Husqvarna has just released the full details of the new Svartpilen 801, which it teased last month.
And it’s a step up for the Swedish brand’s naked roadster range, which in the past has been restricted to single-cylinder engines – the 125, 401, and 701 Svartpilen and Vitpilens, all based on the respective one-pot Dukes (the Norden 901 adventure bike uses the KTM Adventure 890 engine of course).
That’s because the new Svartpilen 801 bike gets a full-on twin-cylinder powerplant, in the form of the KTM Duke 790 engine – a 799cc DOHC 8v parallel twin motor putting out 105bhp and 87Nm.
The new Husky’s chassis also follows the same rough layout as the orange brand’s nutty naked, with a steel tube trellis frame, a fully adjustable WP APEX front fork, and a rebound/preload adjustable rear shock from the same brand, operated by a neat cast aluminium swingarm.
The 801’s stoppers are fairly standard fare: J.Juan four-piston radial calipers with 300mm discs, the wheels are cast aluminium and the bike comes with the excellent Pirelli MT60 RS supermoto rubber – ideal for the flat tracker style which the machine evokes.
This all adds up to a fairly decent specification – and it weighs in at 181kg wet but with no fuel, which is a little bit heavier than the Duke 790.
It’s the styling and equipment that marks the 801 out though. The styling is pure Scandinavian scrambler, with a low-slung seat, flat tank unit, and a sweet high-level slash-cut silencer rounds off the aggressive shorty back end.
That uncompromising character was underlined by the action pics released by the firm, showing the bike pushing hard on an ice lake and a dirt race track.
It’s a handsome, tough-looking little beastie, but the subtle dark tones to the paint and the chassis parts give it a classy, mature air too. It’s a long way from the acid-hue bright orange KTM Duke, despite sharing much of the dynamic features.
The Husqvarna gets a solid set of electronics too, about on-par for the class in 2024. You get four selectable ride modes (Street, Rain, Sport, plus optional Dynamic Mode), and an optional Dynamic Pack which adds ten levels of slip adjustment and five levels of Anti Wheelie, Motor Slip Regulation, Anti-Wheelie, and Cruise Control.
There’s plenty of standard trickery though: cornering ABS (with Supermoto mode) and traction, quickshifter and phone connectivity are all present and correct on the basic bike. And it’s all accessed through a premium colour TFT dashboard.
The price for all of this classy madness? A cool £10,499, around £1k more than a 790 Duke, and it will be in the shops by June. More info: www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com
TECH HIGHLIGHTS
Chromium-molybdenum steel frame with engine as stressed member
799 cc parallel-twin engine with 105 hp peak power and 87 Nm of torque
Adjustable WP APEX suspension provides exceptional comfort and performance on rugged streets
Four selectable ride modes (Street, Rain, Sport, plus an optional Dynamic Mode)
Optional Dynamic Pack introduces ten levels of slip adjustment and five levels of Anti Wheelie
Motor Slip Regulation, Anti-Wheelie and Cruise Control available with optional Dynamic Pack
Standard cornering traction control
Cornering-sensitive ABS
Ride-by-wire throttle with adjustable throttle response
Standard up/down quickshifter
PASC slipper clutch
Standard Connectivity Unit provides TbT+ navigation, telephone calls and music selection from the rider’s smartphone
Hazard warning system with integrated handlebar switch
HUSQVARNA SVARTPILEN 801 FULL TECH SPECS
Engine
Engine type Four-stroke, DOHC parallel twin
Displacement 799 cc
Bore/stroke 88/65.7 mm
Power 77 kW (105 hp) @ 9250 rpm
Torque 87 Nm @ 8000 rpm
Compression ratio 12.5:1
Starter/battery Electric starter/12V 10Ah
Transmission six gears
Fuel system DKK Dellorto (Throttle body 46mm)
Control four valves per cylinder / DOHC
Lubrication Pressure lubrication with 2 oil pumps
Engine oil Motorex, Power Synth SAE 10W-50
Primary drive 39:75
Final drive 16:41
Cooling Liquid cooled with water/oil heat exchanger
Clutch Cable operated PASC Slipper clutch
Engine management/ignition Bosch EMS with RBW
Traction control MTC (lean angle sensitive, 3-Mode, disengageable,
Dynamic mode opt.)
Fuel consumption 4,5 l/100km
CO2 Emissions 106 g/km
Chassis
Frame Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated
Subframe Cast aluminium, powder coated
Handlebar Aluminium, tapered with cross bar, Ø 28/22 mm
Front suspension WP APEX-USD Ø 43 mm
Adjustability Compression, Rebound
Rear suspension WP APEX-Monoshock
Adjustability Rebound, Preload
Suspension travel front/rear 140 mm / 150 mm
Front brake 2 x 4-piston caliper, radially mounted, brake disc Ø 300 mm
Rear brake 2 piston floating caliper, brake disc Ø 240 mm
ABS Bosch 9.3 MP (incl. Cornering-ABS and Supermoto mode, disengageable)
Wheels front/rear Cast Aluminium wheels 3.50 x 17”; 5.50 x 17”
Tyres front/rear Pirelli MT 60 RS R 17; R 17
Chain X-Ring 520
Silencer Stainless steel primary and secondary silencer
Steering head angle 65,5°
Triple clamp offset 32 mm
Trail 97,9 mm
Wheel base 1,388 mm ± 15 mm
Ground clearance 174 mm
Seat height 820 mm
Tank capacity (approx.) 14 litres / 2.0 litres reserve
Weight (without fuel, approx) 181 kg
Electronics
ABS Modes Street (cornering sensitive) / Supermoto
Ride Modes Street, Rain, Sport, Dynamic*
Engine Management Systems MTC, MSR*, Easy Shift
Cruise Control TA
Connectivity Turn-by-Turn+ Navigation, Call-In, Call-Out, Music Selection
Technical Accessories Heated grips, alarm system, lithium ion battery