Husqvarna has debuted its new 2018 FS450 supermoto, with updated engine, traction control, slipper clutch and other features to take the edge off the su-mo’s brutality.
The new slipper clutch was designed by Switzerland’s Suter Technologies, and is designed to smooth out the traditional hoonery that characterizes supermoto racing.
There’s also a handlebar-mounted switch that allows riders to control engine mapping on the fly, or activate the bike’s launch control feature.
Husky’s press release doesn’t detail what changes the engine (now with 63 hp) receives for 2018, but does note it has a 44 mm Keihin throttle body and five-speed gearbox. The chromoly frame is updated again (designed by WP Performance), and there’s a composite subframe constructed partially from carbon-fibre. The bike has an updated aluminum swingarm as well. There’s a 310 mm brake disc up front, with four-piston caliper, and a 220 mm disc in back.
Front and rear suspension are both from WP.
Dry weight is 104.8 kg, so while the bike might not be fun to ride alongside transport trucks on the highway, it ought to be fairly agile as a trackday toy. And that’s probably where these will end up. For now, all the photos we’ve seen show a number plate, with no headlight—it seems this bike is being imported as a track-only machine, although there’s likely going to be a light kit available somewhere.
Find more details and specs for the FS450 at Husqvarna’s website. The new supermoto is supposed to be available at Husky dealers this September.
To be honest I don’t care if it’s street legal or not. That is one hell of a supermoto that I would definitely ride wherever I can 😀 legally of course.
I don’t think it’s street legal. So I don’t think you’ll be running it on the highway along side a transport truck.