Husqvarna’s new 2011 CR 50 Mini Cross is no toy

Late last year Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia announced they would return to the Junior Motocross market with the introduction of their CR 50 Mini Cross. In a bold move, considering the turbulent marketplace, Husqvarna have done vigorous research and development to ensure the bike is of the highest quality and performance.

The Mini Cross looks remarkably similar to its bigger brothers, using the same aesthetics for both the graphic and plastic layouts. Something that we would imagine will appeal to both entry level and experience riders.

Recently we had the opportunity to take the bike out to a private test track and see just how the bike handled in the real world. We used 7-year-old local Gold Coast rider, Cyshan Weale, to tell us what he thought about the bike.

But first lets take a look at the specs.

Engine

A liquid cooled two-stroke 50cc engine supplies a claimed 11.2 HP at 10,500 rpm. The speed ratio is single gear with adjustable centrifugal dual clutch transmission; one configuration for learner riders and one for experts. The carburettor is a 19mm Dell’Orto PHBG. The fuel tank has a capacity of 2.7 litres.

Frame

A steel chassis existing of CrMo steel tubes created from rectangular, circular and oval sections. A detachable rear sub-frame helps with maintenance. The front wheel is 12″ the back one is 10″ with black anodised aluminium rims.

Suspension

Up front is a Marzocchi fork that has 32mm diameter piston rods and 185mm stroke. The Sachs shock absorber has a wheel stroke of 200 mm. Adjustable spring preload and Hydraulic rebound help tune the rear to suit each rider.

Brakes

Both front a rear brakes are hydraulically operated. A forged and anodised aluminium dual piston brake calliper stops the bike from the front. The rear brake disc has a diameter of 140 mm while the front is a diameter of 160 mm with race replica “daisy” design.

Results

Cyshan loved the bike and wasn’t ready to give it back in a hurry. That is until it started raining and it became a little easier to coax him off the circuit. The brakes were impressive and didn’t need a lot of force to get the bike to pull up and they were predictable. The engine sounded strong and also looked to handle the automatic style of gearbox extremely well. Cyshan started to jump the CR 50 a little higher each lap and by the end was landing the bike from nearly twice its height with no problem at all. Husqvarna even state that they have oversized the suspension components to aid in the longevity of the bike.

The bike started easily and responded well to any suspension changes. The cockpit is extremely well set out, with room for a rider to grow. All levers can be adjusted to suit the rider and the throttle is a quality item giving a more precise feel. Over time we feel that the suspension may need to be customised to suit your rider’s ability. There may be more room for finely tuning the engine to suit your rider, but since the bike is an “off-the shelf” entry level motocross bike for beginners we would say it’s on the money.

A big thank you to Cyshan Weale and the rest of his family for making the time to help out with the test. Also we would like to thank Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia for preparing the motorcycle.

For more information please follow the links below:
Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia
CR 50 Product Guide
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