HUSQVARNA

V401-Inspired in the past, projected for the future

Early 1980's Husqvarna launched its first 4-stroke 500cc Enduro bike and was the star of a new era in off-road competition with 4-stroke bikes. There were times of decline, especially financial, with the brand being sold to Cagiva in 87 and then to BMW in 2007 and later reclaimed by Husaberg-owned Pierer Industries and which holds the majority of KTM's capital.More than 60 years after the first "Pilen" was launched, Husqvarna decided to recover this historic legacy and again to create innovative bikes that stir up excitement and establish new concepts and references. The new Vitpilen and Svartpilen were first presented in 2014 and since then there has been a huge market expectation regarding its launch.



Finally, this year the 3 models will be available, the Vitpilen 401 and 701 and the Scrambler Svartpilen 401 and regarding its development, Maxime Thouvenin, Senior Designer responsible for the segment of Street Bikes, said "The objective with the new Vitpilen and Svartpilen is the to grasp the essence of the past, but to do it in the most modern and progressive way possible. " He added that "the design is very characteristic of Scandinavia and Sweden, with a minimalist and functional approach".


The Vitpilen and Svartpilen 401 use basically the same platform and the motorization is the same used in the KTM Duke 390 with different engine maps. While Svartpilen tires Pirelli tires with more suitable for a Scrambler type bike, Vitpilen mounts an excellent Metzeler M5 that proved suitable for the latter's driving style, we can define as a Racer Café of the future.
After finally attending its last performance at the last EICMA 2017 Salon in Milan, we remember that a prototype was presented for the first time in 2014, we expected to arrive in Portugal and be available to rehearse it. It was thus that, filled with curiosity and after almost three years of waiting, we went to Jetmar, representative Husqvarna and KTM in Portugal, to live a long awaited experience.The design of the motorcycle and its lines is obviously the one that has the most impact at the beginning, and let's say it may not be consensual, especially considering the current revivalist tendencies of classic motorcycles within the concepts of Café Racers and Scramblers, which has been adopted by the market and brands.The impression of being a small motorcycle and designed according to a minimalist concept is evident, a reality that is balanced by the avant-garde of its lines. Before we knew Vitpilen dynamically we made it a point not to bring information that would create expectations or the only expectation we created was the one that came from the visual impact of it and some characteristics that we knew through Husqvarna itself. So our analysis and reaction would be as free as possible.



As we climbed Vitpilen for the first time and grabbed its advances, mounted directly on the front suspension, we immediately realized that we would have to trigger a new "chip" that would better interpret its driving in the next 3 days. The first sensation was to ride a track motorcycle, either by the position or by the height of the seat itself, which is said to be neither comfortable nor even suitable for long runs. Once tuned to the "Racer" typology, everything started to make more sense and Vitpilen began to show its true DNA, the one that Husqvarna wanted to recover from a minimalist bike but sophisticated enough to arouse new emotions.
The position, as we have already mentioned, by putting on "fork advances" forces a posture that overloads our weight on the wrists, a result: in urban routes and in the stopper it becomes really tiring, especially if we turn on the floor in poor condition since the firmness of the WP suspensions, while quite efficient, tends to further increase the pressure on our wrists and hands. But this reality is largely compensated when we "make it to the road". There Vitpilen is queen and the weight ends up totally relieved by the wind that pushes us back.


The engine is fantastic, of enormous elasticity and torque from low spin. At one point I realized, or at least that was the feeling I had, that this Husqvarna could be a kind of enduro bike turned into a track bike, (many years of endurance makes comparison inevitable) such was the combination of signals and sensations that transmitted us the piloting of Vitpilen. Due to its reduced weight, high driving position and advances, the immediate response of its engine and the sound of the Akrapovic tip, due to the efficiency of its suspensions and brakes, it looked more like it was on a motorcycle, certainly very close to a KTM RC390. On the freeway I easily reached 170 Km in 6 speed, without the warning light of maximum rotation had lit, that is, there was still something more to evolve.



The chrome-molybdenum steel frame and the engine mounted as a structuring part of it guarantee all the necessary stiffness of the assembly which, combined with a luxury cycle and excellent performance of the WP suspensions, keep Vitpilen always stable in a corner and extreme contact with the road. The braking reveals immense tact and bite, and is performed by Bybre, the 2nd brand of Brembo manufactured in India, always ensuring a feeling of great safety and control.

Curving in Vitpilen is always a great pleasure and let's say it, in addition to the alternative style of its design, the maximum attribute of this futuristic Café Racer. But if the goal is more a daily use there maybe we recommend more to your sister Svartpilen, more Scrambler style and with a higher and more comfortable driving position.

Akrapovic exhaust detail

Wheels with 17 "aluminum rims mount 110/70 Metzeler sports tires in the front and 150/60 in the rear, ensuring a curvaceous behavior and always predictable.

The finishes although in the minimalist spirit are in fact of extreme quality. Details on the design of your tank or even the tampon itself clearly demonstrate the care and detail of how Vitpilen was designed. The round headlamp in front of LED technology is a perfect symbiosis of the classic with the cutting edge lines of Vitpilen. The rear headlight is also perfectly integrated in a short rear and follows the lines of the same. The information panel round and in a nearly flat position is something strange but contains all the necessary information including fuel level and maximum turn signal LED.

Brand Name: Husqvarna
Model: Vitpilen 401 2018
MOTOR
Type
single cylinder, liquid refrigeration, 4 stroke
Displacement
373.2 cc

Max Power
44 hp @ 9,000 rpm
Max.
37 Nm @ 7,000 rpm

Compression ratio
12.6: 1
Clutch
PASC, sliding, mechanically driven

food
Electronic injection

Velvet Box
6 Speeds


Pedro Rocha, direto de Portugal