Husqvarna For 1979
Husqvarna For 1979
New Frames, Longer Forks and Real Airboxes
Husqvarnas have always been designed for the purist; the guy who likes to buy a race ready or enduro ready or play ready bike. Every year Husqvarna tailors or refines models to fulfill the demands of the motocrosser, enduro rider, and desert rider. Many experienced play riders also find a Husky fills their needs perfectly. In fact Husqvarna is a master at giving one basic motorcycle several different personalities. They build many of their components in their Swedish factory, but they aren’t too proud to use the world as a supermarket. Their Motoplat ignitions come from Spain, Mikuni carburetors from Japan, pistons from Germany, tires from Czechoslovakia and Sweden, shocks from England, America and Sweden, and wheel rims from Norway.
Husqvarna’s receptiveness to rider wishes and the company's policy of quickly employing the latest components has kept sales high w'hile many other European companies wondered what happened to their buyers. Their desire to offer bikes that require little or no modification is further emphasized by their offerings for 1979.
CR250/390
A new, heavily triangulated frame leads the parade for ’79. Made from heat-treated chrome-moly tubing, it sports two large backbone tubes and makes room for a real airbox, a first for Husky. The superbly designed plastic airbox contains a foam filter with 55% more filter area and allows a filter change in less than 10 sec. The frame’s head angle has been steepened again and now measures 30.5.° The large diameter chrome-moly swing arm looks the same but has been widened ½ in. at its front. Suspension travel has taken a big jump and measures 11.8 in. at both wheels. Forks are 35mm diameter, Husqvarna made leading-axle units with springs and air caps to allow adjustability. Remote reservoir Ohlin shocks are furnished and have new softer damping and spring rates. The motors are mostly the same except for new pipes that give wider powerbands, and new transmission ratios for the 390. The wider powerband has allowed the use of the same transmission ratios as those used on the OR models. The CR250 keeps the same ratios as last year.
125CR
The 125 Husky engine boasts a new cylinder for 1979, and the little 6-speed has adopted last year’s 250 frame and 17 in. rear wheel. Suspension travel measures 9.5 in. at both wheels and the wheel base has been stretched to 57.4 in. A new pipe to complement the new porting, and a blue gas tank lets you know it’s different.
OR250/390
The new ORs also receive the latest frame and 11.8 in. travel forks. Gas charged Curnutt Shocks are used and provide 11.0 in. of rear wheel travel. A 3-gal. gas tank, folding shift lever and Gunner Gasser throttle mean you have little to add. A new double walled 86db(A) pipe keeps the ORs off-road legal. Like all Huskys, a good side stand is furnished, a much appreciated item when it’s necessary to open a gate or get off the machine for any reason. The new geometry has stretched the wheelbase to 58.5 in. and the seat height to 38 in.
We were highly impressed by our 1979 OR test bike. (see Jan. 1979) A tour bus couldn’t be smoother across rough terrain and horsepower is fantastic.
WR250/390
WRs have also received the new frame/ swing arm package but their wheelbase is shorter (57.3 in.) and wheel travel is 9.5 in. at both ends. The shorter travel (compared to the CRs/ORs) allows quicker turning for the woods rider. Shorter forks mean the seat height is also lower, and the machine is easier to wrestle around in slower sections. Husqvarna built forks and Ohlin shocks with enduro damping give a plush, precise feel. A heavy flywheel and wide ratio transmission let it act like a tractor when needed. Standard items like a VDO speedometer, side stand, enduro lighting, rim saver tires and spark arrester make the WRs almost perfect.
