Husquarna CR 65. Anyone have some info/experience on this Mini MX bike?

[Conquiztador]

My son has now been riding MX for 4 years. We are the second year in to his 65cc riding. He is 10. Last w/e we rode at Taupo and he managed 16'th in the A grade out of 24 riders. He rides a 2003 and 2006 KTM 65cc that we purchased just over a year ago from a family who's son was one of two top riders at the Taupo track in 2010. When I looked up what the best times were in 2010 I found that the winner (often the past owner of the two bikes) had very similar times to my son. Perhaps a second or two faster on a lap. My boy is doing 1min 36 seconds as his fastest, but this year the winners are doing 1min 24 seconds!! They have the later model KTM's. So I am now thinking of a upgrade for my boy. (The track outlay has not changed)

I have seen the Husky coming on to the market now in 2012, and they seem crisp and fast. Is there anyone here who has purchased one for their 7 - 11yo kid. And if so, could you tell me your opinion of the bike please when compared to the new KTM.

P.S. Sorry can not correct the heading; should read "Husqvarna"

[scott411]

KX65's have won the last to national titles, (MAximus Purvis and Hunter Lawrence) and they have not changed much since 2002,

it comes down to the kid riding the bike, not the bike under them,

and also it is hard to compare tracks from meeting to meeting, even the same layout can be much different in lap times due to soil conditions etc, i would not base to much off times from a while ago, a slight reshape of a berm can make a 1 second difference, and same with a reface of a jump,

as for the CR65, Kiwi Rider did do a test on one a while back,

[Conquiztador]

KX65's have won the last to national titles, (MAximus Purvis and Hunter Lawrence) and they have not changed much since 2002,

it comes down to the kid riding the bike, not the bike under them,

and also it is hard to compare tracks from meeting to meeting, even the same layout can be much different in lap times due to soil conditions etc, i would not base to much off times from a while ago, a slight reshape of a berm can make a 1 second difference, and same with a reface of a jump,

as for the CR65, Kiwi Rider did do a test on one a while back,

Thanks for your input. There is also the max speed to consider and my boy is doing very similar speeds to the riders in 2010 at Taupo. This will be our 3'rd full year at Taupo and I have kept statistics from all races (first year as MX 50cc rider) so I have a good understanding of the Taupo track. There has not been much changes to the track through these 3 years, and as a result of the sand surface and quick dainage of any water this track is very consistant compared to dirt tracks like ex. Hawke's Bay where lap times can change from one meeting to another with more than 10 seconds for all.

Re Maximus, he is a very special case and a rider with a bright future. One in a thousand I recon so perhaps not a good example when comparing an "average" rider like my son.

Cheers for the Kiwi Rider info. Will try to find that one.

[L Rider]

I agree alot with what Scott is saying. Any good rider can usually get good times/results on any bike. A slower rider won't become fast because you put them on a "fast" bike.
As for the Taupo track if you look up results from both the KTM Mini SX 50's and the KTM SX 50's you'll see that the times vary alot from one year to the other yet the bikes are the same years. A couple of years back they had some very quick kids on the mini sx's, last year they weren't as quick.

Another thing is if you get a bunch of kids racing together they push each other therefore creating quicker lap times.

I know of a boy who had a 2008 ktm 65 and a 2012 ktm 65 - got the same times everywhere on each bike.

[CHOPPA]

My opinion would be that 10 is too old for a 65 and you should be looking at an 85....

[Conquiztador]

I agree alot with what Scott is saying. Any good rider can usually get good times/results on any bike. A slower rider won't become fast because you put them on a "fast" bike.
As for the Taupo track if you look up results from both the KTM Mini SX 50's and the KTM SX 50's you'll see that the times vary alot from one year to the other yet the bikes are the same years. A couple of years back they had some very quick kids on the mini sx's, last year they weren't as quick.

Another thing is if you get a bunch of kids racing together they push each other therefore creating quicker lap times.

I know of a boy who had a 2008 ktm 65 and a 2012 ktm 65 - got the same times everywhere on each bike.

I do agree with you to an extent. A faster rider will be faster no matter what bike they are on. With the SX 50cc racing I also agree with you to an extent. We currently have a KTM 50 SX rider in HB that blew away everyone in that class last w/e in Taupo with up to 30 sec/race. In his case moving up from a 2006 KTM to a 2010 KTM made a huge difference.

In the meantime I would really appreciate if someone that could compare a KTM and a Husky would come out of the woodwork.

[Conquiztador]

My opinion would be that 10 is too old for a 65 and you should be looking at an 85....

The class goes on until they turn 12. We will move to 85 after January 2013 Woodville.

[L Rider]

I do agree with you to an extent. A faster rider will be faster no matter what bike they are on. With the SX 50cc racing I also agree with you to an extent. We currently have a KTM 50 SX rider in HB that blew away everyone in that class last w/e in Taupo with up to 30 sec/race. In his case moving up from a 2006 KTM to a 2010 KTM made a huge difference.

In the meantime I would really appreciate if someone that could compare a KTM and a Husky would come out of the woodwork.

That was Luka on the 50? He was racing last year with my boy. Totally agree with the 50's & the newer ones. We went from 08 to 10 & it make a massive difference - smoother.

Back to 65's though - I know a couple of kids who are on the Husky 65. They have a bit more horsepower than the KTM. But they are the 2008 ktm motor with a few mods. I've heard that their power delivery is similar to the RM65's so not as smooth as a KTM so can depend on your childs preference.

[Conquiztador]

That was Luka on the 50? He was racing last year with my boy. Totally agree with the 50's & the newer ones. We went from 08 to 10 & it make a massive difference - smoother.

Back to 65's though - I know a couple of kids who are on the Husky 65. They have a bit more horsepower than the KTM. But they are the 2008 ktm motor with a few mods. I've heard that their power delivery is similar to the RM65's so not as smooth as a KTM so can depend on your childs preference.

Yep, that is Luka.

Thanks for that input re the Huskies. Knew they were not a "Husky" motor as such, but did not know they were the older model of what KTM uses now. Perhaps time to do more reserach...

[L Rider]

Yep, that is Luka.

Thanks for that input re the Huskies. Knew they were not a "Husky" motor as such, but did not know they were the older model of what KTM uses now. Perhaps time to do more reserach...

The kids I know who have changed have gone from RM's or KX's to Husky.
Personally we brought a 2012 ktm as our boy is very small & the KTM offered alot more adjustment on the bike to make it rideable for him.

[Conquiztador]

Thanks for all comments. After some more research I have found (as per comments on here) that the motor is the 2008 KTM (was same from 2003 - 2008) and as the 2008 KTM does not have a power valve. There is a few more hp's squeezed out of the motor, but by sacrificing the low end smoothness. Frame, brakes and suspension gets full mark.

As a result we have decided to see if we can, legally, get a little more out of his 03 and 06. If we still struggle then perhaps a s/h 2010 KTM might be the way until end of January.

Will keep ya updated.