We’ve been huge fans of Husqvarna’s naked street bikes, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen, since their release in 2018. The unapologetically futuristic-looking motorcycles were developed in conjunction with Austrian design firm Kiska and were a welcome change from the stagnant designs on offer from other manufacturers. Now, 6 years after their first appearance, Husqvarna has unveiled the biggest change to their naked series both in design and engineering.
Although it shares the first half of its name with a previous model, the Svartpilen 801 is a whole new offering. Working once again with Kiska, Husqvarna has reimagined the Svartpilen platform by building an entirely new motorcycle from the ground up. The most significant of all the changes however is the move to a 799cc parallel-twin engine making this bike the largest capacity offering in the brand’s street bike range.
Styling is what made the Husqvarna naked range so impressive in the first place, and the Svartpilen 801 does not disappoint. Although not quite as impactful as the first time we laid eyes on Kiska’s 2015 concept, the 801 is no less impressive and remains one of the best-looking neo-futuristic motorcycles.
Starting with the bodywork the 2024 Svartpilen comes with a revised tank cover over the 14-liter steel fuel cell. The new design is more angular along the lower edge, following the line of the chassis, and reaches out over the forks for an overall more compact and integrated look. The 801 tail unit is a standout of the new design. Seamlessly integrated into the bike the rear cowl is made entirely from aluminum and is itself the subframe of the bike. The seat is a 2 piece design with a small pad at the rear for a pillion and the main section sits lower than that of the previous model.
Beyond the bodywork, other styling tweaks include the higher placement of the upswept exhaust which further accentuates the 801’s flat track-inspired look. There are cast wheels rather than spoked ones, and a new LED headlight assembly with a halo-style DRL. As for colors so far Husqvarna has only revealed this metallic black and gunmetal grey version which lacks the neon yellow highlights we loved on the Svartpilen 401, but this has resulted in a more mature and refined look.
Although Husqvarna is promoting the Svartpilen 801 as a whole new offering, the bike has many similarities to a model from its parent company KTM, namely the 790 Duke. This is most evident in the choice of engine which happens to be the same 799cc LC8 parallel twin as the Duke. This certainly isn’t a bad thing though as the 790 was highly praised by owners of the bike. In this configuration, the LC8 delivers a power figure of 105hp which is 30hp up from the 75hp of the 701. Torque also gets a boost with 87Nm on tap vs the 71Nm of the single-cylinder outgoing model. But that’s not where the similarities end.
Other features the Svartpilen 801 and 790 Duke have in common include the tubular chromoly frame that uses the engine as a stressed member and the cast alloy swingarm. The suspension is almost identical with both front and rear components from the WP Apex line. These offer basic adjustability of compression and rebound up front and preload and rebound at the rear. The brakes too come from the 790 Duke and are J.Juan parts. There are twin discs at the front and the system offers switchable corner-sensitive ABS by Bosch. The Svartpilen 801 also gets the Duke’s Power Assist Slipper Clutch and Easy Shift quick shifting 6-speed gearbox.
The Svartpilen 801 isn’t just a KTM 790 Duke in fancy clothing though. The new model features plenty of unique components that make it a whole new offering.
Starting at the pointy end you get a full-color 5-inch TFT dash that can display route maps, music, and phone control options along with standard gauge info. The 801 handlebars are mounted in a handy 2-position clamp that allows 7mm of position adjustment. Unlike the Svartpilen 701, the 801 has lighter-weight cast wheels wrapped in Pirelli MT 60 RS tires. For those who prefer the look of spoked wheels, there may be an aftermarket option on offer when the bike goes on sale similar to what they offered with the Vitpilen 701.
Tech and safety features include adjustable traction control and a Supermoto setting for more aggressive riders. There are 3 pre-defined riding modes (street, rain, and sport) and buyers have the option of adding a Dynamic Pack which adds Anti-wheelie control and Motor Slip Regulation for controlled deceleration. Of course, Husqvarna has also developed a phone app that will give riders the ability to track the bike’s performance, play music, plan a route, and more.
All in all the 2024 Svartpilen is a very attractive offering from Husqvarna. Kiska has done a great job of evolving the iconic styling of the previous models and we’re sure it won’t be long before we see custom builds based on this model. To top it all off the new engine platform is sure to make the 801 a more appealing ride for long hauls than the outgoing singles. The only thing we need from Husqvarna now is a Vitpilen 801 cafe racer to complete this evolution.
