America’s bike business is within the midst of a disaster. The businesses that when thrived on the gross sales of $30,000 cruisers are now not capable of survive by taking bites out of each other’s market share. Attracting new blood to the game is crucial if the business goes to outlive and Husqvarna — finest recognized for producing glorious, race-winning dirtbikes — thinks it has an thought on how to herald new and returning riders. And all of it begins with design.
Again in 2014, Husqvarna debuted a few idea bikes on the EICMA bike present in Italy. The bikes had been based mostly on Husqvarna’s mum or dad firm KTM’s entry-level avenue machines, the RC390 and 390 Duke. The ideas had been referred to as Vitpilen and Svartpilen which, in Husqy’s native Swedish, translate to “white arrow” and “black arrow,” respectively. The idea bikes exuded a simplicity and minimalism that resonated with a lot of the bike business.
The manufacturing bikes are nearly indistinguishable from these ideas. The one actual exceptions are that the engine circumstances look extra bronze than copper, and the Svartpilen has a decrease exhaust place. These bikes are like nothing I’ve ever seen, and Husqvarna hopes this far-out design will appeal to a brand new style-focused, fashion-conscious rider to the game.
One of many very first thing you discover is simply how small the bikes are. The intimidation issue is crucial for brand new riders, so these bikes being light-weight and having low seat heights is a big win when it comes to basic approachability. I am 6 foot four inches tall, and whereas I really feel a little bit cramped by the Vitpilen’s aggressive driving place, the Svartpilen is straight away snug and pure.
The Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401 use the identical 375cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder engine. It is a unbelievable little unit that produces 44 horsepower and 27 pound-feet of torque, which admittedly does not sound like loads, however is greater than sufficient to zing you as much as just-over-average California freeway speeds with out hassle. This engine sounds superior, particularly on the higher finish of its rev vary. You will want you had an additional 1,500 rpm on the prime finish simply to extend the magic. The bikes use a six-speed transmission, and whereas it is nothing to jot down residence about, it is completely serviceable. The clutch is gentle and extremely simple to modulate, which is ideal for these new to bikes or handbook transmissions on the whole.
KTM is understood for its extremely light-weight bikes, and Husqy is aware of higher than to mess with that. To that finish, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen weigh in at simply 326 and 331 kilos, respectively. Because of this they’re flickable and enjoyable, tremendous simple to maneuver round and never tough decide up in the event that they fall over. Once more, excellent for a brand new rider.
The brand new entry-level avenue bikes from Husqvarna emphasize enjoyable relatively than outright efficiency.
Nathan Could/Husqvarna
The Vitpilen’s driving place is canted far ahead, and the clip-on handlebars are positioned low, relative to the peak of the seat. The foot controls sit excessive and additional again on the bike. The Vitpilen is about as much as enable the rider to work it into corners, leaning over a lot additional than you’d count on for an entry-level bike and carrying tons of velocity by means of every bend. It is a riot at principally authorized speeds and conjures up tons of confidence.
The Svartpilen, with its way more upright and relaxed driving place, is my private favourite of the 2 bikes. The broader, upright handlebars let you actually push the bike round with ease and makes corner-to-corner transitions an absolute pleasure.
For on a regular basis driving or commuting, the Svartpilen is the one to have. And do not let its knobby Pirelli tires idiot you into pondering it is a dirtbike. The Svartpilen could be tremendous enjoyable on a dusty fire-road or a little bit of gravel monitor, however you’d shortly run out of suspension journey on something more difficult.
The upright Svartpilen 401 has a snug, upright driving place and rugged seems.
Nathan Could/Husqvarna
Talking of which, each bikes use a suspension by WP, a model well-known for each its work with KTM in addition to the variety of race wins it has beneath its belt. The bikes’ entrance fork is a 43-millimeter, nonadjustable upside-down unit. It is a little bit on the mushy aspect, nevertheless it soaks up bumps fairly nicely and appears the enterprise. The rear of the bike encompasses a monoshock suspension with preload adjustment. The entrance setup provides 5.6 inches of journey, and the rear presents 5.9 inches.
Each bikes have similar Bybre (Brembo’s value-oriented sub-brand) brakes with customary ABS. Up entrance there is a 320mm single rotor squeezed by a four-piston caliper, and the rear will get a 230mm rotor and single-piston caliper. In use, they’re greater than enough, and I by no means discover myself needing extra stopping energy. Would they maintain as much as repeated laps on a race monitor? Most likely not. However on the road, these stoppers are glorious. The brake really feel on the lever is helped immensely by stainless-steel braided strains, a premium characteristic for an entry-level bike.
Moving into California freeway visitors, I can check a characteristic that is tremendous necessary to riders on this area: lane splitting. California permits motorcycles to go between slow-moving or stopped vehicles, and it is presently the one state within the US the place that is authorized. It is a godsend for biking by means of congested cities like Los Angeles, and right here, each Husqvarna bikes are champs. The small, single-cylinder engine structure and the comparatively slim handlebars means you squeeze by means of any hole as large because the rider’s shoulders. A good way to draw new riders to motorcycling (in California anyway) is to emphasise the diploma to which driving a motorbike can save time in your commute, and on this regard, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen are best.
The Svartpilen and Vitpilen are extremely easy machines with the one rider help being antilock brakes.
Nathan Could/Husqvarna
Sometimes, Husqvarna bikes command a little bit of a premium over the KTM fashions on which they’re based mostly, and the Pilen twins are not any exception. With a beginning value of $6,299, they’re nearly $1,000 greater than an equal KTM 390 Duke. And given the similar working gear between the KTM and Husqy fashions, you are actually simply paying for the additional cool issue of those rad-looking bikes.
Each the Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401 ought to be hitting sellers within the subsequent 4 to 6 weeks. For those who’re contemplating making the leap to two-wheeled motoring, they’re undoubtedly value a glance.
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