Did you know that Husqvarna has a colourful history spanning centuries? The Swedish bikemaker started as a gunsmith back in the 17th century! There’s a lot more to the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 than bikes and guns but the more important question is, is it a worthy left-field alternative in a sea of formidable rivals, specifically the KTM 390 Duke?
The Husqvarna has always had more of an industrial design. The new generation model continues that trend but more importantly, it works on a previous shortcoming for India – size. The new motorcycle is 20 percent longer and wider than before which now sits perfectly with the Indian “Bigger is better” philosophy.
That said, the Svartpilen continues to feature minimalistic styling as before, a prime example being the two-piece bodywork. It gets interesting touches in the form of a unique fuel tank and a carrier above it. However, it loses the plot somewhat as the design progresses downward. Below the frame the engine bay looks busy and the underslung exhaust has too many elements that take away the clean look of the motorcycle. The addition of the large one piece grabrail, tyre hugger, saree guard and plastic cladding below the rear numberplate does not help matters either. The headlamp and visor too is a size too large compared to the rest of the design. Overall while the Svartpilen has grown and still stands out from the crowd, the new design does divide opinion. The switchgear borrowed from the KTM Dukes impresses with its tactility and quality. It disappoints though the large panel gaps.
The Svartpilen 401 gets new tech and safety features as part of its generational update. The new 5-inch TFT screen is the star of the show and offers a unique layout in Husqvarna’s trademark monotone colours with a dash of yellow and green. The interface is easy to navigate while the graphics are unique and impressive with their sharp resolution.
The 401 features a new 399cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder motor shared with the KTM 390 Duke that delivers 46PS and 39Nm — on a motorcycle that weighs just 171 kilos. That helps make the Svartpilen one of the quickest motorcycles in its segment.
Once you get past the initial throttle lag, the performance is explosive and engaging. You can ride the motorcycle sedately in higher gears too, provided you keep the revs above 3,000rpm. This being a high-strung motor, there is a far bit of buzzing at the handlebar and footpegs but you are most likely to ignore it in the face of its relentless performance.
The safety net comes in the form of switchable traction control and you also get two ride modes – Street and Rain. While Street is the standard mode, Rain offers a softened throttle response for better control in the wet.
The Husqvarna packs in a premium WP Apex suspension. The upside down fork gets compression and rebound adjustability while the monoshock offers preload and rebound adjustment. For scrambling, it gets premium dual-purpose Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres mounted on 17-inch spoke wheels.
The motorcycle exhibits sharp dynamics and feels eager to dart into corners. The suspension too does a good job of dialling down the effects of mid-corner bumps, ensuring a stable ride in corners. While the premium Pirelli tyres do rob the steering of a bit of precision in corners, they redeem themselves by offering ample grip in a wide range of surfaces and riding environments.
While the ride quality is on the firmer side, the suspension allows for adjustability at both ends to finetune it according to your preference. It gets ByBre 320mm front disc and 240mm rear disc with dual channel ABS. These offer excellent bite and feel and with the ABS, do a fantastic job of slowing down the motorcycle. You also get a Supermoto ABS mode which switches off rear ABS allowing for more control offroad.
The Svartpilen is positioned as a scrambler and it’s got the looks, performance and tyres to back up that claim. There are some issues though. Firstly, the riding position is too focused to be comfortable offroad. The handlebar is too low for standup riding and the footpegs are rearset. Even the suspension travel is similar to the road-focussed KTM 390 Duke and surprisingly the ground clearance is lower than the Duke. While you can ride it at speed on dirt roads, we do not recommend hitting rocky trails with this one.
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is priced at Rs 2.92 lakh ex-showroom. At that price, it is the most expensive scrambler in the segment. However, if you look at it the other way, as a sporty naked, it undercuts the KTM 390 Duke by Rs 18,500. So you can get similar performance and features with a more exclusive bodywork. Now that makes the Svartpilen 401 an interesting proposition, isn’t it?
