usqvarna is another brand that has made some big changes to its bikes for 2006. The WR250 now comes with a new Euro-spec Arrow muffler, fitted handguards, an improved speedo, new plastics, V-Force reed block and modified suspension valving front and rear.

MOTOR
Husqvarna's WR250 feels like a big-bore and has plenty of mumbo, particularly through the mid-range. The motor had a different feel to the others and was the hardest to get used to, but once we did, it was enjoyable.
Unless you're tall, or have a rock handy, starting the Husky is an awkward and frustrating operation. The kickstart is too high and forward to get enough leverage for the stroke. Once moving, the bottom-end is strong, but deceptively so, and builds momentum quickly.
The bottom-end is broader and more torquey than the rest of the field, and gives the impression you're straddling a 280 rather than a 250. Riders of all skill levels will love the way you can use the big bottom-end and torque to shred loamy grasstrack berms or flick you through one tight singletrail turn and into the next. The fat bottom flows well into a mid-range that houses a real peak in the power curve.
That mid-range bite sometimes makes it difficult to keep the rear wheel planted on the ground and clubman riders may initially struggle with body positioning.
Once you get through the mid, you'll find a top-end that signs off quite early and runs out of steam on long straights. So to get the most out of this punchy package, you'll have to click up a gear earlier than you usually would. The Husky begs to be short-shifted and will become a trail-eating animal when given the right treatment.
By and large, the WR's gearing is good, but first and second can feel a bit too tall. When coming into a sharp rut for the first time - and if you ride in the bush, that's pretty regularly - it's hard to get the confidence to hit it in second gear as you usually would. Rest assured though, you can use second and rely on the abundance of torque to help pull you through.
After riding three bikes with hydraulic clutches, the Husky's

long-throw cable system felt noticeably heavy and wants to be pulled almost the whole way into the bars, before the engine stops creeping the bike forward. The bike also has a tendency to stall under brakes.

HANDLING
The Husky's Marzocchi fork is plush in the initial start of the stroke, but gets progressively stiffer the further you push it, and really comes into its own on faster sections over choppy bumps, where it seemingly planes over them rather than hitting every undulation. Even on high-speed hits and G-outs, we didn't bottom the fork out, although it did dive noticeably under brakes.
Like the TM, the Husky feels like it sits higher in the arse than the KTM, but possibly a fraction too high as it feels like it wears its extra weight over the front. However, the shock's progression is well controlled and has no issues soaking up trail obstacles and flat landings.
The sweet rear-wheel tracking is a reflection of the impressive powerplant and tracks beautifully even when hitting sweeping off-cambers at pace.
The Husky feels like a bigger bike, and rightly so, seeing as it carries 6kg more than the others. This is most evident in the steering and tip weight. It feels a little heavier and more sluggish in the tight stuff, and it is harder to put the front wheel exactly where you want it.
But, like your mum at a birthday party, as soon as the pace picks up, the WR250 really wants to get down and boogie.
In its own right, the Husky's suspension package is great and works well in the bush. It's not the best of the bunch, but it's more than able to hold its own.

BRAKES & ERGOS
The Husky is a very different bike from the rest of the class. The pegs are mounted further forward, which makes it harder to get your weight over the front of the bike when powering up steep rocky hills.
The bars are low and while rolling them forward made it easier to stand up and trailride, it'd be great to see a high-bend bar on the WR250 in the future.
At the start of our test, the front brake pads were glazed over and squealed irritably. They still pulled us up okay though. As for the rear, it lacks feel. You have to push the lever a long way down before it suddenly bites and locks up the wheel.
The bike's width was definitely the most generous, but we'd rather be in its comfortable saddle for five days in a row than any of the others.

VERDICT
The Husqvarna takes longer to grow accustomed to and sort out its trail manners. But once you do, you'll be as fast as anyone else. The suspension is great and the strong, torquey engine will make mincemeat of bush trails, though the heavier clutch and grabby brakes need a bit more work before it's the ultimate trail package.