2023 Husqvarna FE350S - Dirt Bike Magazine

[@deborahchesser7375]

Hard to believe Ron is still with DB mag, what I’d give to be reading my latest copy about 77’ , what a magical world it was back then. When you went to the bike shop they were all in rows, every model every size, oh the smell of new tires and plastic and fuel, my gosh. And they had a track out back, I watched a kid jump on a brand new 79’ YZ250 F crash the bike and break his leg. That didn’t help my case in begging for a new IT175, my Dad said see boy that’s what happens, I said Dad I won’t ride over my head, and he believed me because I got my bike. After riding it to school I really discovered a whole new culture, I’ll ride until I can’t walk. ✌️🇺🇸

[@ml5955]

Love your story. My cousins lived 500 feet from Mid Cities Honda and Kawasaki in Paramount California. Although we were a Yamaha and Suzuki family, I had great memories visiting that bike shop that had rows and rows of dirt bikes back in the late 70’s and 80’s. Those were the days. Fast forward many decades and I’m still riding dirt bikes. Love my Te300.

[@deborahchesser7375]

@@ml5955 it gets in the blood, there’s nothing I’ve done in my life that I loved more. Can you imagine a 12 yr old kid today packing all his gear and loading his bike up at 4:30am to go race? Damn what I’d give to go back.

[@ml5955]

@@deborahchesser7375 me too my friend, me too!

[@AA_fromtexas]

This was one of the most beautiful automotive reviews I’ve ever seen. From the riding, the scenery, the camera work, and the music!

[@Rezenator10]

Went from a Yamaha wr250r to a 2023 fe350s. It’s a night and day difference in performance. The bike is extremely fun to ride. Im happy to have a real enduro bike

[@pavelkali5962]

I am owner of wr250r, I use this bike for one day soft endur riding. I love him for very long maintenance intervals. How it looks like in FE350s? It short periods like in eg fe250?

[@KyleMicena]

I have a WR250R as well. I've learned a ton on the bike and its been a tank reliability wise. I think it was a great first dualsport purchase to get me started offroad, but now am looking to get something a little quicker and faster. This WR250R does weigh quite a bit for a 250.

[@JS-nf1sn]

Yes, but a WR250F will lay the smack down on the husky and a Wr250R is way better on the road, more reliable, and still decent on the trails.

[@Rezenator10]

@@JS-nf1sn Wr250f is a completely different bike from the Wr250r. And the over weight Wr250r is terrible for any real off road/ single track.

[@HVACOG]

Is your 2023 any different from 2022?

[@dr.x4050]

Hearing Ron do a bike review was always therapeutic. I have been following bike magazines since the early 1980s.

[@DirtBikeMagazine]

Very cool!

[@seangavingregory4367]

He reminds me of Warren Miller Ski videos… same comforting voice

[@Matt-zn4zp]

I picked up a 23’ FE 350 S and really like it! I have +20 hrs and 600 miles on it and it’s awesome! I mostly ride two track with some single track and ave. 54-62 mpg. Fun bike!!! Btw yes, the license plate vibrated itself right apart after 10 hrs but that’s okay, I was going to do a tail tidy anyway.

[@mikemerrill175]

Well produced and narrated review that caused me to buy one😊

[@tieoneon1614]

$13k is ridiculous for a trail bike. However, the tech they got to make these run so clean/quiet without coughing is impressive. If u got $$$, buy 1. Im glad I went the other route by buying older Japanese models and learning to work on them myself. Garage time with my bike has become my escape from the world when not out exploring on it.

[@deborahchesser7375]

You can’t beat a mid 80’s to late 90’s XR/XL Honda or a TT/XT for reliability and ease of maintenance, I love rebuilding vintage-classic motorcycles I still dream of owning a shop and parts yard. And your right, it’s very therapeutic working on them, good luck hope you find one or even several, they are getting scarce so grab as many as you can it’s money in the bank ✌️🇺🇸

[@jacobdeslauriers6768]

I actually went with the 2022 honda crf300l slowly building it and am loving the low maitance and it was only 8k taxes in brand new

[@tieoneon1614]

I just re did a KDX to almost original form, turned out awesome. But got tired of finicky 2 strokes. Best looking and most fun bike I ever had was a '18 KLX 250 in black/camo so picked up a used one for $4k. Put a ton of stuff on it this winter, Im happy its my Do It All bike

[@Rezenator10]

Its $13k for a plated enduro/cross country 4 stroke race bike. It’s not no simple “trail” bike like it’s a Yamaha Tt-r. It has the same suspension as their other off road enduro race bikes. And a choked up engine that can be easily opened up.

[@tieoneon1614]

@@Rezenator10 But being a plated bike, its not good at dual sport being buzzy and needing service by the hour instead of mile. You are better off buying a KLX for less than half and putting on what suites your riding. Been there, done that with the expensive brands not worth it and definitely not worth buying a used clapped out model a few years old.

[@CoreNiel]

I just purchased the 2023 FE 350s. So far I love it but after 600 miles my license plate holder cracked from all the vibrations of a dirt bumpy roads. I wondered about this prior to buying it. It seemed flimsy. I tried to order a replacement and they are backordered. I modified it some for now. The other issue is High beam is not good at all. Low beam is great but the high beam doesn't seem to bright on the road. I also removed to longer bolt that holds the kickstand. i didn't like how it sprung back by itself. Glad they put the smaller bolt in the box. Gear box seems a little loud when shifting. Maybe that's normal for these bikes. Excellent throttle response. The yellow chock doesn't seem to pop out all the time, so I have to pull it out sometimes after it's warmed up. Reving the throttle quickly doesn't work all the time. Over all im extreamly happy with this bike.

[@1176hambone]

Great background music!

[@JoshuaCussins]

Great drone shots.

[@Lumpster174]

Motorcycles, especially dual sports, are so grossly overpriced these days. People will keep buying them though. It is a shame they have priced the average guy right out of the sport. 13,000 dollars or more OTD for a glorified trail bike is beyond ridiculous! Great bike, dont get me wrong, but the prices are getting out of hand.

[@er98ah]

It’s it expensive? Almost the same price as my electric mountain bike, so looks like a good deal to me.

[@mikemerrill175]

Price a new BMW GS

[@Chevsilverado]

It’s a combo of general inflation and having new features on the bike. $13000 in 2023 would be like $9000 in 2008 and combine that with the new technology featured on the new bikes it’s to be expected. A TC450 cost $7000 in 2008, so a couple thousand extra isn’t that much extra given that these bikes are more modern. I do, however, wish that they made some more barebones bikes for a lower price. It doesn’t have to be the lightest or most powerful bike. However emissions standards and the market get in the way of that. If it won’t sell well they won’t make it and I think if they made a “bad” version of the 350FE-S it wouldn’t sell nearly enough to justify the place in the lineup. If you want a 2008-standard bike in 2023 for 2008 prices there are options from other brands, like the CRF300L.

[@patw9175]

"glorified trail bike" lmao

[@oldtownscouts3712]

Calling it a glorified trail bike is just not right dude, it comes plated street legal, its a beast on trails, and you can even race it. There's guys that have taken it off 100' jumps like it's a supercross bike. It's amazing

[@jootai]

wish you guys would do an other swm video

[@koviyovas8325]

better than a crf450rl it seems

[@ronald8673]

Yeah, I'll buy one someday.......if I win the lottery.

[@marianoespiritu5079]

Love it ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂❤

[@crjmoto]

I'd take one if offered : )

[@jaykay643]

Whats with the floppy license plate bracket...for a $`12k bike?

[@juniorsmith996]

🔥🔥👌🏻

[@stringfellowbalk2654]

Don't understand why these things are so expensive.

[@ronald8673]

Research who owns the company and the racing programs they have. Approx. 25-35% of the price goes to supporting their racing programs.

[@Chevsilverado]

General inflation and new features compared to old bikes. These new bikes aren’t that much more expensive than an “equivalent” bike of the past if you adjust for inflation.

[@mikebishop6095]

My 03 rm125 was5100 and my 21 yz125 was6400 bikes have been expensive my 21 yz250f was like8400 and with fees and what not it ended up being like 10,000

[@Dashriprock4]

​@@mikebishop6095but the yz250f isn't EPA and Euro 5 compliant. Not to mention street legal in all 50 states

[@gpaull2]

3:05…I see the kickstand is still too short 😂

[@yudi2942]

yudi

[@JS-nf1sn]

It's a dog. If money is no object I'd love to have one, but the reality is that you buy this bike for $14K out the door and then it needs another $3K to make it run right. You can buy a Ducati street bike instead. I bought a 1998 KTM new, and I'll never forgive them. Biggest POS I've ever had; KTM is Husky (and Gas Gas). I don't care if the brakes and rims are made by a different supplier. My advise it to plate a WR450 or just take it trail with your truck and skip the plate. If you ride this to the trail you'll be ready to get off when you get there it's it's more than 20 miles, trust me.

[@tg8150]

Ha, 13K for a glorified KTM powered, 5-year old design? People really will buy anything.

[@gzahnd]

Totally. And I love mine.

[@mikebishop6095]

Ya for sure people pay 60 grand for a gas guzzler pickup you could save your payment alone for the bike on the cheap fuel consumption of the fe

[@Butchersniper]

That license plate holder seems kinda cheesy. Anyway, I still prefer an XR650L over this any day.

[@crjmoto]

I'd love to ride both bikes back-to-back to see which one I'd choose! I lean towards the Husky, but ya never know...

[@FrenchyRider574]

Yeah sure! 30 years old technology, 50kg heavier than the husky, the XR is clearly the better bike. Especially for enduro 😆

[@Hank_Amarillo]

you must ride only forest service roads, huh?

[@karl4013]

These guys dont know what dual sport is lmao

[@DirtBikeMagazine]

We've only been around since 1971 . We're sure you got us beat!