New 390 enduro from Husaberg

Following the radical, ‘forward-facing cylinder’ bikes introduced last year, innovative off-road manufacturer Husaberg has broken the mould again by creating a new class for 2010 with this 390cc machine. 

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Intended to fit between conventional, revvy 250 four-strokes and grunty, explosive and heavy 450s, the new FE390 is physically smaller than Husaberg’s FE450 and thus more manoeuvrable. What’s more, by having less overall power the 390 is extremely easy to control and comes into its own when faced with the type of terrain where a ‘big’ bike can become simply too much.

Tricky uphill climbs, slow winding down hills, trials-like rock ledges and tree root-littered trails are the type of terrain the 390 thrives in. With an incredible amount of bottom-end power, the torque of the motor enables it to find its way up or over almost anything.

Where a conventional 250 wouldn’t quite have enough low-end drive, and a 450 possibly a little too much, the 390 has strong, manageable power.

Of course, there’s a trade off in all this – riders looking for an equally impressive top-end won’t find it, as the 390 doesn’t have the top-end strength some would hope and requires constant gear shifting, more like a 125cc two-stroke.

But for less-experienced riders not overly worried about competition the new FE 390 ticks all of the important boxes.