When our buddy Luc Santos from Factory Motocross Vacations calls and says he has a new bike build he wants us to ride, we don't walk—we run. His latest creation is a 2025 Husqvarna FC350 with roughly $20,000 invested into it. Naturally, I wanted to find out just how much of a difference there was between a fully built 350 and a stock 450. Was the 450 still faster? Which bike was I actually quicker on? We set out to answer those questions and a whole lot more.

First Impressions

As soon as I pulled up, Luc already had the bike unloaded and ready to ride, just like he does with all of his rental bikes, where you can show up, ride some seriously badass machinery, and be catered to all day. This bike looks unreal, and like everything Luc touches, he went all-out on every detail, as you can see from the spec list above.

As he was warming it up, the bike immediately had a different tone than a standard 350, which only made me more excited to ride it. We set sag at 105mm, and I was ready to rip. The improved throttle response was noticeable right away as I popped over a few jumps and cruised through the opening lap. The suspension had a plush initial feel and felt balanced from the start. It only took about half a lap before I started pushing and feeling comfortable on the bike. Within a few laps, I was already figuring out how I could somehow get this thing into the back of my truck and disappear before Luc noticed.

Engine

Man, this bike is insane. Let's just start there. The biggest standout for me was easily the engine. I was blown away that it made more power everywhere than the stock 450. Low-rpm power, throttle response, and torque were all stronger, which honestly shocked me. Not only was it stronger, but it also had a better throttle-to-rear-wheel connection. I could use third gear more often in corners with less clutch work and be even lazier with my RPM management than I could on the 450 because of how well this 350 recovered. Midrange power also felt stronger and more exciting, especially once the dual injector system started doing its thing. It pulled harder down the straights and made clearing jumps out of corners noticeably easier.

The 350 wasn't done there, though. Top-end power and over-rev might have been the biggest improvement of all. The bike revved farther and pulled longer than I expected. It actually took me a few attempts to find the end of the over-rev because it just kept pulling. This engine truly feels like the best of both worlds between a 250F and a 450F. A stock 350 already feels somewhat similar to a 450, but once you start adding the right modifications, all I can say is wow. I've ridden a lot of cool bikes over the last year, and this one is right near the top of the list.

I also had the chance to switch the dual injector system on and off to see how much difference it really made. We did it blind, with me having no idea which setting I was riding. It took about one straightaway and one corner for me to know when the dual injector was active. The increase in power and torque was obvious. It even changes the sound of the bike. When the dual injector is working its magic, the engine sings a different tune and feels more alive everywhere.

Overall, this might be one of my favorite engine characters of all time. Yes, I said it. And considering the number of great bikes I've ridden over the years, that's saying something. It's crazy how a few carefully selected modifications can completely transform the connected feel and overall performance of a motorcycle.

Suspension

For suspension, Luc went with the REP KYB conversion system, and I was a huge fan of this setup all day long. This suspension package isn't cheap, but when it comes to appearance, quality, and performance, you're absolutely getting what you pay for. For this comparison, I wanted to use the Rockstar Edition 450 because it comes equipped with the WP Cone Valve system. I felt that was a fair benchmark to compare against.

Like I mentioned earlier, the initial comfort and small-bump compliance on the 350 worked really well right away. The WP Cone Valve setup felt good too, but it didn't absorb smaller chop quite as well. I had a little more front-end traction feel on the 350, which made flat corners at Cahuilla significantly easier than on the 450. Mid-stroke performance on both bikes was very good. Both had a plush feel while still maintaining excellent hold-up and control. That gave me confidence to push harder in high-load areas knowing the suspension would absorb most of the punishment.

Where the REP KYB setup really stood out was in the end stroke and bottoming resistance, both front and rear. It had more control and a slower-moving character that felt plush while still providing better hold-up. I bottomed the 350 less often, and that extra support took some stress off the chassis in high-load situations. The WP setup on the 450 ramps up slightly too much for my preference, and even after making clicker changes, it still couldn't quite match the overall performance of the REP KYB package.

I did make some adjustments to both bikes. On the 350, I went three clicks softer on fork compression and two clicks slower on rebound. On the shock, I went two clicks softer on low-speed compression, three clicks faster on rebound, and 1/8 turn softer on high-speed compression. This improved comfort and enhanced small-bump absorption. On the 450, I went four clicks softer on fork compression and four clicks faster on rebound. On the shock, I went four clicks softer on low-speed compression, four clicks faster on rebound, and 1/4 turn softer on high-speed compression. Those changes improved comfort and end-stroke performance, but it still fell short of the REP KYB setup overall.

Other Bits

Another area where the 350 impressed me was braking performance. Even though the Husky already comes with some of the best brakes in the class, Luc somehow managed to make them even better.

The braking power and control on the 350 were just a step ahead of the 450. At Cahuilla Creek, where there are plenty of hard-braking zones, the difference was easy to feel. I could brake later, be more aggressive entering corners, and still hit my marks consistently. It's a relatively small detail, but it stood out throughout the day. The custom ARC levers were another nice touch. They made it easier to position my fingers and improved overall lever feel and control.

One thing that may have also contributed to the lap-time difference was the Dunlop Factory Spec tires on the 350. We tested these tires against the MX34 previously, and the gains were impressive. This comparison happened at Cahuilla, which is one of the tracks where the Factory Spec tire shines the most for me. I had noticeably better traction and could corner through flat turns with more confidence and grip. That improved contact feel and planted sensation give you so much confidence to push harder, and I have no doubt it contributed to the faster lap times.

Lap Times

It couldn’t be a comparison test without throwing down a couple of heaters to see which bike I was truly faster on. I had a good idea after the morning session, but sometimes you’re wrong. Well, I was right for once (my wife is always right and lets me know), and I was a decent amount faster on the 350. I thought maybe a second or two based on feel, but I was a little off. I was almost four seconds a lap faster on the 350 in both the morning and afternoon sessions. While my times improved on the 450 in the afternoon when it dried out, I still had a big gap compared to the 350. For me, I think it was a combination of engine power, controllability, and improved suspension that allowed me to push harder in sections and made it much easier to go fast. I could push harder into corners because of the brakes, and the engine power got me out of corners and over jumps quicker. I was really blown away by the power and how much faster I was compared to the 450 Rockstar Edition, which is no slouch of a bike itself.

It wouldn't be a comparison test without laying down a few heaters to find out which bike I was actually faster on. I had a pretty good idea after the morning session, but sometimes your feelings don't match the stopwatch. Well, for once, I was right. My wife is usually the one who's right, and she makes sure I know it. I expected maybe a one or two-second difference based on feel, but I was way off. I ended up almost four seconds per lap faster on the 350 during both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Even though my lap times improved on the 450 once the track dried out later in the day, there was still a substantial gap between the two bikes. For me, it came down to a combination of power, controllability, and suspension performance. The improved brakes allowed me to push harder into corners, while the stronger and broader engine got me out of corners and over jumps faster. I was honestly blown away by both the power and the lap-time difference compared to the Rockstar Edition 450, which is no slouch itself.

The Final Word

At the end of the day, was all the money worth it? That's a tough question. On one hand, if you have the money, just do it. You only live once, and riding a bike of this caliber is one of the best feelings there is.

On the other hand, if you're not in a position to spend that kind of money and still want to ride and have fun, buy the stock bike and leave it alone. You'll still have an absolute blast. But I will say this: coming from a production-bike background where I've always believed stock is best, I've got to admit that these modifications are worth every penny. Not only do they improve the riding experience, but they're also worth a few seconds on the stopwatch.

That's a win-win in my book.