2023 Husqvarna FE450: Who is it Built For?

[Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] my mind [Music] welcome everybody to another Motocross Action video I'm Josh mosman and today we are testing the 2023 Husqvarna Fe 450 no it's not the fc450 motocross bike that's not the FX Motocross cross country bike off-road model this is the Fe got headlight tail light and uh it's a very different motorcycle than we normally test here at Motocross Action so in this video we're going to break down all we know about this bike foreign [Music] foreign [Music] so what differentiates the fe450 Enduro bike from the fc450 Motocross model well the fe450 is built on the 2022 husky fc450 chassis and not the all-new 2023 bike it has the same KTM Husqvarna frame that was introduced in 2016 and updated slightly in 2019 and it also has the same Husqvarna engine that we know and love for its linear power character with that said it's very different from the 2023 fc450 motocross bike and the FX cross country bike both of which have the all-new stiffer chromoly steel frame updated shock swing arm subframe and higher horsepower engine compared to the 2022 fc450 that this bike is based off of the Fe 450 Enduro bike is quieter softer and mellower to ride the mapping is much mellower and much less aggressive it has a high output stator That's Heavy year which robs more power from the engine in order to run the headlight tail light and digital odometer the fe450 Enduro comes with a ride range six-speed transmission and it has a open cartridge Fork system the wp Explorer spring Forks which are three pounds heavier than the wp exact air Forks however they still feature a split function valving with compression clickers on the left fork and a rebound clicker on the Right Fork the fe-450 has an 18 inch rear wheel with a Dunlop at81 rear tire and a standard 21 inch front wheel specs with the mx-33 Dunlop Motocross Tire unlike the fc450 which comes with Brembo brakes and a Brembo clutch slave unit the fe450 comes with brake Tech brakes and clutch slave cylinder it does the obvious the handguards o-ring chain oversized fuel tank at 2.37 gallons it has a skid plate headlight tail light and kickstand and the CNC machined triple clamps have split clamping design on the bottom to enhance Forks flex and it has two handlebar mounts to customize the cockpit on the triple clamps the small digital odometer dashboard is mounted onto the triple clamps in front of the handlebars it has a malfunction indicator light that warns of an error in the vehicle's Electronics it has low fuel level warning light it has a low battery voltage light and it displays a wrench whenever service is due it also shows your speed the distance since the last reset at such as between refueling stops and the time of day it can also show your average speed total operation hours and distance covered on your Fe 450. at first glance it's easy to think of the fe450 as a dual sport since it comes with a headlight and tail light but that's not the case the task of turning the fe450 into a dual sport isn't much easier than turning the fc450 motocross bike into one yes it's quieter but it's not quite enough yes it has lights but not enough the deal breaker is that most States especially California won't give you a license plate for this bike simply based on its VIN number which indicates that it's a competition model however there are some more lenient states that will give you a license plate for this bike once you add mirrors and turn signals the Dual Sport legal Husqvarna Fe 350i and Fe 501i those models have to meet much stricter emission and sound requirements to be street legal they have a much more restrictive air box choked up exhaust system with a shower cap style restrictor in the tip of the muffler they have detuned ecu's turn signals and mirrors the Dual Sport models also don't come with a map switch because each map with and without traction control would have to pass the department of transportation's emissions and sound standards Husqvarna decided to simplify that testing process by only giving their dual sport bikes one map so how does the Fe 450 run of course before we brought the fe450 into its natural off-road habitat we had to try it out on Glen Helen's Motocross tracks we had fun whipping the headlight equipped and soft suspended Fe 450 but it is not made for that the Fe 450 engine is much more linear than last year's 2022 fc450 motocross bike and the difference is even greater now that the 2023 fc450 is even faster and more responsive than last year our faster test Riders had a hard time with this bike because they really had to rev it hard and ride high in the RPM range to get the fe450 up to speed by linear we mean Ultra linear like the Fe 450 power plant is more like a diesel pusher or a locomotive train engine than a 454 stroke it has absolutely no hits or surges in power just one long pull that is smooth and quiet thanks to the detuned ECU higher output stator restrictive exhaust and heavier overall weight the wide ratio transmission is nice to have but sixth gear didn't really do much for us it's more like an overdrive gear that you'd use if you were to take the Fe out on the highway even though it's not a street legal bike likewise first gear is ultra low and really not usable for the for most situations on a motocross track only the tightest and most technical Rock sections were good for the first gear on this bike [Music] um as for the handling the stock Fe 450 is really soft it rides like a Cadillac on the Track and Trail unlike the PDS shock equipped KTM Enduro models Husqvarna suspension does come with a linkage which Motocross folk will appreciate however some Enduro Riders might see this as a knock because it lowers the bike's ground clearance over rocks and logs the wp Explorer Forks are Ultra Soft if you're light and slow you'll like these Forks but if you're fast or heavy you'll need to get the suspension re-sprung and valved for your size and skill because this is an mxa tested video and because we are Motocross Action of course we had to assign a few of our endurance test Riders to race the Fe 450 on the motocross track our slowest and most seasoned vet test rider is Lars Larson and he was a factory hus Varner Rider back in his prime he absolutely loved this bike it's more Rider friendly than the new generation 2023 fc450 when it comes to absorbing the harsh bumps and everything about the 2023 Motocross chassis is stiffer while this Fe 450s 22 frame swing arm and subframe setup are known for being much more flexible talking about the brakes there's no easy way to say it the brake Tech brakes and clutch components are no match for Brembo and they seriously hinder the fe450s stopping and going power the brake Tech brakes look like a Brembo clone the brakes aren't nearly as strong or smooth for stopping and the Fe 450s lack of stopping power is especially noticeable when you feel the added weight of the oversized tank the spring Forks the headlight tail light and so on good news though is that we have heard rumors that KTM is working on redesigning the brake Tech brake components for 2024. as for the clutch our testers abused the Fe 450 clutch more than they normally would on an fc450 for two reasons the Fe 450 is the detuned and the brake pick system isn't blessed the same strength and pop feel of the Brembo so of course the restricted exhaust detuned Maps a ring chain and heavier stator hinder the Fe 450s throttle response but the brake Tech clutch slave cylinder doesn't help it either we switched to the stiffer setting on the clutch's Belleville washer spring to try to get a stronger connection but our testers didn't notice any benefits still wasn't strong enough foreign overall the fe450 is a great Enduro model 454 stroke if you're looking for a bike to ride Motocross and off-road with we recommend the FX 450 cross-country bike because it is a much more Motocross worthy model the fe450 Enduro bike is too soft and choked up for Moto but if you already have a motocross bike and you want an off-road specific 450 this bike is a great choice an important note is that this is your last opportunity to buy a new Husqvarna Enduro bike with this Frame because the 2024 Husqvarna Fe 450 will have the Next Generation chromoly steel frame which is stiffer and takes much longer to break in maybe Husqvarna and WP have some tricks up their sleeves for future models but our experience with that frame so far tells us that it won't be as easy to find comfort with in the harsh off-road environments as always thank you guys for tuning in to this mxa video we really appreciate you guys watching check out motocrossactionmag.com for more news reviews product tests race results and and more subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with our latest videos and check us out on Instagram Motocross Action mag thanks for watching see in the next video [Music]

Channel: motocross action magazine

Views: 6,981

Keywords: 2023 Husqvarna FE450, 2023 Husqvarna, Husqvarna, Husky, FE450, 450, four-stroke, enduro, off-road, off road, motocross, motocross action, mxa, test, tested, Glen Helen, engine, suspension, wild, insane, epic, trick, crazy, crash, wheel, motor, motorcycle, dirt bike, racing, sports, adventure, bike test, comparison, factory, KTM, GasGas, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, new, brand new, chassis, speed, fast, technology, advanced, exotic, Husqvarna FE450 enduro, race, competition, green sticker, dual sport, emissions, legal

Id: vOFdJB9Ak-4

Length: 11min 27sec (687 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 05 2023