Sorry, Husky has lost me as a customer...

[4x4van]

I grew up riding and racing in the SoCal deserts, and have ridden now for 45 yearrs. Currently, I ride an old school 1985 ATC250R, built to the hilt, in the sand dunes of Glamis. But my son bought a 2012 TE310, and I fell in love with the bike. So much so that I was beginning to look around for a left-over or used one to buy for myself.

But then my son needed a few parts. A front brake lever. Yes, an aftermarket was available (for less $$), but he wanted to keep it stock, so we ordered...and waited...and waited. Finally, my dealer stole one off an unsold Husky on their floor for us. Not long after, both the valve cover gasket and the left side case gasket started to seep oil. No problem, I'll just order new gaskets and install them, right? Wrong. I have been trying now for 6 months to get them, and no luck. Halls, in Illinois, finally responded that they have the valve cover gasket in stock, but the side cover gasket is backordered. 6 months!!?? For a gasket!!??

When KTM acquired Husky, they made a big deal out of claiming that current Husky owners would not be left out in the cold and that parts infrasructure was a major part of their plans for Husky...NOT. A simple gasket? Really? The "seepage" has now deteriorated to a drip, and my only option, on a $9000 bike that is barely 2 years old is to buy gasket material and cut my own?

Sorry, but Husky/Austria just lost a customer. If I can't count on a manufacturer to stock and supply parts, particularly commonly needed parts, I won't buy/own their product. I buy bikes to ride, not to sit. Husky should know that. KTM should know that.

 

[Boogie]

KTM don't give a shit about the Italian built Husqvarnas. It's a shame because many people love them including me.

If the left side case seepage is from the stator/alternator cover... this is common and fixed by some high-temp, oil resistant silicone around the rubber grommet that encases the wires entering the cover. Easy fix and necessary task on 2013/14 250/310's.

 

[oregonsage]

Moved to General since the original post doesnt appear to be model specific, but a commentary about poor availability of pre KTM parts.

 

[PC.]

Don't feel too bad as I've been waiting since March for Honda to get a fork stanchion into the country so my wife can ride her bike. 4 months later and still nothing.

Honda has more money than the Catholics, but cant seem to get their shit together. Scary days for any company not called KTM in my opinion!

 

[joedirt]

I have not had to wait more than a few weeks for parts from Halls.

 

[Motosportz]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUSQVARNA-T...arna|Submodel:310&hash=item43be14acb9&vxp=mtr

 

[robertaccio]

my answer from TT
"Official" Husky may have lost you.
Why not hit up SoCal Dez Hesperia's own ZipTy Racing for all your 250/310 X-Lite needs, they are at the 99% level for X-Lite 250/310 Red Husky support. 760.244.7028
And after all they probably have the most left coast top level (National) racing experience with the Red Huskys (Italian) of anyone.

 

[Motosportz]

yes, what Robert says. several places that gasket can be had if you look

 

[ray_ray]

Sorry, but Husky/Austria just lost a customer.

No need to really be sorry .. Good luck with your new bike if you decide to buy another bike...Thanks for the 2 posts you made here on this site.

And I'm not here to try to enlighten you on life or business, or anything else of importance, but ktm sells more bikes than you are aware of most likely ... They are a success on some level... Their company, same as any other company, will always gain and lose customers ... Many of us have issue with that and cannot understand it but, its just business ...

--

My KTM marked Husky ring set for ITL Husky bikes I just received.

 

[Johnrg]

This place will make individual gaskets to suit

http://gasketstogo.com/
http://gasketstogo.com/examples.htm

 

[Mike-AK]

The brake lever is a standard Brembo part. Should be able to get it at any KTM/Husky/Husaberg dealer.

 

[Johnrg]

ARC makes good unbreakable ones so you never need another!

 

[ajaxauto]

Worse thing any good so calif motorcycle rides wants to hear is that you ride a 3 wheeler at glamis sorry I just had to say that

I have lived for over 50 years less then 75 miles from glamis and never been there. Drove by but never stopped


Now as for your bike Parts are out there you sometimes just have to look a little harder

 

[ray_ray]

ARC makes good unbreakable ones so you never need another!

I see alot of those here ... and they look all cool too ... But I'm sort of like the OP son ...The stock stuff is ok with me unless it is really nonfunctional pretty much or aftermarket stuff offer true performance increase at a reasonable price ...

Slowly, my lever tips are being broke off by myself ... And I'm OK with that ... I'm responsible and my crashes that have caused the damage were on the hardtop or some hard roads or rocks, meaning the levers do not break off on such places as sandy beaches in most cases ... Sort of a safety issue having a lever without a tip and I'll ride with that responsibility on my shoulders also ...

--

Those broken off lever tips can be welded back on here at a reasonable cost OR JBWeld can be use to add ball to the end. This is what I should as my fix if I were not so lazy each day.

You can see in this pic my clutch lever is at the MAX short length ... Not recommended but that is all a rider needs ... And until another crash(?), that lever provides proper clutching functionality coupled with that stock Brembo device. Manila probably has those Brembo levers :0) Its a ~ktm world here also

 

[ray_ray]

Worse thing any good so calif motorcycle rides wants to hear is that you ride a 3 wheeler at glamis sorry I just had to say that

I have lived for over 50 years less then 75 miles from glamis and never been there. Drove by but never stopped


Now as for your bike Parts are out there you sometimes just have to look a little harder

Ozzie says 3wheelers suck also :0 )

 

[Motosportz]

I see alot of those here ... and they look all cool too ... But I'm sort of like the OP son ...The stock stuff is ok with me unless it is really nonfunctional pretty much or aftermarket stuff offer true performance increase at a reasonable price ...

Slowly, my lever tips are being broke off by myself ... And I'm OK with that ... I'm responsible and my crashes that have caused the damage were on the hardtop or some hard roads or rocks, meaning the levers do not break off on such places as sandy beaches in most cases ... Sort of a safety issue having a lever without a tip and I'll ride with that responsibility on my shoulders also ...

--

Those broken off lever tips can be welded back on here at a reasonable cost OR JBWeld can be use to add ball to the end. This is what I should as my fix if I were not so lazy each day.

You can see in this pic my clutch lever is at the MAX short length ... Not recommended but that is all a rider needs ... And until another crash(?), that lever provides proper clutching functionality coupled with that stock Brembo device. Manila probably has those Brembo levers :0) Its a ~ktm world here also
View attachment 43359

Hand guards. I have not bought a lever in decades other than for performance.

 

[4x4van]

I'll give Zip-Ty a try, but the problem still remains; I shouldn't have to order parts (especially commonly needed parts) through the mail when I have 2 Husky dealerswithin 30 miles of my home, and I certainly shouldn't have to wait 6+ months for ANY part. I've grown up riding Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda...Currently own 3 Hondas and 2 Yamahas. 95% of the time, I can walk into the dealer and get needed parts, whether those parts are for my 5 year old bikes or my 30 years old bikes (or often even my 42 year old AT2 125). IF and WHEN they are backordered, it's generally for a week, not 6 months!

True, I guess I’m going to have to look harder for replacement parts when the Husky is involved. But Husky is not some fly-by-night obscure Chinese knockoffs. Growing up watching Brad Lackey competing on the world stage and Malcom Smith making the desert look smooth, I always dreamed of owning a Husky; never got the chance. Now my son actually has, and while I understand that it’s not the Husky of yesteryear, I still wanted to follow up and finally realize that dream myself. Alas, I don't think so. A co-worker, on hearing of my situation (he rides a KTM coincidentally) commented that he had heard that Huskys are great bikes...till you need parts. It saddens me that a once proud Marquee has been reduced to this.

Ajazauto: I knew I’d get razzed for admitting I ride a 3-wheeler at Glamis, but trust me, I’m a dirt biker at heart from way back (started riding when I was 8, raced professionally in the 70’s/80’s…I’m 52 now). Keep in mind that in 1985, Honda ATC250Rs finished 4th and 5th OVERALL in the Baja 1000. So they’re no slouches with the right rider aboard. And don’t give the dunes short shrift; There’s nothing quite like lofting the front end of a built 3-wheeler while carving diagonally up the side of a 200 ft high freshly blown smooth dune while your paddles leave a 6’ high rooster tail in your wake. It’s kinda like the smell of pre-mix in the morning: addicting! And no dust!! You should try putting a paddle on your bike and give the dunes a try; you might be surprised at how much fun you have (my son runs a 7-paddle Skat Trak on his Husky for the dunes).

 

[268fords]

The italian husky's aren't working properly if there's no oil leaking.

 

[4x4van]

The italian husky's aren't working properly if there's no oil leaking.

Now that's funny! Thanks to all for the advice on finding/getting parts for the bike. I guess I'll just have to put more work in the maint. of this bike than I'm used to. Thankfully the internet makes that possible. I was actually hoping that parts availablility would get better under KTM, not worse. Guess that was wishful thinking. Thanks again, guys.

 

[yzrider]

Yeah seriously no need to get upset over that stuff. My husky got asv levers the first time i broke a lever just to avoid having to track down levers for it in the future. And knowing who to go to and where to look for parts comes with the territory of owning a husky, tm, husaberg, vintage bikes, etc. You are now off the beaten path and need to be resourceful, my local dealers get officially 0% of my business with 3 dealers within 10 minutes of my house. Online is quicker, easier, cheaper, more accurate, and less hassle.