P108
2020 450 MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
SHOOTOUT
T
he FC 450 saw small refinements in
the same areas as the KTM for 2020,
but with fork valving and shock up-
dates in the opposite direction of its orange
counterpart, the Austrian pair has never
been more distinct. This distinction yielded
some seemingly counterintuitive results
in our shootout, especially given that the
Husqvarna came in with the softest suspen-
sion of the bunch. Still, it barely edged out
the KTM for second in our shootout.
Again the versatility of the WP XACT air-
sprung fork came into play, and after work-
ing through setup challenges, especially for
our pro testers, the FC 450 really began to
shine. "They figured it out to where it turned
into a different bike," one pro tester said.
"Coming straight off the showroom floor
to get it set up for a pro-level rider and not
have to revalve it is a big thing."
The same tester also commented that he
was "able to get to a different level of riding"
on the Husky over the KTM.
While most riders reached a very com-
fortable point with the Husky suspension
despite its soft initial settings, it wasn't all
praise. Other testers reported a harshness
on flat landings similar to that of the KTM
fork, a harshness that was supposed to be
eliminated entirely with the updated valving.
Perhaps it's only 67% gone since 33% of
our testers still noticed it.
HUSQVARNA
FC 450
2
nd
Place
