The Husqvarna lineup is growing again, with a new roadster scheduled to appear here in Canada by early winter. Today, we got confirmation the Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 is coming soon, just as the data leaks we saw last summer indicated.
So it’s no shocker, then, especially since we already saw the Svartpilen 801 revealed. And like that bike is an enlargened Svartpilen 401, the Vitpilen 801 appears to be a Honey-I-Blew-Up-The-Bike version of the Vitpilen 401. Same Scandinavian-inspired styling, but with a much bigger motor—a parallel twin inspired by KTM’s LC8c engine. Expect it to be roughly the same thing that KTM is running in their 790-series bikes; no word on whether or not it’s made in China like the 790 Katooms.
We can expect this engine to make 105 hp, same as the Svartpilen makes, and same as the KTM 790s. The Husky version of the bike has similar safety electronics as KTM, but with different names for some options. Service intervals are similarly long, with 15,000-km breaks between major servicing, and it is an important part of the chassis as well.
In stock form, the 801 Vitpilen comes with Street, Rain and Sport modes, which change the throttle response and electro-safety features to match your preferences and riding conditions. Pay extra and you can get Dynamic mode—this allows the rider to adjust the traction control interference level on the fly. It also allows the rider to shut off the rear wheel ABS, putting the Bosch ABS system into Supermoto mode.
In other words, this bike is made to be fun to flog. A set of WP Apex front and rear suspension (fully adjustable) with 17-inch wheels and Michelin Road 6 tires make sure your handling is dialed in. Brakes are from J. Juan, the Spanish manufacturer who’s making stoppers for a lot of Euro bikes these days.
What will it all cost, when it gets here? When it shows up in December, we’d expect the Vitpilen 801 to cost around the same as the Svartpilen 801, which carries a $13,799 MSRP in Canada right now.
