Joining the likes of KTM 390 Adventure and the 1290 Super Duke R at the 2019 India Bike Week will be the much-awaited Swedish motorcycles, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401. Last month, the company unveiled the production-spec models at the EICMA motorcycle show in Italy. Like the entry-level KTM models, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 will be manufactured by Bajaj Auto in Chakan, India.
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We know most of the specifications of the upcoming Husqvarna motorcycles. The 2020 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401, similar to the new KTM 390 range, will feature a new bolt-on sub-frame instead of a welded unit. The sub-frame is longer by 40 mm for better passenger comfort.
Apart from the chassis, the Swedish bikes will share the engine with KTM’s 390 series. Linked to a six-speed gearbox, the 373 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-valve, DOHC motor makes 32 kW or 44 hp of maximum power and a peak torque of 37 Nm.
The braking and suspension setup, too, is similar to the KTM 390 Duke's. Thus, the shock absorption duties are performed by inverted telescopic forks at the front and a preload-adjustable mono-shock at the rear. Surprisingly, the Scrambler-style Svartpilen 401 carries the same 142 mm front and 150 mm rear suspension travel as the café-racer-style Vitpilen 401.
Braking hardware comprises a 320 mm disc with a four-piston radial fixed calliper and a 230 mm rotor with a single-piston floating calliper at the front and back respectively. The anchoring setup is governed by a Bosch 9MB dual-channel ABS.
The feature list on the Husqvarna 401 model, similar to the 390 Duke motorcycles, includes full-LED lighting (indicators, headlight and taillight) and a digital instrument console. Bluetooth connectivity, however, is not available on either motorcycle. The production-spec bikes feature conventional wire-spoke wheels, and thus they would come equipped with tube-tyres.
In terms of styling, the Vitpilen 401 is inspired by café-racer motorcycles, while the Svartpilen 401 features a scrambler-style design. Thus, the Vitpilen 401 packs clip-on style handlebars and road-spec tyres. The Svartpilen 401, on the other hand, uses a tall-set handlebar, rugged styling and off-road-focused knobby tyres.
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The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 are likely to carry a slight price premium over the KTM 390 series.
