KTM Duke-based Husqvarna Vitpilen Cafe Racer & Svartpilen Scrambler to be launched at India Bike Week

Bajaj Auto is all set to bring the Swedish motorcycle brand Husqvarna to India. The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Cafe Racer and Svartpilen 401 Scrambler will be the first two motorcycles from Husqvarna, a brand that’s now owned by KTM. Both motorcycles will be launched at the India Bike Week in Goa, which will happen on the 6th and 7th of December.

Retail sales of the Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen will commence only from January 2020/February 2020, and this was confirmed by the executive director of Bajaj Auto, Rakesh Sharma, with the following comments,

Yes 2020 is a very important year because the series of new product launches will speed up as soon as the transition period to BSVI is over. Husqvarna’s bikes will be launched in the first week of December and it will be available for retail sales from January or February. Similarly, high-end bikes at 790 levels and more will be launched in the KTM segment. However, Triumph will take time because it is going through the design and development stage. 

The Vitpilen and Svartpilen are both based on the KTM Duke 390 platform. In fact, these bikes get the same engine that’s used on the Duke 390 and RC 390, and the bikes are likely to make the same power and torque output as the Duke 390: 44 Bhp-37 Nm. A six speed manual gearbox with slipper clutch will be offered with this engine as standard. The engine gets a four valve, twin overhead camshaft equipped head, liquid cooling and fuel injection.

Cycle parts on the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401 will also be similar to that of the KTM Duke 390. Upside down front forks, a rear monoshock, the trellis frame, and 17 inch alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres will be offered on both bikes. Tubeless tyres are  While the Vitpilen will get clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs in keeping with its cafe-racer stance, the Svartpilen will get a taller handlebar and on-off road tyres to justify its scrambler positioning.

While the overall styling and stance of both motorcycles will be maintained, both bikes are likely to see a slew of changes to suit Indian conditions and laws. The Husqvarna range of retro motorcycles will be sold and serviced through KTM’s range of dealerships and service centers across India. The bikes will be built at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan factory. Eventually, Husqvarna is expected to introduce more retro two wheelers in the Indian markets including an electric scooter based on the Bajaj Chetak.