
Husqvarna, and sister company KTM, have about as much experience building single-cylinder engines as anyone in the industry. Of course, their off-road bikes are single-cylinders, as are their street legal Enduros. For 2024, Husqvarna, with KTM, has developed a new 399 cc single that powers the bike which is the subject of this test.
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is essentially all new this year, including both chassis and engine. The styling, perhaps, is a little less quirky. I personally like the styling, including the traditional look of the round headlight.
The Svartpilen has an upright seating position, and the seat itself is quite comfortable. A new TFT display is bright, and navigating to the different functions is straightforward and intuitive, which is something KTM is known for.
This bike retails for less than $6,000, and competes with some other entry-level machines, but nevertheless features adjustable, high quality suspension. More about that later.

The engine features a relatively significant increase in displacement this year. The old bike was 373 cc, while the new bike has a full 399 cc. This is a 6% increase.
That engine is essentially all new, with a new air box, pistons, crank and cams. There are two ride modes available, including Street and Rain. This is a very healthy engine for its displacement. Husqvarna claims 44 hp at the crank. The throttle is now ride-by-wire. A quickshifter is standard.
The fork is adjustable for both compression and rebound with five clicks of adjustment on each fork leg. Brakes include a four-piston caliper squeezing a single 320 mm front disk, and a twin-piston caliper operating on a single 240 mm rear disc. ABS is standard, and a Supermoto mode allows you to disable ABS on the rear wheel. ABS is sensitive to cornering through the use of an IMU.
The six-speed transmission operates through the aforementioned quickshifter, and features a slipper clutch. Power is delivered to the ground through a pair of 17 inch spoke wheels with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires mounted. These tires are designed to offer grip both on road and off.
Pushing the Svartpilen 401 out of the garage, you can’t help but notice how small and light the bike feels. Husqvarna claims it weighs in at 350 pounds, which is entirely believable.

That small, light feel is immediately apparent when you ride the bike. Pulling away from a stop, the new engine provides excellent, predictable response to your throttle hand, and a surprising amount of torque. Complying with the latest European emission standards certainly hasn’t hurt performance.
Over 200 pounds with gear on, I added preload to the rear shock spring. Fortunately, with the adjustable suspension, I was also able to slow the rebound of the rear shock and dial in more compression and rebound damping on the fork. After doing so, the handling was quick and nimble, yet reasonably stable – even at high speeds.
The quickshifter on our test unit worked well, although it seemed to prefer use of the clutch between first and second gears. The torquey engine meant you had at least one gear available for any situation, and could leave corners a gear higher than normal, if you felt like a more relaxed ride.
Seat comfort was excellent for the first hour, or so, but then felt a bit stiff. Not too different from most bikes, frankly.
Undoubtedly aided by the light weight, the brakes worked well. The front brake, in particular, was plenty strong to haul down the 401.

The dual-sport Pirelli tires offered decent grip and feedback on the street, but the wheels are sized such that you could replace these with stickier sport rubber if preferred.
The Svartpilen 401 is simply a blast to ride. The engine performance is surprising, not just with the torquey midrange, but with a strong pull as the engine revs out. We didn’t specifically test top speed, but saw more than 90 mph. The bike is definitely fast enough to commute on.
What sets lightweight bikes like this apart is the nimble, flickable feel. This bike isn’t just 50 or 60 pounds lighter than some of the relatively light naked twins, it feels lighter still because of the rotating masses. Smaller wheels and tires and a lighter crank create much less inertia, and much less resistance when changing directions.
We did not take the 401 off-road, but the tires are surely up to navigating fire roads and moderate trails. We used it as a street bike, and can highly recommend it for that purpose.
At an U.S. MSRP of $5,899, we think the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is a bargain. A sophisticated, powerful engine and electronics package combined with attractive styling (in our opinion), comfort and practicality. Not to mention the adjustable suspension. Take a look at Husqvarna’s website for additional details and specifications.
What’s a pisser about this Husqvarna is it’s a damn good bike at a very good price. Because it’s made in India the cost and therefore price are incredible. Meanwhile the engineers and assemblers making this bike in India can easily and quietly make a virtual twin bike in the DelhiMoto Bike Co. down the road, and sell it for even less, without charging the European brand value. Soon bikers realize they can buy a DelhiMoto 401 for 30% less and Husqvarna investors see they are losing both share and price. Sell the business to DelhiMoto? The dilemma is inevitable because the alternative is to keep paying a living wage to Swedish engineers and assemblers in Sweden, set the price at BMW and Ducati prices, and lose all market share in a shrinking global market. It’s tough. Please choose your loyalty brand and give them your love and money.
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Hypothetically possible but so far hasn’t been done. The India market bikes that are so much less are not the same, they’re well, less. Someone who can see what’s good about this and it’s Duke 390 sibling can also just as easily see what different about Hero’s competing and cheaper model. These bikes are premium in that market.
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An example of a low-volume model produced by a company that many folks fear has a dubious future. Like other Husky models, it may become an orphan, a two-wheeled version of a Fisker.
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Is it it joke or something. Like “Buy Mercedes”
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An excellent example of why PMG is in their current pickle. Taking a great dirtbike brand and making goofy street bikes.
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My timeline was wrong, I actually had the FZ before I got the RZ. I called the RZ God’s own slingshot…! Boyesen reeds, Spec II pipes, dropped a tooth on the front sprocket, steering dampener, cleared the airbox, .040 overbore. Gave it up when I didn’t know the black box was bad from the factory, sold it to an engineer in Oak Ridge. Still miss that thing! One can buy candles that smell like Yamalube or the other big brand I forgot. Sorry for the long aiss posts, just remembering times I lived through. Rubber side down, all!!! 😉
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Klotz was a popular bean oil around that time.
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I’ve a kid I work with that will be taking the MSF locally, then learning to ride a MC on the street. He’s a LOT smarter than I was at his age. I’ve recommended Yamaha, Royal Enfield (he’s leaning that way), he also likes Kawabungaholee bikes too, bit I also recommended all the old SV’s… maybe the Suzooks are a bit too powerful. A 399cc that can hit 90+ if need be… it’s best to ride a slow bike fast, gas a fast bike if you know how to. This Svartpile bike might be a little too much for maintenance costs. I still lean towards Yamaha, if for no other reason than I once had a built 1983 RZ350. Later a, ’87 FZ700 Genesis 5 valve bike. Always wanted a GTS1000 though. One can dream I guess.
At any rate, I hope to help this young’un. Maybe one day he’ll follow me.
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All depends on price, natural ergo fit, and appeal, however reliability, as vague as it is for a consumer, counts.
Yamaha brand has been most reliable for quite a while. BMW and HD are bottom of the dog pile. Everything else is in between.
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The current state of affairs for KTM will hurt their sales.I would not entertain the idea of laying out good money knowing the company may go belly up.
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I have to wonder if these are among the 280,000 bikes that KTM over produced last year or are these in the next batch.
For my part, I’m happy to see any street bike press praise a bike for weighing less.
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Looks ideal, looks like a blast! The country of origin has much to contribute to the high-end components at a very low price. “The Husqvarna Svartpilen is a line of standard motorcycles produced by Husqvarna Motorcycles. The range consists of the 125, 250 and 401 versions manufactured in India by Bajaj Auto, and the 701 model manufactured in Austria by KTM.”
If I were buying, I’d buy the 401 immediately.
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Where did you read that? KTM/Husqvarna are no longer using the 701 single for this range, which is a shame. Instead, they are using the CFMOTO 790 (801) twin.
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You’re right. This dated page says the Svartpilen 701 exists but only until 2024: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husqvarna_Svartpilen
Now 801!
This says the Austrian made 2025 Svartpilen 801 exists, while the 2025 701 doesn’t: https://www.motorcycle.com/product/compare/53512
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My bad. The Svartpilen 701 was discontinued in 2024. The Svartpilen 801 is the new one for 2025, again made in Austria.
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Is it just me, or do all these MD test bikes seem to be short lately ?
No room for plastic milk crates, and bungees.
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And ridden by someone (Dirck) who looks a bit too big for them! Not complaining, just envious ‘cos I ought to have a smaller bike these days/years.
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That rider doesn’t look too big on the bike, the relative scale looks pretty good to me. Perhaps you are getting too used to the size of new pickup trucks and feel motorcycles should also be oversized.
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Remember the days when a fella could pick up his girl friend and her groceries on a flat seat BSA or Triumph. Groceries behind the girl.
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That might be true if I lived in the Land of Trump!
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Huh ?
Sorry RVB, our replies are out of sequence. Mine was to Todd, not you. Oversize vehicles are not the norm on my side of The Pond.
I think I’m a Dirck size. 179 sm. 75 kg. Maybe more slim and muscular.
So, that are small motorcycles
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I take it they stopped selling the 701 versions? Those were amazing and the 701 Vitpilen was certainly attractive.
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I wish the testers would use more comparisons to other machines of similar size, when testing. there are a lot of mid size 350/400 cc machines, they are all lightweight, with good brakes and modern engines with similar power. I wish they had given this bike a easier to pronounce name, even the Japanese understood that.
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I did not get the point about the price. Is it the same as KTM 390 Enduro R? I think it has to be more. KTM 390 is good, for a job. But I do not have for now.
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