FE/FC COLD 2017 issues, Blown suspension, poor starting

SO I've had my 2017 FX450 now for a year. it's been a busy year so only 16hrs on the bike. Ice riding has been a bear of a time. The bike never will start cold with out a jump start, even then hard to start. Bike is basically stock except Akro map and opened up the air box.

However the big issue is the garbage WP suspension. I weigh 175 lbs with gear and last weekend riding in single digit temps I blew the forks and rear shock. Forks sink into the travel when aired up and with low air pressure they actively contract. (I believe they have air on the wrong side of the pressure piston to make that happen) Unusable none the less. The rear shock has zero damping and puked out all the fluid.

Super bummed I've own 20+ huskys in the past 10 years, with minimal issues. This one has now cost me $2k for new suspension just so I could ride this weekend. Ice racing season is short and no time to sit on the side lines. oh yeah and a bum clutch slave cylinder to boot.

Anyone seen these issues?
Any suggestions or experiences would help?


Blown out look................





Fresh parts and empty bank account.

Nice looking bike! I've had fears of air forks and electric start letting me down out in the middle of nowhere, at least you were close to the truck on flat ice and not on the other side of a mountain.

I personally don't like the air forks because of what you experience. However spending $2000 on new suspension wasn't the bike or brand's fault. You could have saved a lot just rebuilding what you had. Sounds like a good reason to upgrade then call POS suspension. What did you get???

Can the Li battery for cold weather (below 40*f) use!

Huskynoobee, we will see. my fear is dis similar material shrink at different rates and I may have been at the limit of the equipment's potential working range. I'm not sure what is inside the cartridges.

Weantright, I bought the exact same thing new take off air forks and a new take off rear shock just to race over the weekend, that was faster than getting these rebuilt with parts availability and tear down time.

MotosportZ do you know of any better batteries available yet? I checked with Shorai no luck.

I work in the OEM design side of the power sports industry and we test all our products to -40F, guess I was hoping everyone else did. I completely get it shit happens if it was just the forks or just the shock but both was surprising to me.

This is the arguably most fun you can have on a "dirt bike". I made this video to kick off the season.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leKWWML3NJY

Need traditional acid/AGM battery for the winter. Cheapest and the most reliable for the cold.

Just a heads up, I threw enough stink Husqvarna did a "good will" claim and they are fixing the fork and blown shock. I purchased a brand new 2017 FC450 shock with 0 hrs on it and blew that one out too in two rides, After talking with the local suspension shop they have been rebuilding KTM and Husky shocks like crazy all with low hours. SKF makes an updated seal head for them and hopefully that will be the long term fix. Fingers crossed..............

Until then the ice racing must go on!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de8dvnittX0&t=42s

Cold weather sucks....i have a set of 2018 explorer forks for sale that are new....(well 90 miles on bike mostly dirt road) pm me if you want to trade or sell a pair of your air forks....i know a guy in mn the same thing happened to ....cold weather thing I guess...i have 51 hours on my 17 tc and the air forks been great and so has the shock...at least husky stepped up...im putting air forks on my 18 te just for a weight savings

that was a really fun watch that could be addicting 2g's for suspension YEESH that's is a LOT in MHO. i really like the air stuff go figure. busted/sluggish/wonky parts on an full-on pro ice racer is not uncommon. mega extreme cold n heat do stuff big time. only suggestion i have is tenting the whole bike w/ forced warm air just like they do air plane engines. if thats not an option heat pads are pretty cheap some are magnetic warmer = better. racers edge = no stone un-turned right?

What company makes those giant mittens that go over the levers and all ?

Moose makes some, also Hippo hands and maybe enduro engineering.

Thanks man I'll have a look, I just went through 2 sets of Honda OEM heated grips on my Gold Wing F6B. Both sets lasted less than 5 minutes and then went cold. I rarely ride street bikes in cold weather but thought they would be nice to have. After the BS crappy Honda grips I thought I could get some of those for the rare ride and also use them on my dirt bikes and utility ATV in cold weather. They look like they'd be easy to transfer from one bike to another.

I have a set from PowerMadd that fit over barkbusters and have some rigidity to them so you can get your hands back in after taking them out.
I use them on both the dirt bike and my snowmobile. Come off and on easy with a velcro and strap closure.
http://www.powermadd.com/products/Handguards/Gauntlet/HandguardGauntlet.html

bar muffs are great better than thick gloves fer sure....mreeep!