The Husaberg FE 550 was the 550 cc four-stroke enduro of the Swedish brand, produced from 2001 to 2008 according to the Italian Wikipedia. It filled the space between the 501 cc and 650 cc models, and when Husaberg presented its new 2009 generation the 570 took its place.
Husaberg FE 550 at a glance
| Maker | Husaberg Motor AB, Sweden; KTM from 1995 |
|---|---|
| Built in | Sweden until 2003, then Mattighofen, Austria |
| Class | four-stroke enduro |
| Displacement | 550 cc |
| Production | 2001–2008 |
| Position in the range | between the 501 cc and 650 cc four-strokes |
| Engine | single-cylinder four-stroke |
| Name | F for four-stroke, E for enduro |
| Replaced by | the 570 (565 cc) from 2009 |
| Last line-up with a 550 | 2008 |
No Wikipedia article covers the FE 550 on its own: the facts here come from the Husaberg brand articles in English, German, Swedish and Italian, which are in effect a single source.
History of the Husaberg FE 550
2001: a 550 cc single
The 550 cc four-stroke appeared in the Husaberg range in 2001, six years after KTM had bought the Swedish company, while production was still in Sweden. The Italian Wikipedia gives 2001 to 2008 as the production period of the 550 cc engine, and English Wikipedia lists 550 cc machines among the displacements the brand built for enduro, motocross and supermoto use.
2003: production moves to Austria
In 2003 production and the development department moved to the KTM factory in Mattighofen, Austria, while the motorsport department stayed in Sweden. The 550 remained in the range through that change; by then the engines had long shaken off the reliability problems of the earliest Husabergs, which between 1989 and 1996 had no oil pump and relied on oil delivery from the timing chain.
2008: the end of the 550
The 550 cc engine was built until 2008. For 2009 Husaberg introduced a new generation with a laid-down engine in the FE 390, FE 450 and FE 570, and the 570 of 565 cc, built from 2009 to 2012, was the model that followed the 550 at the top of the enduro range below the 650. The 550 does not appear in the 2011 or 2014 line-ups, and the brand itself ended in 2014.
Design and features
- Big single: a 550 cc four-stroke, one of the large-displacement enduro engines of the brand.
- Place in the range: between the 501 cc and 650 cc models of the period.
- Naming: F for four-stroke, E for enduro, with the displacement in the model name.
- Handover: replaced by the 570 of 565 cc in the 2009 generation.
- Made in two countries: Sweden until 2003 and Austria afterwards.
Husaberg FE 550 versions
- FE 550 (2001–2003): the Swedish-built years of the model.
- FE 550 (2003–2008): the same model built at Mattighofen in Austria.
- 550 cc family: English Wikipedia lists 550 cc machines in enduro, motocross and supermoto form.
- The successor: the FE 570 of 565 cc, presented for 2009 with a laid-down engine.
The 550 sat between the FE 501 and the FE 650, and it shared the range with the FE 450 that carried the brand into its 2009 generation. More Husaberg models are in the Husaberg collection.
Video: husaberg fe 550 enduro with akrapovic exhaust
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Husaberg, English Wikipedia: displacements, history, 2009 and 2011 ranges
- Husaberg, German Wikipedia: KTM takeover, Mattighofen production
- Husaberg, Swedish Wikipedia: 2009 laid-down-engine generation
- Husaberg, Italian Wikipedia: production years by displacement
