Got the urge to get one but have never ridden either. Will use for mx only....always liked Open bikes but now in 50's do not have the strength and stamina use to. Seems most of the old test issues I can find on the 500 say it's hard starter and will shake the fillings out of your teeth. If that's really true please say so and I'll go with the 250. Just looking to have some fun not be Johnny GoFaster....those days are adios. Would appreciate anyone's input/advice. Thanks
-
Hi everyone,
As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.
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Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.
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Thanks for your patience and support!
1985 CR 250 vs 500 ??
- Thread starter bultokid
- Start date
visiteur1948
Husqvarna
Pro Class
250 !
justintendo
klotz super techniplate junkie
well the huskies are definitely suited to bigger guys..im 6.2 and about 230 fully suited up and a 250 hauls me fine. from what you say it sounds like a 250 would suit you best. easier to find engine parts as well
Kartwheel68
Husqvarna
Pro Class
250
firecrackerkid
Husqvarna
AA Class
6' 350 (forget Jenny Craig, I need a cave in the Himalayas)
1984 WR 250 hauls me as fast or faster than I want to go. Easy to ride too. That being said the 500's are awesome! Just too much effort to go fast for me anyway.
1984 WR 250 hauls me as fast or faster than I want to go. Easy to ride too. That being said the 500's are awesome! Just too much effort to go fast for me anyway.
I have a 83 XC500 and 86 WR400. Both EZ to ride IMHO.
suprize
Husqvarna
Pro Class
it appears there are weight issues in camp husky...to many donuts with the Cafe
im trimming up by using an American diet and I simply fast every second day. have a good brekky and nothing but water or black tea. it shocks the body into hunting for sugar reserves onboard when you fail to deliver the expected sugar burst.... ist day is difficult but so far itsworking fine and gone from 83kg down to 79.5 in a week. finding I have lost interest in crap food.... so far so good. I don't have lots to get rid off but its all around liver kidneys etc which isn't good.
im trimming up by using an American diet and I simply fast every second day. have a good brekky and nothing but water or black tea. it shocks the body into hunting for sugar reserves onboard when you fail to deliver the expected sugar burst.... ist day is difficult but so far itsworking fine and gone from 83kg down to 79.5 in a week. finding I have lost interest in crap food.... so far so good. I don't have lots to get rid off but its all around liver kidneys etc which isn't good.
Kartwheel68
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I weigh 145lbs soaking wet. LOL
I have several open class two strokes, 430 and 400 Huskys, a 440 Maico, 400 Penton/KTM and a Honda CR500. All are very fast, some are easy to ride (both Husky's and the Maico), some are not easy to ride (the Penton and the Honda). I have raced both MX and hare scrambles/ISDT races on each one and they are all capable bikes, but some take more energy (a LOT!) to hold on to and some allow you to go fast with little effort. The Honda and Penton are brutally hard hitting bikes that require 100% focus and perfect throttle control or they will put you on your head waking up from a nap faster than you can blink. The Husky's and the Maico are smooth with very linear power that doesnt wear you out, but they are still very powerful bikes that can make you pay for a split second lack of focus.
For the type of rider the original poster described, the 250 is probably the best choice, they are plenty fast and if it is a Husky even a CR can do anything from MX to enduro riding. Plus 250s are easy to start, which for some larger fellows is no big deal, but for a runt like me it is a serious consideration.
This is what a 145lb runt looks like on a Honda CR500. LOL
I have several open class two strokes, 430 and 400 Huskys, a 440 Maico, 400 Penton/KTM and a Honda CR500. All are very fast, some are easy to ride (both Husky's and the Maico), some are not easy to ride (the Penton and the Honda). I have raced both MX and hare scrambles/ISDT races on each one and they are all capable bikes, but some take more energy (a LOT!) to hold on to and some allow you to go fast with little effort. The Honda and Penton are brutally hard hitting bikes that require 100% focus and perfect throttle control or they will put you on your head waking up from a nap faster than you can blink. The Husky's and the Maico are smooth with very linear power that doesnt wear you out, but they are still very powerful bikes that can make you pay for a split second lack of focus.
For the type of rider the original poster described, the 250 is probably the best choice, they are plenty fast and if it is a Husky even a CR can do anything from MX to enduro riding. Plus 250s are easy to start, which for some larger fellows is no big deal, but for a runt like me it is a serious consideration.
This is what a 145lb runt looks like on a Honda CR500. LOL
My 86 WR400 is the epitome of EZ to ride. The motor just works for you all the time. Good strong power, not ridiculous.
troy deck
Husqvarna
Pro Class
350 hell that was years ago for me but i think i got a handle on it finely the paleo diet seems like its gona work for me i can eat like a caveman try it theres a thread on the GG forum
speedyauto
Husqvarna
A Class
The 250 is a good choice but if you want a 500 get an after market ignition & it'll start easy.
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
A compression release can be your best friend.
If this is your first husqvarna bike get the 250 first. Once you master the 250 look for a 390cr. The 390 will perform awesome with its 45 horse power at the rear wheel. Now once you can control the 390 and love the non stop rear wheel spinning power and you think you need more power and motor get a 500. Trust me even the 390 isn't for the faint hearted. You can wick it in 6th gear and she'll wheelie. One thing I noticed on the 390 is when standing up flying the bike tries to leave you behind. Even when I squeeze the bike between my knees. I keep on pulling my body forward to stay on the bike.
As far as being easy to ride the design of the husqvarna frame is user friendly even when using body English to control the bike. The frame and swing arm setup stays on track even if your hanging on one side. No other bike tracks like a husqvarna. I'm a big rider and I notice the frame and swing arm flex making them harder to ride and control. I can feel it in turns flexing with the other brands. These husqvarna don't have that flex.
If this is your first husqvarna bike get the 250 first. Once you master the 250 look for a 390cr. The 390 will perform awesome with its 45 horse power at the rear wheel. Now once you can control the 390 and love the non stop rear wheel spinning power and you think you need more power and motor get a 500. Trust me even the 390 isn't for the faint hearted. You can wick it in 6th gear and she'll wheelie. One thing I noticed on the 390 is when standing up flying the bike tries to leave you behind. Even when I squeeze the bike between my knees. I keep on pulling my body forward to stay on the bike.
As far as being easy to ride the design of the husqvarna frame is user friendly even when using body English to control the bike. The frame and swing arm setup stays on track even if your hanging on one side. No other bike tracks like a husqvarna. I'm a big rider and I notice the frame and swing arm flex making them harder to ride and control. I can feel it in turns flexing with the other brands. These husqvarna don't have that flex.
If your ridden a Vintage Japanese 250 , & like it, power wise you may not the 250 Husky. Husky seem to have designed there bikes as big bores 1st, then
turn them into small bores. Most Husky 250's have what is called smooth power, there not slow, they don't scream like there Japanese counterparts.
That started to change in 83, 84 CR is unlike the previous 250's , but didn't sell well so there hard to find. 85-88 250's where not know for there handling.
A 500 is too much for most tight tracks , which most tracks are. I've sold both my 84 500CR & 81 KTM 495 as there really unusable in most instances.
250 vs 500 250 wins every time , but i'd still prefer a 390 or a 430 for MX.
Husky John
turn them into small bores. Most Husky 250's have what is called smooth power, there not slow, they don't scream like there Japanese counterparts.
That started to change in 83, 84 CR is unlike the previous 250's , but didn't sell well so there hard to find. 85-88 250's where not know for there handling.
A 500 is too much for most tight tracks , which most tracks are. I've sold both my 84 500CR & 81 KTM 495 as there really unusable in most instances.
250 vs 500 250 wins every time , but i'd still prefer a 390 or a 430 for MX.
Husky John
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Husky John, You know from a 250 to a '78ish husqvarna cr 390 can be a handful too. This is where the huskys start to roll. Even my '81 cr 250 was beating the newer 250's in the straights. But the 390 has a wider power band. I understand your point in the tighter tracks were the full power of the 500 is hard to use.
I noticed that with the 390 just wick it, n shift it.
Kartwheel68
Husqvarna
Pro Class
390s are powerful, but they dont make 45HP at the rear wheel, the 430 doesnt make that, and 390s are pussycats compared to some other open bikes like the KTM495 or any Japanese 490/500. The 430 cylinder porting is identical to the 390 and their power is very similar, extremely smooth and linear, just a bit more than a 390 from top to bottom. Of all the 500 two strokes the Husky is by far the smoothest and most "user friendly" but it is still a 50+ HP bike and it will be overkill for 99% of vintage racing. Of all the bikes I have, the only open bike that I can go as fast as a 250, or on some tracks even a 125, is the Husky 430, it is almost like a four stroke in its power delivery, super easy to ride. But, even as smooth as it is, like any open class bike if you get a little off balance and crack the throttle open at the wrong time, it will punish you where a 250 wont.
The first year the Husky 250 stopped having "Husky like" power was '82 with the new primary kick engine. Because of the added ports in the '83 it is even more "pipey" but the '82 is certainly a mid-top engine.
The first year the Husky 250 stopped having "Husky like" power was '82 with the new primary kick engine. Because of the added ports in the '83 it is even more "pipey" but the '82 is certainly a mid-top engine.
suprize
Husqvarna
Pro Class
the benefit of a 250 is that you can wind it on hard without worrying what will happen. this means faster riding, less required throttle control and more fun. I had a warmed 250 2000 kato exc that was just great to crack the throttle on and just hang off it..great fun.
I bought a later model 300 and found myself having to show some respect on full throttle charges as it got to the next braking point just that bit quicker!!
it also hooked up and fired me in all sorts of directions exiting corners where as I could muscle the 2fitty around.
the upper body strength issue has sorted my dreams for a 450 4 banger. I just cant make em do what I want and their intended path is not good for health. I find the gyroscopic effect of all those bits wizzing around needs muscling that I don't have anymore.
the 400 husky is close to perfect 4 vinduro but it is still a big bike in the tighter sticky spots but the lazy man engine saves the day everytime.
the bonus on the cr's is the huge suspenders, get them right and the ride is armchair quality...
I bought a later model 300 and found myself having to show some respect on full throttle charges as it got to the next braking point just that bit quicker!!
it also hooked up and fired me in all sorts of directions exiting corners where as I could muscle the 2fitty around.the upper body strength issue has sorted my dreams for a 450 4 banger. I just cant make em do what I want and their intended path is not good for health. I find the gyroscopic effect of all those bits wizzing around needs muscling that I don't have anymore.
the 400 husky is close to perfect 4 vinduro but it is still a big bike in the tighter sticky spots but the lazy man engine saves the day everytime.
the bonus on the cr's is the huge suspenders, get them right and the ride is armchair quality...
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
The 390 was said to have 45 horse power in the husqvarna book. I'll get the exact book number.
It's in the book by cycle world husqvarna 77 to 84 it's in that book on the 390 section. I believe it had the highest horse power for that time. I think it was '78 or '79. I could be wrong maybe it's 43 rear wheel horse power. I have this book somewhere. Bill
It's in the book by cycle world husqvarna 77 to 84 it's in that book on the 390 section. I believe it had the highest horse power for that time. I think it was '78 or '79. I could be wrong maybe it's 43 rear wheel horse power. I have this book somewhere. Bill