Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Pro Cireoit modifieatioDs Safety wire the front brake cable... Do not pull the wire screen out of the air cleaner... Disconnect and remove the automatic compression release... Keep a close eye on the intake manifold for cracks... Cradle the carb with safety wire or big plastic zip tie... Flywheel must be checked regularly and blue Loctite used on flywheel shaft... Mount taller bars (Answer, early Husky)... Add the two-inUMllle exhaust kit, which consists of the complete pipe, side panels, airbox and rnagaphone with muffler. Price for the components is $225. We tried the exhaust setup and its performance was excellent. The extra power is very evident, the 4.5 inches lost in width alone is worth the price and the weight loss certainly doesn't hurt either. Exhaust noise is up but not enough to be considered loud. In fact the megaphone creates a very distinctive exhaust note that impressed everyone who rode the bike. By Larry Langley Mitch Payton's Pro Circuit has already come up with an exhaust system which provides three improvements over stock: I. Eliminates about 4.5 pounds of excess weight. 2. Gains 4-5 horsepower. 3. Eliminates 4.5 inches of width right where it needs it the most. Payton had to build a complete new airbox because the routing of the two-into-one exhaust had no other place to go. The stock airbox could possibly be modified but it would have to be patched. Since the stock pipes are two separate units, a whole new exhaust system had to be built. lY . 1 gone. To nullIfy that advantage, we o then raced from a moving stan in low z. gear. Again the [our-stroke was [aster but with a smaller margin. In trail t riding situations, we were impressed ? with the mOlOr. Lots o[ power, com~. bined with the heavy flywheel, let us 'fchugour way up the gnarliest uphills bilround. Throule response was excel_ lent. The transmission is a six-speed, which is overkill. ~ Five speeds would have been more 1 than adequate. We suspect it's because 1 Husky makes only [our- or six-speed ofTannies and didn't want to retool. The first thing we heard about the :llbike was how hard it was to get it ...,started, especially when hot. For once ~.the rumor mill was correct. A bigbore four-stroke is hard enough to ~ start, a balky big-bore four-stroke makes you wonder if you've bought a very expensive boat anchor. We had a ~ bitch of a time in firing off the Husky _ when warm. Finally we took off the automatic compression release and just used the manual compression release. We felt the automatic release . was actually hindering the kick- through process. Some shops are theorizing that the ignition is geuing hot, and are venting the mag side - cover to allow the heat to escape. Compounding the problems was the I fact the kickstarter is located on the left side. The lever is very awkward to get a foot on at the top of the stroke - since it is so high. Most riders looked ( for a berm, rock or milk crate to get up high enough to get some leverage. - Once we found the "drill" we didn't have any problems starting the bike. In fact, the "drill" is very similar to starting an old BSA: Hot: I. Engage the manual compression release and kick the motor through three or four times with no throule, clearing it out. 2. Let go ofthe compression release and slowly kick the motor over until it comes up to top dead center (easy to tell, the motor just stops). 3. Engage the manual compression release and very slowly, kick the motor over just enough to get it just past top dead center. 4. Let the kickstaner return to the top of the stroke, stand on a berm, rock or milk crate and, without using the compression release, kick through with all your weight behind you. A healthy kick will usually fire it off. If not repeat steps 1-4. COLD: About the same as hot, but first give the throule a twist to inject a ShOl of gas from the accelerator pump into the intake. If very cold, use the choke, but do not touch the throule again. Then use the above steps 1-4. Suspension is Husky's excellent ITC dual-shock setup at the rear, which provides a very ample 13.6 inches of travel. Husky hasn't felt the need to go the single-shock route yet and they don't have to. Their risingrate dual-shock layout works. The - frame is pure Husky but 10 and behold, they have actually steepened the head angle. Finally a Husky that turns! What a pleasure. The straight line stability for which Husky's are famous hasn't been lost in the new geometry. The gas tank is· plastic and holds 2.7 gallons of your favorite 92 octane leaded premium. The handlebars are a bit low for our taste but that is strictly a personal choice. The front brake is a dual leading shoe set-up which works fine. In fact, combined with the inherent compression braking of the big four-stroke,. you have more than enou~h stopping power. The rear brake IS standard Husky off of their XCs and works nicely as well. The only thing we don't like about the dual leading shoe brake is it's inability to stop when rolling backwards, a very important consideration if you are on a hill during an enduro, race or play rid- Payton's recommendations: Valve clearance: Intake.OO4" (stock .004"), Exhaust: .005" (stock .006")... Oil: Castrol R Racin~ 40 weight... ing. The bike is tall per typical Husky, but settles down under the rider's weight to where he can touch the ground. Tires are two-ply Trelleborg. These tires would be OK for motocross but equipping this bike(which is designed for cross country) with two-ply tires is a waste of money; the owner's money. Maybe a play rider could get by on the two-plys but a racer or enduro rider can't afford to take the chance of flats. Again, Husky probably has a tie-in with Tralleborg but if Trelleborgcan'tsupply four-ply tires, Husky should get a supplier who can. Early models had a valve guide seal problem. It seems the seal used would allow too much oil on the valve. Engine heat would then tend to varnish the valve and some valves wound up sticking in the guides. Husky already has a fix and is replacing the seal and modifying the guides on the early bikes under warranty. Later models have the new seals and guides. All in all we were very impressed with the Husky 510TX. Long-term reliability is yet to be determined but from what we have seen so far it looks like Husky has a winner on their hands. At over $3000, the bike in not cheap, but the first shipment sold out immediately. That should tell you something. • Specifications Engine Type _ Displacement Bore x stroke Compression retio Starting system Ignition system Tl'lInsmission Carburetor _ Single-cylinder OHC four-stroke. _ 503cc. 91 .5 x 76.4mm. :9.5:1. Primary kick. COl. " .. " Six-speed. __ 36mm DelJorto. _.. __ Frame Type Front tire Rear tire Single cradle. 3.00x21. 5.00x18. _ Dimensions Wheelbase Seat height Dry weight (claimed) Fuel capacity Oil capacity Suggested retail price _ __ __ _ _. _ 58.9 in. 39.2 in. 258 Ibs. 2.7 gal. 44 gal. $2995. 17

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