Husqvarna update 401 and 125 Vitpilen and Svartpilen singles range for 2024

Husqvarna Motorcycles have kicked off their 2024 campaign with a radical redesign of their small capacity Svartpilen and Vitpilen range, marking the biggest change to the single-cylinder line-up since their introduction in 2018.

• Related: We’ve now ridden the 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, and you can read the full review now.

All four bikes share the same powder-coated steel trellis chassis, which was first seen on the KTM Duke 125 and 390 models revealed in August 2023 ahead of a now imminent UK dealer arrival.

With both manufacturers belonging to Pierer Mobility Group (who also own GasGas, and a chunk of MV Agusta) the incoming Husqvarnas will also be built in India by Bajaj like the Dukes – having been in development for the past four years.

Dripping in advanced tech for the A1 and A2 licence classes, the Huskies are also said to now be easier to live with – thanks to a lower seat height, and a more relaxed riding position for the previously clip-on clad Vitpilen, which now gets traditional flat bars.

“People were not so happy with the aggressive ergonomics of the bike, which were incredible if you wanted to go into the twisties and go full throttle,” Product Manager Agustin Augustinoy admitted to MCN. “It’s a really fun bike to ride, but a little bit of a pain if you use it day to day for commuting.

“Also, that’s why we changed the rear wheel hugger to a proper licence plate holder in the frame of the bike. This was as a result of customer feedback.”

Augustinoy was also responsible for the latest small capacity Dukes, so it’s little wonder there are similarities – also including the Euro5+ ready engines. Fans hoping for a return of the thumping 701 variants will remain disappointed, however spy shots have previously shown larger ‘901’ parallel twins in the works.

Back to the new bikes, and the brapping £5599 401 Husqvarnas are claimed to produce a fraction over 44bhp – making them A2 compliant without need for restriction. With 28.8lbft of torque peaking at 7000rpm, they will need to be thrashed to get the most out of them – with likely enough punch to be the quickest thing away from the lights around town.

Housed in a new trellis frame, complete with a right-side mounted WP Apex rear shock adjustable for rebound and preload, the seat heights have also come down from 835mm to 820mm. Meanwhile, the front end is now suspended by 43mm WP Apex upside down open cartridge forks adjustable for compression and rebound.

The wheelbase has also been extended to 1357mm (+/-15.5mm) for additional stability on all four derivatives – aided further by a new forged aluminium triple clamp with a revised 32mm offset. The steering head angle is now also 66°, up from 65°.

Meanwhile, the off-centre rear spring works with a new curved aluminium swingarm to incorporate a fresh airbox for greater breathability. The new bolt-on subframe is also said to give better pillion comfort, however having sat on them myself, I wouldn’t fancy them for a two-up tour.

Away from the chassis, both 401s roll on 17in rims (as do the 125s) with the road biased Vitpilen (White Arrow) wearing a pair of Michelin Power 6 tyres, and the more rugged Svartpilen (Black Arrow) getting knobbly Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs.

Whether you’d want to take a bike with 17in rims off road on anything more than a dirt track is another matter though, with the ABS-equipped brakes for all supplied by Bybre.

Although the styling has been tweaked, the traditional Husqvarna look remains. Featuring wide, pointed shoulders on either side of the fuel tank as before, the more noticeable change comes in the technology department.

Gone are the circular LCD displays – making way for a fresh bonded glass TFT dash. On the 401s, this allows you to control the three levels of traction control, as well as activate the speed limiter. You’ll also find a ‘Street’ and ‘Rain’ riding mode – plus a Supermoto function on the ABS to deactivate the rear for skids.

Updated 125s arrive

Alongside the 401s, there’s £4899 Svartpilen and Vitpilen 125s also on the cards, which share the same styling refresh and main frame upgrades as the larger models.

Suspension travel also remains the same 150mm at both ends, however the forks are now nonadjustable, with only preload changes available at the rear.

Producing the class maximum 14.8bhp at 10,000rpm, the Supermoto ABS system remains in place – as does the full colour TFT dash with speed limiter function to prevent unwanted tickets.

Being 125 motorbikes, there is no need for riding modes, or traction control.

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2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401 highlights

• 44.3bhp @ 8500rpm (401)
• 28.8lbft @ 7000rpm (401)
• 820mm seat height
• 13 litre fuel capacity
• £4899 (125) £5599 (401)
• Available February