A: The exterior and plastic parts are the most obvious changes, but the list of differences includes the fuel tank (different shape, the Husky tank holds more fuel on the right side of the bike), radiator fins (blunt shape, no prongs in the cabin), front fenders Fenders (traditional white fenders, not orange I-beam fenders), rear fenders (white instead of orange, shaped differently from the seat interface), frame color (black instead of orange) , triple clamp anodized (black instead of orange), seat cover (black Guts seat cover, not orange Selle Dalla Valle seat cover), side panels (right side panel is two pieces, front removable, covers shock adjusters dial), frame guard (the black Husky frame guard doesn’t extend into the midpipe like the KTM’s orange frame guard) and clutch cover (bronze anodized instead of black anodized).
A: There are two “Edition” variants that caught the attention of MXA test riders, one significant and one minor.(1) KTM front fenders have eight 1-inch winglets molded into the rear half of the front fender.They are designed to fly moisture and dirt from the front wheel into the rider’s goggles.(2) When KTM introduced the January 2, 2022 Factory Edition, its engineers spent a lot of time explaining how flow studies showed that “undefined” air (air from widely spaced or misplaced gaps) was an effective force ‘s enemy.In response, they redesigned the airflow on the Factory Edition so that all air entering the airbox comes from well-defined vents on the sides of the airbox.Two vents are located above and behind the air filter, and you can see from one vent to the other through the frame.KTM even has a V-shaped dome under the seat base to help direct the air entering the vents down.Here’s a really nifty demo on how to design an airbox.
You can imagine how surprised we were to find out that the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition airbox didn’t have any of the peach-colored design features we had with KTM airboxes.In fact, the two vents on the FC450 Rockstar Edition are fake vents.In short, the air for the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition comes from a slot on the back of the airbox cover, and of course other “undefined” leaks.
A: We really shouldn’t worry too much about “defined” or “undefined” air, as the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition actually produces more peak horsepower than its well-defined KTM Factory Edition sibling.Is there enough airflow, when the Husky FC450 is going mad, it tends to be a player in the peak horsepower game; however, at the lower end of the rev range, the KTM 450SXF Factory Edition’s throttle response and horsepower are slick on the Husky from idle to 7500 rpm Tuned to 1.2 hp.After 8000 rpm, the Rockstar and Factory Edition will go head-to-head until peak horsepower is reached, with the FC450 Rockstar making 60.4 horsepower at 9600 rpm and the 450SXF Factory Edition making 59.9 horsepower at 9400 rpm.
On the track, the Husky was smoother, rounder and easier to ride in the cracks of the throttle, while the KTM 450 Factory Edition was more responsive.Our Vet test riders preferred the Husky’s rolling power, while the Pro riders preferred the KTM’s quicker acceleration.Neither slow nor fast test riders were skeptical that the Husqvarna had a 1/2 horse advantage over the KTM at peak because the KTM hit a few hundred rpm earlier and stayed above 59 hp through the 1600 rpm span. A fact mitigates this.The Husky’s peak numbers may be higher, but its 59 hp or more is wide only for the 1300 rpm span.There are trade-offs between these two limited-edition machines, but they both have strong powerbands that are more responsive low down than the production-based stabilizers, but still linear from top to bottom.Powerful yet easy to manage.
A: For several years, MXA has been asking for a bigger difference between the Mellow map (Map 1) and the Aggressive map (Map 2).Usually, the difference between the two maps is infinitely small.Finally, on the 2022-1/2 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition, KTM engineers gave riders two very different maps.The Mellow map is actually mellow, although it still packs a lot of punch, while the Aggressive map is more useful in the lows, then builds up a lot of power in a progressive surge from mid-to-top.These two KTM maps provide options for riders of different skill levels.
Sounds good, but when we compare the two maps for the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition, the distinction between map 1 and map 2 blurs.We did a dyno on both maps and couldn’t decipher any noticeable differences.We raced on both maps and even changed them on the fly, but came to the conclusion that the two Husky maps were closer than the two KTM maps.Maybe it’s just our test bike’s ECU, as it wasn’t mentioned in the tech briefing that the Husky has a different map than the KTM.That is, every MXA test rider runs Map 2.
A: We are working on it!When KTM acquired Husqvarna from BMW in 2013, they already had a different Swedish motorcycle brand.KTM decided to partner with the better known Husqvarna brand and dropped the quirky and unique Husaberg brand, keeping only two things about the suddenly defunct Swedish brand: (1) the Husaberg “Ready to Race” slogan, which they adopted as KTM The new tagline.(2) KTM decided to borrow a molded plastic subframe from Husaberg and combine it with the airbox on the new-generation Husqvarnas.
For the 2022-1/2 Rockstar Edition, the Husky and KTM share the same traditional aluminum strut subframe, reinforced by 70 percent polyamide plastic and 30 percent carbon fiber molded parts.Undoubtedly, this change is intended to address the cracking issues with the previously molded Husqvarna subframe/airbox combo.
A: First of all, this is not really a Husqvarna suspension.Yes, it’s made by WP, but it’s not the more plush and lower Husqvarna suspension from the production 2022 FC450.Instead, the Rockstar Edition uses stiffer, taller KTM suspension components.
Why the Husky FC450 Rockstar Edition doesn’t come with the venerable 2022 Husqvarna setup.We got two answers, so pick your favorite one.(1) “It’s a replica of a Husqvarna factory race car, so it can’t have a shorter and more luxurious 2022 production fork because the team doesn’t use that setup.” True, but they also don’t use something like a KTM or Husky 48mm AER Anything with air forks, opting for the 52mm Cone Valve spring forks in most cases.(2) “To get the Factory and Rockstar Editions on showroom floors as early as possible, the factory had to start sourcing and stockpiling parts by November of last year. Considering the Factory and Rockstar Editions both come in 450 and 250 versions, that adds up to At least 1600 sets of suspension. Management decided it would be more appropriate to order 1600 of the same fork and shock than 400 of this and 400 of that.” We believe that.We don’t like it, but we believe in it.
Would we prefer the stock 2022 Husky-spec fork, shock and linkage to be an inch lower overall ride height?Yes, because we like the reduced steering power of the chassis, the more comfortable feel, and the added comfort for slower, shorter or older riders; however, none of our Pro riders would want to race with a softer fork .
A: We want to warn you that your first ride on a WP XACT AER air fork will be the worst ride of your life.Husqvarna, KTM and GasGas forks roll off the assembly line to very tight tolerances.It’s great in the long run, but absolutely horrible for the first few hours of the ride.Luckily, the MXA test riders — who were assigned to take photos, “MXA First Ride” videos and ride the bikes to set up the suspension settings for the test riders who followed them — were well aware of how harsh the forks were in the first hour.And, in fact, at about five hours of break-in time, the forks weren’t quite as comfortable as they could be.
Test riders who rode the bike for two hours hated it, but two weeks later, when the fork had four hours, the exact same test riders, on the exact same bike, on the exact same track, loved it.
A: If you are a longtime Husqvarna racer, you probably remember when the 2018 Husqvarna FC450 came out.It got a new frame for 2018 with extra gussets around the steering head.When we tried to run the suspension settings that worked well on our 2017 FC450, they didn’t work on the stiffer 2018 frame.
We worked hard to develop new fork and shock settings to get the comfort and luxury of 2017 from the stiffer 2018 chassis.guess what?If you thought the 2018 frame was too stiff, you’d feel the same way about the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition suspension, with the caveat that the 2022-1 isn’t stamped metal gussets, but in 2018 The Year/2 frame has super strong forged steel brackets on top of the frame frame (behind the head tube) and, unsurprisingly, forged brackets on the down tube (below the head tube).These forgings make the frame more durable and strong, but because of this, this frame needs a lot of break-in time.Six hours on the WP fork is just a frame warm-up.Over time in the saddle, our frame got closer and closer to its natural elasticity.It’s perfect at the 10 hour mark.
These may sound like crazy town break-in times, but you don’t have to wait 10 hours.The chassis feels better with every ride.You’d be surprised how many first-time KTM owners waste money on expensive fork mods, motor mounts and shock springs when all they really need to do is ride more.
A: What is Quick Shift?Quickshift is an electronic kill switch that interrupts ignition when a sensor on the shift drum signals to the ECU that an upshift is about to occur.Eliminating sparks reduces the torque load on the transmission for faster clutchless shifts.Quick shifts are only effective when upshifting.It can be turned on or off by pressing the “QS” button on the map switch and can be changed on the fly.
The Quick Shift works best on long, fast, wide, high-speed straights, especially on long straights where the rider has to go through the transmission from second to fifth.After the start, opinions were mixed—only half of the MXA test riders liked to use Quick Shift for the rest of the track.
A: The 2022-1/2 Rockstar Edition weighs a surprising 231 pounds.That’s 7 pounds heavier than the 2022 production bike.Even at 231 pounds, it’s still lighter than all Japanese-made 450s, but 9 pounds heavier than the 2023 GasGas MC 450F.The Rockstar Edition is heavier than the yet-to-be-released 2023 Husqvarna FC450 because it comes with “value-added components” that add not only value but weight.These include factory hubs, cross three-spoke pattern, skid plate, front rotor guard, cross 3 front wheel, pleated seat cover and split triple clamps.
A: The 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition retails for $11,800, which is $100 more than the $11,700 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition.For that money, you’ll get a ton of add-ons, not to mention a preview of next year’s 2023 Husqvarna FC450 months ahead.
(1) Seat height.The 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition is skyscraper height.If it had Husqvarna’s own suspension, it wouldn’t be that tall.
(2) button.We love the buttons on the new electronics for start, stop, traction control, maps, and quick-shift, but the buttons are so low-profile that pressing them with a gloved hand can often be hit or miss.To use our Quick Shift button, we turned the map switch forward to make the LC and QS buttons easier to reach.
(3) Weight.One of the things KTM, Husky and GasGas claim to fame is that they are incredibly lightweight.Well, at least GasGas can still claim that achievement.
(4) The chain is loose.The Rockstar Edition owner’s manual says to measure 58mm of chain slack on the back of the chain bumper, but the real number is 70mm.
(5) Shock absorber cover.This Kiska-designed shield protects the high- and low-speed compression adjusters from the rider’s boots.Interestingly, KTM doesn’t need this awkward cover, as the KTM number plate on the right is designed to protect the dial.Rather than adding another piece of plastic to the bike, Kiska should have had a better plan so that the Husqvarna side panels would do the job properly in the first place.
(1) Chain torque.Husky moved the countershaft sprocket down 3mm to reduce rear end squat at full power.
(2) Cross three spokes.The more spokes a single spoke passes through on its way from the hub to the rim, the stronger and more forgiving the wheel will be.The Rockstar Edition front wheel features triple-cross lacing.
(3) Frame backbone.The frame’s backbone and shock towers have been separated to reduce the impact of square-edged bumps and whooping punches pushing the energy of the blow toward the front end, which in turn kicks the rear end.
(4) Adjustable offset.The Rockstar Edition triple clamps can be changed from 22mm offset to 20mm offset.
(5) Rollover sensor.As a safety feature, a mercury switch shuts off the engine if the bike is left on the ground for more than 7 seconds.
(6) Air filter.No air filter is easier to put in or take out than the Husqvarna design, except, of course, the KTM and GasGas air filters.
(7) Kill button.The previous kill button was mounted on the inside of the left handlebar.For 2023, the kill button and start button share a fitting on the right side of the handlebar.Also, the button can be raised higher for easier access.
(8) Idiot Lamp.In 2022, the LED light of the FI diagnostic instrument keeps falling off the bracket.In the Rockstar Edition, the idiot light has been moved to a three-clip timer.
(9) Engine castings.The new 450 engine case has been downsized so that the motor mounting bosses are in the exact same location as the new 250 engine case.This allows Husky to use the same frame for the FC250 and FC450.
(10) Foot pedal.Die-cast feet are 7.5mm long but don’t stick out any further.Instead, they are closer to the frame.We liked the feeling of tucking our feet closer to the frame, so much so that some MXA test riders removed the plastic frame guards to get their boots closer.
A: As always, the limited production run of the FC450 Rockstar Editions means they sell out quickly.Do we think Husqvarna should increase production from 400 to 1200?Do not!In fact, MXA always advises its test riders and friends not to buy the Rockstar Edition or the Factory Edition because the realistic 2023 Husqvarna FC450 production bike will be a newer generation, 4 pounds lighter and $1000 cheaper.
Whereas the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC250 Rockstar Edition shares a complete chassis, frame, shock linkage, swingarm, geometry, bodywork, airbox, triple clamps, 20mm short shocks, aluminum/polyamide Hybrid subframe, 3mm lower countershaft, die-cast footpegs, increased compression, Brembo brakes and Brembo clutch and their FC450 Rockstar Edition siblings, you can check out MXA’s previous FC450 Rockstar Edition test (page 30) for most of the mechanical details.Most notable in the list of technological advancements is that the Husqvarna FC250 and FC450 have all-new engine castings that allow both engines to fit in the exact same location in a hydroformed chrome frame.As a result, neither the FC250 nor the FC450 has to compromise on weight and balance like other brands, as both displacements use the same frame.
It’s no secret that the existing Husqvarna FC250 four-stroke engine is six years old going into the 2022 model year.Surprisingly, it’s still the best all-around racing engine in the quarter-liter class.Despite being touted as a high-revving engine, its horsepower numbers in the rev range are impressive.But six years is a long time to try to stay on top.To stay on top, KTM and Husqvarna needed something surprising—and that’s what they delivered.Introduced on the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC250 Rockstar Edition, the all-new 2023 engine ditched the once groundbreaking 78mm x 52.3mm bore and stroke design for a new from-the-scratch, 81mm x 48.5mm bore and stroke design.The latest generation of the FC250 engine architecture, with 3mm larger pistons and nearly 4mm shorter stroke, is expected to boost mid-range power and even higher top-end power than before.
And, that’s exactly what it offers.Compared to the best Japanese-built 250 2022 Yamaha YZ250F, the new Husqvarna FC250 engine produces more power than the YZ250F in every 1000 rpm interval from 6000 rpm to 14,000 rpm.The Husqvarna’s dominance ranged from 1 to 3 horsepower at each step, and even more so, the FC250 broke the 44-horsepower mark at 12,300 rpm and stayed above that lofty figure until 14,000 rpm.In contrast, the YZ250F never broke the 43-horsepower barrier, peaking at 42.56 horsepower at 12,600 rpm.
On the track, the Husqvarna is the closest of any 250cc machine out there, delivering solid midrange punch without losing any top-end power.The FC250 makes 3 horsepower more than the 2022 YZ250F at 9000 rpm and only peaks at 44.6 horsepower at 13,700 rpm.That means you don’t have to grab it out of corners to keep it on the pipe, and thanks to Quick-Shift, you don’t have to touch the clutch lever when upshifting through gears.All an FC250 Rockstar Edition rider needs to do is choose his favorite map, change the rear sprocket to match his riding style or track configuration, and stick with it.
This is how we set up the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition suspension for the race.We provide it as a guide to help you find your sweet spot.
WP AER AIR FORK SETUP The WP XACT air fork has a learning curve.The right fork leg is heavily damped, and the left leg has only air.The Husqvarna has a sticker on its air leg that guides you to the recommended air pressure.This is a good place to start, but it’s a suggestion, not an iron rule.MXA test riders went as high as 165 psi and as low as 135 psi.The 2022-1/2 forks have great potential once they are broken in.For hardcore racing, we recommend this fork setup for the average rider on the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition: Spring Rate: 158 psi (10.9 bar) Compression: 14 clicks (12 clicks) Rebound: 15 Click (18 clicks) Fork Leg Height: Third Line Notes: The 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition has rubber rings on each leg to allow the rider to see his travel for a given stress, but The orange ring frayed and slipped off on its own after a few hours.
WP Shock Settings Most MXA test riders liked the overall feel of the WP rear shock.For hardcore racing, we recommend this shock setup for the 2022-1/2 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition: Spring rates: 45 N/mm (175 lbs), 42 N/mm (150 lbs), 48 N/mm (over 200 lbs) ) Race Sag: 105mm High Compression: 1-1/2 Results Low Compression: 15 clicks Rebound: 15 clicks Note: Static sag, measured without rider, should be between 30mm and 40mm between.To measure static sag, first set your race sag to 105mm.Next, take the bike off the stand and have someone hold it vertically while measuring how much the rear suspension sags without the rider.If your static sag exceeds the recommended 40mm, your spring may be too stiff for your weight.In this case, the springs are not compressed enough to allow the suspension to extend far enough on its own.If your rear static sag is less than 30mm, the spring may be too soft for your weight.In this case, the springs need a lot of preload to get the proper sag, which makes the rear suspension prone to peaking under load.
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