250-500cc Why Should I Buy A Husky Wr 300?

[marcmo0]

That was beautiful

 

[454x]

That it was!!

 

[lankydoug]

Now I can't decide wether I want a sno-cone or a slushie.

 

[BILLF]

The Clarke tank fits fine, but doesnt have the low hanging areas common on some other tanks, this makes it easy to get to the engine though. Unless you are doing serious distance you probably wont need the bigger tank. Stocker will handle a 90 minute GP under normal conditions.

 

[rockdancer]

I think if you do get a WR 250/300 you should probably go with a 2010 or newer. Unless it is a screaming deal on a '09. The digital ignition is supposed to be smoother and good for a little more power, I think the pipe may also be improved. It's a tough call and I rode a '12 ktm 250 XC yesterday in flip flops. Too soon to tell but the nastier the conditions the better for the Husky.

I think its 2011 only that has digital ignition

Yeh - Good bunch of guys on here

 

[Rob578]

Here's my take, I have an '09 300 did the PWK swap, bolted on the race head. When it's jetted right the motor is awesome, informal drag racing with a friend's CR450f show it's nearly dead even until the Husky runs out of gears.

I'm 6'2" and the bike fits, it's big and roomy. I don't have any issues with the suspension, the zoke forks do need to taken apart and cleaned out. I think that's the "love" Kelly mentioned

Also don't have any issues with the fuel tank, maybe it's the way I ride or the jetting but I can manage 80 miles without hitting reserve.

People complain about it not having a hydraulic clutch...... I don't see the issue, the clutch is fine. Kickstarter is a pain, if your boots are slick and your foot slips off it will bring tears to your eyes as it impales your calf muscles.

Not ridden any of the newer pumpkins so I can't offer any comparison. I do have a WR250F and there's no comparison it feels like a tank. I did ride a CR450X, nice motor, weird suspension, when I went to hand it back over to the owner I promptly dropped it on the ground, didn't anticipate how top heavy it was compared to the Husky.

 

[BikeSDP]

It's not much of a technical answer, but I kind of find myself riding in a sea of orange out here and I'm enjoying being pretty much the only 2-stroke Husky at any given riding area. The orange guys seem to cluster together

 

[Rob578]

It's not much of a technical answer, but I kind of find myself riding in a sea of orange out here and I'm enjoying being pretty much the only 2-stroke Husky at any given riding area. The orange guys seem to cluster together

I've seen it myself, they pass around the pumpkin kool-aid before they ride.

 

[utopia]

I've seen it myself, they pass around the pumpkin kool-aid before they ride.

There seems to be Kool-Aid of many colors in the dirt-bike world. I have had a drink of the red kool-aid that gets passed around here and from my experience it has been a little bitter. I don't give a hoot about brand loyalty really. I just want a good reliable bike. To be honest, I guess I do prefer the euro stuff over the japanese (mainly because the euros make better focused enduro bikes - and I like 2-strokes).

That being said, here's my honest experience for the OP:

I have an 07 ktm 250 xcw (with 300 hrs) and an 09 husky wr250 (with 45 hours) and several other bikes as well. So far I have spent at least as much time working on the Husky as riding it. Right off the bat: Spinning subframe inserts, power valve opening limit plate was not tightened and gave me fits trying to mess with jetting until I figured out that was the problem and it was sticking open. I have been chasing coolant leaks from hose connections and the right radiator non-stop. It has not had any significant hits and it is not bent. It just keeps developing new leaks usually about 3-4 hours after having it repaired. Poor dealer service too - they did some funky wiring on the headlight and whatever they did, when I went to hook up the speedo, I cant find where to plug in the wheel sensor. Via email and telephone I asked them twice - they said they would look into it and never got back to be. And why do they keep making these bikes with the Mikuni that is so weird and time consuming to jet - I mean sometimes it just runs differently from one ride to the next without me changing anything. You shouldn't have to replace the carb on a new bike and you shouldn't have to constantly make jetting changes trying to get it right. Oh, and a lot of loose bolts and nuts - I went over the complete bike and retorqued everything when I first got it and it was amazing how many bolts weren't very tight. Since the bike is apart now for radiator repair, I'm going to pull the top end apart to check the power valve - because I don't trust that it has been set properly from the beginning. The ktm, I just ride and ride and ride - just doing routine maintenance and it never misses a beat. It runs great from 4500-8500 ft with no more than a twist of the air screw (and it probably would do fine without that). Also I weighed them both and the Husky was 13 lbs heavier. Oh, and the Husky Service Manual is a joke on jetting - It has like 4 or 5 places with completely different "recommended standard settings". (Maybe that's because it changes from one day to the next and they wanted to cover their bases, he he).

On a positive Husky note: I like the ergos of the Husky better (I'm 6'-3" tall). And I think the Husky turns better and generally handles better than the 07 ktm. You really can only feel the extra weight when picking up the back end to put it on a stand. When I ride the Husky standing I almost feel like I'm on my trials bike - like I could ride over anything (although I'm no Taddy for sure) - it just feels really good. I don't doubt that the Husky will last a very long time. Other than the PIA issues it seems pretty bomber. And the looks of the Husky 2-strokes are better than anything out there, not that that is a huge deal, but I do think they look cool. And I get a lot of comments from other people saying the same. There is also a wealth of information here on this site and some good and helpful people here to help you fix the little quirks too.

So there's my honest opinion. I liked the Husky enough that I had my KTM up for sale. It hasn't sold and I am glad it didn't with all of the downtime of the WR due to radiator repairs. I think if I were buying a new bike today I would seriously be considering a Husaberg TE250 (Basically a "Blue" KTM). I do love that hydraulic clutch.

 

[raisrx251]

Wow, that is the first time I have heard issues of coolant leaks on a WR. I am not doubting you, just never heard of that issue. Also did you mean subframe spinning insert and not the swing arm?

 

[Clete]

After reading some of these last posts on this thread, it made me think the last time I rode. I have an '02 CR/WR250, yellow and blue. Me an my brother end up running into a guy on a KTM 250 2T. We're sitting at this gravel road intersection, bullshitting. The guys asks me, "Is that Husky 2-stroke?". I'm thinking to myself, really, did he just ask that? Holy shit! Must have been the Orange

 

[utopia]

Wow, that is the first time I have heard issues of coolant leaks on a WR. I am not doubting you, just never heard of that issue. Also did you mean subframe spinning insert and not the swing arm?

Subframe inserts.

 

[lankydoug]

I have an 09 WR250 and a 03 GasGas 200 so I have no comparison to a KTM except that when I looked at comparable KTMs they were priced $1,000 higher than the Husky that I bought. I agree with utopia that the Husky bike is tall man friendly and since I'm 6'6" that is a big plus for me. The feel of the Husky while standing and riding through the tight stuff is awesome and at high speed my Husky is more stable feeling than my Gasser. On the flip side nothing turns as quick and nimble as my Gasser, it feels like a 7/8th scale 125 and is fun to ride but at my height I still like the Husky better. My WR250 once jetted right is a ripper. If I had bought a 300 I'm sure I'd be riding it a gear or two high just to tame it down. On a similar note if I was a better rider I may prefer my quick handling Gasser over all of them.

The bottom line that sold me on a Husky vs KTM was after $1,000 spent on the Husky to bring it to the same price as the KTM the Husky has got to be a way better bike. ( Tubliss front and back with new tires, skid plate, bark busters, pipe guard, high bars, serviced suspension and added correct rear spring for my weight, and 13:52 gearing with new chain)

 

[krieg]

I had a coolant hose leak on my '09 300. The nipple on the water pump casting was mismatched. Simple fix: 30 minutes of sanding the edges. No biggie, but I agree it's not good on a brand new bike.

 

[utopia]

I had a coolant hose leak on my '09 300. The nipple on the water pump casting was mismatched. Simple fix: 30 minutes of sanding the edges. No biggie, but I agree it's not good on a brand new bike.

That was one of the issues I had.

I also failed to mention that I bought the Husky in 2010 as a leftover for $4900 OTD! That was a big factor in my decision to try a Husky.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

I would not blink twice to change from my KTM back to a Husky as far as dirt bikes go... The 2 stroke HVA's are dependable & competitive. I think you'd be very happy on the red & black

 

[ohmygewd]

I'd actually buy a Berg TE300 over the KTM300....although the Berg and the KTM are near identical twins, the Berg is just a better setup bike for the bush/enduro, even the delivery is different on the Berg compared to the KTM.
I want to have a play on the Gasser as l heard they are pretty agile although the price tag is a bit steep (in Oz).
That leaves the the WR300...best motor out of the bunch for enduro riding but not necessarily the latest and greatest, it has it faults or quirks, it is italian built so nonchalant things like tightening bolts can occurr but the HVA bikes are reliable.
If you can live with the quirks of the Husky like the short kickstarter, tall seat, lack of aftermarket support then you will be rewarded with, IMO, the most reliable 2t that is capable in 99% of conditions (125,250 or 300cc).
I'm coming off a 96 WR360 so the ergo's and agility of any modern bike feels better but l love the 360 motor and will never part with it...each year l contemplate updating to 300 but until HVA/BMW bring an e-start WR300 then l happy to wait.

 

[Rob578]

I paid $4800 for mine, so spending $250 for a carb and adding a P3 skid plate wasn't that painful. Isn't spending 30 minutes checking bolt torque standard protocol ?

I've had zero mechanical issues with mine

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

I paid $4800 for mine, so spending $250 for a carb and adding a P3 skid plate wasn't that painful. Isn't spending 30 minutes checking bolt torque standard protocol ?

I've had zero mechanical issues with mine

I think these days you'd better check the engine mounts & sub-frame bolts on any make of motorcycle if you don't want to lose any hardware.... Heck I've seen brand new Gas-Gas wheels need spokes tightened after 1 ride, almost screwed up the hub.

 

[ohmygewd]

PS..Gasser 300 Six Days...hmmmmmm