KTM North America is having to recall 17 models of KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles (model years 2019-2023) because their Continental TKC 80 dual-sport tires may develop cracks in their tread, which could lead to tread separation and a lack of traction.
Supermotos have a special place in our Asphalt & Rubber loving hearts, so we celebrate every new model release we can, and today sees us looking at the 2023 Husqvarna FS 450 – the pointy end of production supermotos.
The Swedish brand claims that the 2023 is “all new” for the coming model year, though a careful look at the previous year’s machine shows that things are a close evolution of before.
That being said, the 2023 Husqvarna FS 450 does feature a new hydro-formed frame, as well as a new 450cc single-cylinder engine, and promises to be a class-leader on performance.
KTM North America is recalling nearly 400 Husqvarna dual-sport motorcycles because of problems with their brake pad retaining clips. Again…
For those keeping track, four months ago, KTM North America issued exactly this same recall (21V-678) for the same dual-sport models.
The recall specifically affects the Husqvarna FE 501s and FE 350s motorcycles, from the 2022 model year; and interestingly enough for extra moto-nerd points, the two bikes account for roughly a 50/50 split on the vehicles involved in this recall.
The house of brands under KTM’s management had a very, very good year in 2021, with their parent company Pierer Mobility reporting a 23% increase in motorcycle sales over 2020’s dismal figures.
The preliminary report doesn’t break-out sales by each motorcycle brand (KTM, Husqvarna, & GasGas), but it does separate out the firm’s bicycle and e-bike figures, which have been used in the past to buoy the marketing team’s efforts.
As such, we can rest assured that today’s announcement and positive progress is real, and not the spin we were getting in 2020, which saw the Austrian outfit taking a first-time dip in sales results in the past decade.
To call the Husqvarna Norden 901 one of the most anticipated motorcycles for the 2022 model year might not be an understatement, though you might not be using that phrase for the right reasons.
It’s finally here. The Husqvarna Norden 901 is finally here. Two years after its concept EICMA debut, the Husqvarna Norden 901 is here for the 2022 model year.
While it might be the “Blue & White” version of the KTM 890 Adventure, you can tell from the photos that this isn’t simply a rebadged version of the Austrian machine.
The KTM LC4 engine is a single-cylinder work of art, but it is not without its faults. One the more well-known issues with the 690cc thumper is its slave clutch design, which is prone to failure and leaks.
For anyone who has experienced the issue (including this author), it is a less-than-fun situation when the clutch system loses pressure and fails to disengage, but KTM has finally acknowledged the issue, and has begun a worldwide recall of KTM and Husqvarna motorcycle that feature the design.
If you have a 2022 Husqvarna FE 501s or 2022 Husqvarna FE 350s in your garage, then you might want to take a look at your brake caliper, as the Swedish brand has issued a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The recall concerns 342 units of the two models, and focuses on the brake pad retaining clips on the front brake caliper, which may have been mounted incorrectly, and could result in loose front brake pads.
Every year we post the latest supermoto offering from Husqvarna, even though the Swedish brand makes only incremental changes to its track-only, tire-shredding, dirt bike with street wheels.
Why? Because the world needs more supermotos in our lives, and right now Husqvarna is leading the pack when it comes to track-ready motards. As such, here is the 2022 Husqvarna FS 450.
Husqvarna continues to tout its electric dream, this time showing concepts for two electric scooters that couldn’t be more different from each other.
The first is a proper riding scooter, named the Husqvarna Vektorr. The other, well that’s most like a push-scooter that you’d see from one of those shared urban mobility companies – it’s called the Husqvarna Bltz.
Husqvarna is looking towards an electric future, exploring the idea with this concept, the Husqvarna E-Pilen.
Based on the aesthetics we’ve see come from the Vitpilen lineup already, the E-Pilen wraps that look around a boxy battery pack that is good for a quoted 60 miles (100 km) of range.