Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

We also scent a lot of time on the Husaberg 50 1 a nd wer e eq ua lly impressed with the machine. It, too, feels incredib ly light. altho ug h it does feel a lill ie bit heavier than the 350. (Surdyke claims tha t the SO I weighs only a few po unds more than the 3SO). On the trail, we were quite surp rised how quickly you could weave the 501 through the trees, j ust as fast as the 350. But the main advan tage the 350 had over the SO I is that you can push yourself a 101 lo nger on the 3SO tha n the 50 I before you get tired. The extra power of the SOl gets to your arms after a whi le. In the real tigh t stuff, where you' re untang ling tree vines from aro und your neck and the bike's radia tor shro uds, the SO l was mor e apt to stall. As far as handling and suspension, the 350 and 501 felt nearl y identi cal. Only the extra po wer an d weigh t of the 501 separa tes the two. ••••• Our day with the Husabergs was one day that we wished had never ended, because we were rid ing some of th e best four-stro ke orr-road bikes (without a do ubt the best midd leweigh t four-stroke) we've ever ridden and we were do ing it on some of the best trails in the country. You can't help but go fast on the Husaberg 350 with its extremely responsive and po werful mo tor, and lightning quick handling an d pinpoint steering. Of cou rse, the high price o ne mu st pay to own the bike must be weigh ed. Sadly, it m ight prevent many riders from experienci ng the Swedish jewel. . Is the new Husaberg 350 the best offroad four-stroke o n the trail? We can 't hon estly say, because we haven't ridden all the 350cc four-strokes yet, There's one bike out there that could dep rive Hu saberg of the crow n - Husqvarna also has a new 350cc on the mar ket and should be arri ving o n the shores of the U.S. any da y now. And you have to keep in mind that .the first four po sitions in th e Lightweigh t Four-Stroke class at the Swedish ix Days were filled by riders aboard the new H usky. So, in all fairness, we can' t say that the H usaberg is the best 350cc four -stroke aroun d, bu t it certai nly is the best we've ever ridden! A showdown could be in the works. a powerful and fast they were. Now, after riding the Husaberg, we know tha t all mat talk was true. The Husaberg 350 has a very po tent engine, it 's powerful and revs quickly. It feels like it has a rather light flywheel, whi ch per haps' gives it that sna ppy thro ttle response. Even though it' s a quick revver, the 350 tracks well, even on slick Geo rgia clay. In spite of the seemingly light flywh eel, we d idn 't experience any problems stalling the engine when the trail got ugly. TIl e Husaberg hooks up nicely a t low rpm and pulls stro ng through the gears, then fla tte ns out a b i t o n ' to p. Horsepo wer-wise, the H usaberg actua lly feels like a 350, unlike most 350cc fourstrokes tha t typically perform like an underpo wered 250cc or even 200cc twostroke mill . In fact, the Husaberg almost feels like a two-stroke with its quickrevving and strong pulling po werp lant, but it still retains the predictabi lity and smooth power delivery that has made four-strokes so appealing to many offroad riders. Overall , the Husaberg is powerful and sho uldn't have any problem s roosting away from a stock DR350. Our only complaint wi th the Husaberg 's engine is the noise. We felt the exhaust note was a lilli e tOO lou d for o ur ears, but the Husaberg has a n optional muffler to ton e it down a lillie. Shifting the Husaberg was a piece of cake and thi s had a lot to do with the light pu ll on the clutch lever. A couple of fingers on the lever gets the job done. Despite our rat her shan time on the bike, we did manage to find some real tight, feet-paddlin g-required sections of trail, and we did n't feel any hint of clutch drag. Since we only had one day on the bike and since mos t of the trails we rode on were mostly single track and muddy trails through dense woods, we really could n't get a good feel for the H usaberg's suspension. Plu s, since the bike had never been ridden before, the rear shock and front fork were far from being broken in. From wha t we could tell, though, the H usaberg's legs feel firm and stable. The White Power inverted for k and O hlins shock filled to the Husaberg are some of the best components in the business, so we have no doubt that the 350's suspension package will prove to be a strong one. The from and rear disc brak es are very progressive and have good feel. However, the front brake felt a littl e on the mu shy side, but on the slick, wet clay, thi s turned o ut to be beneficial. If the gro und had been hard-packed an d offered a lot of traction, we would've liked a bit more gra b from the from binder. Perhaps more time on the pads and rebleeding the brake line would help OUt here. As far as riding comfort, the Husaberg rates right up them with the best, It has an overall narrow layout with a firm seat and comfortable handlebars and levers. (Above) The Husaberg has a slim la yout that makes it easy control on tight woods trails. (Above right) A White Power inverted fork is used up front. (Right) The 350cc watercooled motor produces plenty of horsepower. and it starts easily,

• Cover