2023 Husqvarna FC / TC Range Review

Family feud

We can thank sibling rivalry for some of motocross’s greatest exploits.

Just like the Lawrence brothers, the Stewarts, the Alessis and many other family combinations, the new 2023 Husqvarna motocross range is itself the result of sibling synergy, co-developed alongside the also-new 2023 KTM motocross range.

Mirroring the fundamental engine and chassis changes to the KTM line-up and even built in the same Austrian factory, Husky’s dedicated track weapons bear wholesale changes at every point. In fact, officials claim there are only seven carryover elements from the predecessor.

With so much commonality between the KTM and Husqvarna, does the 2023 FC range really differentiate itself sufficiently to justify the price premium?

Let’s get to it…

Tech talk

Husqvarna says it pursued five key development targets across its 2023 full-size motocross range, which covers the TC 125 and TC 250 two-stroke models plus FC 250, FC 350 and FC 450 four-strokes.

Along with retaining predecessor kerb weights, engineers sought more standardisation between models, reliability of components, serviceability and a new benchmark in reliability.

The upshot is there are a mere seven carryover parts between Husky model years: the Brembo brakes, wheels, voltage regulator, throttle body, start relays, ECU and ODI grips. That’s it.

There are now three steel frames that cover five different bikes, some of them with shared mounting positions. The frames retain the same geometry as before but feature a new shock mounting position, more torsional and side stiffness, 8mm narrower mounting points for the footpegs and a new ‘hybrid’ subframe fashioned from aluminium and composite materials.

While they were at it, Husqvarna developed a lighter swingarm design with improved stiffness and new chain sliders and integrated chain guides.

Across all four-stroke capacities, the engine is tilted two degrees backwards and the sprocket repositioned 3mm lower in order to centralise rotating mass. There are also added service markers (including torque setting markings for the oil and screen on the crankcases) and new engine covers with a more reliable coating.

Halfmoon gasket seals common with many four-stroke cylinder heads make way for a single gasket, and there’s a new five-speed gearbox from Pankl Racing Systems complete with a quick-shift mechanism that allows seamless flat-changing on upshifts under acceleration.

A redesigned airbox intake retains its tool-free access, while the exhaust system features standardised mounting points on four-stroke models and minor design tweaks.

The 250 four-stroke now replicates the exact bore and stroke of Husqvarna’s Moto3 machines (81 x 48.5mm), which the company says delivers a much bigger combustion area.

The 350 moves to its highest compression ratio ever (15.6:11) and offers a 13,400rpm rev limit.

Meanwhile, the 450 adopts the split injection technology already available on its siblings (two injector firing cycles per stroke) and likewise aligns with a servicing plug, which allows you to rotate the engine to top dead centre from the stator cover plug.

The flagship’s bore and stroke remains the same but its compression ratio has been increased to 13:5:1. And in order to centralise weight, the crankshaft position is 12mm closer to the bike’s centre of gravity and the swingarm axle is 3mm closer to the output shaft.

Then there’s the two-stroke models, the TC 125 and TC 250.

They adopt fuel injection at the throttle body, virtually aligning with technology already available on Husky’s TE two-stroke enduro range, plus an electronic power valve.

One point of difference with the MX machines is they don’t get oil injection like the enduro bikes, and this is deliberate. Husqvarna says most MX riders won’t ride more than a 30-minute moto, so therefore it’s easy to simply premix your own fuel and refill the bike back in the pits. This also spares weight.

If you’re wondering, Husqvarna ran a 60:1 fuel-oil mixture on test. Yep, 60:1! These are efficient machines indeed.

Elsewhere, the two-strokes feature electric start, switchable riding maps and the same rotated engine position as their four-stroke siblings, plus the same radiators.

The four-strokes go a step further with electronics, offered with a launch control setting, traction control and of course the quick-shifter function.

WP’s air fork continues for 2023, with a new internal hydro stop for a more progressive action towards the bottom of the stroke. At the rear there’s a new shock that measures 15mm shorter than before and is fully adjustable using hand adjusters.

There’s a new suspension linkage with new linkage points but identical curve as before, plus new triple clamps with integrated hour meter.

Husqvarna models sit 20mm lower in the seat height than their KTM counterparts, purportedly creating more stability for the rider. One-quarter of that measurement is owed to the newly designed seat, the rest is the new shock.

All models features a newly design 7.2L fuel tank with a new fuel pump, while there is fresh bodyworks and plastics across the range, including a very Scandi grey-and-white colourway with yellow accenting.

The changes coincide with incremental pricing increases across the board (listed here as a ride-away prices, including assembly and freight).

The TC 125 opens proceedings at $13,038 (up $574), the TC 250 is priced at $14,138 (up $934).

In the four-stroke range, the FC 250 costs $14,188 (up $579), the FC 350 costs $14,968 (up $634) and the FC 450 crowns the range at $15,288 (up $639).

Track test

The backdrop for our test with the entire 2023 Husqvarna motocross range is the iconic Conondale motocross facility in south-east Queensland.

If you haven’t been there, it’s a classic MX layout that follows the natural contours of the landscape together with more modern jumps and epic soil. In short, it’s a helluva track.

We start the day on the four-stroke machines and unexpectedly, it’s the first cab off the rank that proves the biggest surprise of the day.

The Husqvarna FC 250 is a bike that belies its small displacement with a useable bottom end, confident mid-range cadence and a strong charge towards its 14,000rpm rev cut-out.

Quite often downcast by senior riders as ‘not being powerful enough’ or lacking the cache of a larger-displacement machine, the 250 is in fact loaded with in-gear torque and an excellent handling skillset.

Lighter and much more forgiving than its 350 and 450 siblings, the 250 also stops and turns on a dime and pulls off corner transitions and changes in direction with ease. Its lack of engine inertia – that typical of larger machines – is the key here, lending the 250 to easier transitions and, in turn, more rider confidence.

That Husqvarna has lowered engine height by 8mm for 2023 only contributes to mass centralisation.

For that reason, we reckon it’s a bike well suited to occasional MX riders – those who only venture to the track once every couple of months – but with enough mid-range punch to appease more experienced pilots too.

There are surprises as well, as the 250 burrows itself deep into ruts, picks itself up confidently from low lean angles and pulls keenly up some of Conondale’s larger obstacles, clearing everything in its path.

The 250 is probably the bike that best exploits Husqvarna’s new quick-shift unit, because its five-speed ’box is always going to be busier than those of larger machines.

The shift action is clean and the system removes a step in the process, effectively allowing the rider to flat shift on straight aways or equally change gears in the air or under brakes. Some may pass it off as a gimmick, but the fact you can switch it on or off via the handlebars means the rider ultimately has the choice.

The circuit’s famous step-up out the back corner requires commitment in fourth gear on the 250, yet there’s enough power to call upon for a last-minute reach heading up the up-ramp.

It leaves at the conclusion that, unless you’re 120kg, you’re probably doing yourself a disservice by automatically shunning the Husqvarna 250 four-stroke. The delivery feels more convincing than other 250 four-strokes and it promotes confidence with its ability to ride a gear taller and offer excellent mid-range torque.

Next up is the Husqvarna FC 350. It again reaffirms itself as the Goldilocks pick in the Husqvarna range, with more torque on offer compared with the 250 yet without overly compromising in the handling department.

There’s a bit more meat on offer in the bottom end, and a broader rev bandwidth in which it produces bulk power. At the same time, the 350 doesn’t mind a bit of over-rev, so it can be ridden aggressively but without wanting to rip your arms from their sockets. It’s a convincing package, and one with arguably more scope to develop your skills on compared with the 250.

The bike we spend the least amount of time on is the FC 450. While there is certainly merit in its chassis credentials , it simply feels like a bike better geared for more advanced riders on the undulating Conondale layout: the throttle action feels spikier than other four-stroke models and the amount of power is such that it at times feels like it was to pull away from underneath you.

Additional engine inertia and its extra heft also imposes a significant manoeuvrability penalty over its 350 and 250 siblings.

Across all four-stroke models, we are enamoured by the effectiveness of their multi-stage power mapping and traction control. There is tangible difference between each setting, effectively allowing the rider to tailor the machine to track conditions and layout, which on this test varied from slick, muddy holes to baked jump faces.

We finished the day on the two two-strokes, which effectively turn the afternoon into an expression session of sorts.

The TC 250 is the other huge surprise packet of the day. The adoption of an internal engine balancer means it isn’t afflicted with the aggressive vibration commonplace on most Japanese two-strokes (namely the YZ250) – it’s a very smooth and civilised affair from the moment we press the starter button (another foreign but welcome touch).

In honesty, we were a little reticent to ride the two-smoker at Conondale at the end of the day, when the surface is increasingly baked and skatey. How wrong we were…

Despite the conditions, the TC 250 revels on the undulating Conondale layout, instilling reassurance and confidence with each and every lap. It feels extremely well balanced front to rear, and like the four-stroke models, there’s excellent front-end purchase with no semblance of tucking on approach to slippery corners.

Those traits are complemented by excellent straight-line grip and tractability on the gas, even on gnarly off-camber corners.

Then there’s the power delivery. The TC 250 surprises with its smoothness from idle into the rev range. Sure, it still builds to that typical 250 two-stroke crescendo, but the power curve is far more metered than two-strokes of old and it happily accommodates speed around those critical middling revs – meaning you rarely arrive at its RPM sign-off because you’re always naturally in the fat of the powerband.

It means you can often ride a gear higher than anticipated, and the 250 will respond with clean, tractable power. We can thank fuel injection for a large chunk of that; together with the internal balancer, it makes the experience of riding a 250 two-stroke far less violent than you may remember.

Shifting the mapping switch to the more aggressive ‘map two’ setting opens the powervalve a lot quicker, delivering the typical throttle crack that two-stroke die hards may be wanting. In effect, it hits harder, yet still feels linear and smooth.

Last up is the TC 125, which also benefits vastly from newfound injection and provides an excellent blank canvas for up-and-coming riders to hone their craft.

Ultimately, the TC 125 still rides like a 125, with a comparatively narrow bandwidth of power, critical gear selection and a ride that highlights the importance of rider position. It feels like the most agile and lightest bike of the whole day, but the changes to the 250 go a long way to bridging that gap: so much so that we’d steer older riders looking for a two-stroke fix towards the 250 instead. The 125 feels a little undernourished and better suited to the junior brigade (as fun and visceral as it is).

We’re likely to spend a little more time aboard each individual model before delivering our full verdict but, overall, the Husqvarna range does indeed offer the stability and ease of use the company is keen to spruik.

Our initial criticism is the WP air forks. On the day, Husqvarna ran 10.5 bar on our test bikes, which is said to be a ‘middle ground’ setting. Compared with conventional coil-sprung forks from Showa and Kayaba, we found the WP units lacked the initial compliance of those models and still tend to push the latter part of the stroke quite harshly, despite improvement for 2023.

That’s not to say there isn’t scope to improve. However, on stock-trim bikes we’d be chasing a few alterations (as is often the way).

The verdict

This is no minor nip and tuck: Husqvarna has implemented significant and wholesale change across its motocross range for 2023.

On initial inspection, the upgrades are welcome and help deliver tangible improvements over predecessors. Equally, the Husky range also does enough to offer some point of difference from its KTM brethren, too.

Photos: Cade Media

2023 Husqvarna motocross range pricing*:

>> Husqvarna TC 125: $13,038
>> Husqvarna TC 250: $14,138
>> Husqvarna FC 250: $14,188
>> Husqvarna FC 350: $14,968
>> Husqvarna FC 450: $15,288

*Ride-away prices including delivery and assembly

ENGINE
Type: Two-stroke, single-cylinder
Capacity: 124.8cc (125), 249.0cc (250)
Bore x stroke: 54/54.5mm (125), 66.4/72mm (250)
Fuel supply: Keihin EFI, 39mm throttle body

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed (125), five-speed (250)
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, Brembo hydraulics

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Chromoly, with aluminium reinforced Polyamide subframe
Front suspension: 48mm WP XACT fork, 305mm travel
Rear suspension: WP XACT shock with linkage, 292mm travel
Front brake: 260mm disc with Brembo twin-piston caliper
Rear brake: 220mm disc with Brembo single-piston caliper
Tyres: Dunlop MX33, Front 80/100-21 (both), rear 100/90-19 (125), 110/90-19 (250)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 92.6kg (125), 99.6kg (250)
Seat height: 939mm
Ground clearance: 350mm (125), 346MM (250)
Fuel capacity: 7.2 litres

OTHER STUFF
Ride-away price: $13,038 (125), $14,138 (250)
Colour: White/yellow/grey
Test bike supplied by: Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia
Warranty: Six months parts

ENGINE
Type: Four-stroke, single-cylinder
Capacity: 249.9cc (250), 349.7cc (350), 449.9cc (450)
Bore x stroke: 81/48.5mm (125), 88/57.5mm (350), 95/63.4mm (450)
Fuel supply: Keihin EFI, 44mm throttle body

TRANSMISSION
Type: Five-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, Brembo hydraulics

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Chromoly, with aluminium reinforced Polyamide subframe
Front suspension: 48mm WP XACT fork, 305mm travel
Rear suspension: WP XACT shock with linkage, 293mm travel
Front brake: 260mm disc with Brembo twin-piston caliper
Rear brake: 220mm disc with Brembo single-piston caliper
Tyres: Dunlop MX33, Front 80/100-21, Rear 110/90-19

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 101.2kg (250), 102.0kg (350), 102.8kg (450)
Seat height: 939mm
Ground clearance: 336mm
Fuel capacity: 7.2 litres

OTHER STUFF
Ride-away price: $14,188 (250), $14,968 (350), $15,288 (450)
Colour: White/yellow/grey
Test bike supplied by: Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia
Warranty: Six months parts