At the beginning of January, the Ayala Corporation has officially begun selling Husqvarna motorcycles and its range of bikes that come with hard-to-pronounce names – the Svartpilen and Vitpilen. Both bikes piqued the interest of enthusiasts and the riding community alike because of their unconventional styling, giving off a neo-retro vibe.
Now, both bikes were given subtle updates for 2022 – blink-and-you’ll-miss updates that bode well with their monikers.
Husqvarna chooses to give the Svartpilen range, the 125 and 401, a more blacked-out appearance for the 2022 model year. This update sure fits the “Black Arrow” that the name stands for, accented by brown panels right below the saddle.
The Vitpilen 401, on the other hand, gets a similar but contrasting treatment. The “White Arrow” gets a healthy dose of white body color to elevate the look – a departure from the silver color of its predecessor.
Mechanically, Husqvarna didn’t update the Svartpilen and Vitpilen range. The Svartpilen 125 remains as the entry-level model of these naked bikes, using components from the KTM 125 line. That said, it’s powered by a liquid-cooled 125cc single-cylinder engine that churns out 14.3hp and 12.2Nm of torque.
The Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401 are both powered by a slightly altered engine of KTM’s 390 line – the 44hp single-cylinder Euro 5-compliant motor. Both bikes come with an Easy Shift function that allows clutchless shifting, as well as a ride-by-wire throttle technology. Stopping power is provided by ByBre brakes and Bosch ABS.
The Svartpilen 401 has a more neutral riding position and is equipped with a set of Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires. This allows the bike to have a more rugged look, plus light off-roading capability. The Vitpilen 401, on the other hand, employs a sportbike-like riding stance with its clip-on handlebar. It does come with road-going tires to complement that cafe-racer usage and look.
We asked the representatives of Adventure Cycle Philippines, distributor of both KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles in the country, about the arrival of the updated Svartpilen and Vitpilen bikes. However, no information is available at this time but we’re waging the updated bikes should come sooner rather than later to attract more fans into the relatively new brand.