2010 450 FX - Engine Longevity and General Concerns

If you are confident in KTM engineering the same would apply to Husaberg. The 70 degree motor from what I can tell is a KTM motor flipped upside down.

I just got an '10 FE390 and it eats up single track. The 70 degree design really works, the bike feels really, really nimble despite being a relatively heavy 4 stroke.

The 390 450 and 570 all have similar based engines just different displacements and stroke if you search on this site you can find guys logging very high hours 200 and up without doing more than basic maintenance. The Gearing on the FX450 is close ratio not great for highway road cruising but that's not its intended design. I had the 2010 FX450 that I picked up and was going to swap the suspension with my 2009 570 to get the closed chamber forks up front that were revalved by factory connection . My friend rode the FX before it was sold liked it so much he purchased one, his previous ride was a 2007 KTM 2 stroke 300. It is really hard to keep up with him now that he is on the FX450. I have just purchased another this is the only bike that I have purchased twice out of 13 previous bikes almost all ktm models

Things to check some early productions were mapped very lean and can be checked by the Vin # re map is covered under warranty

some issues with fuel pump failure

get a fan kit for tight single track

Suspension should be set up by a qualified tuner ( Best Modification )

Cam chain tensioner replace with DJH model

Buy it and ride it like you stole it !!!

:cheers: :cheers: Long live the Husabergs :cheers: :cheers:

I have the 09 fe450 and the guy I ride with has a 09 KTM 450excr.To be honest, there is not much difference in my limited opinion.
Both built in same factory, using the same parts. Build quality is the same (ie excellent). Longevity is excellent, expect a minimum of over 250hrs if you do your regular maintenance.
The berg feels more planted in the front, harder to lift the wheel but seems more stable when you've got it up.
For my style of riding (dirt only, trail riding) the berg is excellent, but if you are going to be spending more time on the road or tearing down the salt flats at top speed the kato is prob the best.

So I'd say it comes down to what terrain you ride, and what you want.
I chose the Berg as I didn't want to have just another ktm, the exclusivity of the Berg is what tipped me. And you get all the best bits of KTM.

Either way you go, the Berg or a KTM, you can expect great things and shouldn't have any issues for a long time.

50 miles should be showroom condition with nubs on tires 5-6k. Great bike go for it

robatk said:

The berg feels more planted in the front, harder to lift the wheel but seems more stable when you've got it up.

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These descriptions seem to be the reverse of previous descriptions that I have read about on these two bikes, i.e. the Berg with its higher center of gravity and less weight on the front end is the wheely king while the KTM with more front end weight is more planted in front.

Chas said:

robatk said:

The berg feels more planted in the front, harder to lift the wheel but seems more stable when you've got it up.

Click to expand...

These descriptions seem to be the reverse of previous descriptions that I have read about on these two bikes, i.e. the Berg with its higher center of gravity and less weight on the front end is the wheely king while the KTM with more front end weight is more planted in front.

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This is just my humble opinion, and I am by no means a pro or advanced rider. Simply based on my own experience, I had a 05 KTM 250excr with the factory 350 kit prior to the FE450 and have occasionally rode an 09 KTM 450excr.
To me, I def find the Berg more planted. I find steering is more precise, and I don't have to choose between traction or steering when ascending steep hillclimbs. I can have both with the Berg.
I would have thought that the Berg had a lower centre of gravity given the lower fuel tank and high airbox? and the 70degree cylinder should help in planting the front?
Anyway that is how I see it and how it feels to me. I'd def rather have the Berg than the similar year Kato and as I have said, this is just my limited opinion.

Shug said:

I just heard some news I was not aware of. The engine flip design was dropped the last two years. If it was so good, why did they drop it?

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I think nobody outside the company knows for sure. I've seen patent issues mentioned, IIRC that one of the Japanese houses hold a patent on a vertical single motor close enough to the 70-degree 'Berg for there to be trouble. Then in '13 or so, KTM retooled/redesigned their engine - going to die-cast cases, single cams, and other lightening measures. At that point, they themselves probably knew that things would change for Husaberg, and decided to simplify the manufacturing line and not reimplement the 70-degree motor on top of the lightweight '13 engine design platform. (And then who really knows what will happen to the bikes as they take on the Husqvarna name? I am still allowing myself to hope for a sloper engine.)

I've also been trying to read between the lines in user reviews, and it seems that the 70-deg bikes are a little bit more sensitive to suspension setup - a number of reviews have felt the front end was a little light-feeling somehow, but other reviews have mentioned that going properly through the suspension setup has a decisive effect on fixing the weaknesses sometimes encountered in front-end feel.

Then it's the question of what sells bikes. It seems that race bikes are easier to sell than real-world bikes. Seems to me that aggressive and performance-seeking real-world riders LOVE their 70-degree Husabergs, but that the 70-degree motor would need investment to stay at the competitive knife edge in racing ... for reasons that IMO aren't necessarily relevant to real-world riding ... and tend to bring reliability drawbacks. There are a couple of "70-degrees as adventure bikes" threads on advrider, they are pretty interesting.

But ... I don't really know anything I have no idea ... I can't afford one yet I've just tried to read everything I can get my hands on to understand the odd symbiotic relationship of KTM and Husaberg and the history of the legendary 70-degree motor.

Shug said:

Also, I heard that 2014 is the last year for Husaberg. The technology will be focused on Husky? What do you guys think of this. Seems like it will hurt re-sale.

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From official statements, it seems that Husaberg is intended as a technology injection into Husqvarna, almost that they will throw out the Husqvarna stuff and keep the name only - that what you ride as Husqvarna will really be Husaberg. Whatever that is at that point. At least they present the merger in a way that allows you to understand it like that.

It might hurt resale. Seems that the 70-degree bike is taking on a bit of a cult status. In the long run, resale is probably going to go down. I only have a limited understanding of the market from my small and personal viewpoint. Not everybody appreciates what these bikes are, and these people understandably would only take a 'Berg if they pay a good low price for a used one. Others such as myself want them pretty bad and are willing to pay for a good specimen.

Dropping the 70 degree motor was probably a pure business decision, volume is king in manufacturing so the more you standardize the more money you make. Hence today's blue KTM (Husaberg) and tomorrow's red KTM (Husqvarna).

It is a shame.

Yup there are those issues. Look to be fixable always, though I haven't followed the heat issues closely as I live in a chilly clinate. Want to add that a freeer-flowing exhaust also helps with the heat, they say! Looks like if you have issues, you do a little of this and a little of that and you're good.

That bike looks like new go for it... Does it have an MSO stamped off road use only ? . My FX450 has the mega bomb and I was melting my pants so I wrapped the exhaust with 1'' heat wrap amazing how much cooler the bike feels. Left the tank on and exhaust in place It took some patience but the wrap came out great. My suspension is on its way to Dale E O for new springs and a re valve I will report back when re assembled.