The Husky

Aug 26, 2019

When the Swedish, though German owned and oddly enough, Italian based, motorcycle manufacturer Husqvarna came to Bali and set up shop, we were a little more than excited. Affectionately known as Huskys, these are the bikes Steve McQueen went from Triumph to. He and Malcolm Smith are seen riding them in the motorcycle classic, On Any Sunday. When the then, highest paid actor in the world, does that, it's bound to send ripples across any pool. In this case it was Husky and the direction was into the lime light. Nowadays they are still the kings of off road & Enduro. Not bad for a company that started making motorcycles in 1903.

Rupiahless, we had to bide our time till the finance planets aligned to get our grubby little fingers on one. Then it did, so we did. So much to chose from and only enough or one. Which one will it be?

We settled on a TE250. That's the World Enduro Championship winning TE250 in case your wondering. Husqvarna reckons that the TE250 spends over 90 percent of their time off road. Talk about a red flag to a bull. Unless you count Bali roads as off road, and in a lot of cases they are, we set out to skew that bias back towards the tar. If you're not aware, Enduro means street legal. Need more help? Drag a mental picture up of a dirt bike. Got it? Now add a license plate, lights, indicators and you're pretty much there.

Where does one start on such a project. We liked the overall stance and lines of the bike though we are not fans of the plastic fantastic‚ they have become. On the plus side it had a truck load of stuff you‚ want, starting with perhaps the lightest, nimblest street aspired though dirt enabled, fuel injected, four stroke, liquid cooled, single pot motor on the market. The thing is small, think minimalist if you like. It sports titanium valves, a close-ratio six-speed transmission and a light-action hydraulic clutch.

So it began the rather arduous task of what to take and what to leave. It wasn't suppose to be this way but in the end a new subframe needed to be made, not only to take the new seat, tank and what have you but to refine the lines. The custom metal tank is definitely something of a Homage to the 1970‚ Husky 400 Cross ridden by McQueen and Smith with it‚ bit of side bling. In our case it was inlaid, flush fitted, polished alloy side covers then we topped that off with a polished alloy belt right across the top. A Nitro head-set was added, as was a custom header pipe running into a custom reverse cone exhaust with an alloy tip. The engine got a nice wrinkle black finish and polished side cover. The radiator was swapped out for one, off a Kawasaki KLX. For rims we went black front and back; 250-18 on the front and 300-18 on the back. To them we added Heidenau Enduro rubber; on the front 120-80-18 and on the rear, 140-80-18.

Then it was bits and bobs; more apt tail light and indicators, a sweet Acewell speedo, custom built fenders and alloy chain guard, paint job and a sweet second homage, though this time to Husqvarna and this time from the design guys. They came up with a sweet special logo to whack on the side of the tank.

Standing back looking at this bike being photographed, and having ridden it, we, to a man, think it's one of our best Bali builds. But then again as any good cook knows, your only as good as your ingredients

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!