I like the new husky!

[Coop]

Dang you guys and your logic, I may be swayed to the idea now. I don't like when someone convinces me to change my mind...

[JETZcorp]

I still don't think it's worth it.  I can't say for sure until I've seen really how they did it, but I would imagine that this will make it necessary to pull the engine for jobs you may not otherwise have to, and then when you do have to pull it, there'll be more bullshit to deal with.  And the last thing you need when working on a bike is bullshit.  As long as there's not a gigantic space between the sprocket and swingarm pivot (if you ever get a chance to look at where a '74 Maico sprocket is, you'll see how bad it used to be!) I can't imagine that it's too big of a deal.  Modern bikes (by which I mean anything made after 1978) have it so close that the tension problem can really be handled by whatever system is already in place to keep the chain from moving laterally.  I agree that there will be some slight benefits, but in my personal opinion, it wouldn't be worth the drawbacks.

[evo550]

If it's the same as the bmw, the swingarm needs to be pulled back to access the front sprocket.
Although it looks like it, the sprocket doesn't share a common pivot with the swingarm, the arm doesn't have a swingarm bolt that we are used too, instead it mounts independently on either side of the frame, with the engine cases extending back into the space between the arm mounts where the traditional bolt runs through.
Clear as mud ?
In the famous words of Rondo Talbot....."You should have known"

[TMKIWI]

I like it. But some people are never happy , are they ?

[JETZcorp]

I don't know what people you're talking about - I love my Husky.

[JohnN]

The way some think of new technology.... my wonder is how you can use that "evil" box in front of you, reading propaganda made of pixels!! 

Or said another way... how can you hate something you haven't seen in person or given a try?

Just like the old Life cereal commercial says....
Life Cereal with Mikey

[JETZcorp]

Are you an English teacher or something?  Because it sounds to me like you're doing a hell of a lot of reading between the lines.  Just because I don't automatically equate every new feature on a bike with instant superiority, that somehow makes me closed-minded?  Is it now so thoroughly out out vogue to care about serviceability?  And how in the hell did this even turn into an old vs new conversation anyway?

Hell, it wasn't so long ago that I myself was thinking of ways to put the swingarm pivot point and countershaft sprocket on the same axis.  I thought it would be a good idea, for all the reasons that have been pointed out here.  But then I thought to myself, "Self, how in the hell would you be able to work on this thing?  And just how much benefit would the rider be getting for that sacrifice?"  On those grounds, I decided that it was fine the way it is, unless someone can come up with a way to make this happen without making the bike too complicated to work on.  If Husqvarna have managed to do that here, then I applaud them on their ingenuity in managing to make things genuinely better.  However, I am skeptical that the above has really happened.  The last thing I'm going to do is buy one of these new four-strokes, run it until the front sprocket looks like a saw blade, and then start giving preliminary thoughts on whether I like this new development.  If you apply that standard on me for disapproving of it, then go ahead and apply it to everyone who likes it, and make them buy the bike before giving their opinion.  And in this spirit, I'm going to announce that I don't think Antarctica is a cold place.  It might be, but I haven't frozen to death there yet.  I've heard stories of people freezing to death there, and I've read plenty about the climate and the average temperatures, and compared that with my own experience, but we all know that "logic" nonsense doesn't count for anything.

[JohnN]

Relax Jetz.... where in my reply did I say anything directly about you??

And to answer the rest of your reply I will quote myself from earlier.....

Personally I like the idea of the countershaft sprocket lined up with the swingarm pivot. This is the ideal.

Since I can't see exactly how they have all the parts mounted to the bike, it's hard to tell how easy or difficult it would be to change the sprocket.

In my last post all I was asking is how so many could say bad things about anything without ever having seen or tried the new stuff.

If anything you are ready something too deeply into the posts....

Relax dude....

This is supposed to be fun...

[offroader]

Jetz,someone piss in your wheaties this morning?

[Coop]

And how in the hell did this even turn into an old vs new conversation anyway?

My guess is because in every one of your posts you either make a comparison to Maico or one of your old bikes...    

[opfermanmotors]

All in reference to my light hearted remark about the maintaince of changing the front sprocket? 

Overall, I think it is a good thing and how often do you change the front sprocket?  It may or may not be harder but typically bouncing on the chain causes you to always move your rear wheel and align it, so if this causes you to do that less often, then it may ease maintaince and prolong chain life.  Who knows.

My only true remark is someone mentioned that like BMW, the swingarm bolt doesn't go through the motor.  I don't know whether it does or doesn't, I thought the motor had holes on both sides in the picutre but I dont have a schematic.  However, I will say that if it doesn't then you're putting stress on two short bolts on both sides of the frame.  BMW is a road bike and isn't used for any jumps.  I don't know, maybe it holds up fine anyway.   

[Coop]

BMW is a road bike and isn't used for any jumps.   

Not this BMW:

http://www.bmwdirtbike.com/

[opfermanmotors]

Ya, I don't follow BMW, so I am corrected

[ford832]

The pursuit of this sprocket location is hardly new.If I remember correctly Horst Leitner among others experimented with it,as well as using a second one and a jackshaft to accomplish the same thing.The chain tension is certainly a side benefit but the biggest gain by gearing a bike this way is in the effect on the rear suspension-or rather-the lack of  effect of drive load variations on the action of the rear suspension.
As for Antarctica Jetz;it may be cold now,but it was much better 40 years ago.

[opfermanmotors]

If you had an outer drive shaft and you had an inner drive shaft you could perhaps unbolt something from the opposite side of the engine to pull the drive shaft back and pull the sprocket out.  Then you drop a new sprocket in, push the inner drive shaft into it and it locks into the swing arm and just bolt it on from the opposite side.  This way the drive shaft itself doesn't move just an inner or outer drive shaft piece.