Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

seco nd jo b. T h e O hl i ns shock w ith pi ggyback reser vo ir has n ew interna l valvi ng (wh ich wa s a rr ived at a fter extens ive test in g , la rgely by U.S. rid ers) a nd a sti ffer spri n g, with co m p ressio n a nd rebo un d da m p in g ex terna ll y adj ustable via th eir respecti ve cl ick-stop kn o bs. Th e 400 is th e fir st Husk y end ur o bik e im porte d to th e U.S. with a fro nt di sc brak e, a rep lacem en t fo r th e ca p a ble dual-l eading-sh oe brake used for' th e past several years. A 9.I -inch drilled floating di sc is found o n the Grim eca unit , .which wa s first installed on th e 1985 C R a nd XC models. Whi le th e brake itself is identica l to th e one used in '85, more precise boring o f th e ca li per a ttach me n t h ol es results in o vera ll be tt er p erforman ce. A handl ebar-m ounted reserv oir is co mpa ct and h as a sig h t g lass a nd a n ea sil y-accessible lever free-pl a y ad- . juster screw. T he br aided hose is en ca sed in a tough , nylon guard. ' Th e ca ble-o p era ted rear brak e mov es close r a n d cl o ser to tr ue quick- ch ange sta tus each yea r. In th e la test version, th e torqu e a n n has been elim ina ted and rep laced with a clean tongued ba cking pl ate a n d grooved sw ingarm set-up. The lever pivot is more forward (and saf er), a nd im p ro ved ba cking p late/drum tol erances resu lt in a tighter sea l and dryer brakes. A grab handl e o n th e left end of the axle upho lds the quick- change theme. Th e a-ring cha i n is kept on th e st raight a nd narrow by a new forward chain ro ller (which spins on a roll er bearing) and a stronger rear gu id e. On e ni ce touch is a switch to recessed all en-head sprock et bolts in li eu of ca p screws. Trell eborg tires have long been sta nda rd H usky enduro fare, but th e Enduro breaks from trad it ionin th at it's fitt ed with new edition Metzelers, T he front is sh od wi th a metric-sized 90/90-21 MXR , wi th th e rear a 4.5018 Multi -C ro ss - a n impeccabl e duo for wood s wo r k o n a variety o f sur faces. Rims are gold -a nod ized alloy Nord isks with rim pins, a nd, as Melton p o ints o u t, lack th e needed rim locks. Husk y ha s f inally crep t o ut of th e dark ages an d in stall ed gen u ine serra ted steel foot pegs (the former pressed steel units were slip pery o n th eir best day s), whi ch al so feature s ti ffer sp rin gs. Other n ice touch es include a lighter knu rled folding sh ifter (which lacks th e prone-to -Ioss rubber co ver); a Nippondenso speedometer / odometer which works well (a n d h as a high-ratio reset button for qui cker adjustments a t corners); new , stronger sidestand mounting; and an alloy brake pedal with ball-bearin g pivot. H ow well does th e packa ge work? Just ask the tester that took h is first spin on th e 400 a nd ca m e ba ck with an ea r-to-ea r grin: " I was ex trem ely impressed with th e smoo th deliv ery of p o wer , a n d was 'a mazed a t how quickl y I felt co m forta ble on th e bi ke. Th e seating posit ion wa s exce llent, a nd I'm impressed with th e level of refin em ent co m pa red to th e dualsh ock Hu sk ys. Th e bik e felt ligh t, m ore lik e a 250." Th is fro m a co nfirm ed lover o f small -bore bi kes. Ow ne rs o f the d ual- shock 400W R wi ll im rned iatelv n ot ice a red uction in weight a nd bu lk - the Enduro wei g hs seven pounds less (235 versus 242) and the bi ke has a much slim me r profi le thanks to th e single-s hock ch assis. And wh ile th e Endu ro and W R have the sam e sea t h eigh t, a tall 37.8 i nc hes, th e Endu ro's suspensio n is both lo nger a nd much m or e effective. As a bo n us , accl i ma ti ng to the new chassis is an extre mely quick and painless process. . If yo u' ve co me to expect turbo -like power when yo u crack th e thro ttl e o n The 400 Enduro is at home blasting through a loamy berm o r weaving its way between closely spaced trees. a n Open-class bik e, be prepared for a ch an ge w hen yo u board the Enduro. O h, there's p lenty of power th ere, bu t it 's ever so manageable and ea si ly metered, and th at' s a key ingredient for a n en d u ro bike when yo u co n side r the typical tight wo ods section with its cl osel y-sp aced trees, logs a nd slip pe ry rocks. Wh en yo u do need tha t ex tra burst of p ow er , say , to loft th e front en d , th e End u ro will deliver it saf ely. We n ever felt a need for more pow er; th ose wh o a rc so in clined sh ou ld look to a bik e with a full 500cc. . Sta rt ing was usu all y a tw o- or three-ki ck a ffa ir wh en co ld, but n ow -a n d th en th e 400 likes to kick back , so don ' t tr y it with runnin g shoes o n . Once wa rm , a sing le prod was usua ll y a ll it took . Sto p pi ng was a br eeze, an d th e front di sc worked quite well , th ough not much better th an th e previo us double-lead in g-sh oe set-up. Expect th e dis c to really co m e into it s o wn in th e we t. And whil e we've co m e to expe ct cha tter from non-floa tin g rear drums , th e 400's was co m p letely sil ent . a nd had good feel. Th e fram e geom etry a n d sus pe n sio n a re ideal for woods work. Given a trail which requires co ntin uous directi on cha n ges, th e 400 resp onds with sur gica l p recision , cu tt ing a su re-foo ted line from tree to tree or berm to berm with o n ly minim al inputs by th e rider. T h e 400 lov es to be steered with th e rear end - just gas it a nd sq ua re o ff - yet will p ivot just as su re ly by turnin g th e ba rs a nd sh iftin g yo u r weight to the insi de . Hu sk y's n ew fork appears to be righ t o n th e money, an d wor ks we ll righ t o u t of th e cra te wit h no brea k-in pe riod req u ired, wit h the rear end eq ua ll y effective. Whi le we never got a cha n ce to wr ing i t o u t in a section of wh oops, th e bi ke handl ed th e u sua l trail bu mps, fa llen trees a nd ruts with ease . T he res ult of the suspension ch a nges is a totally bala nced feel and a n improveme nt over the WR X., Fin di n g leg it im at e gripes with th e Enduro is d iffic ult. Th e grips have a n ice shape bu t arc m uch too hard ; getti n g the spar k p lug o ut can be a try ing experi en ce d ue to th e closeness o f th e ta n k's righ t lo be; and tr yin g to ta ke a dab in a n o ff-ca m ber si tua tio n, d ue to th e hig h seat h eight, ca n spell di saster. . Among the enduro niceties are an easily-resettable odometer/speedometer, fo lding alloy shifter. serrated footpegs and an oval aluminum silencer. But th e bl emish es on th e 400 En duro are few and fa r between - o nce yo u get over th e hi gh p rice ta g: .$3295. It has an uncanny woods sense a bo u t it, so me th ing it in herited from its predecessor s - th e 400WR a nd 400W RX - that go es a lo n g wa y toward.mak- ing it a to p choice for th e serio us en d u ro rid er as well as th e guy who ju st wants to have fun . And to top it a ll o rr , th e 400 Enduro is more en d ur o -re a d y th a n a ny ' previous H usk y. There's a lo t in a n ame a fter a ll. • 1986 Husqvarna 400 Enduro Engine type • • • •. Water-cooled. reed -valve, two-stroke single Bore x stroke ... • 82.5x74.0mm Displacement , . • " . , . 395.6cc Compression ra tio " , •• • • N /A Carburetion , • .. , 38mm Mikuni Starting system , , • , Primary kick Ig nitio n •• , , , , , , , , Ext ern al rotor M ot o pl at CO l Lubrication , . . • • . . . . • • • Premix Final drive . . #520 O-ring chain Gear ratios Prima ry . . • . • • 76 /33 ; 2.303:1 Final • . . . . . . . 52 / 15; 3.467: 1 6th . . • . . • . •. 20/27; 0 .741 : 1 5th . . . • . . . • • 22/25 ; 0 .880: 1 4th .. . . .• . .. 24 / 2 3; 1 .0 4 3 : 1 . 3 rd •• .• . • . . . 26 /1 9 ; 1 .3 6 8 : 1 2nd •. .• . ... . 29 /1 6 ; .1. 8 1 2 :1 1 st . . •... . • . • 34/ 13; 2 .615 :1 Fram e ... Sing le dow nt ube, split . engine cra d le Rake . • .. • • . . . . . • • •.... • • 2 7 ° Trail .•.• .• • •. •. . •..•. • 4.72 in. Front suspension .. . . Husqvarna telescopic fork Fork t u be diameter .. . . • • 40mm Front w hee l travel .. .. . • 11 .2 in . Rea r suspens ion .. Single-shock. aluminum swingarm Rear wheel t ravel 1 3 .0 in. Front brak e • . • • 9 . 1-in. Grimeca di sc Rea r brake . ... .•. . 6 .3- in . drum Front tire .. . 90 /90-21 M etzel er MXR Rear t ire ... . . 4 .50-18 M et zeler M ulti-Cr oss Cla imed dry weight 235 Ibs. Overall lengt h -. 86.6 in . Overall height 51 .9 in . Wheelbase 59.0 in . Fue l capacity 3.2 gal. Ground clearance 14 .4 in . 37.8 in . Seat heig ht Color White Suggested retail price $3 2 9 5 7

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