This is a 1973 Husqvarna CR400 that remains in original, unrestored condition. Many of these bikes didn’t survive the 70s, and those that did often end up getting restored to better-than-new condition.
This particular CR400 is a bike you might have actually seen in person, as it was on display in The Bike Shed in London for many years, in pride of place. It’s now being sold after a recent servicing and recommissioning. The bike is in running, riding condition and it’ll be up to the new owner if they ride it or preserve it as-is.
Fast Facts – The Husqvarna CR400
- This 1973 Husqvarna CR400 is an unrestored original that spent years displayed at The Bike Shed in London. Recently recommissioned to running condition, it retains authentic patina and was signed by famous moto-racer Guy Martin.
- Husqvarna, originally founded in Sweden in 1689 to produce firearms, diversified into bicycles and motorcycles by 1903. By mid-20th century, the brand became renowned for off-road competition, notably motocross championships, using powerful and reliable two-stroke engines.
- Introduced in 1969, the 400 Cross featured a welded frame and a potent 400cc two-stroke engine. Prominent riders, including Steve McQueen and Bengt Aberg—who won the 1969 and 1970 500cc Motocross World Championships—boosted the model’s iconic status.
- After the 400 Cross, Husqvarna would debut the Husqvarna CR400, with the model name standing for either “Competition Racer” or “Cross Racer.” This bike was closely related to its forebear but had improved suspension, chassis tweaks, newer plastics, a 5-speed gearbox, and other design refinements depending on the specific year.
- Original CR400 examples are rare due to their frequently hard lives in competitive racing. This bike was initially bought in California, later rediscovered in storage, and is now offered for sale in Shoreditch, London.
The Mighty Swedish Husqvarnas
Husqvarna was founded centuries before the invention of the motorcycle, it was first formed near the town of Huskvarna in Sweden in 1689 to make firearms including muskets. The company’s modern logo is a reference to this, it’s designed to appear as though you’re looking down the open iron sights of a firearm.
The Husqvarna 400 Cross appeared prominently in Bruce Brown’s documentary “On Any Sunday,” being ridden by Steve McQueen no less.
Over the course of Husqvarna’s history they diversified, first into making bicycles in the 1800s, then into making motorcycles starting in 1903. By 1918 they were making the entire motorcycle in-house including the engines which had previously been imported, this was around the time they first started racing in cross-country and long-distance motorcycle races.
The Swedish company enjoyed a significant number of race track successes over the mid-20th century. They beat Norton and landed a 1-2 finish at the Swedish Grand Prix in 1931 with riders Ragnar Sundqvist and Gunnar Kalen.
By the 1950s the company was largely focusing on off-road and motocross events, Rolf Tibblin won the 1959 Motocross Championship on his 250cc Husqvarna and the 1960 500cc Motocross Championship was won by Bill Nilsson on a four-stroke Husqvarna.
The development of advanced two-stroke motocross motorcycles in the 1960s would launch Husqvarna to the forefront of the off-road motorcycle world, and make their red-and-chrome fuel tanks world famous.
This Husqvarna CR400 remains in original condition throughout, a rare find as many were either scrapped in period or restored more recently.
The Husqvarna CR400
The Husqvarna 400 Cross debuted in 1969 to keep the Swedish company competitive in the hotly contested world of two-stroke racing motorcycles. Its welded frame was an improvement over the earlier bolt together model, and the upgraded two-stroke engine now offered more power thanks to a displacement increase to 400cc.
This new recipe would prove to be a major success. The bike would be ridden by many of the great riders of the day, including Steve McQueen, Bengt Aberg raced one to victory in the 1969 and 1970 500cc World Championships, and the model appeared prominently in Bruce Brown’s documentary On Any Sunday.
Due to the very nature of the bike, many of them were raced, crashed, thrashed, and otherwise abused. This means that original survivors are actually quite rare, particularly if you’re looking for an unrestored bike with all its battle scars and patina in place.
After the 400 Cross, Husqvarna would debut the Husqvarna CR400, with the model name standing for either “Competition Racer” or “Cross Racer.” This bike was closely related to its forebear but had improved suspension, chassis tweaks, newer plastics, a 5-speed gearbox, and other design refinements depending on the specific year.
The 1973 Husqvarna CR400 Shown Here
The bike you see here is a 1973 Husqvarna CR400 that was bought new by an owner in California who had seen Steve McQueen riding one in On Any Sunday and fallen in love with the design. It ended up being put into storage in later years, and rediscovered in the late 2010s.
It was then bought by the current owner, a friend of legendary motorcycle racer Guy Martin, who had Martin sign the bike. It was recommissioned with a fresh service, and new tires, tubes, cables, shock absorbers, and more.
The bike has been recommissioned with a fresh service, and new tires, tubes, cables, shock absorbers, and more.
It has been on display at The Bike Shed in London, one of the most famous establishments of its kind in the world along with the outlet in Los Angeles.
The bike is now being offered for sale out of Shoreditch in London and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or place a bid.
Images courtesy of Car & Classic
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