Based on KTM’s 790 Duke, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 is a classy café racer which also shares its platform with the more retro styled Svartpilen 801 we rode back in the summer.
Husqvarna invited us to France to try out the new machine, whose name translates from Swedish as ‘White Arrow’ and when parked outside our press launch HQ, just down the road from Nice, the new Vitpilen 801 looks far from out of place among the swanky hotels and celebrity-owed beach houses. Okay, it has lost a bit of the chic which has been injected into the Husqvarna brand in recent years, but it still looks good, still it looks special and, probably most importantly, very different to the 790 Duke from which it's derived. In the metal, its unique and mildly provocative styling punches harder than in the pictures and, on looks alone, I would take the Husqvarna over the KTM. The question is, would I be willing to pay the extra cash? With an RRP of over ten grand, the Husky carries a £2k premium over the Duke.
Comparisons are impossible to avoid. Even before throwing a leg over the Husky's 820mm seat, I couldn't help making dozens of mental notes of the similarities and differences between the two middleweight nakeds and also the new leftfield LC8c option, CFMoto's 800NK. Prices are yet to be confirmed but the Vitpilen should come in a fraction cheaper than the £10,499 Svartpilen. That will make it considerably more expensive than both the 790 Duke (£7999), and the 800NK (£6999, and currently on offer at £5999). Yes, the Husqvarna has 10bhp more in its back pocket and a marginally higher spec, but that is a significant jump in price over the KTM with which it shares so much. Furthermore, competition in this category is strong and very price competitive. Honda and Suzuki both produce similar parallel-twin powered nakeds that are cheaper. And if you want to spend north of £10k, let's not forget bikes like the BMW F900 R and Triumph’s impressive Street Triple 765, both of which are also cheaper than the 801. Honda’s new Hornet 1000, while something of a different animal, should be considered a competitor too. It’s cheaper and packs a real punch with its powerful Fireblade-derived engine.
But these other bikes are not in Nice for a direct comparison, so let's forget manufacturers' pricing strategies for a moment and simply assess the 801 in isolation.
The Husky's handling is accurate and easy, with the optional extra Easy Shift quickshifter smooth and light. In Street riding mode, the fuelling and throttle response are near perfect. Engine, gearbox, chassis... everything responds crisply. There is even a charismatic burble from the exhaust on fast-down changes. The 5” TFT dash is classier than the KTM's and the switchgear is far better than the CFMoto's – sorry, I just can't stop making comparisons
This road darts in and out of the shadows, making for tricky conditions as some corners are a little damp with treacherously slick white lines. It’s all too easy to get carried away as road conditions quickly turn from grippy to slippery – one long sweeper goes from dry to wet mid-corner – and I was thankful for the Vitpilen's lean-sensitive traction control and ABS, which are there in the background just in case. The Michelin Road 6 rubber reassured, too, warming up fairly quickly and feeling secure on the damp surfaces. The 801 carved through the light traffic and flowed through countless sweepers, with every hairpin exit relished by bike and rider alike as the LC8c's torque punched it back up to speed.
Three riding modes – Sport, Street and Rain – come as standard with Dynamic mode offered as an optional extra. Dynamic allows you to fine-tune the anti-wheelie and nine levels of traction control. It costs £360.
How and the way you ride will determine if you want that extra mode or not. For example, the first section of the test's mountain road was hit at pace and I switched off the TC, which can be done (and re-activated) on the move. I rode in the standard Sport mode and relied on my misspent youth and experience to control endless wheelies – a trick the 801 performs with ease.
When we hit the hairpin-laced mountain passes it was rewarding and enjoyable to discover Husqvarna hadn’t lost any of the KTM 790's playfulness and fun factor. The chassis is nearly identical. The weightis a fraction higher, but you have more power, which makes it fun. Husqvarna has wrapped the KTM's chassis in a smart suit but it still likes to party. It consumes sweepers, hairpins and fast direction changes like a true hedonist – the further from any prosecuting eyes the better.
The smart-looking Vitpilen is not only light and easy to ride but surprisingly comfortable; even after an hour or so of endless mountain debauchery I still wanted more. A 'Supermoto' setting deactivates the rear ABS, in theory allowing you to slide into corners. Again I’d suggest many owners will simply enjoy the security of the cornering ABS and J.Juan brakes (wearing a Husqvarna logo) rather than attempt any supermoto heroics, but it’s nice touch should you take your 801 on track. And, no, the 801 wouldn’t feel out of place on track.
The WP APEX suspension front and rear is more than up for some track action; after all, its similar sibling, the 790 Duke is officially ‘Ready to Race’. The forks have compression damping adjustment on one leg, rebound on the other, with easy-to-use adjusters and no tools required. There is also rebound damping and spring pre-load adjustment on the rear, which is a little harder to get to, while Husqvarna even supply recommended track settings should you sign up for a day at Donington Park. The 105bhp twin is more than up for it, and ground clearance is plentiful, but when you ask a little bit more, the J.Juan brakes and Michelin rubber fall a little short.
In most fast-riding scenarios the twin 300mm discs and four-piston radial mounted calipers are up for the task, reasonably progressive and never too sharp, but at times I had to use all four fingers, not the usual two, when braking downhill into slow first gear hairpins. And while the Michelin Road 6 tyres worked well in mixed conditions, they never gave me the confidence to throw the 801 onto its side and into knee-down levels of lean.
That said, bikes like Honda’s CB750 Hornet and Suzuki's GSX-8S would simply run out of ground clearance and suspension if fitted with grippy tyres, especially on track. But with sportier rubber, the 801 would be even sharper. Fit uprated brake pads as well, and the 801 would run rings around some of the heavier Japanese competition.
But, truly, I digress. This was a quick test with at times track style riding, because that’s not really what the Vitpilen is about. Most owners will find the Vitpilen's setup faultless, and only the most experienced riders – perhaps those moving down in capacity or away from sports bikes – might want a little more for track days. And when they do, the chassis can take it.
Husqvarna treated us to a full day in the saddle on their press riding launch, which highlighted some aspects of the 801 I wasn’t expecting. Despite appearances, comfort was surprisingly good. As a short rider, I felt happy at low speeds and was able to get both feet on the ground, yet taller riders found it roomy and had few complaints. Despite enduring a day of mechanical abuse, the parallel twin proved frugal, too. Husqvarna quote 63mpg, while I managed 55.5mpg, which is impressive considering that we were riding hard (as is usually the case at these journalist events). The fuel tank may only be 14 litres in capacity but that should be good enough for 150 miles and more, even on those most sporting of days.
The 801 hasn’t been designed for touring, but it looks after you well enough. The seat and spread of weight are good. The dash is easy to read and can connect with your phone to receive calls and messages, as well as for navigation. There's a quality feel to the controls and switchgear, while even in Dynamic mode the Easy Shift and fuelling are as efficient at commuter pace as they are at full gas. There’s no reason why the 801 couldn’t be used to take on a decent mileage over a long weekend, although for higher speed cruising you’d want strong arms and the optional cruise control.
Conclusion
Ridden in isolation in the beautiful south of France, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 is hard to fault. It looks great, is individually styled, and has the aura of something more bespoke than a run-of-the-mill production bike. KTM’s LC8c engine is punchy and offers enough grunt to be fun yet is far from intimidating. It's also smooth at low speeds, especially with the optional Easy Shift quickshifter fitted.
The steering is light, the chassis responsive, predictable, multi-adjustable and able to accommodate sportier rubber. With track-biased tyres fitted, it would excel at a track day. Just as importantly, it's low, light and easy around town – and the excellent rider aids are there just in case.
The Vitpilen 801 is a great bike, but there are a few factors that can’t be ignored. KTM already produces the similar 790 Duke which lacks a few horsepower compared to the Husky but is significantly cheaper. The CFMoto might not be in the same league in terms of looks or brand appeal, but it also shares many components and is cheaper still. Furthermore, if we add the Dynamic mode and the optional Easy Shift, we’re expecting the price to be over £11,000, making it the most expensive bike in this class, even more than excellent and more powerful bikes like Triumph's 765cc Street Triple and Yamaha’s MT-09. Only Ducati’s higher-spec Monster out prices the 801.
Of course, some potential customers are going to cut a deal or buy on PCP, and some will be willing to pay that extra amount for a very individual middleweight naked that's more desirable than the KTM or CFMoto alternatives.
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 specification
Price: TBC
Engine: 799cc parallel-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 103bhp (77kW) @ 9250rpm
Torque: 87Nm @ 8000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Chromium-molybdenum steel frame with engine as stressed member
Suspension: (F) Fully-adjustable 43mm USD fork, (R) Fully-adjustable mono shock.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, 17”/17”
Tyres: (F) 120/70 x 17, (R) 180/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 2 x 300mm discs, four-piston radial calipers, (R) 240mm disc, two-piston caliper. Cornering ABS as standard equipment
Weight: 180kg (without fuel)
Wheelbase: 1,475mm
Seat height: 820mm
Fuel tank: 14 litres
Service intervals: 9300 miles/12 months
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com
Words: Adam ‘Chad’ Child
Photos: Rudi Schedl/Husqvarna
