This beautifully restored 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross MX was once the property of MX legend Malcolm Smith. It’s the same type of Husky that Smith rode through the Southern California desert in the immortal film ‘On Any Sunday’ (1971). The reason Malcolm Smith, Steve McQueen and Mert Lawwill famously rode these bikes in the film was because Husqvarna Cross models were the apex MX bike of the era. With a 396cc air-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder engine with 4-speed, a light and strong frame, and excellent suspension, Husqvarna dominated the MX World Championships of the era. This bike is from Malcolm Smith’s personal collection and is the type that brought him his first Gold Medal in the ISDT, of the eight in his amazing career. Husqvarna is one of the oldest companies in the world, founded in 1697 near Huskvarna, Sweden, as a maker of muskets – its logo looks like a crowned circle, but represents a gun sight. Gun manufacturers make great motorcycle builders (think BSA, Royal Enfield, FN, etc.) and Husqvarna commenced motorcycle production in 1903, making them among the oldest motorcycle manufacturers in the world. By the 1930s their Grand Prix racing singles and V-twins were fearsome machines that stamped their name into the history books and attracted riders like Stanley Woods. In the 1960s and ‘70s, Husqvarna’s two-stroke motocrossers were the gold standard in international competition and made heavier four-stroke racers typical in Britain and Europe instantly obsolete. The American market was opened for Husky by importer Edison Dye, whose input on the factory’s racing machines led to a stiffer, all-welded frame and more stable steering head angle, which suited American-style off-road racing. Internationally, Husqvarna won the 1963 250 and 500 World MX Championship, the ’64 and ’66 250MX Trophee des Nations, the ’66 250MX World championship, and the ’67 Trophee, 250MX, Jack Pine Enduro (John Penton), and Baja 1000 races, won by Malcolm Smith and JN Roberts. Husqvarna won 14 World Motocross and 24 Enduro Championships through the 1970s. They were wise enough to offer near-replicas of their factory racers to the public, as the popularity of off-road sport for fun and competition exploded in the USA, helped no doubt by On Any Sunday’s celebrity endorsement. The red and chrome tank of Husqvarnas were everywhere on the MX tracks of the early ‘70s, and this bike, with its very famous former owner, is a beautiful example. NO RESERVE F153 1970 HUSQVARNA 400 CROSS MX
