leaves Husqvarna with the promising TC250 four-stroke engine, which has already undergone R&D upgrades for 2014, and the aging fleet of old-school 125cc, 250cc and 300cc two-stroke engines. Rumors persist that Husqvarna has a fuel-injected two-stroke engine hidden in the factory’s R&D depart- ment, and the same rumors are circulated about KTM. Perhaps the new KTM owners could reinvent Husqvarna with some modern smokers. Apart from that, we don’t see any future for the current Husqvarna CR125/144 engine package. Q: WHAT IS THE TRICKEST THING ABOUT THE 2013 HUSKY CR125/144? A: The smartest thing Husqvarna did was to include a 144cc top-end kit with each CR125 sold. When you buy the bike, your friendly local Husky dealer hands you a box with a big-bore cylinder, head, piston, rings, power valves, jets and gaskets. Ten years ago, turning your bike into a 144 would have been considered cheating, but in today’s four-stroke era, a 144 is often the best option for a racer. We tested the Husky as a CR125, but we sent the 144cc kit to Pro Circuit to have it ported and milled for a project bike story for next month’s issue. Q: HOW MUCH DOES THE CR125/144 COST? A: In the hierarchy of two-strokes, the Yamaha YZ125 is the least expensive at $6200. The Husqvarna is the next cheapest at $6299, with the KTM 125SX ($6449), KTM 150SX ($6599) and TM 144MX ($8100) each climbing a rung on the price ladder. It should be noted that the Husqvarna’s $6300 price tag includes a spare top end, which would cost an additional $900 if you bought the parts separately. Q: WHAT’S NEW WITH THE CR125/144? A: As old as some of the CR125 parts are, the engineers in Varese, Italy, have been making upgrades. 2011: In 2011, the Husqvarna CR125 got a modified frame with a streamlined engine cradle. It also got new motor mounts and matching cylinder-head fittings. The 2011 model also got a water-resistant, air-filter housing and updated 48mm Kayaba forks. 2012: As mentioned, the U.S. version of the CR125 started coming with the 144cc kit in the box in 2012. This bumped the displacement from 124.8cc to 144cc (via an extra 4mm of bore). Additionally, Husqvarna reinforced the steering-head area of the chassis with gussets and switched to a black frame, silver Excel rims and new graphics. 2013: For 2013, the CR125 got black grips, a new handlebar pad and updated graphics—although not Bold New Graphics. Q: HOW WOULD WE DESCRIBE THE HUSQVARNA CR125/144 POWERBAND?
2013 CR125/144
2013 Husqvarna CR125: Over
the years Husky has passed
through the hands of several
owners, but they just keep
ticking along. Recently bought
by KTM, the CR125 will still
exist in the future.
