Ty Davis knows how to build...
Ty Davis knows how to build a race bike and the Husky was all about speed.
About the Bike:
This is a very solid platform to start with. We started with the motor where we did Zip-TY modifications to the head and crank for more performance. We installed a Jardine Titanium full system pipe to increase performance. We did a Zip-Ty modification to the carburetor and installed the hot start nut, drain bolt nut and fuel screw. We also installed a remote hot start onto the carb that is attached to the handlebars for convenience. On the controls we installed ARC levers, Easton Handlebars, ODI Grips. On the suspension, all modifications were done by Zip-Ty Racing. We installed Race Tech gold valves and oil to improve the action in the front. In the rear we installed the Race tech and oil as well. Next, we installed a Zip-Ty Racing rear dogbone to the shock to change the linkage ratio for improved performance. We completely revavled the rear suspension and installed gold valves in the forks for improved performance. We installed a DID X-Ring chain and a UNI filter to increase performance, and Pirelli Tires were used to complete the package.
Stabilizer Post Mount
Zip-Ty Head Modifications
Zip-Ty Crank Modification and Balance
Zip-Ty Racing Carburetor Modification
Hot Start Nut
Magnetic Carburetor Drain Bolt
Fuel Screw
Suspension dogbone
Remote Hot start Cable
Half waffle soft compound grips
Big bikes like the Husky can...
Big bikes like the Husky can feel heavy in the air. But that didn't stop Ty Davis and his team from launching the beast all over the MX track.
Jardine Full Ti Exhaust system
ARC Clutch Perch
ARC Front Brake Lever
The turning character of the...
The turning character of the Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarana TCX450 impressed almost everyone. It loved it when you were planted in the saddle and not too aggressively over the front. Here, the light steering directed a true point-and-shoot system.
Editor's Note
This year's Dirt Rider Torture Test was set it up like a screening for a reality TV show: Bring what you have and prepare for whatever happens. The idea was to show up at the Torture Test with the best all-around, one-bike-does-it-all off-road dirt bike, with no guidelines or requirements from our side. It was wide open, but everyone knew going in that it would be tough to make the cut to get into the final group of bikes you see in the magazine. Of course, they didn't all make it to the pages of Dirt Rider. Some missed out ever so slightly, some by a longer ways. This is a full test of one of the bikes that missed the final cut. The competition was tough but lurking in this field of bikes you can likely find an example of the perfect bike that fits your needs, or learn what other riders or people in the industry think is the best bike in the whole world. For the people and companies that built each of these bikes, it was the best bike they could deliver.-Jimmy Lewis, Editor Dirt Rider Magazine
Dirt Rider Post Torture Evaluation:
The best all-around bike because:
If you're interested in all out speed and the unbeatable stability of an open-class bike the Zip-Ty Racing TXC450 is all you. It's got more go than show and it has quite a bit of show! But it isn't all top-speed. The bike is precisely wonderful and well-mannered in the tightest of trails. Traditional-feeling four-stroke chug is an effective tool. Add in the increased presence of the Husky brand in the states, some serious contingency bucks and a stellar history and you've got a race bike that just might fit your mold. Ty Davis brought a showcase to this year's Torture Test and it's a worthy display of what he knows about hauling ass.
Not the best all-around bike because:
The Husky's aged design holds it back in a few key areas most centered on rider comfort and confidence. The front end suffers in this type of comparison with almost all test riders commenting on stiffness and rigidity on the track and trail and overall bike heaviness. Also drawing complaints is increased vibration throughout the chassis. That was enough to keep it out of the top six.