Words: Guy Streeter

MotoOnline.com.au were recently invited to the 2017 Husqvarna Australia off-road launch, where we had the opportunity to test the Swedish manufacturer’s extensive range throughout the central tablelands of New South Wales, which included the TE 300 two-stroke.

The larger bore two-stroke is a strange animal, the engine itself loves to be revved out, but in the tight single trails it really finds its mark by being lugged around in a higher gear – you will find the benefits by using the torque of the engine rather than letting it scream. However on the open fire trails, the TE 300 is well suited to being revved out.

That is the trick with the 300 – finding how the motor works best in the different conditions. Lucky enough, Husqvarna has put a lot of effort into developing the bike around the motor to keep the two-stroke dream moving forward. Once you have had a few hours on a TE 300 it is not hard to see why the 300 two-stroke is one of the most popular models in the off-road market.

The MY17 TE 300 has been redesigned from the ground up – function, performance and weight are clearly the three areas Husqvarna have addressed after parking the previous generation of off-road bikes. But they haven’t taken a step back by any means.

Starting with the obvious things first, the plastics are visibly different, a slight redesign in the front guard has been made to improve its tolerance to mud build up and at the rear of the bike, two integrated grab handles have been added, making life easier when moving the bike around.

The subframe has been redesigned and is one kilogram lighter than the previous model, being constructed from a composite material containing 30 percent carbon fibre. The subframe also houses a newly designed air box which allows better airflow and in turn brings better performance out of the engine. New locater pins have been added to the MY17 TE 300 to make it easier to correctly install the Twin-Air air filter to assist with preventing damage to the motor.

Moving back to the front of the bike, ODI lock on grips have been used for the new generation off-road models, which is something mountain bikers have been using for years. The 22mm offset black anodised triple clamps offer a range of different handle bar positions, making it easier to get the ideal riding setup.

At the front, you will notice Husqvarna has also intergrated the front brake line with the speedometer cable to offer greater protection out on the trail and preventing any debris jamming between the two and causing any problems.

Brembo brakes and a Magura hydraulic clutch have been fitted, sitting on both sides of the bars. The Magura clutch has been used on the MY17 generation to offer a constant feel, no matter the conditions or temperature.

While you might be accustomed to seeing Brembo brakes on a Husqvarna, they have been slightly massaged to deliver better performance. Fine tuning has also been sent in the direction of the rear brake, with the lever lengthened by 10mm and the size of the brake pistons reduced by 2mm to give the rider a better feel.

One of the more blinding obvious parts on the TE 300 is the translucent 9.5 litre fuel tank – clear to see how much fuel you have left and besides that, it just looks cool. The tank is accompanied by a new fuel line connector which will help prevent any tree branches snagging on your fuel line.

The foot pegs are slightly taller than on the TE 300 than its motocross counterparts, 6mm to be exact. This is to give the rider better ground clearance. They can be switched out with the motocross foot pegs, which is probably a great option for taller riders.

Husqvarna has redesigned the foot pegs along with the shift lever to prevent dirt building up in the joins and prevent the foot pegs to sit down and work as they were designed and likewise the shifter. Accompanying a host of upgrades to the controls, the seat has also been slightly redesigned for better comfort, grip and a reduction of weight.

One the biggest updates to the MY17 Husqvarna TE 300 is the frame. Husqvarna has taken a great deal of care to ensure the frame works better with the suspension, but also assists in making the mass of the bike more central. Bringing the weight to the centre of the bike also allows the bike to handle better, but furthering that the stiffness of the frame has been carefully revised to aid in better handling and rider fatigue.

The frame has been stiffened up from side to side by 30 percent, allowing for greater rider feedback and cornering ability. While the stiffness has been backed off from the front to read of the frame to work better with the WP suspension.

The suspension package on the MY17 model is completely new from WP, including the 48mm XPlor fork. The new fork is a spring fork with compression adjustment on the right side and rebound on the left. Adjustment is easy and can be done tool-less while out on the trail. Husqvarna has also included an additional adjustment with a three-click pre-load adjuster, which can also be tinkered with out on the trail. The DCC linkage rear shock has also seen a range of upgrades to improve dampening and to reduce weight.

The Husqvarna TE 300 engine is more compact, lighter and completely redesigned for 2017. Perhaps the most important thing Husqvarna has done to the engine is what they have added, and what this achieves. The MY17 engine has a counter-balance shaft which has a big impact on the feeling you get from the bike. Adding the counter balance shaft to the TE 300 has reduced vibration by 50 percent – that is huge and you don’t even need to leave the parking lot to actually notice the difference. This is a great improvement to rider fatigue and comfort.

The TE 300 sports a 38mm Mikuni TMX carburettor, which allows for smoother and more controllable power. The new carburettor can also be jetted better in all conditions, altitudes and temperatures. Putting the power to the rear wheel, Husqvarna has incorporated a six-speed transmission with the same ratios as its predecessor.

The MY17 TE 300 is kicked into life with either the conventional kick starter or through the use of an electric start, which is powered by a new and improved compact lithium ion battery for reliable starts every time.

The new TE 300 is an amazing bike righto out of the box. Husqvarna has really put a lot of work into the new generation and made a bike that handles better and creates more power, but also the little things that finish the bike off that are just as important.

The Husqvarna TE 300 is now available at your nearest dealer with an RRP of $????? including GST. For more details on Husqvarna’s 2017 off-road range, visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com.