For some time now, mass market motorcycle manufacturers have usually had one single thing in common across the board, and it's this: If you're going to expend R&D resources to craft a new powerplant, you'd best believe that sucker will be at the heart of multiple vehicles. You can't really argue with the logic, honestly.
When Husqvarna finally unleashed the Norden 901 on the world as a 2022 model, the moto-Internet collectively breathed a sigh of relief. By that point, you see, it wasn't a question of if; like so many things, it was more a question of when.
Why? Because by that point, spy photos and teasers and rumors and all sorts had been swirling for years. Rumors arise all the time, but they usually fade away pretty quickly if there's no substance behind them. That wasn't the case with the Norden.
Interestingly, though, the Norden still stands alone in the Husqvarna 901 lineup here in February 2024. While it's true that the Norden 901 shares a heart with some of its KTM 890 siblings under the Pierer umbrella, it still seems a little strange that it has yet to be joined by at least one more 901. After all, we've been seeing spy photos depicting more than one 901 out testing since at least 2019. That's nearly five years ago, which is more like a zillion years in moto-time.
Evidently, Husqvarna must think so, too, because it just dropped a teaser for an upcoming video release on March 5, 2023. The 30-second short, posted to both Husky's Instagram and Facebook accounts, depicts what appears to be a new 901 that's set up for ice racing.
We're treated to several great closeup shots of the studded tires ripping into the ice, complete with audio of the studs biting into the ice with a sound quality that's crisp enough to give you the shivers. The engine sound is there part of the time, but it's clear that all of this video is just a teaser. So, you don't get too much, although we did manage to pull a few key stills out to attempt to get a handle on what we're seeing.
So, Which 901 Is It?
Judging the shots we see in this teaser against the recently facelifted small-displacement 2024 Svartpilens and Vitpilens, it looks pretty darn Svarty to me. Not entirely, though; the high-mount exhaust is clearly a change. Then again, if this is indeed a teaser for a production 'Pilen of some kind, it's clearly also not going to come with studded tires from the factory. So that could simply be a racing modification.
I asked around, though, and here's what some of the rest of the RA team observed.
Executive Editor Jonathon Klein speculated, "To me, that looks like a Vitpilen. It's got the shape, the aggressiveness that the Vit had. Although, those are Svart bars, so... Please be a 901 Vitpilen? Please, Husqvarna, please."
New Associate Editor Robbie Bacon said, "Battle of the head and heart. The heart wants a Vit, but the head says Svart."
To which I responded (in classic me-fashion), "Since when has there been a Svart without a Vit? I'd argue this means a Vit is also on its way. They come in pairs."
What do you think, readers? Are you ready for the biggest 'Pilen yet? Also, which do you think we're looking at? Let us know in the comments.
