Husqvarna FE 450 / FE 501 Service Manual (2014)

Husqvarna entered a new modern era in 2013 when KTM Group acquired Husqvarna Motorcycles and reunited the marque with Husaberg, the company founded by former Husqvarna engineers after the original motorcycle operation moved from Sweden to Italy. Development and production shifted to Mattighofen, Austria, and the 2014 competition range became the first full enduro generation of the reunited brand. Husqvarna’s official history identifies 2013 as the point when the Husqvarna and Husaberg branches came back together. See Husqvarna Motorcycles’ official brand history.

The 2014 FE450 and FE501 formed the large-capacity end of Husqvarna’s four-stroke enduro range. Both used a liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with a 95 mm bore, overhead camshaft and four valves operated through rocker arms. The 450 displaced 449.3 cm³ with a 63.4 mm stroke, while the 501 used a longer 72 mm stroke for 510.4 cm³; both used 11.8:1 compression. Electronic fuel injection, electric starting, a hydraulically operated wet multi-disc clutch and a six-speed gearbox gave both models a modern competition-enduro drivetrain, with the 450 emphasizing a slightly freer-revving character and the 501 delivering stronger low- and mid-range torque.

The chassis architecture was shared across the two models and reflected Husqvarna’s first Mattighofen-era enduro philosophy. A chromium-molybdenum steel central-tube frame worked with a WP 4860 4CS upside-down fork offering 300 mm of travel and a WP 5018 linkage shock providing 330 mm at the rear. The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, 260/220 mm disc brakes, 1,482 mm wheelbase and 970 mm unloaded seat height gave the bikes the proportions of a large-capacity four-stroke enduro platform intended for technical off-road riding as well as faster open terrain. EU/AU and US equipment differed in road hardware, final-drive gearing, tyres and electrical details.

The platform continued to evolve substantially after this first generation. For model year 2020, Husqvarna introduced a new-generation enduro range with revised frames, subframes, suspension and engines; the company specifically noted that the FE 450 and FE 501 received a new cylinder head. See Husqvarna’s MY20 enduro launch. Another major generational break arrived for 2024, when Husqvarna introduced an all-new enduro platform with new frames, suspension, brakes and electronics while retaining both 450 and 501 four-stroke models. See Husqvarna’s 2024 enduro generation announcement.

This product is specifically the 2014 factory repair publication for FE 450 EU/AU and FE 501 EU/AU/US models, article 3403003en. The uploaded 278-page file is marked 2014 on its genuine factory cover; the 08/2015 marking on the back is a later print/revision date, while Husqvarna catalogues the following model year separately. Related publications are grouped in the Husqvarna FE450 catalog and Husqvarna FE501 catalog.