Despite the KTM Group owning Husqvarna, the latter’s road models have resolutely followed their own path: the Svartpilen and Vitpilen look like nothing else in motorcycling, let alone anything in the KTM line-up.
True to its roots, Husqvarna has a range of dirt-friendly adventure bikes, even if they could be dismissed as KTMs with a styling and paint job. However, it must be said that the Norden 901 possesses its own personality distinct from the 890 Adventure, with which it shares much of its architecture and electronics, along with the engine.
News has just come in, however, of a new addition to the Husqvarna range that has all the appearances of taking the fight to its stablemate. The new Svartpilen 801 looks basically like a KTM Duke model and, while technical details will only be released on the 19th of March, the power output of 105 horsepower indicates that it shares the parallel-twin engine with the KTM 790 Duke.
A weight of 181kg and the fact that it comes as standard with a quick-shifter are the only other details that have been released.
While this might seem like a strange move on KTM Group’s part, it’s not unusual. The Pierer Group, owners of KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas, have a carefully delineated range of dirt and enduro bikes, positioned at different cost points of the market and, with the popularity of naked sports bikes in Europe, it makes sense to attempt to gain a bigger slice of the pie with another name on the tank, rather than yet another naked KTM model.
Whether we’ll see the model in SA before the end of the year is unknown at present but all should be revealed on the 19th March.
