Finally got a chance to take the new Husqvarna out for a test ride (video uploading shortly). We had a good 3 mile loop to really push ourselves and our bikes. There was a great mix of high speed open sections, mixed in with some plenty technical & extremely rough terrain. Overall I felt really positive about the bike. The ergonomics fit me really well. The bike has plenty of power, though the jetting down low in the RPM’s is a little on the rich side. Minor details, and really the jetting can be solved with me running a bit faster.
I had a lack of confidence in the front end of the bike, though I feel this will be solved with a fresh front tire & possibly some toying with the front forks a bit, get a bit more feeling out of things. My only real gripe with the bike is the wonky kick start. The lever is about 3″ further forward than any other bike I’ve ridden & it has a super short sweep. Extremely annoying if I killed the engine in a rough spot and as I noted while washing my boots, it ripped apart the center of the sole on my Tech 8’s.
All in all, a very positive day riding. Heck, I even got to test the 85′ XR350R & what a fun bike. Great 6 speed gear box. Just the right amount of power, super plush suspension, and my goodness a lazy-boy seat. Great combo for a fun vintage machine.
-Andrew
