It’s not possible to speak about classic off-road bikes with out mentioning the legendary Husqvarna Cross. Released within the Sixties, it was one of many bikes on the forefront of the transition from large four-stroke desert sleds to lighter purpose-built two-strokes. And who may overlook a shirtless Steve McQueen wheelieing a Husqvarna 400 Cross on the quilt of Sports Illustrated?
If there’s one bike hankering for a contemporary remake, it’s the Husqvarna Cross. Husqvarna hasn’t constructed it but, so till they do, we’ll fortunately accept “what if” customized jobs like this Cross tribute from Gas&Retro in Slovenia.
Gas&Retro’s Žiga Petek collaborated with the Slovenian Husqvarna supplier MotoXGeneration on the construct. MotoXGeneration is a household enterprise, run by brothers Rok, Martin, and Jure Rus. All three of them are motocross riders, and their father, Slavko Rus, was a high Slovenian motocrosser within the Seventies.
Rok reached out to Žiga about presumably constructing a customized motorbike collectively, to commemorate Husqvarna’s one hundred and twentieth birthday. MotoXGeneration had a 2018 Husqvarna TC250 engine mendacity round and paired it up with the body from a brand new Husqvarna FE 250. All they wanted was a design path for the construct.
“Me and Rok started talking about what the bike should look like,” Žiga says. “We both agreed that should look like something Steve McQueen would ride—even though we were working with a four-stroke and not a two-stroke.”
The TC250 won’t be a two-stroke, however it makes a decent 46 hp in inventory kind. And each the TC250 and FE 250 hover across the 200 lbs mark in manufacturing unit trim. So regardless of how you chop it, Gas&Retro and MotoXGeneration had a spritely donor bike on their fingers.
Rok’s brother, Martin, started working on rebuilding the TC250 engine, whereas Žiga began taking part in with the body. Rok had the concept to indicate the body’s naked metallic, so Žiga sand-blasted it, brushed it, and utilized a transparent coat to guard it. A customized subframe now sits on the again, with a kicked-up tail loop that ideas its hat to the traditional Husqvarna Cross design.
The staff over at MotoXGeneration refinished a few of the engine elements in gloss black, earlier than mounting it into the FE 250 body. From there, the Rus bros targeted on build up the remainder of the rolling chassis, in order that they might ship it over to Žiga to manufacture new bodywork.
On went a set of WP Suspension forks, lowered by 30 mm and upgraded with WP Pro internals. A brand new aluminum swingarm went on on the again, hooked as much as a WP Suspension shock with a bladder system for simple adjustment. New DID rims had been laced as much as full the set, measuring 21” on the entrance and 18” on the again.
Braking is courtesy of Brembo calipers, Galfer discs, and Magura grasp cylinders. MotoXGeneration additionally tweaked the Husky’s wiring, and put in a brand new speedo, push buttons, and a keyless ignition, all from Motogadget.
The Husky was then despatched again to Gas&Retro in order that Žiga may work his magic. The concept was to form many of the bodywork out of aluminum—beginning with a brand new vintage-style gas tank that wears a Monza fuel cap. “There was a lot of work to make it fit just right,” he admits.
Žiga additionally constructed a chunky retro-inspired seat base, and a pair of aluminum facet covers. Hidden behind them is a customized consumption with a Okay&N filter, together with the battery and electronics.
Handmade aluminum fenders bookend the bike; Žiga went large on the entrance, to emphasise the Husky’s retro fashion. The again’s completed off with a small Bates-type taillight, and switch indicators that sit contained in the body rails. Žiga additionally dealt with a few of the finer particulars—just like the radiator’s new mesh cowl.
Throughout the method, the bike regularly ping-ponged between the Gas&Retro and MotoXGeneration workshops. It even made a flip at Akrapovič’s manufacturing unit, the place the Slovenian exhaust producer constructed a customized titanium exhaust system particularly for this mission.
One sticking level, nevertheless, was the headlight nacelle. “At the beginning, Rok bought an Acerbis fairing and plastic fenders,” says Žiga. “But then we talked, and I said to him ‘Mate, if I’m doing it all in aluminum I want to do the front fairing as well’.”
Rok agreed, so the bike went again to Gas&Retro as soon as extra for Žiga to form the brand new headlight nacelle. The guys constructed it round an LED gentle, including a contemporary contact to the retro setup.
By this level, the Husky’s livery was a no brainer. Matej Mrzlika at MM Car Paint laid down the enduring Husqvarna purple, white and yellow colour scheme, with a couple of black touches thrown in for good measure. And Mitja Bizjak wrapped the seat in black leather-based with white stitching.
This won’t be McQueen’s Husqvarna Cross, however it’s a rattling advantageous tribute—and it in all probability goes like stink too. If Husqvarna is ever planning to construct a contemporary traditional Cross tribute, this is able to be blueprint.
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Source: www.bikeexif.com