A: The CR125 has a small window of peak power, and staying in that window is the secret to going fast. We give the CR125 engine credit for trying to run across a broad range of power, but it falls short. The only person who would love this powerband is a hard core, highly skilled sugar freak who could keep the throttle pegged and his left foot twitching. Ridden flat out, it is a fun bike. Ridden half-heartedly, it is frustrating. Every tester was tempted to shift early, but learned it was best to wait a split second longer than his first best guess. The sweet spot is way up there. Are you looking for a broader powerband? Open up the box that came with your CR125 and install the 144cc kit. Problem solved. Q: HOW DOES IT RUN ON THE DYNO? A: It makes 35.04 horsepower at 11,300 rpm. That is fairly decent for a 125c two-stroke. It is about one horse better than the Yamaha YZ125 at peak (although it gives up a ton to the YZ125 from 6000 on up). When it comes to the KTM 125SX, the Katoom runs about the same as the CR125 until 10,000 rpm, then it kicks into overdrive and climbs to 37. 63 horsepower. Q: HOW WELL DOES THE CR125/144 HANDLE? A: The Husky CR125 is a neutral-handling chassis. It turns decently, tracks straight and doesn’t exhibit any over- steer or understeer. It isn’t the kind of bike you rave about, but you won’t whine about it either. There is no doubt that suppler forks, a lower seat height and a broader power- band would help, but “as is,” the MXA test crew liked it. Q: HOW GOOD IS THE HUSQVARNA CR125/144 SUSPENSION? A: It is better than we thought it would be, given that it is an odd Kayaba/Sachs combo. The front forks are Kayaba forks from a Yamaha of undetermined vintage (we’d guess 2007), but they aren’t up to Yamaha performance standards. The overall fork settings are on the firm side, with a considerable amount of spike about two-thirds of the way into the stroke. Lightweight test riders lowered the oil height by 10cc to move the spike further into the stroke. If you are under 150 pounds, you should consider the next lightest spring rate, which would be a 0.41 kg/mm. As for the shock, Sachs has come a long way in a short time. Although the number of suspension shops in the U.S. with any Sachs experience is limited, the Sachs shock performed well—aided by the CR125’s light weight. Q: HOW IS THE GEARING? A: Initially, we were very confused by the tall gearing on the CR125. European brands are known for their tall gearing, and the 2013 Husky CR125 plays to type. It might be able to pull this gearing with the 144cc kit installed, but with the narrow 125cc powerband, finding the right gear is a conundrum. Our advice is to swap the stock 13/50 combo for a 13/51, stay in second gear in the turns, and get on the pipe much earlier to grab third.
Two-story house: It is hard to believe how much room exists
inside the Husqvarna CR125 frame. If this were a four-stroke
there wouldn’t be enough room for a sliver of tin foil.
Buried treasure: What is this? Was it found in a Spanish
galleon? Nope. This is a Mikuni carburetor. It does all the
things fuel injection does, only without a computer.
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