2022 Vitpilen/Svartpilen 401 Quality and Reliability Issues After 2000 Miles.

Dedicated to my experiences with the quality and reliability of my 2022 Vitpilen 401 After 2000 Miles.
Issues Include:
Coolant Leak
Pops out of 2nd Gear
Overall Fit and Finish
Poor Quality and Malfunctioning Dash
Chain Stretching
And More
#vitpilen401 #svartpilen401 #duke390 #husqvarna #motolife #quality

[@El_Rudo]

Yeah , I own 4 different KTM/Husqvarna bikes that are made in India, which I bought new from the dealer. Their idea of Loctite is cross threading bolts and forcing them in with power tools. Easily 1 in 3 bolts are cross threaded or the threads in the frame holes are stripped. I basically disassemble the bike when I buy it and put it back together using the torque specs from the service manual. This takes a bunch of time and costs about $100 in replacement hardware but worth my life. Just bought a 2023 KTM adventure and the steering head bolts were stripped. That would have been a lot of fun while off road, catching some air, and the handle bars are in your hands mid-air. 🙄 KTM needs to buy back the 47% stake Bajaj has in their company and get out of India before they completely loose their brand. The 2023 KTM 390 ADV is the last bike I buy from their Indian factory, or possibly from KTM. Their customer service is crap as well, out of 10 support cases I have opened with them over the past 5 or 6 years they have actually help with zero of them. Their responses would be comedic if I hadn't given them my money. Asked for he paint code and the idiot responding sends me a link that resulted in a 404 not found error. Trying to ask for it again and he says they already sent it to me...

[@ridewithKY]

😂😂😂 I’m going to pin this comment.

[@ridewithKY]

And this is why I always laugh at those comments that say my bike is an anomaly and isn’t representative of KTM/Husq. Anyone that thinks these bikes have zero issues either doesn’t pay attention to their bike or is in denial.

[@blaz667]

Agree. Just got Svart 125, brand new from the box with 2 quite visible damages. So I guess there's no factory control.

[@ridewithKY]

Sorry about your luck with the Svart. Don’t let it ruin the experience. These little bikes are great even though they have some obvious quality issues.

[@TiagoPtFerreira]

I have seen at least a dozen of these videos, yours is hands down the most insightful. Bravo!

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you very much for the kind compliment and for watching.

[@rogansilang6712]

Got mine last year march 2022 brandnew. Right now it has 3000miles on it. No major Issue or common issue ive had experience so far. Bike is pretty good tbh.

[@ridewithKY]

Glad yours has been solid. How is your fit and finish on the fairings?

[@Viewtimebro]

Great work with the video! Solid camera work, narration, and presentation! Keep it going!

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the positive feedback and thank you for watching!

[@urastus9202]

Thankyou for the insight and the effort you've taken to make this video.

[@ridewithKY]

I really appreciate you watching so glad you found it helpful. Thank you!

[@adrielmanabat3775]

Sir, I really love your garage setup. Very clean. You should give us a walk-around someday. Thanks for this.

[@ridewithKY]

Hey Adriel. Thanks for the positive comment. That’s a good idea, I can certainly do that in the future!

[@anthonyfleming2227]

Just got one mate and thank you for the review, now I know what to look for . Good on yu mate 👏

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the feedback and for watching. I hope you enjoy yours.

[@Pezzonovante]

good honest video, thanks!

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you! I did my best, hoping it will help somebody.

[@djlee5416]

You are awesome and I’m looking forward to next video

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you so much for the positive feedback and thank you for watching!

[@SammyL0k]

I own a 2021 svart401 at 9k miles w no complications. Coober ECU and cold air, Competition Werkes chamber delete, Coffman pipe, Shinko Sport tires (instead of the big blocks) and I ride the piss out of this bike almost daily. It’s very lightweight and flickable, will dive into corners on the track faster than a big bike. With the additional mods the torque is snappy enough to provide smiles as well

[@ridewithKY]

Awesome, glad your ownership experience has been positive. Sounds like you’ve done all the necessary modifications.

[@jessesebastiansamuel]

This is a very important video for Husqvarna 401 potential buyer. Well done with the honest review. I personally think that using thread-locker will deal with the nuts/bolts coming lose.

[@ridewithKY]

Appreciate the positive feedback. I still feel like it’s a great bike and am overall satisfied with the purchase. However, not everybody is willing to deal with these little issues. Most of us can’t go back to the dealer every few weeks for little fixes here and there. Thanks for watching.

[@ninabarreda3652]

It’s such a good entry price point for beginner riders too. I’m only 500 miles in so I haven’t had any issues but, even if I have some I wouldn’t regret my purchase at all. I have zero automotive experience before I took on riding and I’ve learned so much so quickly with this little guy. If you told me last year I’d be buying torque wrenches and have the confidence to replace an exhaust header I would have laughed. Will I get something more reliable next? Probably. The Kawasaki Z900rs has me written all over it. But I wouldn’t have even known that without the cute little beginner bike.

[@ridewithKY]

I agree 100%. It’s so competitively priced for what you get, you can’t focus on the few issues that these do have. If you are expecting Honda and Yamaha reliability, it’s just not going to happen. The positives outweigh the negatives in my opinion. Great to hear you are picking up some useful skills on your motorcycle journey. Who knows, maybe your Vit/Svart will be rock solid throughout your ownership experience.

[@user-xy9mn8qr1s]

It's very helpful. Thanks

[@alexxela754]

Not really. This make you don’t want to buy this gem of a bike. It’s such a unique bike that there’s almost 0 excuses to not buy it. And this is the first time I have seen a negative review of this bike.

[@ridewithKY]

@alexxela754 then you need to look a little harder. Most of these issues are pretty common. Also, looking through these comments confirms as well. You’ll find a lot of people feel the need to justify their purchase and aren’t honest about the shortcomings of these bikes. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy one but it’s disingenuous to say these bikes have no flaws.

[@trroland1248]

Thanks for sharing.

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for watching! Hope it was helpful.

[@after40california]

Bless family 🙋‍♂️✌

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you 🤟🏽. Cheers.

[@alexxela754]

Really liked the styling you did with this. May copy it 😊 (except the handle grips)

[@ridewithKY]

Yeah sometimes I don’t like the grips either. Thanks.

[@barracudachaser]

I have a 2019, and it also stalls at times particularly when down shifting to 2nd gear. The Duke 390 also has the same problem. There are a few videos out there too. It is troubling that even until this day, KTM/Husqvarna have not accepted and corrected this issue. I have just learned to blip the throttle on down shifts in this bike and that keeps the bike from stalling. The only reason I still have mine is that it is so light and snappy.

[@ridewithKY]

Good info. Pretty common issue for sure on these 373 engines.

[@Oldman.Roaming]

Hey, thx for the vid. Im about to get me a used 701 or a new 401. Are you still happy with the bike?

[@ridewithKY]

Overall yes. I don’t regret the purchase. Just to be clear this bike has never left me stranded, however, I’ve never owned any vehicle with this many quality issues. I am in no way trying to steer people away from these, I just point out what I see and leave it up to the audience to decide if these issues matter to them or not. I think overall these bikes are a lot of fun, as an owner you just have to accept some of the quality issues that exist.

[@ectoplasm6453]

Got my '21 Svart since May last year & have since clocked about 7400 miles on it. Yeah, I've some of the problems you mentioned like the center of the dash info goes blank. I've also encountered recently after my 3rd service, the Service Reset keeps message popping up even after I went back to the dealer to reset it. But since it doesn't affect the bike in any way, I'll have them look at it at my next service. Being a thumper my Svart does tend loosen & shed some fasteners, so I always do a once over it every time I lube the chains. No problems with the fasteners since then. That's about all the niggles I had with my unit. Here in Malaysia we don't get the fully adjustable forks & spoke wheels. You guys are so lucky over there.

[@ridewithKY]

Thanks so much for the sharing your experiences, you’ve got quite a bit more miles than I do on mine. Sorry to hear yours is plagued with some of the same issues I have experienced with mine. I just take it up as part of the ownership experience. Overall, how do you feel about your purchase? Do you feel like you should have chosen something else?

[@ectoplasm6453]

@@ridewithKY I'm happy with my Svart, as I love thumper's especially the LC4 family of engines & the light chassis KTM is known for. It was either this or the KTM Duke 390 for me, but then the Svart has the looks going for it. So far the dealer I bought mine from has been helpful with my enquiries, so no complaints. Although some of us has had more serious issues with their units like stalling when downshifting, rusty fuel tanks but mostly are well taken care of by our dealer.

[@sunder5686]

I really want a vit for my first bike, but this does effect feelings on it. Your right, Japanese quality is hard to beat and you should get more with a brand new bike. Reconsidering the mt03 and the cb300r. Looking for something more commuter focused anyway

[@ridewithKY]

MT03 is an excellent choice. Certainly not as unique and fun as a Vit, however, you will have way less problems with it. A shame because Vit’s are fantastic for commuting and ripping around the city, however, it’s a toss up if you’ll have to use your warranty all the time or just live with things being wrong with your bike. Either way, cheers.

[@RichEugenioHeyGM]

Great vid! Planning to get one as a beginner bike for my wife, but the issues makes me worry on the cost of ownership vs the “fun” factor of owning one..

[@ridewithKY]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback. Most of the issues are kind of just annoying and don’t really hit you in the wallet. The only major one that will really hit you is if yours pushes a head gasket. Doesn’t happen near as much as it used to, but these later Vitpilens do still have that issue. The other quality issues are certainly there but at least it won’t leave stuck or with some nasty repair bill. I’m still totally happy with my purchase but I know not everybody is willing to deal with minor annoyances like I am.

[@RichEugenioHeyGM]

@@ridewithKY At a certain extent, minor quirks should be tolerable, but if it’s something directly impacting the engine or mechanical, definitely a deal breaker.. I think the Svart in PH is also assembled in PH, need to do more research in case any known issues in Asian market.. would you know? Thanks!

[@ridewithKY]

That’s understandable. I am unaware if any 401’s are assembled in any location other than India at the moment.

[@masonmax1000]

Ive had a Vitpilen 401 2022 with 7,800ish miles got it with 5 miles on the Odometer 6 months ago, its my first bike; runs just fine I do oil changes every 3 or 4k miles. and I had beat the shit out of it during the first few months of learning to actually ride on the road as Ive only been riding for six and a half months total. I said F the quk shifter recently as it really is meh and just got rev matching down, once you get that figured out its far more fun. I will say first gear can be a bit tricky sometimes and the bike will stall at a light if I don't give it enough throttle or let the clutch out to fast but that's my fault not the bike LOL idk why people think its the bike bc its often not. recently Ive slowed down my hands and have had far, far less issues.

[@ridewithKY]

Right on. Glad yours has been solid so far.

[@northky05]

I got mine in March 2022(Svartpilen). It's almost 2800 miles now. It's a great bike and I love it. I did meet some small issues you mentioned like sometimes there's some display issues. It's not frequent so I am fine with it. And there was an issue with the sidestand down sensor that made me replace the whole side stand to fix it. I am sorry that yours have other issues like coolant leakage, chain, and engine light. I didn't have these issues. I do want to flush the coolant and use the one that was recommended by the manual. (the one in my bike now is green and can't be mixed with the manual one which is pink).

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the info. Seems as if issues with the display is pretty common even though I don’t see a lot of people talking about it online. I will make note about the coolant as mine is also green right now. Hope you continue to enjoy yours. I think as long as you aren’t expecting flawless reliability, you will be graced with an overall pleasant ownership experience.

[@ritwik0]

@@ridewithKY Display issue is on my 250 too but it's very rare and just needs keys off/on sequence to get it back. Stalling is an issue and discussed on huqvarna forums were they found it's the clutch and changes it with success. You might want to visit the forum.

[@ridewithKY]

Yeah but you shouldn’t have to cycle the key to get the display to work properly even if it’s “rare”. The stalling issue is sometimes the clutch but usually it’s not, it’s a tuning issue. That’s why when you change the tune to a fuelx, rapid bike, etc. it stops the stalling. If it were the clutch then the tune wouldn’t alleviate the stalling.

[@davidaearthy]

The type of issues this guy is describing, you will see on all these small bikes including Honda, Kawasaki etc. They are all made in China or India, some will undoubtedly be in the same factory. It isn’t until you buy one and join a forum, FB page or readdit etc. that you start seeing people with issues. You have to also take into account, most of these group complaints are focused and the % of the complaints compared to overall sales is minuscule. If you are considering buying a 401, please don’t let these type of videos and post put you off from buying this great bike. Get one and enjoy it, and if you have an issue, you also have a 2 year warranty. I can almost guarantee that if this bike is for you, you won’t be disappointed. Ride on! 🏍️

[@ridewithKY]

Not really. A lot of small bikes are manufactured in other places besides China and India. Places such as Thailand and Indonesia to name a few. Let’s be realistic here… it’s not normal to get a check engine light within the first few hundred miles or have a display that doesn’t work some of the time. No show stoppers, but I’m confident when I say most buyers expect more after buying a brand new bike. I’m also not sure if you watched the whole video. I never tried to discourage anybody from buying one of these 401’s. I actually did the opposite.

[@cblank928]

I have a Yamaha mt07 and a Honda Crf250L and have had zero issues with either one

[@ridewithKY]

Not surprised. It’s hard to beat the Japanese bikes for overall quality and a trouble free ownership experience. The original comment here from David claiming all small Japanese bikes have these same types of issues is just not true. Appreciate you chiming in.

[@cblank928]

@@ridewithKY I was going to get a Svartpilen 401 but couldn’t find one when I was ready to buy. The mt07 I got was from the previous model year so I got it for $8000 usd brand new so couldn’t pass that up and love it. I sat on the vitpilen and it was very uncomfortable to me. The seating position is perfect on my mt07 for my riding at 6 foot tall height. My buddy had a duke 390 and had no problems with it as far as I know but that was several years ago before they changed where they were making them. The ktm bikes all look incredible but seems like they do end up cutting corners on cost for certain things and maybe push their engines a little too far chasing big power numbers 🤷🏻‍♂️ but I am no expert for sure. Using a blanket statement like the guy was saying that all small bikes can be unreliable is simply not true like you said for sure. I’ve got an Apollo Chinese dirtbike that I have also had zero issues with. Can only base my opinions off of my experiences just like you did.

[@ridewithKY]

Totally agree man. MT07 is an awesome bike, can’t go wrong with any of the MT’s. Seems as if folks that are taller have a more difficult time on the Vit’s. The clip ons are really close to the seat on the Vit’s. Thanks for chiming in and thanks for watching!

[@joeyymit]

Great points. I agree with your thoughts on the bike. Honestly, for me, I've been enjoying my svartpilen 401. I had it for 1 year 2 months now at 35,000km. I had similar issues but to me they're manageable since I can troubleshoot the bike and do my own service. Cheers mate!

[@ridewithKY]

Awesome. That’s a ton of mileage you’ve piled on in a short time. These bikes are really a ton of fun overall. Perfect? Absolutely not. But I think long run, the little quirks don’t take away from the ownership experience. Still no other bike in the class I would rather have. Take care!

[@mobbdeep4260]

I have one of the "original" 2018 Svartpilens with barely 3000 miles Had to do some fabrication because the steering lock mechanism was worn out. Pretty thankful I have the means and it works better than stock now, so I don’t get why not getting it right in the first place. The Steering lock is a 400buck replacement part otherwise. Could have been previous owner misuse but yeah. Also the bike had me Stranded for 2 times. Well almost, engine would misfire for a moment, and the engine seemingly floods like very fast, and it does not like to start back up once it’s flooded. Apparently these bikes happen to run through spark plugs very fast in some cases. There is some talk about the Bosch factory plugs on the forums. Well a 15€ fix Nonetheless I am still happy with this bike

[@depechemoto]

Have almost 17,000 kms on my Svarty and not an issue so far. Owned from new. Regular maintenance, and tires.

[@ridewithKY]

Awesome. Glad yours has been a trouble free ownership experience.

[@jasonlawrence8302]

I bought 1 in 2019 and have had 3 or 4 more, they are complete junk but they look very cool. if it was built in austria or even japan it might just be worth the $$!

[@raduarisanu6421]

Hello, I know is a little different category but have you tried the Ninja 400 ? I can't decide betw. the 2. Thank you !

[@ridewithKY]

I have not personally tried a Ninja 400. A lot of people love them though. If you want something that’s going to be a little more reliable and dependable then I would say the Ninja 400 is probably a better choice. However, me personally, I do not like the idea of a look-a-like super sport bike.

[@TheNyxusSam]

I experienced the issue at 11:19 as well, it went away when I replaced the electronic clutch switch that controls the quick shifter

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the suggestion! I appreciate that greatly, I will give that a shot. I hadn’t heard that as a possible remedy.

[@guzziguy2011]

6k miles on my '20 Svart and only real issue has been the left fork tube leaking (wheelies the likely culprit). Otherwise it's been solid and an absolute hoot on the twisty N.C. Mountain roads!!

[@ridewithKY]

Fantastic! Glad your ownership experience has been enjoyable and problem free.

[@markemmison4767]

The O2 sensor fault isn't with the exhaust sensor, what I found with mine is that the crank breather pipe goes back up to the air box so it seems as though oil vapour is is getting on the air intake, I disconnected the pipe from the air box and put a small air filter on the pipe, blast a load of maf sensor cleaner down the air intake and it solves the problem. The clock fault seems to be if you start the bike before it has ran it's loading cycle. Hope this helps others with the annoying issues

[@ridewithKY]

The o2 sensor low voltage fault is either an issue with the voltage at the sensor or a lean condition for too long. Lean condition makes more sense because we know euro 5 bikes generally and these 373 cc singles specifically run very lean with the factory tune. This is well documented. The issue with the display is totally intermittent. You can wait as long as you want and the display will still sometimes not function properly. Not saying this is what’s going on with yours but this has been the experience with this particular Vitpilen 401. Thanks man for chiming in, it’s helpful.

[@luispena4351]

I have a 2022 Svartpilen 401 changed the chain to DID gold chain super sprox sprockets at 7000 miles. I ride the hell out of it with absolutely no issues. I agree with tap set get 4mm, 6mm and 8mm. One of the screws holding abs sensor ring which is a 4mm machine screw was stripped so I just replaced it with longer screw. No issues with quick shifter but I never use it down just my preference. I do oil changes every 2000 miles and fully warm up bike before I ride. I also added Akrapovic slip on much lighter and swapped tires to Dunlop mutant. No leaks stalling issues with me.

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the info. This information will be useful to whomever reads your comment.

[@ridewithKY]

Are you using stock gearing with the super sprockets? Thanks.

[@luispena4351]

Yes stock gearing and I opted for front sprocket without the vibration padding. It made a surprising difference in smoothness and vibration

[@ridewithKY]

@luispena4351 awesome. Thank you for the info, that is helpful since I’m probably going to change my chain and rear sprocket soon. Have already changed the front sprocket to a formula 390. Cheers.

[@dadstro]

Hey man, where did you get the cover plates for the grab handle at? I cannot find them anywhere.

[@ridewithKY]

I actually don’t have any covers where the grab handle used to be. I just removed the handle. Thanks!

[@dadstro]

@@ridewithKY Dang, that's werid. I also have a 2022 Vit but where the grab handle is, there isn't those nice white plates with the Husky Logo on them. So I don't want to remove the rail otherwise there will be just a hole there lol. Love the videos man. Been thinking about getting a Ducati panigale/streetfighter v2 as my second bike to have along with my Vit.

[@ridewithKY]

Interesting. Are you sure you aren’t confusing the emblems on the side of the seat with “cover plates”? Appreciate you watching! Thank you!

[@dadstro]

@@ridewithKY yes the emblems on the side of the seat. My bike didn't come with them so if I took off the grab bar it would just leave the recessed area there.

[@ridewithKY]

That’s really strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Vit or Svart without those emblems.

[@matthewkopf6243]

Have svartpilen 401 and ktm 390 adventure. Chains suck and 401 skid plate had weld crack for no reason. But I think they’re great bikes, nothing comes close on the market.

[@ridewithKY]

I haven’t heard of the skid plate issue yet, but it doesn’t surprise me. Agree with you that these are great bikes, despite their shortcomings.

[@JRSWANDOG68]

Where is the OBD port on 401? Same OBD as for a car? I have had check engine since new. Thanks

[@ridewithKY]

It’s under the seat. It’s a square connector. You have to buy an adapter cable to connect a standard OBD II scanner to it. What year is your 401? Might be able to help you find the right plug.

[@Bon-mz5kb]

About the neutral problem, just hit the quickshifter hard. I had that problem with my Z650, CBR650R, and V4S, all of them did that, you just gotta be hard on the quickshifter, and it wont do a false neutral.

[@ridewithKY]

Thanks! I’ll give it a shot but I don’t think that’s it. It’s pretty well documented that it’s a problem with these. Thanks man!

[@Bon-mz5kb]

@@ridewithKY i’d recommend change it to gp shift, 1 up, 5 down. shifts like that are more stable and less wobbly at high speed. ride ur v2 (accelerate hard) with 1 down 5 up, try upshift when u ride it hard, and it feels sketchy af

[@ridewithKY]

Appreciate it man, thank you!

[@Samsonite1991]

First generation (2018) Vit/Svartpilens were manufactured in Austria. Rest are manufactured in India as far as I know, which might affect the quality. I personally have a 2018 Vitpilen with 26500km's on it and never had any other issues than ABS failure flashing on the dash, which is also a common issue with KTM's bikes as well.

[@ridewithKY]

I know a lot of people think moving the manufacturing process to India is a factor. We’ll probably never know the answer, but I personally don’t think it’s a large part of the equation. It may be some of it, but it seems like a good chunk of the issues are just the result of lower quality components and not due to the assembly process. But again, I don’t know if we’ll ever really get an answer.

[@ridewithKY]

Yes. Vits are definitely sold in India, they are just 250’s instead of 373’s. The 373’s are coming to India end of this year.

[@bfranco1519]

When I see made in India, that’s a no go from me. Not racist just my past experience with products made in India.

[@ridewithKY]

I don’t think that’s racist at all. Totally understandable conclusion based on prior experiences.

[@dpockaj]

My coolent leaked like that on day 1. It was coming from my coolant reservoir cap. Remove it and re-tighten it.

[@ridewithKY]

That’s where it looked like mine is coming from too, the reservoir. I took the cap off to see if I could see anything wrong with it or see if it wasn’t on all the way. Still leaks a little sometimes.

[@dpockaj]

@ridewithKY sorry to hear that. Fortunately, mine stopped after tighting the cap. I would double check and see if it needs a new cap. I can't remember if it had a seal on it.

[@ridewithKY]

Right on, I appreciate you offering the suggestion and sharing your experience. It probably is something as simple as the cap or the reservoir or both needing to be replaced. Thanks again.

[@adamlentz6708]

I have a svart 401 with 7k miles on it, and this is incredibly accurate to my experience so far. It does seem like my bike is slightly better assembled than this one, I haven't had the issues with coolant leakage, the quick shifter, or cold stalling, but you should absolutely expect cross-threads, loose bolts, and poor fitting. However, I put 7k in a year on this thing in the Colorado mountains with 3 low-sides in the ice, and it's still kicking hard. I think to break this bike down into one statement, I would say it has quality fabrication, shit assembly. Be ready to wrench a bit, but I think its well worth it!

[@ridewithKY]

Hey man! Glad yours is going strong still after 7k miles. Also glad to hear yours has a little better fit and finish. Despite the quality issues, I’m still glad I bought this bike. I just think it certainly could be assembled better and if us owners don’t call it out in public we can’t really hold KTM/Husqvarna accountable for poor quality in the future. We also shouldn’t just accept poor quality because it’s a budget friendly bike. The consumer should always expect more after spending our hard earned money. Anyways, glad you are enjoying your Svart. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Vit despite the quality issues. Thanks for sharing and for watching! Ride safe.

[@amelbajraktarevic4979]

So glad that bikes which are sold on the EU market are assembled in Austria and without most of this issues.

[@m.3257]

Not anymore. Until 2018 they were assembled in Austria, since 2019 in India.

[@stephenowens5375]

Love the look of these bikes and most reviews give me the impression they're great to ride. Does give me some concern with the issues you've had and could be a deal breaker for me personally. Lets hope Husqvarna are listening, personally I'd rather pay a bit more to have these issues sorted. Really good video, thanks for your review.

[@ridewithKY]

I agree. Figure most reviews are just the reviewer riding the bike for a few hours and then posting about it. It’s not about the actual ownership experience. Overall these bikes are awesome to ride but the quality is pretty poor. Unfortunately a lot of Vit/Svart owners are not being honest about the overall quality either. There will be some variance across the board as far as quality goes but ever Vit/Svart I’ve seen at the dealer has had poor fitting body panels and I’ve noticed a few others have the issue with the foggy and scratched inner part of the display. Overall I don’t regret my purchase but I also have the tools and the space to fix a lot of these issues on my own. Not everybody has that luxury. If I lived in an apartment and had nowhere to fix this bike all the time, I probably wouldn’t enjoy the ownership experience near as much. I agree. I would be happy to pay more and get a better product, but I understand Husq/KTM was trying to market these bikes at a competitive price point. Thanks for watching, appreciate it! I’ll have some more videos in the near future outlining my review of the bike after a year and about 3500 miles.

[@hotboxgaming9824]

I have a 2022 svartpilen with 35 000km and the only issue I’ve had so far is my battery died at one point but new battery solved it. Then again it does live inside my living room, get riden daily and well maintained

[@ridewithKY]

Glad yours has been trouble free other than the battery.

[@TMadison-sl2sg]

i looked at a 401 as a daily driver . to many issues for miles on everyone's bikes i might get a ninja 400 or cbr400 or z500 its same price or maybe cheaper than 401 with rebates and i know problems with be low or none

[@ridewithKY]

Yup, totally valid take. If you don’t want issues, I would not buy a 401.

[@IWannaBeFamous647]

Great video gorgeous bike but the amount of issues you have listed should never come up at 2000 miles. I kind of expected this from a Indian bike.. I just love the way they look I wish Yamaha or Honda made them

[@ridewithKY]

Sums it up pretty well, unfortunately. However, I will say these bikes had a lot of issues including some serious head gasket issues when they were still made in Austria. I don’t think it’s as much of an issue with the location of where it’s made as opposed to it just being a KTM/Husqvarna thing. Thanks for watching.

[@emporergrimes]

Damn. That thing has had a lot of issues. I guess I have to get the ninja 400.

[@ridewithKY]

There are a lot of issues with these. I forgot to mention in this video, but there are also head gasket issues with these as well. The later engines are supposed to be better, but it’s still well documented these like to push head gaskets. If it’s a first bike and you want to just enjoy the bike without having to potentially deal with little quirks, I’d say a Ninja 400 is a good choice. Can’t really beat the Japanese bikes if you want a trouble free ownership experience.

[@dexxeve9420]

@@ridewithKY Don't get the ninja it solid but it stuck being on road and just sports bike ergo after 1 hour ride wont be comfy as sports bikes pos. If you can handle the seat of the Hus or ktm they are better value bikes with better brakes and suspension/wheels

[@luisparra4467]

Where did you get your chain gaurds?

[@ridewithKY]

They are Tyga pieces. They aren’t specifically for a Husq, they are for a Duke 390. Some very slight modifications are necessary to fit them. If you are in the US, then Formula390 is the official distributor for Tyga.

[@dineshkrishnan4029]

I got a second hand 2020 svart 250 here in India. It's been going strong for 11k kilometres. The one thing that really bothers me is the ground clearance. Doing fine otherwise.

[@ridewithKY]

Fantastic. Glad you have been enjoying your Svart. 11,000 K’s is quite a bit of mileage, glad yours hasn’t had any major issues.

[@melvinalcos]

mine randomly dies when I downshift, experienced it around 5 times since I got it in November 2022. Service mechanics wont even believe its true

[@ridewithKY]

Interesting. Does it immediately refire? Wonder if it’s a lean condition. It’s well documented these bikes have issues with stalling because of the euro 5 requirements.

[@AjayKumar-hh6hx]

I bought mine 4 months ago. I get an annoying little noise in the front portion (instrument cluster) and from under the seat. Not sure what that is as mechanics are unable to figure it out. It sounds like a loose bolt, sort of a rattling or whirring noise. So the overall bike feels a bit loose.

[@ridewithKY]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing an issue the mechanics can’t seem to remedy. Rattles are the worst on a bike, it’s so difficult to diagnose.

[@AjayKumar-hh6hx]

@@ridewithKY Update: The problem at low end is because of low clutch free play. Increase the play by adjusting both the lever and the coil thingy above the gearbox. Grime in the breaks and chain added to the noise and loose-ness of the bike. I got these adjustments, cleaned the chain and lubed it. The noise is gone, low end power has improved, and the bike moves like a motorboat on water.

[@ridewithKY]

Right on! Glad you were able to find a solution to that issue. Was that noise always present for all 4 months of ownership or was it more recent? Just wondering so I can look out for it on mine as I get more miles. Thanks again for sharing!

[@AjayKumar-hh6hx]

@@ridewithKY It started at 3000 km

[@ridewithKY]

Thank you for the info. I’ll keep an eye on mine since I’m around that mileage. Thanks!

[@VA-gu1jq]

I enjoy mine, but in hindsight would’ve bought something different. There’s QC issues from factories, mine had missing bolts n stuff. It was my first bike so I didn’t know what I was looking at. Had a couple random stalls where it clicks off. Was worried it was going to be an issue but then hasn’t happened since. Who knows.. I like it, but it’s not confidence inspiring from a reliability standpoint.

[@ridewithKY]

What bolts were missing on yours? Understandable, sorry you feel disappointed about your purchase. I really like mine as well, but I accepted that there would probably be issues long before I even made the purchase.

[@eightbit367]

My '21 Svart stalled so much when I first got it. Happened for months. Then I realised the bike HATES anything below 4k RPM. After I learned to keep it above 4k RPM at all times it's completely fine. 6 months now and zero stalls.

[@ridewithKY]

Tune fixes that. Most of that stalling is because of the euro 5 requirements. Without a tune these bikes are tough to maneuver slow speed. Before mine was tuned I was always scared of a stall at low speed, which would almost certainly result in a drop.

[@mikep2563]

Was looking at the Pit but will just keep my 2017 crf 250 L not one problem and great for back roads where I live

[@ridewithKY]

Can’t blame you for wanting to keep that CRF.

[@ruggtub5702]

bro even i am facing the stalling problem. why does it happens?

[@ridewithKY]

How many miles do you have on it?

[@dutchgoonie]

Just forgot to tell you. If you make or modify it yourself during the warranty period, your legal warranty will also lapse. In the Netherlands you have to go to the original dealer (KTM/Husq)

[@DukeMuffington]

Man, sorry you've had that many issues on that new of a bike. Definitely seems like a dealership assembly issue. I have a '22 Svart 401 w/ 3600 miles and haven't had any major issues yet. The one annoying thing I know a few Svart 401 owners experience (including myself) is the engine cutting off while downshifting to 1st gear coming to a stop light. I'm an intermediate rider so I don't think my clutch / throttle play is what's making it shut off. It's also done it while just sitting at a stop light in 1st gear for no apparent reason. I can't re-create the issue at the shop so it seems useless trying to get a shop to try and fix it. Also the quick shifter being kinda wonky. There's definitely an optimal RPM range to up/down shift using it where it seems to work pretty smooth. Also because its a single cylinder these things drink a little more oil than your average bike. Just something to keep up on. 9/10 would still recommend this bike for any entry level - intermediate riders.

[@ridewithKY]

It is what it is. I’ve still enjoyed the ownership experience thus far, even if it’s not perfect. I had some weird stalling issues as well when new. Going to a FuelX Lite really helped with the stalling and low speed harshness. Glad you’ve had a good experience so far with yours. These bikes are a ton of fun. Thanks for watching.

[@vividxjn]

I hope Husqvarna and KTM see this video, it is serious issue and need to be fixed.

[@ridewithKY]

I agree, especially considering these bikes have been out for years. It’s not like it’s the first year for these.

[@dutchgoonie]

In the Netherlands it is simply very easy. You have a warranty and they will make it perfect for you. If they do not do this, you are legally entitled to your money back. But they don't let it get to that point, our dealers are too good at that. Moreover, parts are widely available here. Enough KTM/Husq dealers nearby. If there is something technically wrong, you will also receive a legal recall and it will be repaired or replaced free of charge.

[@ridewithKY]

Yeah doesn’t work like that in the US. It is possible to lemon law vehicles but it’s a long arduous process that sometimes even involves retaining an attorney.

[@dutchgoonie]

@@ridewithKY Too bad, yes, you almost have to solve it all yourself when I hear this. Would like to thank you for your response. Stay safe and have fun riding your motorcycle.

[@ridewithKY]

@dutchgoonie you too man, ride safe. Thanks for sharing your experience in the Netherlands.

[@michaelrogers897]

Have you tried the royal enfield himalayan or scram?

[@ridewithKY]

I have not tried either of those. However, just by specs and appearance I find the Enfields pretty interesting.

[@ridewithKY]

I would love to try an Enfield one day. A little primitive but interesting bikes for sure.

[@Forestervulpes]

Every KTM stock chain is pretty much a rubber band. I am also looking at the KTM 390 Adventure and it's a complaint with it as well.

[@ridewithKY]

I’ve heard that as well. It’s just a KTM thing. Not the end of the world but kind of annoying. If you end up with a 390 ADV and change the chain out to something better, let me know! I’d like to change mine as well at some point in the near future.

[@2wheelife878]

I paid around 15,000$ for my vitpilen 401, which is about 3k less than I paid for my V2 Panigale. I changed just about everything on it. The build is almost done. I just added a duel under tail exhaust, and got it tuned. The only issue I’ve had with it was the starter. I have been using a screwdriver to make a connection so the bike starts. I’m taking it to husqvarna next week to have it checked out. I’m sure they’re all going to wonder how much I spent getting the bike to look the way it does lol. Solid little bike. I have lots of motorcycles zh2 SE, V2 panigale, x diavel S, MV agusta Suoer veloce, and the Vitpilen. Out of all of them I decided to dump the most money on the vitpilen just because nobody has ever done it. Not to this extent.

[@ridewithKY]

Awesome. Interesting, I haven’t heard any issues with the Vitpilen starters yet. Nothing wrong with spending your money the way you want to, no need to justify it to anyone. As long as you are enjoying this hobby the way you want to!

[@frios011]

Sounds like not many of your complaints actually keep the bike from operating. Buying used also has its own risks so keep that in mind.

[@ridewithKY]

This bike wasn’t used…

[@georgekrpan3181]

No problems with my '22 Vit after 4 months and 1000 miles.

[@ridewithKY]

Glad you have had a solid ownership experience so far. A lot of little things wrong with these. Only big one is head gaskets, but that’s been pretty well documented historically.

[@georgekrpan3181]

@@ridewithKY Cheers KY. Here's a link to a guy who had a head gasket issue and fixed it himself. Requires removal of the motor. kzbin.info/www/bejne/raTToWR6p9qWeZI

[@oneanddonetzone3673]

Do you have a 24 month warranty? That should do it

[@ridewithKY]

In some ways yes, in other ways no. Only thing I can really warranty is the display, but that’s intermittent so good luck to me reproducing the issue in the dealership’s presence. It’s just a hassle dealing with the dealer so unless it’s catastrophic, I’d rather just fix it myself or leave it.

[@oneanddonetzone3673]

@@ridewithKY Try replacing your crush washer every time you change your oil you can buy a big box of them for not much money that might stop your drip

[@ridewithKY]

I don’t have an oil drip…

[@dexxeve9420]

Dude i think you got a lemon from what you have mentioned, i'd ask for another one. But some serious safety concerns no bikes should have any bolts come loose period. Use the lemon law to swap it over to another

[@ridewithKY]

This is quite a ways away from being able to be Lemon lawed. Each state is a little different, but you need some serious documentation for loss of use, repair attempts, etc. In this case, the only residual issues I have experienced have been the chain stretching, the intermittent issues with the display, and the quick shifter. That being mentioned, the only issue that may not be able to be easily fixed would be the shifter. In order to get a manufacturer to buy the bike back, you’d need a lot more than what I have now. As far as fasteners coming loose, that’s pretty common on motorcycles. That’s why pretty much any bike will have a check fastener provision in their maintenance schedule. Definitely not uncommon to have fasteners on a bike come loose, I just mentioned it in the video because it was worth noting, not the fact that it’s an outlier.

[@dexxeve9420]

@@ridewithKY I am not in the USA so you would know more, and seem a lot of work to consider even lemon law. I wonder if this Svartpilen was a once bad QC batch, or these are common issues ? Last question if i have been riding a bmw G310GS would this seat be harder or same comfort i am 6"0. Thank for the reply :) As tried the KTM 390 and that seat is okay just a very vibey bike. From Aus

[@ridewithKY]

Yeah lemon law is a tough nut to crack. In many cases you need to get an attorney involved and with something like this, just doesn’t make sense even if I thought I had a strong case. I think this particular Vit probably has more issues than average but a lot of these problems are pretty common. These Vit’s are basically KTM’s and KTM is not known for reliability. I know there’s a lot of KTM fans out there but just being honest, they aren’t the best quality. I’ve heard people complain about the seat in these, it doesn’t bother me however. Any single cylinder bike is going to have a lot of vibration. Just the way it is. Even though this bike has a lot of quality issues, I wouldn’t rather have anything else in its class. This or a ninja 400, R3, CBR250/500… way rather have this.

[@dexxeve9420]

@@ridewithKY Yea i herd some bad KTM 390 duke issues, hence did not touch it/ The cb300r is luckluster bit meh and plastic fantastic, not a fan of the ninja 400 and sounds terrible with aftermarket muffler or std muffler lol not a sportbike fan. KTM 390 duke great value to but loads of issues to have to contend with for the value. MT03 nice but jerky acceleration due to ECU mapping, and soft suspension and lackluster suspension/brakes but comfy ride. G310R softer all round bland but great fit and finish. But i love scramblers so the bmw g310gs was as close to sub400 semi offroad, and the features of the gs310 is crazy long suspension for soaking road, bigger front tire and comfy seat and rubber mounted handle bars to cut off vibration of the 180 reverse thump-er. I dont think the svart 401 had adjustable suspension in the front and preKTM purchase. I think it was significantly more expensive to touch when was made in sweden. Pre KTM moving production to india. KTM duke had notorious blown head gaskets , internal water ingress into the LCD screen and light, runs hot at idle, QC of one bike varies from one to the next, run too lean from factory. I would not like to have a duke 390 out of warranty due to the blown head gaskets after 2 years or sp I tried most 400 or below bikes from cb300, ninja 400, mt03 etc.. and i ended up with the bmw G310GS Adventure as cushy ride, and i tend to keep going off-road quietly. And the g310gs has semi off-road tires, and long suspension. But the Svart has spokes, also semi offroad tires, and adjustable suspension that no bikes have 400 or below not even some 650cc. Quick shifter is free not like duke charging you to activate little crazy, knowing you get crazy value from the svart/vit at that price point. Is the adjustable suspension that cool. Like can go super smooth soaks up bumps to stiffer for the streets. Ie can you do adventure bike suspension with the svart ie cushy ride. Will being trying it soon will keep you in touch. IF you want to laugh i borrowed a mt03 and ended up going offroad with it within 1 hour. Imagine offroad seeing a freaking mt03 lol. If the seat isn't uncomfortable its a solid yes, just the seat height looking motocross flat for heavy rider, and worrying its uncomfortable for 6"1'. But damn the looks and all the features nothing can touch it period. It just was too expensive pre KTM handshake and non-adjustable front suspension. Also wish you could get the circle screen and lift it higher too lol

[@ridewithKY]

This is true. The display on these absolutely sucks. there is a company that makes a full TFT dash for these, but I haven’t heard of any reviews yet. Kind of a lot of money to invest in these cheap little bikes, but again, everybody is different.

[@MiracleDiving]

Fairings: yes, mine are not perfect too. Display; yes. Sometimes it doesn’t show the miles. Stalling: this bike hates anything under 4000 rpms, it happened once to me that I started riding and it stalled 3 times in 1000 meters, but it was just once when it was new, maybe first week. When does your bike show “low fuel”? Mine does when it still has 3.5 liters. Which is a lot for a 9.5 liter tank. Other than that I’m happy with it, but yeah, not the best QC.

[@ridewithKY]

Thanks for sharing, sounds like we have had some of the same issues. Hope those that say “they’ve never ever heard of issues with these bikes” are reading these comments. lol. I know I’m not the only one and I know there’s a lot of others out there that have to justify their purchase and aren’t admitting there are issues with these. They are great bikes but to say they have no issues is pretty inaccurate. I’ll pay attention to my low fuel light a little closer and get back to you. I usually fill up pretty quickly after the low fuel indicator comes on. Again, thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@MiracleDiving]

@@ridewithKY thanks! I will be waiting for your update on that! To be precise it shows low fuel when it has about 4 liters, then the last dot starts to blink at 3.5 (so you can fill about 6 liters) The place where I bought it changed something that could be the issue, but it didn’t work, they said they will try something else next time I take it for the 4000km service, but if it doesn’t fix it then might be just the way it is. But if yours does the same I might not even bother trying to fix it anymore 😂

[@ridewithKY]

Haha! Ok sounds good. I will provide the most information I can so you can make the call if yours actually has an issue or not. Are you simply calculating the amount of gas left by taking the known capacity of the tank and subtracting the amount you fill up to top it off? Thanks.

[@MiracleDiving]

@@ridewithKY yes, the tank has 9.5 liters, when I fill it after low fuel i can only fill it 6 liters …so It means it still has 3.5 liters in the tank. I also found this video (link below), I do not fill it like that, maybe I’m doing it wrong and should fill it more like the guy does…, will try that too, maybe it really has low fuel and I’m not filling it enough kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmG1h5-VadOlp9k

[@ridewithKY]

Thanks for the video. I do the same. After the pump starts clicking I’ll get on the bike to level it and then fill it the rest of the way with the nozzle out of the tank. The last bit I usually fill at a lot slower rate than that gentleman did however, if you fill it fast like he does you get spray everywhere. Thanks again, will let you know.

[@Mr3andrew3]

Really a shame- love the look so much, but not buying. That fit and finish is inexcusable- let alone a check engine light at 200m. Shame... What would Glock say (they've got their own issues)? Good luck, *A.

[@ridewithKY]

Understandable. If flawless fit and finish is what you are looking for, this is not an appropriate choice in my opinion. Glock has also shipped some lemons… the G44, MOS system. But that’s another discussion. Hope you find a bike you can jump on board with purchasing.

[@michaelwestetfield8204]

Yeah I think I'll pass on this bike until they get the quality better

[@ridewithKY]

Don’t blame you.

[@MrStingraybernard]

Wow I was going to buy 1 in tax time ,so maybe I’ll stick with a triumph 400

[@ridewithKY]

I can’t comment on the triumph 400, but if you do go with that I hope it serves you well.

[@Mr3andrew3]

Tap and dye? F*** that! *A.

[@slowbro1337]

You're literally the only person I have heard off having issues with their bike. Prty sure you may have gotten the only lemon from them.

[@ridewithKY]

You should read the other comments for this video 😂. Well documented issues for these.

[@zzzsydneyhom1379]

Sounds like typical KTM issues mate....

[@ridewithKY]

Yup, KTM going to KTM.

[@SkyNet-ty1tm]

This bike is a Duke 390

[@ridewithKY]

Yes, correct

[@juanluisalmonte179]

And bad customer service as well

[@ridewithKY]

Haha, haven’t heard that one yet. Sorry it sounds like that’s what your experience was.

[@jeffwhitelock1013]

Who the F spits on there glasses to clean them?

[@ridewithKY]

You’d be surprised. Common for snorkelers and scuba divers.

[@santiagomatamoros7885]

I’d pay the extra grand for a European bike made in Europe, by Europeans.

[@ridewithKY]

Yeah, totally understandable.

[@Grovreicraynth]

It shares an engine with the KTM 390? Doesn't that engine have issues with coolant seals and stuff? I heard it was a matter of when your oil starts to get milky.

[@ridewithKY]

Yup. Same engine as the 390 KTM’s. They are known to have head gasket issues, especially the earlier ones. When coolant mixes with engine oil it will turn milky brown.

[@jordangraf673]

Are you sure these have a quickshifter down? I've always heard they have a quickshifter up only. My wife has one and I've probably put 300 miles on it. We haven't seen any of these issues so far, but my wife's only has about 900 miles on it.

[@ridewithKY]

Yes, they have a quick shifter down. Pretty widely known across the board. Hopefully yours does not have the little issues these cars can sometimes have.

[@jordangraf673]

@@ridewithKY cool, good to know! I’m gonna test it out today. I’m installing a Coffman shorty exhaust today too.