firebolter
Husqvarna
AA Class
Well I finally got my 165 all together and took it out yesterday to break it in. I built this up on a new/left over 2013 WR125. Install of the kit is pretty simple (like building most 2 stroke motors is!).
Ride conditions. 27 degrees with some slight frost on the ground. After following my buddy around with his studded tires, the ground got muddy/mushy.
Bike. Walt 165 kit with a Lectron carb with the 3XL needle Kelly designed for the Husky's. Stock gearing (for now) 13/50 and a FMF Fatty. I have a 200SX pipe coming from Walt. Radiators filled with ZipTy XF2 coolant and AS3 hoses with no thermostat. 10W40 Castrol oil in the tranny. Fuel mixed at 40:1 with Motorex 2T racing oil.
Break in. Did 2 heat cycles of 10 min with slight blips here and there throughout the 10 min sessions. Let the bike completely cool between the 2 10 min periods. Bike smoked a fair amount due to the excess 2T oil in the crank case I put on the mains and small rod bearings during assembly. Once that was cleaned out, smoke was minimal to none for the rest of the day. After the 2 heat cycles, I cranked it up and rode for 15-20 minutes just cruising around. Never got it up on the pipe or made the Power Valves open. Bike pulled good. I had to use the clutch some in the woods on uphills (mostly due to gearing) and used first for all of the trails except for the flat stuff where I could easily pull 2nd through the trees.
After the first ride session, I let it cool then rode it for a loop on the trail that included muddy uphills with tree crossings halfway up and some rooty/snotty stuff in the muck. Bike ran great. Opened it up a couple times for short duration's to get the motor up into the power band and scream a little. Just like I remember, things start going by real fast once the motor is spinning up.
At the end of the ride, I was at 1.2 on the hour meter. Cleaned off the mud with the power washer. cranked it up and ran the gas out of the float bowl and then loaded up. One of the nice things about riding at my buddies place is he has a built in power washer back at the garage with hot water! Love going home with a clean bike!
Impressions--Like the power. While is doesn't pull with massive authority down low right off idle, it pulls good and considering I was using the stock gearing of 13/50, it did well. I was able to hook up in the mud and not spin the tire much and pull hills very well without having to rev the motor into the Power Valve. I love when it does hit, you get the "Angry Bees" sound going and acceleration picks up briskly. I really don't think I want to put an autoclutch on this motor though. I just don't see it pulling one well right off idle. I have one on my 300 and it works great, but I think I will ride the 165 for a while without one. Kinda nice doing the clutch work with that little motor. It seems to lug just fine without one and I was idling through the tight stuff and hardly ever had to work the clutch for fear of stalling the little motor.
Gearing, think I will definitely go up 2 teeth in the rear. I have the 52 already but I wanted to get a feel for it stock first. 2 teeth up should make 2nd gear more woods usable in the tight stuff without sacrificing top end much.
Fueling. Seems pretty good. Idles well once warmed up. I did not touch the Lectron as delivered. I had a small amount of splooge on the exit but nothing major. I will wait until I get the 200SX pipe on there and more break in time on the motor before I play with that. The 200SX pipe might be enough to clean it up and make it even better. Lectron's are so easy to adjust anyway. For now, I like that is is a little rich while the motor is setting in. Throttle response is quick and crisp. If I rolled it on slowly there is a slight hesitation in the transition between slide and PJ, but not bad. If I nail it quick it goes right past it, so if anything, maybe a 1/8th turn lean on the PJ would do it, but again, I'll wait till I get the 200SX pipe on there.
I can see this being a favorite woods ride easily. Brakes are Husky awesome. That little buggar will stop fast and they feel so good. Way better than my Berg (KTM) braking. I mean I'll still take the 300 to Colorado, but the 165 will probably be my main woods bike unless I need a plated ride or am going to where the additional power comes in handy like out west or up in the high elevations of Colorado and the like.
Good fun! Thanks Walt and Kelly for the parts and advice. She's a spicy meatball!
Ride conditions. 27 degrees with some slight frost on the ground. After following my buddy around with his studded tires, the ground got muddy/mushy.
Bike. Walt 165 kit with a Lectron carb with the 3XL needle Kelly designed for the Husky's. Stock gearing (for now) 13/50 and a FMF Fatty. I have a 200SX pipe coming from Walt. Radiators filled with ZipTy XF2 coolant and AS3 hoses with no thermostat. 10W40 Castrol oil in the tranny. Fuel mixed at 40:1 with Motorex 2T racing oil.
Break in. Did 2 heat cycles of 10 min with slight blips here and there throughout the 10 min sessions. Let the bike completely cool between the 2 10 min periods. Bike smoked a fair amount due to the excess 2T oil in the crank case I put on the mains and small rod bearings during assembly. Once that was cleaned out, smoke was minimal to none for the rest of the day. After the 2 heat cycles, I cranked it up and rode for 15-20 minutes just cruising around. Never got it up on the pipe or made the Power Valves open. Bike pulled good. I had to use the clutch some in the woods on uphills (mostly due to gearing) and used first for all of the trails except for the flat stuff where I could easily pull 2nd through the trees.
After the first ride session, I let it cool then rode it for a loop on the trail that included muddy uphills with tree crossings halfway up and some rooty/snotty stuff in the muck. Bike ran great. Opened it up a couple times for short duration's to get the motor up into the power band and scream a little. Just like I remember, things start going by real fast once the motor is spinning up.
At the end of the ride, I was at 1.2 on the hour meter. Cleaned off the mud with the power washer. cranked it up and ran the gas out of the float bowl and then loaded up. One of the nice things about riding at my buddies place is he has a built in power washer back at the garage with hot water! Love going home with a clean bike!
Impressions--Like the power. While is doesn't pull with massive authority down low right off idle, it pulls good and considering I was using the stock gearing of 13/50, it did well. I was able to hook up in the mud and not spin the tire much and pull hills very well without having to rev the motor into the Power Valve. I love when it does hit, you get the "Angry Bees" sound going and acceleration picks up briskly. I really don't think I want to put an autoclutch on this motor though. I just don't see it pulling one well right off idle. I have one on my 300 and it works great, but I think I will ride the 165 for a while without one. Kinda nice doing the clutch work with that little motor. It seems to lug just fine without one and I was idling through the tight stuff and hardly ever had to work the clutch for fear of stalling the little motor.
Gearing, think I will definitely go up 2 teeth in the rear. I have the 52 already but I wanted to get a feel for it stock first. 2 teeth up should make 2nd gear more woods usable in the tight stuff without sacrificing top end much.
Fueling. Seems pretty good. Idles well once warmed up. I did not touch the Lectron as delivered. I had a small amount of splooge on the exit but nothing major. I will wait until I get the 200SX pipe on there and more break in time on the motor before I play with that. The 200SX pipe might be enough to clean it up and make it even better. Lectron's are so easy to adjust anyway. For now, I like that is is a little rich while the motor is setting in. Throttle response is quick and crisp. If I rolled it on slowly there is a slight hesitation in the transition between slide and PJ, but not bad. If I nail it quick it goes right past it, so if anything, maybe a 1/8th turn lean on the PJ would do it, but again, I'll wait till I get the 200SX pipe on there.
I can see this being a favorite woods ride easily. Brakes are Husky awesome. That little buggar will stop fast and they feel so good. Way better than my Berg (KTM) braking. I mean I'll still take the 300 to Colorado, but the 165 will probably be my main woods bike unless I need a plated ride or am going to where the additional power comes in handy like out west or up in the high elevations of Colorado and the like.
Good fun! Thanks Walt and Kelly for the parts and advice. She's a spicy meatball!
