Husqvarna Svartpilen 701: Flat tracker with Austrian flavor

Bruno Gomes

November 8, 2018

When KTM AG group decided to buy Husqvarna from BMW Motorrad’s hands, KTM boss Stefan Pierer said that they would be able to create bikes from a different kind of breed. A few years have passed since the deal went down, and since then, Husqvarna gained a completely different style, while at the same time they’ve kept their off-road focus.

With the design of new models in the hands of Kiska Design studio, known for modelling the KTM motorcycles into great looking bikes, Husqvarna also tried to grab a piece of the neo-retro segment so in fashion these days, and so, bikes like the Vitpilen 701, or even the Vitpilen 125 and 401 were born and got a warm reception from riders around the world.

So, it was only logical that Husqvarna would continue to push into the neo-retro segment in the future, and that future has arrived in the form of the brand-new Svartpilen 701.

Unlike the road-biased focus of its sister Vitpilen, the Svartpilen gets an off-road Austrian flavour being a motorcycle with flat track style design elements. A bike that wants the rider to focus on the riding pleasure and not on some super advanced technology that can change the feeling while riding the Vitpilen. It still gets ride-by-wire throttle and ABS, taken from the KTM Duke.

Fitted inside the tubular steel frame we find a single cylinder engine, the old mono that KTM used in the 690 Duke before it gave way to the 790 Duke. With 692 cc, the engine on the Svartpilen delivers no less than 75 hp and 72 Nm of torque, enough to get the bike to high speeds and enjoy the ride on a mountain road.

The chassis is completed with the use of WP suspensions on both ends of the Svartpilen 701, and a set of Brembo brakes (only one 320 mm disc at the front), and the fuel tank (16 liters) extends into the specially designed seat. The exhaust is the same as we’ve seen on the Vitpilen and gives this Husqvarna a certain muscular feel.

If the rider wants to take the Svartpilen for some off-road fun, let’s say, on a dirt track, there’s a new high mounted handlebar and the tyres are Pirelli MT60RS that deliver a good performance on asphalt and are able to find grip in softer roads with dirt.

All in all, the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 will surely turn some heads wherever you ride her!