Husqvarna has revealed its new Vitpilen and Svartpilen 401 naked bike, which get fresh styling and a boost to standard equipment, priced from just $6195 plus on-road costs apiece.
This means that the 2020 Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 are now more than $4000 less expensive than when the models initially launched in 2018.
The LAMS-friendly pair made waves when they were first shown to the Australian public at the 2017 Sydney Motorcycle Show, bringing genuinely unique styling cues that capitalised on the booming cafe racer and scrambler trends of the time.
However, with a launch pricetag of $10,495 plus on-road costs, some speculated that the adventurous Huskys were too expensive to put a serious dent in the competitive 300-class segment.
For reference, the mechanically related KTM 390 Duke was available from just $6495, while the popular Honda CB300R was even cheaper at $5999.
Now, with a fresh face and feature upgrade, and a pricepoint of $6195 ($7095 rideaway), the 2020 Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen 401 are well positioned to be serious players in the category.
For 2020, both bikes have been treated to an extended subframe for increased pillion comfort, and benefit from new graphics and trim pieces.
The 32kW/37Nm 373cc single-cylinder engine carries on, while handling is bolstered by the bike’s relatively low weight (151/152kg dry) and WP Apex suspension.
As before, the Vitpilen features clip-on handlebars and road tyres, while the Svartpilen has more of a scrambler vibe with motocross handlebars and semi-off-road tyres.
The Vitpilen 401 is now available at all authorised Husqvarna Motorcycles Dealers, with the Svartpilen 401 set to arrive late-August.
Husqvarna’s road-going motorcycle range also includes more powerful Vitpilen/Svartpilen 701 models, while rumours suggest that it is also working on a ‘901’ pair that draws power from parent company KTM’s 890 powertrain.
The Swedish bikemaker revealed its Norden 901 Concept last year, which will mark the brand’s entry into the adventure bike category when the production version launches globally.
It has yet to officially announce technical details regarding the new bike, although it is expected to utilise the platform for at least one other model.
Earlier this year, overseas publication RideApart surfaced images of Husqvarna testing what could be the new Svartpilen 901 model, which is expected to sit above the current Svartpilen 401 and Svartpilen 701 in the brand’s line-up.
Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
