2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 & Vitpilen 401 Review

It has been a full six years since the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 underwent any significant updates. Considering how rapidly trends evolve in the motorcycle industry, this long gap is noteworthy, especially for company owner KTM.

Photography by Kevin Wing

Introduced in 2018, the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 were modern interpretations of the café racer and scrambler styles that were booming at the time. These models quickly became solid performers for Husqvarna, a brand whose logo resembles a gun sight viewed from the end of a barrel—a nod to the brand’s roots in firearms manufacturing.

Fast forward to 2024, and almost everything about the $5899 Vitpilen and Svartpilen 401 has been overhauled. While some changes are substantial, others are more subtle, but overall, the updates are extensive enough to breathe new life into the models.

The chassis has undergone significant revisions, resulting in a unit that is both wider and lighter than its pre-2024 counterpart. The Svartpilen/Vitpilen models retain the steel trellis frame design, and one of the more noticeable changes is repositioning the rear shock absorber to the right side of the chassis.

This adjustment allows for the integration of a larger airbox but also accommodates a revised, lighter subframe, which is claimed to improve passenger comfort.

The shock bolts directly to a new, curved/semi-banana style swingarm, redesigned to be a touch more rigid than before and to allow for the placement of the redesigned exhaust muffler that exits under the right rear of the motor.

The new shock gives the Vit/Svartpilen an edgy look and forms a perfect line between the side frame spars and the swingarm itself, while the under-engine muffler cleans up the rear of the bike substantially. You’ll be able to get countless aftermarket pipes soon enough, so if you really, really want the traditional muffler that exits up the right rear of the bike, you’ll be able to.

The suspension has been altered in that the 43mm WP Apex open-cartridge fork now only has five stages of rebound and compression damping, thus ensuring noticeable differences between each click of the, er, clickers at the top of the fork, but there’s no preload adjustment available on the front.

At the rear, the WP Apex monoshock, now all glammed up in its 45° right side angle for all to see, runs a progressive spring, so it’s softer at the start of the stroke before ramping up as more travel is used. This is a carryover from the old model, but still worth noting. Control of the shock is the same as before, with preload and rebound damping adjustment but not compression damping.

What’s impressive is how similarly the two bikes handle despite their different tire setups. The Svartpilen, with its Pirelli Scorpion Rally 50/50 tires, is designed to hit the scrambler feels, while the Vitpilen’s Michelin Power 6 sportbike tires are more suited to tarmac pursuits.

Despite these differences, both bikes exhibit a fluidity in their steering that belies their distinct designations. The Svartpilen, however, is the more versatile of the two—plenty capable on the tar, but you can take that dirt ride if you want.

In contrast, the Vitpilen, which has evolved into more of a mini streetfighter with its new one-piece handlebar, is about as useful off-road as a screen door on a submarine.

The decision to replace the Vitpilen’s original café racer-style clip-on handlebars with a single-piece handlebar is significant, as this new handlebar setup offers better rider comfort, particularly for longer rides. However, the single-piece seat, while good-looking, becomes uncomfortably hard after about 45 minutes, so long rides might not be in the Vitpilen’s wheelhouse.

For riders over 180 pounds, such as myself, adjusting the preload on both bikes is essential to get the most out of both bikes. Fortunately, Husqvarna has made this process easier with a stepped adjuster that is far simpler to use than the traditional lock-and-collar design when the shock was mounted in the center of the chassis.

Once the preload is sorted, both bikes handle beautifully, especially at what could be considered “reasonable” speeds. The Svartpilen weighs 10 pounds more than the Vitpilen (350 versus 340 pounds), and while this difference is noticeable at higher speeds, the Svartpilen counters with greater comfort thanks to its slightly different seat and raised handlebar. Despite the weight difference, 350 pounds is still ultra-light for a street motorcycle by today’s standards.

The steering geometry between both the Vit and Svart is identical, with the same rake, trail, triple-clamp off-set and wheelbase, as well as the same single-side ByBre four-piston radial-mount caliper gripping a 320mm disc rotor up front, while the single-piston rear brake clamps down on a larger 240mm disc.

Braking aid is the domain of the Bosch 9.3 MP two-channel ABS system that houses a Supermoto mode so you can pretend you’re Chris Fillmore and get all sendy with it, so long as you know how to bring the chassis back from a 45° slide. For normal people, there’s the added safety net of the brakes being Cornering ABS-equipped via the three-stage (not six) Inertial Measurement Unit, one that also facilitates the two-stage traction controls intervention.

Another little addition, done purely for design purposes, was for the engineers to move the front disc and caliper to the right side of the machine to keep the left side rather sparse looking.

There’s another crucial part that’s identical between the bike’s—the motor. This is a very similar (very similar) single-cylinder, 399cc LC4 power unit found in another of KTM’s products—hint: we tested it HERE. It produces an unconfirmed 44 horsepower and 27 lb-ft of torque. I say unconfirmed because Husqvarna USA doesn’t publish power and torque figures for legal reasons, but that’s what the Euro bikes are making.

Also new is the LC4’s employment of a ride-by-wire throttle, which allows the use of two different throttle mappings in Road and Rain.

This system improves the bike’s versatility, allowing it to adapt to varying road conditions with ease. At higher speeds, the LC4 proves to be an impressive performer, particularly in the transition from low to mid-range power. Unlike many twin-cylinder engines of larger capacity, the LC4 seems to suffer less from the effects of stringent emissions regulations, delivering solid performance that keeps pace with pretty much any traffic situation.

The LC4’s larger airbox mates to a reworked fuel injector and 46mm Dell’Orto throttle body. There’s four new camshafts, reworked DLC (diamond-like carbon) -coated cam levers, a new piston, crankshaft and gearbox that links to a new quickshifter (Husqvarna calls it Easy Shift), and the PASC (power-assisted slipper clutch) houses slightly heavier springs to improve power transfer from the engine to the gearbox.

The top-end performance is particularly strong for a single-cylinder, and you’d be forgiven for thinking at times you had an extra piston pumping away underneath you. The inclusion of a counterbalancer within the engine helps substantially reduce the vibrations typically associated with single-cylinder engines, making the motor more comfortable for street riding.

However, not everything was perfect during my test rides. The Svartpilen’s Easy Shift system seemed to work only when it felt like it, and only working in the top three gears. While this issue was likely a software glitch specific to my test bike, it’s worth mentioning for potential buyers to consider.

Inside the cockpit, the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 now feature a new five-inch TFT display, which offers turn-by-turn navigation through the Husqvarna app. This system is similar to what KTM has implemented in its Duke range and is a testament to the brand’s experience in creating user-friendly interfaces. Navigating the system is straightforward, which is impressive considering how difficult it can be for some manufacturers to get this right.

There’s no cruise control on either the Vitpilen or Svartpilen, but they have implemented a new speed-limiter function, one that acts almost like a pitlane speed limiter where a set speed is determined and the bike will not go faster, no matter what happens at the throttle. It’ll prove ultra-handy in built-up areas with speed cameras or, if you’re from Europe or Australia, in those bastard average speed camera areas.

Aesthetically, the 2024 Vitpilen and Svartpilen models feature minimal changes. The most noticeable updates include a slight extension to the seat, new colors and graphics for the Vitpilen, and ergonomic tweaks for the Svartpilen. The new bikes thus maintain a strong resemblance to their predecessors—whether that’s a good thing or not is up to you.

The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 have been thoroughly updated, resulting in two very capable machines that are imbued with Husqvarna’s signature quirkiness. At just under $6000, these bikes offer excellent value in a market where prices are steadily rising.CN

VIDEO | 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 & Svartpilen 401

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Click here to read the 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 & Vitpilen 401 Review in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.

 

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