Six months ago Husqvarna launched the Svartpilen 801, at the time the thickest Husky Naked. As with the smaller 125, 401 and now discontinued 701 families, a Vitpilen 801 has now also been added. A motorcycle that, according to the Austrians, redefines excitement on the street, but looks a lot like the Svartpilen.
Of course you could have sensed that after the launch of the Svartpilen 801, a Vitpilen 801 was also on the way, the two models are unmistakably connected as a Duo Penotti. The Svartpilen was the tougher version like a flat track racer, the Vitpilen the sportier street version like a café racer.
Clip-ons instead of a handlebar for a completely different riding position and things like that made the difference between the two. Sure, the Start and Vitpilen shared a lot of things, including the engine and the chassis including suspension and brakes, but were distinctive enough that each had its own personality.
We were looking forward to the arrival of the Vitpilen 801, but are disappointed to say the least. The differences between the Svartpilen 801 launched in March and the now announced Vitpilen 801 can be counted on one hand. Besides a different color scheme, the biggest difference between the two is now a hideous halo-like LED headlight as the Austrians have now also used on the KTM Duke and have not made those models any more attractive.
Well, the Vitpilen 801 also has a unique front fender, radiator shrouds and belly pan and is equipped with a slightly lower handlebar than the Svartpilen 801. But otherwise it seems to have been copied one by one from its stablemate. The tank plastics and the butt are identical, as are the exhaust and the five-spoke alloy wheels.
In terms of technical specifications, we see no difference between the Vitpilen and the Svartpilen. Both have the same chrome-molybdenum tubular frame with adjustable WP suspension and 140 mm (front) and 150 mm (rear) suspension travel and an openwork swingarm. The 17″ wheels are fitted with Michelin Road 6 tires and for the brakes, Husqvarna has called on the Spanish J.Juan.
The beating heart of the Vitpilen 801 is the well-known KTM 799cc LC8c parallel twin, good for a top power of 105 hp at 9,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 87 Nm at 8,000 rpm. Naturally equipped with multiple riding modes, ride-by-wire throttle control and an IMU for slope-dependent traction control and cornering ABS. And – of course – a Supermoto mode for that ABS. A quickshifter is optional.
The 2025 Vitpilen 801, which should be available from next month, is remarkably only available in silver or yellow, but not in white. That’s quite special for a model that has white in its name. In case you don’t know, ‘vit’ is white in Swedish.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.