Now you have even more dual sporting options with the introduction of the all-new Husqvarna FE 350 S and FE 501 S. Photography by Steve Cox
My recent journey to Sweden left me a little unfulfilled. You see, I went there with fellow journalists to sample Husqvarna’s latest offerings, a sort of sneak peak of the company’s 2015 off-road and MX models. After our arrival, we were disappointed to learn that of the 10-plus bikes in Husky’s arsenal, two of the models—the ones I wanted to ride most—would not be available. I’m talking about Husky’s all-new FE 350 S and 501 S dual sport bikes. We were told that the dual sports weren’t quite ready yet but would be soon. For now, unfortunately, we would just have to wait. Well, the waiting is finally over.
This time, however, I didn’t have to pack a passport and hop on a plane for Sweden to ride the bikes. Instead, I hopped on the freeway and made the hour-long four-wheel journey to Husky’s U.S. home base in Murrieta, California, where Husky officially introduced the two FEs to the media before leading us on a quick one-day ride.
The FE 350 S and 501 S are Husky’s first dual sport offering since merging with KTM two years ago, and like the Husky off-road and motocross models, the S-models are closely related to their new siblings, the KTM EXC dual sports.
Siblings
As you can guess, the FE 350 S and FE 501 S are very similar in design, and they feature many of the same components, such as WP’s latest 4CS four-chamber fork, and link-mounted WP DCC (Dual Compression Control) shock. The two bikes also share CNC-machined triple clamps (with four-position handlebar mounts) and a cross-linked polyamide subframe with tool-less air filter access. Also in common are their six-speed transmissions, DDS clutch systems with Brembo hydraulics, Brembo brakes, TrailTech enduro computer, black D.I.D Dirtstar rims and 2.3-gallon fuel tanks.
There are, however, a few notable differences between the Husqvarna and KTM (350 and 500 EXC) dual sports. For one, the KTM has not been granted the newer-style 4CS WP forks yet, and the Husky has linkage rear suspension; the KTM still relies on its non-linked—but lighter—PDS rear suspension system. The Husqvarnas feature a three-piece polyamide subframe with built in grab handles; the KTM retains its one-piece aluminum unit. Husky also uses a TrailTech enduro computer readout, which tracks speed, distance and time. The KTM has a less sophisticated readout.
The FE 350 S, however, features the same dual overhead cam engine as the off-road-only Husky FE 350 and KTM 350 EXC but has a slightly heavier crankshaft for smoother power delivery and improved rear-wheel traction. The FE 501 S engine is the same as the FE 501 off-road and KTM 500 EXC but has a three-layer head gasket, which decreases compression, resulting in smoother power delivery and improved durability.
There is a fairly significant weight difference between the FE 350 S and 501 S—about 10 pounds. Claimed dry weight is 242 pounds for the 350 and 251 pounds for the 501.
Climb Aboard
Husky made up for our earlier disappointment in Sweden by giving us a day-long tour on both the FE 350 and 501. Our journey was spent on both paved city streets and mountain dirt roads. However, the main focus was on the dirt, of course, and we saw a little bit of everything, including some very technical rocky trails. We covered approximately 120 dusty miles and I enjoyed every bit of it…well, almost.
First of all, the 350 definitely feels lighter and more agile than the 501. You quickly appreciate the 350’s lightweight feel when the trail gets tight and you’re forced into using more creative line selections. The 350’s suspension is also very well balanced and has a plusher feel than the 501. Of the two, the 350 has noticeably less vibration, and, in the suspension department, had a more settled feel.
I did, however, add a few clicks of compression up front. I did this to keep the fork from sagging; I wanted it to stay up more in the stroke when speed picked up. That gave the bike a more stable and confidence-inspiring feel. Overall, though, the 350’s suspension is very impressive right out of the crate.
The 350’s engine requires a little more attention on the trail than its bigger brother, as it needs to be kept higher in the rpm range in order to get the most out of its dual overhead-cam powerplant. It’s definitely more of a revver than the 501, but that is to be expected. Still, it makes good power down low and is simple to manage as a whole.
On the street the 350 feels right at home. Down low, power delivery from its Keihin FI system is instant and precise, and there is plenty of power on the opposite side of the spectrum to keep me happy while flowing with traffic. However, it’s not a street bike but it can get you from one off-road section to another comfortably enough. In other words, it really is a barely street-legal dirt bike.
There are plenty of things to like about the 350, like its light-pull clutch that offers excellent engagement, and the brakes that are strong and predictable. There isn’t much I would be quick to change with the 350, but I would consider gearing it down a bit. It comes off the showroom floor geared on the tall side; a smaller countershaft sprocket would do wonders for the 350 by giving it a little more snap at slower speeds on the trail. This would reduce the top speed on the street, of course, but the benefit on the trail would be well worth the trade off.
The fairly aggressive knobby tires are better suited for the dirt than pavement, but that’s why we like them. Photography by Steve Cox
On to the big bike. The 501 is an amazing machine. The extra power made it my favorite ride of the two. The single overhead-cam engine has both tons of torque and power across the board. But the 501 isn’t a monster. Power delivery is smooth and predictable off the bottom, making it easy and comfortable to ride, but for those times when you want to really wick it up, the Husky 501 truly delivers. More times than not I found myself riding down the fireroads with the front end up in the air, or the back end controllably sliding out to the side with the throttle rolled on! It’s a third-gear bike, too. On the trail, you can pretty much leave it there and just ride. If the R’s suddenly drop, heck, just tap the clutch and let the motor chug its way through; gearing is long enough to where you need to do very little shifting so you focus on the terrain ahead of you.
On the road the gearing also works well. After the light turns green, you don’t find yourself shifting three times before you’re through the intersection. On the top part of the scale, the Husky 501 holds its own as we got up into the 80 mph range, and I felt little straining from the machine – just the usual vibration.
Like with the 350, the clutch action is superb and is without a doubt one of the best in the business; there’s no chatter and it has excellent bite. Paired with the Husky’s positive six-speed transmission, changing gears is a pleasant experience. The Brembo brakes are amazing as always; there’s plenty of controllable braking power on tap.
Compared to the 350, the 501 vibrates a bit more and has a bulkier feel. The suspension works well, but compared to the 350, I feel the 501 would benefit from either stiffer fork springs or more preload, as the balance of the chassis and the plushness of the fork isn’t as impressive. I played with the fork’s clickers a bit and I did improve the balance by adding compression, but it also ended up hurting the plushness, which is something that’s important to me on the trail.
With both bikes, there were a few things that didn’t sit well with me, the first being their seats. Plain and simple, they are uncomfortable and just way too hard – not good for long rides, or even short one for that matter. I searched for a comfortable pocket or plush area but, in the end (literally), the only relief was to stand up as much as possible.
Get ready to pay a high price for high performance. The two Husky dual sports will set you back more than 10 grand each. Photography by Steve Cox
I did miss not having a manual kickstarter on the bikes. The stock batteries are weak and I found that out first hand when I left the key on (for only for a few minutes) after shutting off the bike. Kick starting is better than having to bump start a dead battery. Husky does offer a manual kick as an accessory but it should come stock (after all, these bikes aren’t cheap).
Finally, the stock Michelin DOT tires left me wanting more in the traction department in the dirt. Same holds true on the pavement. The tires, however, seem to hold up well to the abuse. At the end of our ride, the Michelins showed very little wear on the tread.
Unfortunately, the Husky dual sports will probably clean out your bank account. Both eclipse the $10,000 mark: $10,049 for the 350 and $10,249 for the 501. Gulp! But, no one said that performance is cheap. It never is.
As with most dual sport rides, this one came to a close all too soon. Except for the seat and tires, I was extremely impressed with both the FE 350 S and 501 S.
The bikes have a long list of pluses, including impressive looks and fantastic performance. The few things we weren’t so thrilled about are all things that are easy fixes, so my hat’s off to Husqvarna for producing these models, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them again for a longer evaluation.
For more Cycle News Dual Sport motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
For more Husqvarna motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
