WR125 DR Tested

[robertaccio]

http://www.dirtrider.com/reviews/motocross/141_1002_2010_husqvarna_wr125_first_test/index.html

 

[HuskyMax]

Karel Kramer
6'1"/205 lb./Senior B rider

""Starting, carburetion, clutch action, off-idle tug and high rpm pull are all great, but what happened in the middle? I know that this engine is behind a KTM 125, and I remember the older Husky and Cagiva engines being better. I'm sure there is a simple fix, but where will we find a Husky 125 expert in the U.S.? ""


How can these guys be trusted to evaluate bikes if they've never heard of CH?

 

[Joe Chod]

CH 125 posse to the rescue! Karel..........plane tickets to Cali for the lot of us.......First Class of course........

 

[NWRider]

It's too bad that Husky could not get the bike sorted for the test. Without the midrange bog the review would have been all positive.

 

[WoodsChick]

Wow...That would have been a stellar review had they gotten the thing tuned properly before riding it. Who gave them this bike? Husky? If so, the blame falls squarely on Husqvarna's shoulders.

Any of you WR125 riders want to leave comments at the end of that review? All you need to do is sign up and fire away. Maybe someone needs to point them in our direction. I mean, if they're looking for Husky experts here in the US, they need look no further.

I would also highly recommend sending in a letter to be published in their magazine. I would do it myself but I don't actually own one...
yet




WoodsChick

 

[ajaxauto]

I beleive that is the same bike Ty Davis just raced at Round 2 of the National Hare and Hound .Ty adjusted the power valves and now there is nobog i saw the the bike i heard it run .I saw the stock Wr 125 pull the holeshot against the KTM 150 Shane Watts was on and other riders in the under 200 class .To bad the muffler broke and he dnf. This is also the same bike that Bobby Garrison just won the Adalando Gran Prix on .So the bike can and does now run better just wish they
would do a retest Lets just hope Husky has a plan for this little 125 hate to see it get returned to the life of a magazine test bike
Keep the pressure on 125 fans keep the 125 thread going and maybe we might just see the 125 out racing more

 

[robertaccio]

The DR staff is open to letters and suggestions. They previously printed one of my notes concerning the 450 eval. They are really a bunch of moto enthusiasts, but being in their position, they are used to being handed top (dialed in stuff) level machinery. 125 bretheren can send in the "fix" and remind them how easy 2Ts are work on and make fixes to. minutes instead of hours of labor. Get that ZipTy tuned 125 back to the DR staff!!


I was reminded 2x in recent months, Just got through doing a non case splitting full everything else rebuild of friends 94 KX125, all seals, all gaskets except center case, filed clutch basket, new PV components, fresh ring, new reeds etc etc , it was just a pleasure in its simplicity (before this one, much the same with my sons RM125). I am so glad the Euros are sticking with the 2T, one is on my list for future moto. Prolly a 250

 

[ajaxauto]

Robert you can always ride my Wr 250 or my CR 125 park that 4 stroke and come have some real fun

 

[Flyin]

I sent Jimmy an email on 2/12 telling him to check with Halls for the powervalve springs.
I also told him to get the head done...but that's my standard response to any 2-stroke question

 

[pvduke]

The standard jetting lets the bike run clean and crisp though we liked it with a slightly leaner clip position, especially above sea level. Also, we ran a conservative 32:1 gas/oil ratio since we knew we'd be running this bike hard most of the time and that showed up with residue at the muffler junction and end cap in constant slow going.

The standard jetting won't get you down the driveway- it's the EPA jetting and the bike BARELY idles with it.

Idiots.

What main, PJ, AS settings and oil were these tools using?
Complaint: bogs in the middle. Yet, they leaned it out? Did they mess with it AT ALL to try and get it right, or just condem it and ride it around bogging?

"Hey, Karel, it bogs! What do I do?"
"Keep riding it you fool, I'm losing the light for the pics!"

My bike runs fine, no bog, with the right jetting- stone stock too. I've ridden a ton of 125's since '88 and this '09 rips and rips freakin HARD.
Former N1 125 plate holder I rode with two weeks ago thinks the same thing.
I sure aint using 32:1 type oil either.

Yet another "fine" example of off-road journalism. (sarc)

Next they'll complain about the "weak" alloy kickstand breaking off while sitting on the bike.

Dirt Rider = ZERO cred.

Kramer....

 

[pvduke]

Article Comments
125ridrr (Today 08:46 AM)


A couple of things here guys.

Firstly- the "standard jetting" is EPA stuff...and won't get you down the driveway.

Secondly- if the bike bogs, don't drop the needle, raise it. And 32:1, for trail use? What oil?
Try Motul 710 T2, 50:1.

You guys need a technical advisor or mechanic? Let me know. I'm available for a full time position and am local.

Thanks,

- kevin

 

[NWRider]

I must disagree with much of what is being posted here. It is easy to blame the magazine but I believe the fault lies with Husqvarna once again dropping the ball when it comes to setting up a test bike.
The midrange bog is not unique to this one bike and is not a jetting issue. Several people right on this very forum have had the exact same problem and no amount of jetting fixed it. Eventually it was learned that the power valve could be adjusted to take the bog away. I do not expect the magazine editors to figure that out. I do expect Husqvarna engineers to though, instead a very dedicated member of this community found the solution.
Ajaxauto stated that this very same WR125 needed to have the power valve adjusted, then it ran fine and Ty Davis raced it. See this thread http://www.cafehusky.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8367 .

 

[boisedave]

I must disagree with much of what is being posted here. It is easy to blame the magazine but I believe the fault lies with Husqvarna once again dropping the ball when it comes to setting up a test bike.
The midrange bog is not unique to this one bike and is not a jetting issue. Several people right on this very forum have had the exact same problem and no amount of jetting fixed it. Eventually it was learned that the power valve could be adjusted to take the bog away. I do not expect the magazine editors to figure that out. I do expect Husqvarna engineers to though, instead a very dedicated member of this community found the solution.
Ajaxauto stated that this very same WR125 needed to have the power valve adjusted, then it ran fine and Ty Davis raced it. See this thread http://www.cafehusky.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8367 .

+1. This thing should be corrected by the time it gets to the mags.

Its this sort of stuff that made me hesitate when I bought my current bike. I love Husky's and am willing to do what I can to get them to work for me. I am not prepared to spend hours and hours fixing a design issue, etc.. I only have so many hours to ride and I want a MINIMUM of hassle. For me, it was worth the extra $$$ to get a pumkin'.

That being said -- Husky is improving and I don't foresee this being an issue too much longer. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day -- its going to take time.

 

[ajaxauto]

Now this months Trans World Motocross magazine is all over them selfs talking about the KTM 150 They could not stop saying it was the best little 2 stroke they ever tested Why do hey love orange so much
PLEASE Husky get a CR 125 or 144 over here so they can do heads up testagainst the Husky Then let them try to say the KTM is better

 

[razornpc]

we should have eddie scissorsupthenose jet that baby! then him and jimmy lewis can get back at eachothers thoats! that would be fun!

mine as a bog because its WAAAAAAAAY rich right now, my normal jetting is a bit rich but its how i like the bike. it works very well for me.

 

[Husky Relic]

The bike was perfectly jetted when delivered. Ty Davis and I both rode it. Bewteen the two of us we know when a bike is jetted correctly.

When we picked the bike back up from Dirt Rider the jetting was all jacked up. Apparently they elected to change it right from the start. We used the same bike for Bobby to win Adelanto over the weekend. They also fiddled with the powervalve setting. We put it back to the original position and the bike ran fine.

Working with the magazines is never an easy thing to do. Lots of bias, preconceived notions and a huge dose of unfamiliarity especially in Husqvarna's case since it has been dormant for so long and also since quite frankly the competition has been doing a very, very good job for many years in this area(don't forget I managed the Marketing and Media Relations for KTM for 20 years). In a way I'm now having to fight much of what I created.

It will take Husqvarna time to turn things around with the mags. It took us almost 10 years at KTM before we started getting really good press reviews. And that was only after we convinced the factory to make changes to the standard settings on the bikes so we could get better reviews. Fortunately the Husqvarna factory is listening and I don't think it will take as long to turn things around here.

Of course it certainly would help if there were more aftremarket solutions for our bike. These types of modifications are abundantly available for the other OEs. We are definitely lacking in this area. Unfortunately until we sell more bikes we won't have more aftermarket support.

You can blame me if you want but that is very simplistic. Unfortunately, the magazine testing process is much more complicated than that.

 

[pvduke]

The bike was perfectly jetted when delivered.
When we picked the bike back up from Dirt Rider the jetting was all jacked up. Apparently they elected to change it right from the start. .

I've been tryin' to tell ya guys about these mags.


Thanks for the backup, HR. Good post

 

[boisedave]

Thanks for the info Scott -- I appreciate the feedback. You wouldn't think magazine testing would be so difficult -- but I guess everyone has an angle, even test editors...

What we need is for Consumer Reports to start testing motorcycles.

 

[speedkills]

I don't think a Consumer Reports test would have came out any different. To make sure they get a realistic customer experience and aren't sent a modified perfectly setup test item Consumer Reports buys all of their test items retail, as a customer would. They make no changes, they just ride them.

A Consumer Reports test would have ended with them saying the bike would barely run, using it's EPA jetting. The end.

Overall though I wasn't suprised to read the Dirt Rider article and agree with it. Even if they messed with the jetting and powervalve to somehow get it back to what you would buy from the dealer is that wrong? They reported on the real customer experience, as you can easily see by checking my threads or Walt's, our bikes ran exactly like this stock, no mid-range with a huge bog.

Asking them to test and report on a bike setup for Ty Davis is like taking James Stewarts YZ450F SX race bike and calling it a review of the 2010 YZ450F. It's just not accurate. For anyone that wants to buy a 2010 WR125 let's just be honest, it's an awesome bike that is super fun but there is a very good chance you will struggle with fuel capacity and a mid-range bog. Yes, you can work around it, but that's probably what your brand new Husky experience will be.

And yes I love my WR125, but no I won't make apologies for it. It has it's problems, mid-range bog is by far the most well known of them. I am really a little surprised that people are beating up on Dirt Rider for reporting their actual experiences, which seem to mirror actual customer experiences a lot more closely than Ty Davis'.

 

[pvduke]

1- Asking them to test and report on a bike setup for Ty Davis is like taking James Stewarts YZ450F SX race bike and calling it a review of the 2010 YZ450F. It's just not accurate.

2-For anyone that wants to buy a 2010 WR125 let's just be honest, it's an awesome bike that is super fun but there is a very good chance you will struggle with fuel capacity and a mid-range bog. Yes, you can work around it, but that's probably what your brand new Husky experience will be.

3- And yes I love my WR125, but no I won't make apologies for it. It has it's problems, mid-range bog is by far the most well known of them. I am really a little surprised that people are beating up on Dirt Rider for reporting their actual experiences, which seem to mirror actual customer experiences a lot more closely than Ty Davis'.

1- the bike was not set up for Ty, per say, he wasn't testing it. DR was and it was jetted for propper running. JS also ride's a Yamy in name only- almost none of his bike is off the shelf.

2- short of coming with a 3.2 + gal tank and someone else jetting the bike for you that's pretty much how every bike i've ever taken delivery of has needed...i've had well over 50 and it comes with the territory like jetting/adjusting susp. for diff conditions and such. It's a total and complete no-brainer in the dirt world that darn near every bike will need at least some fiddling with by the rider for a custom/propper fit- at the very minimum. and i've only found a dealer or two that will go through the many motions, hours and a tank of gas finding my personal set-up to the "T".

3- DR dropped the ball in that they changed the jetting/PV, in the wrong direction, on a bike that ran fine- then failed to mention this. there was no mechanical/design defect (like the old bad batch of PV's that have been corrected) with the test bike. it ran fine on delivery. my 09 needed jetting from the git go. it would not even idle for more than a few seconds when i got it home that night w/ the EPA jetting.
i made some jetting changes the next day and it was on....i publicly invite Kramer to test thrash my '09 125- it's stone stock out of the box sans the jetting and by golly does it rip.

if your ride(s) was/were wrong and it was more than jetting, that does not factor in here...and i've been in that boat as well (with all brands)and the dealer got the call and made it right or it got taken back and my money was not so cheerfully refunded.
your bike and this test bike had/have two diff issues. if your bike still bogs and has the updated PV's something else it wrong. mine has the update PV's and does not bog.
the test bike was delivered running fine per Scott and i'll take his word over Kramers anyday.
DR and others have tossed us some wierd curves here too...Husky aint the only "H" brand getting mixed messages from mags.

nuttin personal man... just the facts.