This is the first time we truly feel that an exotic motorcycle design has made its way into the quarter-liter segment, in India. Launched at an ex-showroom price of INR 1.8 lakhs, the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 are naked sportbikes based on the KTM Duke 250.
Welcome Husqvarna, we hope you are here to stay.
All Images credit: Husqvarna
Who is Husqvarna?
Husqvarna is a Swedish motorcycle company that made its first motorized bicycle in 1903. The company has been making motorcycles since then. And it has had its share of acquisitions - bought by Cagiva in 1987, by BMW in 2007, and it returned to the Pierer Industries AG in 2013.
In 2016, Husqvarna introduced the Svartpilen and Vitpilen brands into the motorcycling world. Powered by the KTM Duke 390 engine, the Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401 made their world debut.
Now, specifically for the Indian market, the Swedish company has brought the 250cc versions of the same two brands, called the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250.
Svartpilen 250 & Vitpilen 250
These are going to be quite the tongue twisters for many people out there!
The styling is as different as it can get. You will not mistake these motorcycles for anything else on the road. The design is a fantastic example of old-school styling moving into the modern era. The circular headlamp is evergreen, it is LED, and so are the indicators. The rest of the bodywork is unique.
The fuel tank extends backward halfway into the rear panels. It’s like a single sheet of metal from the fuel tank to the rear bodywork. And it looks good. The tail section is minimal and the overall design is neat and reveals more than it hides. It is extreme and yet, there’s maturity in the way it has been executed. The appearance is nicely proportional and gives an impression of a custom look.
The difference between the Svartpilen and Vitpilen is primarily in the riding position. The Svartpilen is upright, as a Duke, while the Vitpilen is more of a Cafe Racer with clip-on handlebar.
Engine and the Chassis
The engine is taken from the KTM Duke 250. It is a 248.8cc unit with DOHC, 4 valves, and liquid cooling. The bore and stroke are identical to the Duke 250’s unit at 72 mm and 61.1 mm, respectively. It produces 31.2 PS of power.
The frame is also similar, a steel tube trellis construction with bolt-on rear sub-frame. Both wheels are 17 inches. The front and rear brakes are 320 mm and 230 mm in dimensions. There are WP upside-down forks at the front and a mono-shock at the rear.
So far, there is only one thing that we do not like about these two motorcycles, which is the 9.5 liters fuel tank capacity. Anybody who would like to tour on one of them should be prepared to make a lot of fuel stops.
That said, the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 look extremely fun motorcycles, and that’s what matters. At 250cc and INR 1.8 L ex-showroom, they are accessible in both ways to the enthusiasts. And we can’t wait to ride them.
Motoring Pulse.
All Images courtesy: Husqvarna
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