2009 Husqvarna WR300 - First Test

These are viable questions: How good is the Husky 300? Is it as good as a KTM 300? And there isn't an answer that will make anyone happy, unless you're really looking for the truth. See, this bike is not as good as a KTM 300, the leader in this class for a number of reasons, starting with the push of the KTM's electric starter and finishing with performance advantages in lighter weight, better suspension and much better brakes. But that doesn't matter, we're talking about the Husky here and that's what we're going to do starting right now. If you can't get past what we just said, shame on you. We didn't park the bike after the first 10-minute ride and write what you wanted to read.

The WR starts life on a tough note: the kickstarter. Everyone who kicked the awkwardly high, short and forward-placed kickstarter commented on it, and not in a good way. But at least you knew you were starting an Open-class machine. It starts easy with a heavy foot. As delivered, our bike needed some jetting. We leaned the needle all the way and dropped a couple of sizes on the main jet; the pilot had been dropped a size before we got the bike. It was a battle to get crisp response and not have detonation or end up just plain too lean. Our setting was not good for racing, but OK for trailing.

Once jetted decently with a "factory jetting kit" which includes a much-needed needle, the WR becomes a rocket. It is fairly abrupt with the stock jetting, but with the new needle, the motor and its pull became smoother and faster at the same time. How fast? This bike walks away from 450cc four-strokes in a third-gear roll-on or even in hammer-down acceleration. Trust us, this bike is Open-class. Funny, because this motor does not act fast, it just is. The gear spacing is wide with a taller-than-perfect first gear, followed by manageable gaps between each of the rest going up. We'd likely add a couple of teeth to the rear sprocket to make the clutch's job easier when you want to go slow. The clutch does a good job, but the pull is too stiff with a longer than average throw.

Some issues arise when we start getting picky, as the short shift lever and stiff clutch pull amplify notchy shifting. The bike has a vibration through the footpegs that drove some riders nuts, but the vibration, strangely, does not make it up through the handlebar. Yet the joy of the motor is at a cruising pace, where you let the motor live mostly in one gear and go from a just-above-idle lug to a surly top-end pull without having to shift; at throttle-it-along and back-off-to-change-gears pace, the WR is just fine. Just forget the clutch.

The layout of the machine is pretty tall and very flat, but nicely comfortable for most riders. The seat is on the hard side at the back but drew few complaints. The bike fits all sizes of riders well and is never cramped or too spread out. In its design, the bike is one of the easiest machines to work on that we've ever thrown a wrench at.