cannot Talking about classic off-road motorcycles, it is impossible not to mention the legendary Husqvarna Cross. Introduced in the 1960s, this was one of the bikes at the forefront of the transition from a large four-stroke desert sled to a lighter, purpose-built two-stroke. And who can forget a topless Steve McQueen driving a Husqvarna 400 Cross on the cover of Sports Illustrated?
If there’s one bike that craves a modern rework, it’s the Husqvarna Cross. Husqvarna haven’t built it yet, so until they do, we’ll happily tackle custom “what if” stuff like this Cross Gratitude from Gas & Classic in Slovenia.
Gas&Retro’s Žiga Petek teamed up with Slovenian dealer Husqvarna MotoXGeneration to make the build. MotoXGeneration is a family business run by brothers Rok, Martin and Jure Rus. All three of them are motocross riders and their father, Slavko Rus, was a top Slovenian motocross racer in the 1970s.
Rok contacted Žiga about being able to build a custom motorcycle together to celebrate Husqvarna’s 120th birthday. MotoXGeneration takes a 2018 Husqvarna TC250 engine lying around and pairs it with a frame from a new Husqvarna FE 250. All they need is a design direction for the build.
Žiga said: “Rok and I started talking about what the bike would look like. “We both agreed it would look like something Steve McQueen would drive—even though we were working with a four-stroke, not a two-stroke.”
The TC250 may not be a two-stroke, but it does make a respectable 46 horsepower in its original form. And both the TC250 and FE 250 hover around the 200 lbs mark when they leave the factory. So no matter how you cut it, Gas&Retro and MotoXGeneration have got their hands on a subtly sponsored bike.
Rok’s brother, Martin, embarked on rebuilding the TC250 engine, while Žiga started playing with the frame. Rok had the idea of showing off the bare metal of the frame, so Žiga sandblasted, brushed, and applied a clear coat of paint to protect the frame. A custom subframe now sits at the rear, with a raised tail loop accenting the classic Husqvarna Cross design.
The team at MotoXGeneration repainted some parts of the engine in glossy black, before fitting it to the FE 250’s frame. From there, Rus bros focused on building the rest of the wheelchair’s frame, leaving them to them. can send it to Žiga to build a new bodywork.
Comes with a set of WP Suspension forks, lowered 30mm and upgraded with WP Pro internals. A new aluminum swingarm is mounted at the rear, connected to a WP Suspension with a bladder system for easy adjustment. The new DID rims have been tied to complete the rims, measuring 21” at the front and 18” at the rear.
Braking is provided by Brembo calipers, Galfer discs and Magura master cylinders. MotoXGeneration also tweaked the Husky’s wiring, and installed a new speedometer, buttons and keyless start, all from Motogadget.
The Husky is then sent back to Gas&Retro so Žiga can work her magic. The idea was to make the body mostly aluminum—starting with the new classic tank with a Monza gas cap. “There was a lot of work to do to make it fit,” he admits.
Žiga also crafted a sturdy, vintage-inspired seat and a pair of aluminum side panels. Hidden behind them is a custom intake with a K&N filter, along with batteries and electronics.
Bicycle support aluminum manual fenders; The Žiga is large at the front to emphasize the classic Husky style. The back is finished with small Bates-style taillights and turn signals located inside the frame rails. Žiga also worked on some finer details—such as the new radiator grille.
During the process, the car was constantly exchanged between the Gas&Retro workshop and MotoXGeneration. It even goes back to Akrapovič’s factory, where the Slovenian exhaust manufacturer built a custom titanium exhaust system specifically for this project.
However, a difficult point is the headlight housing. “At first, Rok bought an Acerbis fender and a plastic fender,” says Žiga. “But then we talked, and I said to him, ‘Dude, if I’m all aluminum, I’d like to do the front fender too’.”
Rok agreed, so the car went back to Gas&Retro once more for Žiga to shape the new headlight housings. The craftsmen have crafted it around an LED light, adding a modern touch to the classic setup.
Up to this point, the Husky’s skin color is undisputed. Matej Mrzlika at MM Car Paint laid out Husqvarna’s iconic red, white, and yellow tones, with a few black accents added for balance. And Mitja Bizjak has upholstered the seats in black leather with white stitching.
This may not be McQueen’s Husqvarna Cross, but it’s a wonderful tribute – and it probably stinks, too. If Husqvarna ever planned to build a modern classic Cross tribute, this would be a good blueprint.
Gas & Classic | Facebook | Instagram | Generation MotoX | Image of Rok Plešnar
