Words: Guy Streeter

The 350cc four-stroke has been around for a few years now and has well established itself as a permanent fixture in the enduro scene. With that being said, I don’t know why I am always surprised after finishing up a ride on one.

There are probably a variety of reasons, light weight, really fun and nimble on the single track, more than enough power to get yourself into trouble, but at the same time the feeling you’re getting close to everything out of the motor as you can. I can’t point out the exact reason, but they are just a really fun bike to ride.

The complete redesign of the 2017 Husqvarna FE 350 has allowed the manufacturer to focus heavily on performance of the bike, both power and handling. The frame has been redesigned to help centralise the mass of the bike and house a newly designed motor.

Husqvarna has also been able to tinker with the rigidity of the frame, both side to side and front to back providing improved handling and reducing rider fatigue by making the frame work more in line with the suspension.

The frame features increased rigidity side to side by 30 percent, which offers the rider improved feedback and creates a more agile feel. The stiffness of the frame has also been decreased from front to back by 20 percent, which is designed to allow the frame to flex in a way that will work well with the suspension.

The FE 350 shares the similar setup as the FE 250 engine, although it has buckets more power. The engine itself is 1.9 kilograms lighter than last year’s power plant, it also features an updated electric start system with a new compact Li-ion battery, Keihin engine management system with electronic fuel injection and a new 42mm throttle body.

Image: Grant Reynolds (Fiftysix Clix).

The new engine management system and throttle body are a significant reason why the bike is so enjoyable to ride. The throttle response is great right off the bottom giving you the power you need the moment you send you wrist southward. In addition, the FE 350 sports a mapping switch and traction control button, really making the power adaptable on the trail at any time.

The 2017 Husqvarna FE 350 puts power to the ground via a six-speed transmission, shifting gears is made easy with low friction coating on the shift forks and a gear sensor syncs up the engine’s power curve to the selected gear as well as the track surface conditions. A Magura hydrualic clutch also comes standard, giving you a consistent clutch action at all times.

The handling characteristics of the new FE 350 are amazing, it’s so light, agile and easily pushed around on the trail. To compliment the new design of the MY17 FE 350, WP has developed all-new suspension. The WP XPlor 48 upside down forks are also lighter and better performing, spring-based with rebound settings on the left fork and compression on the right. Changing settings is made very easy with the tool-less clicker system on top of each fork leg.

Husqvarna, being the premium brand that it is, has included a three-setting pre-load adjuster, furthering the fine-tuning ability out on the trails. In the rear, the DCC linkage compliments the overall suspension package well. It gives both the front and rear a really natural feel with no surprises on the more challenging trails, big hits or small, chattery bumps.

Source: Supplied.

As per usual with Husqvarna, Brembo brakes are fitted to the 2017 Husqvarna FE 350. Brembo has also made changes for the MY17 edition with a new rear brake caliper. The pedal length has been extended, while the caliper piston has been reduced by 2mm to give the rider more precise rear brake action.

Stepping away from the performance-based aspects of the FE 350, Husqvarna has not let us down here either with clever innovations that make life just a little more convenient and trouble-free. New plastics are featured for 2017, including a new hand grip to move the back of the bike around and a newly-designed air-box.

This updated air-box provides improved air-flow and an increase in power. At the same time, Husqvarna has tried to ease the installation of the air-filter with more precise fitting thanks to locater pins, preventing any damage to the bike’s motor.

ODI Lock On grips have also been fitted to the latest FE 350, so there’s no need to glue and wire grips anymore. It’s not really a big deal, but it certainly makes life a little easier, quicker, and if you are anything like me, you won’t have your fingers sticking together while fitting them again.

Husqvarna has also taken the guessing game out of knowing how much fuel you have left. The 8.5-litre translucent tank makes it very easy to check your fuel level and a built in level sensor gives you an added warning. Another small adjustment made for 2017 is the fuel line connector being turned 90 degrees to help protect against damage.

Image: Grant Reynolds (Fiftysix Clix).

Other areas that Husqvarna has tried to make your ride trouble-free, is the ‘no dirt’ footpegs and shift-lever. The idea is to prevent dirt building up during riding or after a crash, it’s now one less thing you will need to worry about on the trail. Nobody likes having their shift-lever tip or a footpeg pointing skywards after being packed with dirt.

While we are talking about the footpegs, the enduro range of Husqvarna bikes feature a 6mm higher footpeg design. This is aimed to aid in ground clearance, however these can be easily switched with their motocross counterparts for you taller riders out there. Another small, yet clever, change is the brake and speedo cable being incorporated together running in a twin tube from the head light down to the fork tube for a little extra protection.

The 2017 Husqvarna FE 350 has got to be one of the most enjoyable bikes to ride, hands down. It features the handling of a small bike, along with the power that allows you to wring its neck as much as you can, which is quite the opposite to a 450, where the same rider input might give you an unwanted excursion into the scrub or worse. This means there is power when you need it and you aren’t really searching or wishing for more power like you might be on a smaller motor.

The agility and weight of the bike is where you will notice the big gains, being a huge 3.2 kilograms lighter than the previous model, you feel you can push the bike in any direction you need, mistakes are a little easier to overcome and the suspension gives you confidence to push more on the trickier parts of the trail.

Source: Supplied.

Some of the things that make me appreciate the FE 350 this year are the little details that Husqvarna developed to make the ride a little bit more enjoyable. These bits and pieces aren’t going to be noticed or come into use on every single ride, but when trail conditions are tricky and things go a little sideways, there are a few things that are going to take the edge off frustration.

Traction control and the mapping switch really come into play when conditions are not perfect and it’s very noticeable when you haven’t got enough traction on muddy/slippery trails. The choice of two traction control maps makes riding in tricky conditions that much easier, so it’s really a great addition to the 2017 Husqvarna FE 350.

Lastly, if you are ‘that rider’ – by that I mean the guy that is constantly messing with clickers on his suspension – the WP XPlor 48 forks are going to either make you so stoked or send you for a few psych appointments depending on your level of nuttiness. The ease of changing up your settings and even changing the pre-load out on the trail without the use of tools is definitely a plus.

The 2017 Husqvarna FE 350 is now available at your nearest dealer at a recommended retail price of $14,695 including GST. For more details on Husqvarna’s 2017 off-road range, visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com.