Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1217238
2020 HUSQVARNA FC 450 ROCKSTAR EDITION R I D E R E V I E W P88 New changes always sound great on paper, but how do these updates do in real-world riding conditions? Quite frankly, we were thankful that the manufacturer had their ears turned toward the public. Updates like these may sound insignificant to the average consumer but can make all the difference while riding. We took to the "world-famous" hills of Glen Helen to find out. Smooth. That's the first word that comes to mind when riding the Rockstar Edi- tion. Just plain smooth. The power, the pull, the sound, all of it. Smooth. Tear- ing down the front straight of Glen Helen allowed us to really open up the power right away before tak- ing on the steep hills. The throttle feels intertwined with the rear wheel, a simple twist sending you into lightspeed. But it's totally controlled. Never once did we sense that "white knuckle over-my-head" feeling. Instead, we noticed ourselves looking around knowing how fast we were going but being utterly confident in our ability to run that pace. The Husqvarna power provides that total confidence. Sound of the barking FMF exhaust fills the air, and the rear wheel bites with every last knob. The bike is just plain fun to ride. Our review team was pleasantly impressed by the FC 450 powerplant, selecting map one for most of the day. Map two did exactly what it said it would, providing a noticeably stronger hit in the bottom to midrange. Traction control is another nice option to have, especially as the day winds down, and traction becomes a premium here on the west coast. Say goodbye to wheel spin and speedway slides, as the TC minimizes mistakes due to deteriorating conditions. But, wow, that power, just so smooth. New improvements to the fork and shock are e-Xact-ly what we had hoped for. WP is the only MX brand still focusing on the air fork idea, and this is the best one we've ridden to date. Their plan seems to be giving the bike a linear spring-like feel, with the light weight and easy adjustability of the air fork. And no, these updates aren't just full of hot air. WP has continued their forward progress, and, from the get-go, we could feel a plush ride up top coupled with welcomed stiffness in the midrange. Thursday at Glen (Above) You can now adjust all of the damping clickers without tools. (Below) The Rockstar Edition motor is identical to the standard FC 450' motor, but engine mapping has been altered.