?Aluminum was substituted for steel throughout all major components. Husqvarna even removed the counterbalance on the crank to save weight. The result was a 55hp, 260 pound (118 kilo) package with a water cooled motor…that vibrates like a palm sander.?
With a six-speed transmission it was a trail bike that had legs; something that could pound pavement and fire roads.

Dave wanted to push the 2001-model TE over to supemotard territory a bit, so he lowered it and fitted 17? hoops at each end. He then wrapped them in Shinko 705 tires, and upgraded the front brake with a 320mm rotor.
Then it was time for serious changes. ?I knew I wouldn?t be using the plastic tank, and didn?t want the added weight of a steel replacement,? he explains. ?I sourced an aluminum Husqvarna CR360 tank that had great patina and all the purple.?
?The exhaust was tucked up to follow the belly line of the subframe while the tank continued the top line forward to give the bike an aggressive direction. Variations of cool grey and champagne gold were used in place of black to give the bike a bright look.?
Tapping into his industrial design skillset, Dave did everything on paper before tackling the hard graft. ?After refining the design direction digitally, the rendering got tacked to the shop wall and I started hashing it out in metal,? he says.

Even lowering the bike was a careful consideration. Custom suspension springs and valving were made to match Dave’s weight, stiffening it up for ...