Husqvarna Commando
HUSQVARNA COMMANDO
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
HUSQVARNA'S COMMANDO Sportsman 250 T is a misfit. The maker does not intend it to be a 100 percent road machine, or an all-out competition racer. Rather, the Commando is aimed at the many motorcyclists who want an off-road bike that frequently can be used for short distance trips on the highway.
Unfortunately, its aim is slightly off-target. Husqvarna equipped the Commando with a lighting set, a brake light, and a mounting plate for the license tag. But the factory neglected to add a speedometer, an adequate silencing system, and a rear view mirror.
Also lacking is a battery electrical system; this can lead to difficulties in states which require headlamps to remain aglow when the engine is switched off.
The result is that although the Commando has some of the fittings necessary for street riding, it still is not street legal in many areas. If the customer wishes to use it as an all-purpose mount, he must spend additional money to equip the bike for the road.
The Commando does have a silencer, but the unit does not effectively soften the engine’s harsh, racy note. A ride through city streets could easily attract police.
However, these faults only affect the Commando’s suitability for the road, and do not detract from its excellence as a trail machine. The bike is descended from Husqvarna’s fine range of scrambles and motocross machines, and its parentage is very obvious.
Many of the Commando’s components are similar to those used on Husqvarna’s 250-cc motocross model. The engine, for example, is identical on both machines, with very oversquare bore and stroke dimensions of 69.5 mm by 64.5 mm.
Needle roller bearings are used at both ends of the connecting rod, and the crankshaft is carried on double ball bearings. Primary drive is by gear, to the wet multi-plate clutch and four-speed gearbox.
Like so much else on the Commando, the frame is simple, but effective. It is a heavier design, but is less expensive than the scrambler frame. It is of single down tube design, with a larger diameter main tube curving down behind the engine. A “bash” plate and 9.5 in. of ground clearance give the Commando plenty of protection from rocks.
The Commando attracts attention wherever sporting motorcyclists gather. Clearly, Husqvarna’s world motocross championship-winning efforts have not passed unnoticed in America. And the Commando’s black-painted cylinder finning and crankcase, and its red and silver fuel tank unmistakably brand it a Husqvarna product.
Riding the Commando is even better than admiring it. The long black seat offers plenty of comfort for two adults—an important item when so many riders take wives, children, or girlfriends into the boondocks. The pillion rider also has a sturdy pair of footrests.
Relationship between handlebars and footpegs is good, so the rider can stand or sit with equal comfort.
The fuel tank is very un-American—it is huge and accepts 4.2 gal. of fuel. This may not fit in with the current trend of ultra-small “sprint” tanks, but such a vast capacity will keep even the toughest trailsman moving all day without need for a fuel stop.
The exhaust system is equally impressive in size, but does not heat the legs of either driver or passenger.
Even with its street equipment, the Commando weighs only 240 lb., which is approximately 35 lb. more than Husqvarna’s 250-cc motocross machine. This light weight enables the rider to fling the Commando about readily. Handling is as accurate and precise as the motocross model. Wheelbase is 3 in. longer, at 57.5 in.
The engine’s claimed output is 24 bhp at 5000 rpm. This is enough to give the Commando brisk acceleration and sustained power at medium and high rpm, as the machine’s quarterand eighth-mile times indicate.
Low speed torque is not so good, and the Commando certainly cannot be trickled along like a trials bike.
Pedal movements for the gearbox are short and positive, and the box is so sweet to use that changes above second gear, either up or down, easily can be made without the need to touch the clutch lever.
Both brakes kill speed quickly, and have plenty of “feel” in the control levers. The brakes are made by the English Motoloy firm, and clearly are designed for use in the dirt. This would explain why they are disappointing when the Commando is ridden on the street.
The Commando has almost twice as much brake swept area as the 250 Husqvarna scrambler. This is because the Englishmade brake drums are slightly larger in diameter, and about twice as wide. But this does not mean that the Motoloy units are anything like twice as good as the very expensive racing Husqvarna brakes.
The Commando is easy to ride, forgiving to the man who makes mistakes, and a lot of fun. It’s a pity that Husqvarna did not complete the job of making it a street-legal trail bike. ■
HUSQVARNA COMMANDO 250T
$949
