Hey HR, I've got an '85 TX510 (got it Oct '84) that took me to the #2 plate (Desert) 4-stroke A class back in '88. I'm kinda busted up nowadays (three back fusions) I have all the parts to bring her back to life. just needs to be put back together. This bike is a rocket! I have a megaphone free flow 2 into 1 exhaust with and aluminum silencer (ya right) and the stock dual pipe set up too. This frame has a 28.5 degree rake which turns much sharper than my OR390 with 30.5 degrees. both bikes are as stable at full speed as a freight train on rails! Any vintage big bore husky rider knows you turn with the throttle and a little body english, throwing a huge roost the whole time! (like a water skier gracefully blasting a wave of water midair, throughout the arc of the turn) This was the First Husky with the ITC rear shocks, delivering an incredible 13.6 inches of rear wheel travel. and it was progressive without linkage (I've never riden a single shock with smoother suspension.) The only thing I for sure would not let go of, is the dual leading front brake assy. If old Huskys were known not to turn quickly, they were much worse in the stopping department! If you got them wet? well you could always do the Fred Flintstone imitation! I slammed many obstactles going WFO including other riders (not on purpose) often I wished for a parachute, like a top fuel dragster! EBC grooved shoes brought it back under control, once they developed them, that is. Scott is right about us being stingey with these incredable scoots. If you did a Jap engine swap, you'd loose that untouchable 6 spd. top end! A gear for every situation, including Mach 1!!! These engines are a SOHC 4 valve head, RAL (no heavy mechanical oil pump) mated to a light 2-stroke bottom end. And the drive is on the opposite side, that would be a headache. I owned a '79, '81 and '82 XR500 those bikes couldn't touch a Husqvarna in any department other than reliability, "The final Step!" and they meant it. Who wants a weak bike that always goes? Not me! I want one that goes...FAST!!! Get ahold of me, We'll talk. I might be persuaded, maybe! Remo p.s. Did I read that someone said these revolutionary lightweight 4-strokes were underpowered? Are ya nuts?!!!
Maybe..
I have a 86 TE with a revalved Z racing shock, Wp 50mm forks w/KTM disc, 41mm FCR carb. Other than setting the valves and changing the oil & clutch plates, the motor is untouched. Exhaust is 2 shorty ,straight through silencers.
My feeling, 2nded by a Husky dealer and long term 86 510 owner, AND a former national pro mxer, is that the motor goes flat on top. Good smooth surge off the bottom, smooth mid-range, and tapers off on top. Maybe the motor is tired, but it doesn't smoke , little blow-by, and seems to have good compression.
In all honesty, I'm comparing to 500 Husky, 2010 KTM 450 sxf, 2004 KTM 570, etc. All modern bikes.
I like big power!! Always have, always will.
The fact that I'm racing 25-28 year old Huskies against modern bikes also colors my judgement. Don't get me wrong, the old bikes do pretty well considering. And there's something satisfying about passing guys on modern bikes during the course of a long ( 6 to 24hr) team race.
I don't like the heavy flywheel of the 510, never liked the external rotor flywheels on 2-strokes just because of the sluggish response. Yeah, they might hook up better, I might be faster, yadda-yadda. When blessed with a 6 to 10 mile track that is soft, tilled and power-robbing, Horsepower is a must!! Quick response likewise.
I like big barky motors, the ability to stand the bike up with the whack of a throttle, fingers and arms stretching from the pull..... you get the point.
The 86 510 will be left as -is. I have the pieces to build a twin shock 510, when I can get around to it. That bike will receive every trick we can think of.The modern bike riders don't really notice the 86 being as old as it is. But when you pass them with a twin shocker, they notice!!!
And that's the point of all this. Because I layout and build the courses we race, I have an inherent advantage, but the riders don't notice that when I go by, they just see twin shocks and an ancient air-cooled bike, ridden by an old man, passing them ( or at least holding my own).
Scott
