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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.
When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.
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 The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.
Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.
Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.
Thanks for your patience and support!
Husqvarna Works Bike?
- Thread starter Bigbill
- Start date
1982 XC 430
Husqvarna
AA Class
I just happen to be building a 82 Works bike tribute Bike as we speak. The August 1982 Motocross Action Magazine has an article on them however when I bought one on e-bay the article was pulled out. Husqvarna-Parts has some interesting pictures of a 250. Go to the bottom of the options.
Basically it looks as though the Works Bikes in 82 were predecessors to the 83's production Bikes. The frame is very similar to what the 83 was to have. The Rear Shocks were ITC's before there were ITC's. The Swing Arms was lengthened, but Lengthened from what ? It could very well be the same as a production 83. Twin pull front brake. Other than that they had a lot of tid bits here and there, but were basically 83's wrapped in 82 paint and Plastic. Interesting, the Petcock needs to be moved a bit for the new Frame, so its not just an off the shelf item. However the Red Paint has White Trim, as per 1981, not the Gold of 1982.
Basically it looks as though the Works Bikes in 82 were predecessors to the 83's production Bikes. The frame is very similar to what the 83 was to have. The Rear Shocks were ITC's before there were ITC's. The Swing Arms was lengthened, but Lengthened from what ? It could very well be the same as a production 83. Twin pull front brake. Other than that they had a lot of tid bits here and there, but were basically 83's wrapped in 82 paint and Plastic. Interesting, the Petcock needs to be moved a bit for the new Frame, so its not just an off the shelf item. However the Red Paint has White Trim, as per 1981, not the Gold of 1982.
Kartwheel68
Husqvarna
Pro Class
The '82 Works bike was a 500, not a 430 and it was nothing more than an '83 style frame painted to look like an '82.
Kartwheel68
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Your question was already answered, the only difference was the frame/rear suspension, which was identical to the production '83 ITC frame. Billy Grossi was their top rider that year and his best finish was an 8th overall at Broome Tioga. Eric Eaton also got a 10th at Washougal and Grossi got another 10th at Colorado.
justintendo
klotz super techniplate junkie
i never understood the fascination about grossi and the 500. perhaps because it was a 500?
i was always more interested in the bike chuck sun rode in the late 70s that was an early primary kick prototype. or the early four stroke stuff..
i was always more interested in the bike chuck sun rode in the late 70s that was an early primary kick prototype. or the early four stroke stuff..
hva-factory
CH Sponsor
I have the drawings for the primary kick motor and they were drawn in 1976!!!
Andy
Andy
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I figured I would reword it politically correct. Not really to re-ask it but to correct myself.
justintendo
klotz super techniplate junkie
pretty crazy that design lasted so long
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I'm interested in any year husqvarna works bike. If anyone wants to post and talk about it.
Let's not forget back then we had no internet, no information highway that goes around the world. I'm not afraid to ask even if you beat me and whip me any knowledge about the history of husqvarna count me in. There's no ad's or books on this stuff?
Works bikes, pro circuit bikes what ever, who built it? I'm sure everyone wants to know.
Sorry it's still cold here, the ice is still on, I can't fish yet. It's still snowing here flurries.
Let's not forget back then we had no internet, no information highway that goes around the world. I'm not afraid to ask even if you beat me and whip me any knowledge about the history of husqvarna count me in. There's no ad's or books on this stuff?
Works bikes, pro circuit bikes what ever, who built it? I'm sure everyone wants to know.
Sorry it's still cold here, the ice is still on, I can't fish yet. It's still snowing here flurries.
Pick up a copy of Terry Pratt's book Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 World Championship Season. There is a complete chapter on 'Works' Husqvarnas - the days of Titanium frames, sandcast motors, and hand-formed alloy tanks.
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
My thoughts,,,,,,,
The true evolution of the husqvarna dirt bikes began with the development of the works bikes. To me my experience ranges from the '77 250, 78 390 cr, 79 250 or, '79 390cr, '80 390cr, '81 250cr, '83 250wr, '83 430wr, 85/86 125cr, '86 400wrx. To me this is where the biggest changes happened. From the stronger spokes, rims, hubs, changes in
The transfer ports, engine cases changed a few times in the transfer port areas and the cylinder studs were moved apart for larger transfer ports. Larger diameter forks, larger stronger cripple three with more clamping area.
I gather all these changes came from the engineering that went into the upgrades on the works bikes. I think the works bikes influenced the husqvarna engines to build a "go faster", more reliable bike. If we put the '77 250 husqvarna along side a '83 250 husqvarna the upgrades is really noticeable.
My question is did the bikes actually break that caused some of these to be upgraded to better stronger designs? Was there failures in the weaker hubs and forks.
The true evolution of the husqvarna dirt bikes began with the development of the works bikes. To me my experience ranges from the '77 250, 78 390 cr, 79 250 or, '79 390cr, '80 390cr, '81 250cr, '83 250wr, '83 430wr, 85/86 125cr, '86 400wrx. To me this is where the biggest changes happened. From the stronger spokes, rims, hubs, changes in
The transfer ports, engine cases changed a few times in the transfer port areas and the cylinder studs were moved apart for larger transfer ports. Larger diameter forks, larger stronger cripple three with more clamping area.
I gather all these changes came from the engineering that went into the upgrades on the works bikes. I think the works bikes influenced the husqvarna engines to build a "go faster", more reliable bike. If we put the '77 250 husqvarna along side a '83 250 husqvarna the upgrades is really noticeable.
My question is did the bikes actually break that caused some of these to be upgraded to better stronger designs? Was there failures in the weaker hubs and forks.
1982 XC 430
Husqvarna
AA Class
There is a good book " Legendary Motocross Bikes" that makes for a great Book to leave out for people to thumb threw. Not only covers the Bikes in there day but also has Pictures of what they look like today. Apparently the Europeans never made a Works Bike, or at least that is what You would believe reading this book, as there is very little coverage at all. In reality the European Bikes were much closer to there production cousins as they never had an unlimited budget to build one off bikes to win races that never had any intention of being produced for consumers. If Honda is your fancy this book is eye candy.
Bigbill
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I'm really trying to help my son too. I'd like to get him to park the kdx's and possibly get back on a 430 and race it modern or post vintage. He was awesome on the '83 430wr in the past. I'll build a 430cr.
I sold a guy a few of my husqvarna bikes and talked him into meeting my 16yo son for a ride. His look was like he's not a baby sitter. My son could handle any husqvarna I had at the time plus he's very competitive sometimes. Well after the ride the guy told me my son's a ringer. He couldn't hang with the kid on a husky so he purchased a new 250 Suzuki and the kid put the old husky on him again. If you push the kid it's over he's gone.
He's nice and will wait for you if you fall behind he'll go slow. But get on his back tire it's after burner mode then.
I'm sorry I pushed him to be the best he could be when he was younger now I tell him to throttle back and enjoy the ride he's older now. As he get older the hare scramble is a race against yourself just to finish.
I sold a guy a few of my husqvarna bikes and talked him into meeting my 16yo son for a ride. His look was like he's not a baby sitter. My son could handle any husqvarna I had at the time plus he's very competitive sometimes. Well after the ride the guy told me my son's a ringer. He couldn't hang with the kid on a husky so he purchased a new 250 Suzuki and the kid put the old husky on him again. If you push the kid it's over he's gone.
He's nice and will wait for you if you fall behind he'll go slow. But get on his back tire it's after burner mode then.
I'm sorry I pushed him to be the best he could be when he was younger now I tell him to throttle back and enjoy the ride he's older now. As he get older the hare scramble is a race against yourself just to finish.
1982 XC 430
Husqvarna
AA Class
Well I don't know if the Picture is going to come threw but I finished assembly of my re creation of a Works 250 tonight. Made completely from the Pictures used on Husqvarna-Parts.com.