Swedish bike brand Husqvarna has made its India debut with two new 250 cc motorcycles - the Svartpilen 250 and the Vitpilen 250. Husqvarna is owned by Austrian motorcycle brand KTM, which is again partly owned by India's Bajaj Auto, with a 49 per cent stake. Husqvarna has been a long time coming to India, and it was expected that the brand will debut with its Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401 models, based on the KTM 390 Duke. But now it seems Bajaj Auto has taken a slightly safe option to introduce the 250 models, developed specifically for the Indian market.
Speaking on the occasion Sumeet Narang, President (Probiking) at Bajaj Auto Ltd. said "The premium motorcycling segment has seen rapid growth in India in the last five years, growing almost by 20% CAGR with two broad classes of motorcycles - sporty high performance machines & lifestyle bikes with limited performance .The Husqvarna range of motorcycles is designed to be a game changer in the lifestyle segment by integrating superior dynamic performance with a unique and minimalistic Swedish design language. The Husqvarna twins are meant for discerning motorcycle riders with an evolved taste, a strong appreciation for style and for those who don't want a compromise between performance and elegant design."
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 is a neo-retro motorcycle with an urban Scrambler design, complete with dual-sport tyres and bashplate
Both the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 borrow the basic design from the 401 siblings offered in international markets. Both bikes feature a neo-retro design with the Svartpilen (Swedish for "Black Arrow") 250 featuring a more upright stance and a slightly urban Scrambler-ish design language, complete with dual-sport tyres and a sump guard. The Vitpilen (Swedish for "White Arrow") 250 has a more cafe racer-type design although the design is quite modern and avant-garde, with the handlebar hunkered down low for an aggressive and sporty cafe racer stance.
The Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 is a modern cafe racer with a hunkered down handlebar for a more aggressive riding position
Both the Vitpilen 250 and the Svartpilen 250 are based on the KTM 250 Duke, with the same 248 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which makes maximum power of 30 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 24 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. Both bikes use a tubular steel trellis frame, and come with a 43 mm upside down front fork and rear monoshock suspension, likely shared with the KTM 250 Duke. Braking is also handled by ByBre four-piston caliper gripping a 300 mm disc on the front wheel, and a single-piston caliper on a 230 mm disc on the rear wheel. Both the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 will be launched in on February 14, 2020, when prices will be announced, in all likelihood, between Rs. 2.25-2.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
