• Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

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MXA bike of the year - 1981 Husqvarna 430CR - says Pulpmx article

How about the fork colour, spoke nipple colour, cylinder and head colour, muffler, rear fender, seat cover, about 9" of rear suspension travel etc. But most of all you gotta love the fake chrome tank decals.
 
everybody talks about the mx success and fall off, and its very true. but husky dominated the off road world all through the 80s up until the 90s, losing steam due to the sellout. not too long after ktm picked up the slack and that brings us to today
 
Don't forget about made in sweden husaberg's. Won world mx titles and many world off road titles. In my opinion they are in fact husqvarna's with a little different name. Yes I do own a 1995 husaberg 501.
 
At least the article does mention : With a set of high dollar remote–reservoir Ohlins as standard equipment (this particular Husqvarna 430CR has had its stock Ohlins shocks removed)

Also, what they don't mention is how hard it is to start a Maico 490 :lol:
 
My best friend bought a 1981 430 CR from Malcolm Smiths brand new and it had the red tank on it. I rode that bike a couple of times and it was great. To me those are the prettiest Husky's made.
 
Don't be misled on the bike shown in pics. They are taking about the Model year 1981 430 not the sample shown in pics. Pulp used bikes from the Primm
museum in there articles. I would gladly had one of our own Cafe Husky guys bike shown instead. Too bad that museum closed. Check Pulp under classic iron
articles for other bikes.

I own a 81 490 Maico - guess what it is the hardest bike to start for me period ever. It really just sets in the garage.

Question still does anyone have the MXA article or year end opinion - i would like to see that in print.
 
Gary,
I think I have that magazine test they mentioned, some where, if I remember right, they tested the 430 vs Maico 490 & KTM 495.
A Euro bike bore test as the magazines like to call them. Husky won !

And I almost laugh when I see a 490 Maico at the track, there usually the guys on the hill
up from the start waiting to jump their bikes, before the moto starts.


Husky John
 
GaryM said:
Don't be misled on the bike shown in pics. They are taking about the Model year 1981 430 not the sample shown in pics. Pulp used bikes from the Primm
museum in there articles. I would gladly had one of our own Cafe Husky guys bike shown instead. Too bad that museum closed. Check Pulp under classic iron
articles for other bikes.

I own a 81 490 Maico - guess what it is the hardest bike to start for me period ever. It really just sets in the garage.

Question still does anyone have the MXA article or year end opinion - i would like to see that in print.
Click to expand...
we arent being misled, we just like to complain, lol
 
In that test they made an important point, while the 490 and 495 made more peak HP there was a 3-4k rpm spread in the middle where the 430 made more than either of them. In other words, the range of RPM that the majority of riders were going to use the 430 made more power.
 
I loved my 82 cr 430. My neighbor spent 40 hours in the cylinder.
I hit a Ktm 500 in the ass with the thing and we both flipped down a dust straight.
Later after the race. He said I hit him like he was sitting still.

I asked him not long ago if he remembers what porting he did? He said heck that was 30 + years ago but he mentioned something about maybe Corky at Wetzels giving him maybe a template?
 
This is my 82 430...as original as possible...other than 18" rear wheel, excel front rim, HVA mag cover, HVA exhaust and flat bar clamps:D
oh and the colour of the frame...but i'm going to fix that.

I rode the 430 against the 490 Maico's back in 1982 and I have to say there wasn't much in it. As always it was more down to the rider than how fast the top-speed was. With the six speed gearbox you have to keep it on the power band or it bogs (might be something to do with me weighing 110kg). You can't ride it like you can the 1983 500 (in the background). The big 5 hundy can be ridden more like a fourstroke with the 4 speed box. Also the 430 doesn't turn like the 83. I still have a soft spot for the 430 as it was the last Husky I rode, before switching to Yamaha in 1983 (big mistake) I quit after that year, until 2009 when I managed to convince the wife that buying a 430 to go racing with was a good idea :eek:

My brother is going to be riding the 430 at Farleigh Castle in two weeks time and I'll be on the milk crate, so we will see if there is much of a difference on the track.

IMG_2191.JPG
Steve
 
Yep, I have a 490 and Yes when I pull into the track I start looking for the best Hill and that decides where I'm going to park.
 
The magazine you are looking for are Motocross Action September 1981, Motorcyclist March 1981, Dirt Bike September 1981, and Cycle World July 1981 all have good articles on the 1981 CR 430 Husky. The MXA magazine calls it the best all around Open class bike on the market and that magazine also has a short article on Husky CR 430 vs Suzuki RM465X which husky wins. The Motorcyclist magazine compares the 1981 Honda CR 450, Kawasaki KX 420, Maico 490 M2, Yamaha YZ 465, and the husky CR 430. The Husky & Maico tie with Husky best all around bike and Maico best MX bike. Hopes this helps
 
You guys diffidently know these bikes ... Kind of cool reading Husky was making better forks than kyb or showa at the early stages ..

-- (From the article below)

Long before Pro Circuit was a motocross powerhouse, they were a little known Husky dealer specializing in making Swedish iron go fast. As Husqvarna began to fall behind the competition in the early eighties, Mitch Payton was smart enough to take all of his eggs out of one basket and diversify his business to other brands as well. By the late eighties, Pro Circuit had become more than just another So-Cal go-fast tuner - they had become the hop-up shop to the stars.

--
This is one of the main reasons I'm banking on Husky passing some ktm dirt bike models sales numbers and maybe more models ... History ... There are numerous people in high places today that have Husqvarna roots ...
 
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