You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “race bike with lights”. More frequently, it might be applied to a sport bike that is stripped to the bone of any unnecessary weight, just like a track bike, but with all the necessary equipment to make it street legal. The same analysis applies to dirt bike’s. A dual sport can range from something like a cushy, quite heavy Kawasaki KLR650, to a bike that essentially looks and feels like a motocross racer with lights added.The latter is what we have just recently tested in the form of the 2015 Husqvarna FE 350 S. First of all, what is the FE 350 S? After the marriage of Husqvarna and KTM a couple of years ago, production Husqvarnas frequently share KTM components. In the case of the FE 350 S, Husky borrows KTM’s very capable 350cc single cylinder mill, originally designed for racing. This is a dual overhead cam, four-valve design that is capable of great power for its displacement. The Husky does have unique frame and suspension versus the KTM dual sports, however.

With the resurgence of small displacement street-legal motorcycles, nearly all of which MD has tested, we can categorically state that the FE 350 S has a great engine. Indeed, it is in an entirely different league from other small displacement single cylinder engines (under 300cc) we have sampled of late. The Ninja 300 (a twin, not a single) has more top-end, but the Husky has much stronger low and mid. Good low-end power and a solid mid range is followed by quite strong pull up top for a single. This is a very flexible powerband, capable of plonking along at slow speed’s in the dirt, yet pulling decently above 70 mph on the highway. The excellent engine is complemented by very high-end suspension components. Both the fork and the shock are fully adjustable units made by WP. The fork even has tool-less adjustment for both compression and rebound you can turn from the rider’s seat. This bike is slender and shares ergonomics with modern off-road racing machines. That means you are seated upright with a comfortable reach to the bars and generous legroom (courtesy of a very high seat height).

In short, we found the performance of the Husqvarna FE 350 S off-road excellent. motorcycle parts manassas vaThe slim ergonomics allow the rider to easily shift his weight, which is required for aggressive off-road riding, and the suspension was firm enough to handle large hits, yet the initial part of the stroke can be dialed in to be very plush on smaller chop. motorcycles for sale burnleyOff-road, the FE 350 S also changes directions well, and remains reasonably stable in a straight line through whoops or other rough terrain. chippewa motorcycle boots reviewIn other words, this is a race bike … with lights. textile motorcycle jacket recommendation

The bike feels light and nimble like a 250, but has some of the low-end grunt of a larger machine, which helps with corner exits and hill climbs.motorcycle helmet law 1973 Which brings us to the subject of on-road performance. motorcycle repair menlo parkThat flexible engine allows the FE 350 S to handle city riding, as well as highway riding with a top speed north of 90 mph. Unlike some other small displacement singles we have sampled, the the FE 350 S still has some poke left at 70 mph or so, so that you do not feel like you are an obstacle to automobiles. In other words, you can still twist the throttle and get out-of-the-way at that speed. The six-speed transmission, and clutch worked faultlessly during our testing, and the front brake proved surprisingly strong and fade free during one particular run down hill on a tight twisty road (chasing another journalist on his personal larger-displacement dual sport with much more street-able tires than on the Husky … he couldn’t drop me).

Where the FE 350 S falls short on the street, it does so in a rather big way. Unlike something akin to a KLR650, the seat on the FE 350 S is narrow and quite uncomfortable for extended street rides. It is a dirt bike seat, after all, rather than a street bike seat, or even a dual sport seat (there is an optional, more comfortable seat available according to Husky — I will update with details when available). The tires chosen for this model are also not particularly street friendly.The Metzeler 6 Days Extreme rubber features knobs that are so broadly spread it appears to be purposeful for riding in deep sand more than on the street or other typical dirt conditions. Despite this, and frankly to my surprise, they never slipped during the quick downhill run mention above, or elsewhere on the road during our test. If you’re looking for a dual purpose motorcycle with a very strong bias toward dirt performance,this might be your bike. It could even handle a motocross track if asked.

Your attitude should be “I want to get to the dirt to play without getting a ticket”. On the other hand, if you want a more balanced machine that can handle the occasional trip off road, but offer long-distance comfort on the road, look elsewhere. Something like the KLR might be your ticket. Notwithstanding this thought, the engine and chassis on the Husky FE 350 S are so good they had us dreaming about swapping the seat and tires to more street friendly items. The 2015 Husqvarna FE 350 S has a U.S. MSRP of $10,049. Visit Husqvarna’s web site for further details and specifications. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.Christmas restock  -  Bettencourts has every size and model CRF in stock. 2017Goldwings, M109 and M90 powercruisers and all 4 colors in the Grom are just a few cool recent arrivals at Bettencourts Suzuki's 2017 C90 and C90T are in stock now! The new Honda CR-F450RX has arrived!