Found in the press presentation of the Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401, it is the motorcycle we saw in the teasers that the Swedish manufacturer released in recent weeks and that anticipated the official announcement of Husqvarna’s older sister of the naked, the Svartpilen 801 2024.
A naked/roadster to fill the gap left in the range by the single-cylinder Svartpilen 701 (discontinued at the end of 2020) was more than predictable, not only because of the prototypes observed over the past year and the teasers released by the company, but also by analogy with what happened with KTM – part of the same industrial group – which in its 790 and 890 Duke found a way to express the “ready to race” approach of its naked bikes with different variants (and prices). As for the other models, therefore, Husqvarna and KTM explore the same platform, declining it in different attitudes and perspectives.
The new Svartpilen 801 is equipped with the 799 cc LC8c twin-cylinder engine already present in the KTM 790 Duke in a configuration of 105 hp which, combined with a declared weight of 181 kg (we imagine in running order), should ensure a more than pleasant and satisfactory ride, just like its “orange” sister. In terms of differences compared to the Duke – besides a completely different and more minimalist design – we cannot comment, as we do not know what from the prototype will be later transferred to the production version, but the shortened rear end and the exhaust even closer to the rear of the prototype give a pleasant look, as well as being a distinctive element – along with the tank/side panel assembly – of this prototype.
For the Svartpiplen 801, adjustable WP suspension, steering damper, and Easy Shift gearbox have already been announced: to discover all the other details (including, hopefully, the price) you don’t have to wait long until the official presentation on March 19, 2024.
