Husqvarna 500cr
HUSQVARNA 500CR
Did You Know Husqvarna Began As A Maker of Cannons?
They’re At It Again.
In the fast lane of open motocross, Husqvarna’s 430CR doesn’t match the brute power of the competition’s 480 and 490cc engines. The rest of the bike is a match for rival machines, so rather than build from scratch, Husky engineers have come up with larger displacement using most of the pieces already in place for the 430. (Which continues in production, by the way.)
The proper name is 500CR, and in keeping with Husqvarna’s low key approach, this is a late arrival 1982 model, rather than an '83 six months ahead of time.
The 500CR's actual displacement is 488cc, achieved with a combination of old and new. The 430’s tidy cases are retained with new cylinder, head, crank, rod, reed assembly, piston, carburetor, transmission and pipe. The new' cylinder has an 86mm bore like the 430, the increase in displacement coming from an additional 10mm of stroke. The crank is essentially a modified version of the 430. By moving the crank pin out 5mm the stroke is increased 10mm. The lower rod pin is the same size as the 430 but the top pin is larger. The piston is rather strange looking wfith its long skirts and lightening grooves above the piston pin. The crank weights are also lightened next to the pin on the outer extremes of the weights. Both improve balance. A new cylinder head still uses a centered combustion chamber with compression ratio listed at 9.5:1. The front and left side head fins are shortened so the new pipe can fit close to the engine and clear the fuel tank.
Other new parts are the giant 44mm Mikuni carb and eight-petal reed assembly with the reed housing an integral part of the cylinder. A quick turn Magura throttle operates the long stroke carburetor. Ignition is handled by an internal rotor Motoplat. The transmission is an all-new four-speed with a tall low gear designed for motocross. The clutch has been beefed to handle the extra load by using a new clutch hub with solid fingers and stiffer return springs. Interestingly, the clutch plates are the same size and number as used on the 430CRs. Primary gears and ratios are identical to the 430s.
Less noticed changes are the fork dampers. More radical tapers are used on both ends so 5 and 10 weight fork oil can be used without the usual topping and bottoming associated with thin oils and Husky forks. The silencer is also improved and now has a collar that slides over the pipe, eliminating the troublesome rubber connector used on the 430. The rear hub is also different, a separate grease seal is now used on the small side of the hub, taking the place of the shielded bearing previously used.
Husky still identifies different models by painting the aluminum tanks different colors. The 500 has a silver tank with red striping and decals. Another minor but important update is the handlebar height. A new bar with less rise is standard on the 500.
The rest of the bike is the same as earlier 430CRs. We got to sample the 500CR around Saddleback Park’s practice track, and the long stroke engine really does produce nice power. The practice track is extremely hard and slippery but the 500 put the pow'er to the ground well despite the Trelleborg tires and slightly rich jetting. The power is best described as deceptive. Low engine revs produce more power than the rider believes and it’s easy to get the bike sideways with a small amount of throttle. Revs build quickly and smoothly and the engine can be revved or lugged with indifference. It’s really nice to ride a Husky with such a well balanced engine. The four-speed gearbox has ratios selected for motocross and that means low gear is tall. “It’s designed as an open motocrosser, not an off-road machine,” says LIusky spokesman Mark Blackwell. Anyway, the 500 is very fast and should be right up in the front of the pack when dragging to the first turn. You can look for an off-road version with this top end and a five or sixspeed transmission for the ’83 model year according to Husqvarna. And the 500 cylinder, head, pipe, crank, etc. will bolt on the 430 engines if you have just wasted a bunch of parts or simply w'ant to make a 430 into a 500. We have Husky checking on the price of the parts now and we’ll be doing an update on our long-range 430WR if the cost isn’t too out of sight.
The 500CR should be available by September. Price is $2950. g]
