Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126077
• IAbovel Kent Howerton shows the quick handling of the new 30 degree frame. IBelow l 384cc's of to rquey horsepower make the 390 CR a pote nt power pack. First impressions of the new production racers available in January By Jim Gianatsis he invitation read , ..... we've got some prett y new and exciting stuff to show you this year." It was a letter fro m Husqva rna's Bo b Drake inviting Cycle News to an excellent press preview of the new 1977 m odels in San Diego . Chief Design Engineer, Ru bin Helmin from Sweden was -en hand to intro d uce and explain the T new m od els d uring a morning seminar. That afternoon everyone loaded u p th eir riding gear and headed out to Ca rlsbad Raceway for first hand riding impressi ns of the new bikes . Nils Arne Nilsson ex plained the deta il refinements on the new Wide Ra tio model Huskys to us ; th ings like dual ra te rear springs, re-designed triple clamps and swingarm mo unted side stands . Before long though , we had wandered over to where the new Close Ratio 250 and 390cc bikes were parked , took one look. and started throwing on our riding gear. For the next three Impression hours the motocross hotshots of Cycle .News were out on the Carlsbad track whipping across whoop-des and pitching berms with the two all new CR models from Husky. The testing session en ded when darkness began to engulf the track and the Husky folks pulled us , kicking and screaming, off the bikes. It could hardly be called a real testing session , b u t first riding impressions of the new CR models left us .m ore than excited with their power, handling, and engineering design . The 250 and 390 CRs were two of the neatest bikes we've ever ridden. I can't wait 't ill I get to race one ," exclaimed Kent H owerto n who did some styling for our camera with the new 390cc bike. Though Brad Lackey has been racing a 390cc prototype all this season , Kent has been using the proven 360 CR Husky in th e Trans-AMA Series and earlier in the year to win the 500cc National Cha mpionship . Co m pared to the 360 CR , the new 390cc h as even mo re gobs of low end po wer. It pu lls like a tractor at low revs while accelerating once the throttle is wicked on hard with the strongest, yet most 'ma n ageable, powerband we've ever felt in an O pen class bike . So what's new? A first look at the new 250 and 390 reveals the new lo ng travel leading axle forks from Husky, b ut not m uch more . O n closer ex amination it soo n becomes apparent th at both bikes are a lm ost complete new IBe lowl Husky's new leading axle front forks are excellent. strong and flex free . The front and rear backing plate are the same. European tires are an extra bonus. designsl Begi n ning with the forks, the Husky leading axle units have 9 ~ inches of travel. Each lower slider. tube contains two oil seals and a reversed scraper seal. Inside the fork tubes are a set of dual rate springs, one short and one long . The shorter spring will be available in different rates to adjust preload and tu ne the forks for different track conditions and ridin styles. The triple clamps are now cast a luminu rather than stamped steel, with two lower pinch bOl on each side and rubber mounting for the handlebars Even the handlebars a re changed in that the cro brace is repositioned lower inside the bend so levers may be slid in closer when bars are shortened fo possible woods use . ' . The frame is new, featuring a stee per steering head angle decreased from 32 to 30 degrees for quic steering in tight turns , long a complaint with Huskys. The leading axle forks help retain high -speed stability, with the quicker steering. Along wit h the redesign ed fra me are longer gas Girli ng shoc ks with exce llent dua rate springs whi ch provide 10 inches of rear whee travel. T he swingarm is' longer with needle _ beart g; n bushi ngs, and the pivot point moved closer to the countershaft sprocket. Exact measurements are 5m down and 10m m forward towards the sprocket which allows the chain to keep a more constant tension b m aking the swingarm radius less in distance as the rear wheel travels. Ch ain alignment and tension is also kept in check with a chain gui de , a nylo n chain box