Husqvarna… Who?

Lately, if you have been following the Indian motorcycle scenario, you might have come across the word ‘Husqvarna’. This word has biking enthusiasts here excited for a very simple reason - more bikes in India! Husqvarna is owned by Pierer Industries, which also owns KTM. And, like KTM, Husqvarna will also enter India in partnership with Bajaj in late 2018.

If you don't know much about Husqvarna, you have landed at the right place. We will first take a short peek into the history of the brand and its origin before diving into the models which will arrive on our shores, where they will be manufactured and what sort of pricing can be expected.

Once Upon A Time...

The year was 1689 when the King of Sweden decided to establish a new factory for production of musket rifles, just outside the town of Huskvarna. Later, the factory also began producing kitchen appliances and sewing machines and finally in 1896 began the production of bicycles. This was the birth of the brand which later dominated the world motocross championships. Have a quick look at how the brand progressed through the years.

After 1983, Husqvarna changed ownership 3 times before finally reuniting with Pierer Industries AG (Husaberg’s owner) in 2013. Since then, the company has produced world-class motocross bikes and has now decided to set up shop in India.

So The Motocross Bikes Are Coming To India?

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No. Though they are known for motocross bikes, Husqvarna has decided not to bring them here as the market for such bikes is very small here at the moment. What we will get instead are the all-new cafe racer and scrambler bikes developed by Husqvarna and use the mechanicals from the KTM 390 Duke.

Which Bikes Will We Get?

We will get the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 cafe racer and the Svartpilen 401 scrambler. Both these bikes are brand new and based on the 2017 KTM 390 Duke. Both of them have been given certain unique elements to lend them the café racer/scrambler personality. The Vitpilen 701, which uses the engine from the Duke 690, will also be manufactured here in India but only for export markets.

What Are These Bikes Made Of?

The Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 both get same body panels, 17-inch spoke wheels and a short flat seat. But where the Vitpilen 401 gets road tyres and clip-on handlebars to look like a cafe racer, the Svartpilen 401 gets knobby off-road tyres, raised handlebars and a luggage mount on the fuel tank to make it look rugged.

As far as the engine is concerned, it is borrowed from the 2017 KTM 390 Duke. It is a 373.3cc motor which is good for 44.1PS of power and 37Nm of torque (390 Duke's tune). This engine will be tuned differently to suit the racer and scrambler Huskies. Both these bikes are constructed on the same steel trellis frame and use the 390 Duke's swingarm. The suspension is 43mm WP telescopic forks at the front and a WP monoshock unit at the rear. Stopping power comes from Bybre callipers mounted over a 320mm front and 230mm rear disc. 

In terms of features, the Huskies will get a round, fully digital instrument console. What is still under speculation is whether the display will be a TFT unit with Bluetooth connectivity (like the 2017 390 Duke) or a simple LCD display. In terms of ride assists, the Huskies are expected to get a slipper clutch, ABS and ride-by-wire as standard.

Where Will They Be Made?

Right here, in Chakan, Pune. These bikes are brand new from Husqvarna's stable and the first batch will be manufactured in Austria. The production will later shift to Bajaj’s Chakan factory in Pune by late 2018. As they will be sharing a lot of parts with KTM, expect the final product to have similar quality as the current gen KTMs, which is a good thing.

How Much Will They Cost

We have got communication that the Huskies will be priced slightly above the KTM 390 Duke. As they are more premium than the orange naked, the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 will command a premium of about 20 per cent. Hence, the price is expected to be in the ballpark of Rs 2.75 lakhs. The Vitpilen 401 will face competition from the likes of the Royal Enfield Continental GT but the Svartpilen 401 will be in a league of its own.

Should I Hold Off My Buying Plans For These Bikes?

Well, there is no one answer for this question. The Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 will come to India in late 2018. With that date still being one and a half years away, you could get a smaller bike in the meantime and trade if for a Husky as and when it comes. Or, if you already have a set of wheels, you could add a few more miles to it and get the Vitpilen or Svartpilen when they arrive.

If you have any more questions, shoot them at any of our social media pages linked down below.

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Want to know more about Husqvarna? Check out the links below
- Bajaj To Manufacture Husqvarna Bikes In India
- Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 And Svartpilen 401: Top 5 Facts