 WR400, 1985 WRX400, 1979 WR250
    Other Motorcycles:
    83 Kawasaki KZ 440
    Buying vintage comes with uncertainty... Someone without access to good parts can do all kinds of crazy things, and there was a long period of parts scarcity for older Husqvarna bikes.
    On some years the 125's have different cases and/or case covers than the 250+, so that's something you could look at on the parts manual if you're concerned about being hoodwinked. The engine # also gives you a year/displacement (or at least a small number of possible options), so that might be a good measure, though on some bikes those plates are snap-riveted on, so could be swapped.
  7. Brad-in-STL Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Greater St Louis Area
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '80 390 WR
    Other Motorcycles:
    '79 XR185, '81CR125, '07 Ducati ST3
    Thanks Eric, all good points. It was the engine s/n that's indicating a possible engine swap on this one. The bike is a '77, but the number would indicate an '81. Not really an issue for me as I just want to run some local vintage M/C races this summer and I've always liked how the old Husky's looked/ran.

    I used to have an old 390 CR that was amazing on power, but probably too much for these older bones!! :oldman:
  8. suprize Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Bendigo, Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR 400, bike in a box Moto Villa 350
    Other Motorcycles:
    ktm 300
    390 is smooth and easy on old bones... I m not sure on those fin numbers, I was sure someone here who knows would chime in. check the parts manual (online from hva factory. that might have a clue to the number of fins
  9. Bigbill Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '83 250wr
    Other Motorcycles:
    0 right now
    The 390cr power is linear, the power band is wider. Smoother but it depends on how you wick it. I believe it's 9 cooling fins.

    I once purchased a so called 250 that turned out to be a 9 finned 390 cylinder but pics can be fooling us, she's a 420cc when she arrives. No biggie, bigger is better. I've seen all kinds of stuff. I've seen a late 70's engine show up with a early 80's cylinder. The base gaskets don't interchange. But luckily my forte is both the late 70's and early 80's evolution bikes. Spare parts is spare parts. I purchased what was advertised as a husky 250 MP (auto military police) I seen it was a standard six speed tranny, looking in the exhaust port she's a monster piston. She's a 430. Another good find. The 82 250 military police #2087 M/P the 82 430wr was #2087 on the case number. A mix up on the serial number from the factory. The military bike was an auto tranny.

    Some of these parts we never know what we're going to get. But it all works out in the end. I been doing this over 30 years now.

    My recorded weight loss on a 390cr is 60lbs in three months. More fun than going to a gym. At first after doing three loops I could barely put the bike on the trailer. Bike 1 human 0. Some days I would struggle to get the bike off the trailer. After the first pass the old joints loosened up. I was still too slow to chase my son in the trails on another husky. But it's the most fun I ever had with my clothes on.