WTF!. The nightmare with the TC450 continues (Bought from Butches Husqvarna)

[boerbebeop]

So after buying a 2009 TC450 from Butches Husqvarna the gawd dam engine jammed up!!.

I have #*%^@ only ridden on this bike 5 hrs in total. This is after I was promised that it is a solid bike at purchase by the dealer and his son (who were the owners of the TC). I bought the bike in the middle of the MN winter and when things started thawing out I pulled the bike out of my garage and noticed the following (I posted the threads of the Cracked TC Frame earlier this year)

• The frame was cracked very badly at the head stock and on lower frame mounts - with rust in them -I welded everything and made it better
• as soon as the weather warmed up - both forks seals were leaking over my garage floor
• the head gasket is leaking on the clutch side

I drive out to Bend Oregon twice a year (from MN) to ride with a big group of friends (April & October). This year I was excited to bring the Husky out since the Husqvarna group would be out there too and I could have a beer with them and do some hard on riding. So, I get to Bend, assemble my campsite, pack out my bush kitchen, get everything ready for 5 days of rocking riding. Now I spent a shit load of hours getting the Husky ready this summer. Did both forks with new seals (Balls) and oils, added my own Tag bar configuration with custom mounts, new tires, new 48 and 12 teeth sprockets and new chain settup, checked everything.

After getting my campsite ready and helping buddies with theirs (18 guys come every year), I walk over to the TC to warm it up, with 5 guys standing around the bike it sparks up on the 3 rd kick (never had any starting issues), it idles for lets say 2 minutes or so. I get on and ride it around my trailer to fuel up..............clank clank clank dead. I thought WTF!, pulled the plug and the plug is busted in****************************************, put the plug back in lightly move the kick starter with my handn to listen to noises and now its locked up. Move the bike back and forth in gear and it loosens up. So I f**ken drove 2200 miles to show my buddies a piece of shit Husky! Luckily I am not an idiot and had brought two spare bikes (KTM 525 and my trusty Beta 450).

The last time I spoke to the owners son he was full of promises that I could buy parts a dealer cost to make up for the unsafe bike they sold me......now when I phone his dad, he tells me that he is not going to be a dealer for Husky anymore.

I have made it a point all my life to support the innovators, the "not so normall" producers and designers. I never by anthing maintream (for the most part). If everyone buys Dewald, I buy Millwaukee, everyone support Nike, I support Addidas. My dirt bikes are the same. I was really looking forward to get a Husky, that is why I bought it from a dealer (used) and trusted him.
Attached is a pick from my garage - I enjoy having fun, I am not having fun with this deal. I would for sure agree that I can not blame all of Husqvarna for one incident......but here is where I get furious, I have made the effort to phone 6 various dealers...absolutely shit for service and return calls and related information. I found one - Bills Motorcycles Plus (Bills Husky), Brian has been great and I will for sure reconmend anyone to spend money there!!.

Thanks KTM and Beta for building rock solid bikes with great dealers.

 

[Motosportz]

Don't know what to say man, those are typically pretty solid bikes. Very sorry to hear of your issues. It sucks for sure. Good luck.

 

[Phoenix]

I hate to hear about your troubles...our 09 TXC 450 has been a workhorse. Was this a brand new bike or a used bike?

 

[boerbebeop]

Thanks guys. Always good to get advice from the pro's. Now I need to strip it apart and see where the issue (s) is. I am wondering if a valve may have dropped or the piston came loose. When this thing runs, it is crazy fun and I have put tons of time into it to fine tune it for my size and riding style.....well I can only move forward.

 

[Colo moto]

Sorry to hear about your troubles with your 450. When it died did it actually make a clackety clackety clack noise, or just kind of die? If it actually made a noise similar to a marble being in the combustion chamber chances are you dropped a valve, especially if your spark plug is smashed. Easiest/quickest way to diagnose this is pull the valve cover. If one or more of the valves is stuck in an odd position, then almost certainly it dropped a valve.

I dropped a valve in a 2006 TC 450 at about 10,000 rpm so it was VERY obvious what had happened even before the bike rolled to a stop. That bike had a TON of hours on it, and almost all of them very hard/race condition hours. It lasted long enough for most of my riding buddies (ktm, honda, yamaha) to go through 2 or more bikes in the same time. Mine with out a doubt had more hours on it. The engines are very durable in my experience, so it sounds to me like your bike was very well used when you bought it.

Don't let this one experience shy you away from the brand. What you experienced is almost unheard of in the Husky world, and if you are into riding something different than the other guys then it is worth giving husky at least 1 more try.

 

[benwiggin2]

I'm glad you brought your other bikes! How was the riding?

 

[lankydoug]

Sorry about your bad luck. You've experienced the reason I would never buy a used 4t race bike. I don't think it's a brand issue, I've heard dozens of stories like yours about 4t race bikes, you can never tell when they are going to go boom especially when you have no idea about how they were maintained.

 

[boerbebeop]

Hey Guys, Colo Soto = I think that you might be right, I think the valve did drop. It for sure made a "clacking" sound, then ran for 2-3 min and then just died. This will be a good oppertunity to get into the engine and sort everything out. After ready your, Benwiggin and Lankydoug's notes I have decided to rather be positive in the sense that now after I am done the bike will be re-done from the ground up. I will get a the manual for the TC from Bill's and tackle it this winter (since we really have a winter here in MN). Will most probably do all the bearings, seals and whatever broke.

Good notes and thanks again.

 

[boerbebeop]

I'm glad you brought your other bikes! How was the riding?

Other than the Husky, the riding was awesome. A little dusty, but when spaced well you could really rock. I love it out there, great camping with awesome stars - we saw the International Space Station pass over, big camp fires, and good buddies. It really is a awesome group. Antything from XR600, KTM's (all kinds of EXC's), WR's, Beta's and even an old Yammy XT.