Scramblers are fun motorcycles, capable of taking care of your daily commuting at the same time hitting the trails on weekends. After making its entry in India in 2019 with the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250, Husqvarna has now launched the Svartpilen 401. With the ‘401’ tag, this motorcycle is not only more powerful and capable but also larger than before. Based on the latest 390 Duke’s platform and a lucrative sticker price, the Svartpilen 401 is what we’ve ridden on the outskirts of Pune city. Read on for the first ride review of this motorcycle in pictures.
Also Read: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 First Ride Review
While the silhouette of the Svartpilen 250 has been maintained, the 401 is overall larger in proportions with new body panels, a large circular LED headlamp and a smoked windscreen on top. The fuel tank is larger and the tail section is longer offering more room for the rider and pillion. The bike now features an underbelly exhaust and wire-spoke wheels shod with on/off tyres from Pirelli.
On the tech front, the Svartpilen 401 packs a 5-inch colour TFT display that has been borrowed from the 390 Duke but with a different layout. Switchgear is the same as the KTM, but the digital display on the Husqy isn’t Bluetooth-equipped from the factory as standard but can be retrofitted as an optional extra.
The Svartpilen 401 gets its motive power from a 399cc single-pot liquid-cooled unit that does duty on the latest 390 Duke. The motor is capable of churning out 46 bhp at 8500 rpm and 39 Nm at 6500 rpm and comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch and a bi-directional quickshifter. However, the motorcycle only gets traction control and dual-channel ABS for the rider safety net.
Given its high-revving nature, most of the power is accessible from the mid to the top of the rpm band. But the torque is available sooner and can be best enjoyed by keeping the motor above the 3,000 rpm mark for maximum fun
For cycle parts, the Svartpilen 401 receives a similar setup as the 390 Duke. The bike is suspended by fully-adjustable WP units, an upside-down fork setup at the front with compression and rebound adjustment, and a monoshock at the back with preload and rebound adjustment. For shedding speeds, the motorcycle is equipped with disc brakes at both ends equipped with Bybre calipers.
Built around a steel trellis frame that is borrowed from the latest 390 Duke, the Svartpilen 401 gets a tubular subframe instead of a cast aluminium one like on the KTM. The seat is more accessible thanks to the lower seat height of 800mm. The long and wide seat offers enough room to move on the saddle. The motorcycle has a kerb weight of 171 kg kerb, which is manageable when it comes to moving the bike or taking it off the kickstand.
For the ride part, in the city, it feels apt for the urban jungle, you have all the power you’ll need and the nimble handling attributes to make every ride a fun ride. And off the road, equipped with these lovely Pirelli Scorpion STRs, the Svartpilen 401 can easily take on B roads and do mild trails.
The fully adjustable suspension allows one to set it according to one’s preference, but even in the stock setup, the Svartpilen 401 feels well balanced around corners and soaks up bumps and undulation well. Lastly, the bite from the brakes is excellent, with good progression and feel that lets one modulate the braking force for a more effective and engaging experience of what’s happening at the contact points.
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 carries a sticker price of Rs 2.92 lakh ex-showroom, which without a doubt is strikingly cheaper than the KTM 390 Duke. But, that’s because of the fewer electronic aids equipment. On the competition front, the Husqvarna rivals against the likes of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, TVS Apache RTR 310, BMW G 310 R and the KTM 390 Duke.
Compared to the KTM 390 Duke, the Husqvarna 401 is a versatile motorcycle that can be ridden off the road as well. It’s now bigger dimensionally as well as displacement-wise as well. It has a neo-retro appeal which looks neat and cool, and doesn’t grab too much attention like the 390 Duke. For a sticker price that is Rs 19,000 lower than the KTM 390 Duke it is based on, the Svartpilen 401 is a true scrambler that offers a sweet balance of ride experience on and off the road.
