Husqvarna has just announced the 2024 iterations of its street bike lineup in the form of the Vitpilen and Svartpilen in the global market. While the new bikes are indeed slated for launch in the US as we highlighted in a previous article, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the first country to get them is the country they’re made in: India.
Pierer Mobility, KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas’ parent company, has had a long-standing relationship with Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj. In terms of production capabilities and sheer sales volume, Bajaj is considered one of the biggest manufacturers in the world, and ever since KTM ventured into the small-displacement street bike market in 2013 with the 390 Duke, has been stamping out all sorts of small-displacement bikes in partnership with the European conglomerate.
Now, in 2024, the Husqvarna Svartpilen and Vitpilen have been given a thorough refresh, in a similar fashion as to how their orange sibling, the KTM Duke, received a refresh in the previous model year. Needless to say, the Duke and Svart/Vitpilen are essentially the same bike in terms of underpinnings, with styling, bodywork, and other minor features the only things setting them apart. With that, the 2024 Svartpilen, in its 125, 250, and 401 flavors, have been given a thorough refresh with a new frame, improved engines, and refreshed styling.
Over in India, pricing for the new Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 250 have been revealed, with both models commanding quite an attractive price tag that’s sure to entice enthusiasts looking to get their first taste of a premium, yet accessible, street bike. Kicking things off with the Svartpilen 401, it carries an MSRP of Rs 292,000, or approximately $3,511 USD. Following in the footsteps of its orange brother, the new Svartpilen 401 is rocking a revised single-cylinder engine. Now displacing 398.6cc, it delivers slightly more power than the previous generation with 46 horsepower and 39 Nm (28.9 pound-feet) of torque.
Just like the 390 Duke, the new Husky Svartpilen 401 also gets a slew of fancy electronic rider aids consisting of throttle-by-wire, traction control, and ABS modes. All pertinent ride data can be viewed via a large five-inch TFT display. There’s also a handy Type-C charger and optional smartphone connectivity. Yet another outstanding feature of the Svartpilen 401 is its impressive suspension system consisting of 43mm WP Apex inverted forks and an adjustable WP Apex monoshock. Brakes are 320mm and 240mm discs front and rear respectively, and dual-channel ABS comes as standard.
Up next, we have the sportier Vitpilen 250. Announced in India for an MSRP of Rs 219,000, or about $2,633 USD, it offers riders a more aggressive ergonomics package and aesthetics that are reminiscent of its bigger, more premium sibling, the Vitpilen 701. That being said, for now, only the 250 has been announced in India, and it’s powered by a 249.07cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine. With 30.57 horsepower and 25 Nm (18.5 pound-feet) of torque on tap, it’s plenty powerful for a quarter-liter street bike.
Like all the models in KTM and Husky’s lineups, the Vitpilen 250 comes with some pretty serious tech. For starters, it gets traction control, throttle-by-wire, a quickshifter, and even ABS. Suspension duties are handled by a pair of 43mm inverted forks and an adjustable monoshock both from WP. Like the Svartpilen 401, the Vitpilen 250 gets front and rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS.
