Colton Haaker’s Husqvarna FX 350 EnduroCross Race Machine

Mechanic: Josh Schaecher

That large white number one sitting down over red backgrounds on Colton’s Husqvarna isn’t there by mistake or even without a lot of hard work. Colton gained that number one during the 2016 EnduroCross Series by mixing his trials skills with his impressive motocross rate. His 2017 EnduroCross race bike is a Husqvarna FX 350, the bike born from the FC 350, Husky’s middle-weight motocrosser.

At the heart of Colton’s bike could be the 350 four-stroke engine. For the most part the engine is built to stock specs plus internal changes are done for reliability. Performance changes are done via mapping adjustments. Mapping changes also help to prevent stalling at reduced rpms and Colton runs his idle higher than stock. Exhaust responsibilities are handled by FMF and the team leaves the spark arrestor in the FMF muffler to help the bike possess smooth power and pass sound testing.

The transmission is stock and power makes it to the Supersprox sprockets and RK motocross string through a Rekluse manual clutch set up. Haaker’s EnduroCross gearing is 12/51. Colton’s bike is set up so he can leave it in second gear the entire race. He never shifts and his mechanic told us that a few years ago they took the particular shifter off for a race because the logs in the wood pit were flipping up and hitting the shifter, knocking the bike into one more gear.

Colton’s suspension contains WP 48mm Cone Valve spring forks and a Trax shock. His mechanic Josh says that the first half the travel really soft, while the last half ultra stiff. He explained Colton could ride supercross whoops in the last 2 inches associated with suspension travel. Like most EnduroCross racers, Haaker uses PHDS (progressive handlebar damping system) handlebar mounts, through Husky hard parts. The handlebars are Pro Tamper, Carmichael bend and the grips are Pro taper half waffle super soft. Grips are attached via Pro Taper glue. The team runs robust grey Teflon tape under the front side brake and clutch perch, letting them move in the event of a fall.

The wheels use Excel A60 rims, stock hubs and share spokes. Because tires are so important in EnduroCross, Haaker’s Husky uses a Dunlop Gummy 756 110/90-18 within the back and a MX52 90/90 21 up front. They prefer the 90/90 over other sizes. Inside those tires are Tire Balls, but they wouldn’t divulge exactly what air pressure each uses. It isn’t uncommon for Colton to pop a few of the Tire Tennis balls during a main event due to the hard hits and aggressive riding.

The particular foot pegs are specially created by IMS and are razor sharp. They are also somewhat smaller than production footpegs and so are 5mm lower and 5mm back again. A P3 carbon fiber skid plate protects the frame while the tailpiece protector by SXS covers the stock shock linkage. Custom tabs are welded to the frame to mount the underside protection. The brake pedal uses an Enduro Engineering brake stainless steel tip.

The team runs stock raditors, but a higher pressure 2 . 0 radiator cap. The Husqvarna share louvers are very stout and behave as radiator braces. The brakes are extremely much stock, but use an ARCH front brake lever. Colton operates a stock clutch lever. An IMS catch can, hidden in the framework catches any coolant overflow.

A nearer look reveals that Colton has custom chain blocks, designed so the rear wheel can’t kick back in the swing arm. The top guys hit obstacles so hard that sometimes it actually pushes the axle back in the swing arm.