Is The Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 The Perfect Motorcycle?

Watch the full episode here: • The Moto News: Husqvar...
Rob / @motobob and Tim / @rarefiedroad discuss what makes the perfect motorcycle...

[@mel3kk]

I love my Svartpilen 701

[@SWTrailsAndWheels]

For me, reliability is very important and even though many are fantastic, I still don't feel comfortable buying a KTM product.

[@zippy441]

I don't want to talk too soon, but I've had an 890 for a year now, put 5k on it and not had a single issue. I had a 990 before that which I owned for about 5 years, was on 29k when I sold it, and again not a single issue. In my limited experience they are not as unreliable as some people think.

[@messageinathrottle4046]

Stats don’t tell the whole story, but they also don’t lie. I have a hard time trusting any of the European and American manufacturers with 25-40% catastrophic failure rates. I’ve never had any kind of failure with any of my Japanese bikes; I’ve only had to replace wear items, change the oil, and clean the chains. My Harley is still the most expensive, least ridden, most “repaired” bike I’ve ever owned, and I won’t make that mistake again. Yes, many of them are beautiful, but I’ll take happily riding over parking lot presence every time.

[@chalkybruce]

I feel the same. I currently own a honda and the biggest appeal is; when I want to ride my bike, I will be able to start it and ride it at anytime.

[@axamitidynamit8355]

I’ve just seen a guy completing 80,000 miles on a 701 Husqvarna with no technical issues. Yes, KTMs need some more maintenance, but their supposedly bad reliability is an urban legend. Sure, there are some well-known issues with a few particular models, but there are also very good bikes that ride around the world many times without any problems.

[@hanoiscrambler]

@@axamitidynamit8355not an urban legend to me. I heard the local workshop guys in my place discussing about replacing oil pressure sensor for several Adv/Duke 390 and 790. And if you wonder why I was there to hear that discussion, I ride a Ducati and its maintenance/repairing is also a sad story 😂 too frequent visit to workshops

[@le_kakis]

Tim should check the sv650,pretty much checks all his boxes (except cruise and tc😅)

[@greenambles]

Guys, LOVING this episode! (love them all to be fair but this one so on point!) really like the idea of optimising a bike to be the perfect one man band. I’ve got a 2018 Street twin so I’m shedding weight with the 2-1 exhaust, increasing power with the cam upgrade and tightening the suspension with the adjustable rear and progressive front all thanks to TEC. Loads of other little mods too such as uprated levers etc, Scorpion T2s, Crafton Atelier bench seat which slightly raises it. I’ve also got the scrambler 400X. I absolutely loved both the husky 701s when they came out and the iterations since. That blue and white one you feature in this episode my favourite design and if they just did that as an 801 with all the bells and whistles mentioned that would be the one for me. 👍🏼

[@jeremieyirmeyahu3468]

At first i was a bit desapointed with the design of the 801 but now i kind of like it. Right amount of power. Light weight. The only thing is a bit pricy.... in France it will be 11200. The 790 is 9000 . I will go for it if it was 10000 euros. Also i have some concerns about reliability as I heard the 790 engine was called the camshaft eater 😅

[@reynaik4381]

The key feature about hasquvarna was styling, but with new design it looks similar as others and looks like quality has been compromised 😅 Old is Gold ⚜️

[@jimboulter3615]

I have owned both the 701 Vitpilen and Svartpilen. These were both original in design. Unlike the 801. But I bought neither new due to the price. It’ll be the same with this one £10500! U can get a brand new Duke 790 for £6995. Yeh, I know that these days they are only 95hp as opposed to the 801 having the original 105. But even so £3500 seems like a big mark up. Nice looking bike, but I’m feeling that they haven’t learnt from the pricing mistakes that killed off the originals.

[@jfu5222]

One of my criteria: Must be able to go over a curb without busting up plastic bodywork. How else are you supposed to get on/off the sidewalk?

[@zippy441]

820mm seat height sounds about perfect to me... Any smaller feels too small. I'm happy up to about 870mm, and I'm not overly tall at 6ft!

[@tedbewely3637]

It would be great if they could put emergency Kickstarter on all bikes just in case you got stranded in middle of nowhere for us older men with the money to buy these bikes.

[@iNFiN3]

I'd actualy love a Vitpilen 801, would be a great around town bike.

[@Surfkid16]

Well you could always swop the AT tires with street slicks and sport drop bars.

[@blackiredi]

Street Triple 765 all day. Perfect.

[@nuemanhanif8255]

I feel that the bonneville t100 is the perfect bike. comfortable, punchy and puts a damn smile to your face

[@Nostrum19]

for old farts

[@formernorcal2530]

V4 Honda all the way, can't wait for the new VFR!

[@Jajuh]

I'm very curious about it.

[@MotomotiveRevolutionYT]

Love this episode❤

[@chirag4]

Svartpilen 801 has 285° Crank that mimics 75° V2 of Superduke not 435°

[@Junkfiles446]

arent 435 and 285 the same when it rotates?

[@chirag4]

@@Junkfiles446 May be, am not sure of that 🤔 perhaps you are right

[@Junkfiles446]

@@chirag4 because super duke has 435 firing order so they use 285 on 2 cyl to mimic the 75 degree v2 435 firing order on the super duke

[@chirag4]

@@Junkfiles446OK thanks 🙏

[@chirag4]

@@Junkfiles446 I own 4 Bikes : 2021 Trident 660 + Full System Titanium AKRA + Accessories worth 2 Lakhs INR 2022 Gen 3 Haybusa (White) + Full System Titanium Akrapovic + BMC Air Filter + Cowl + Engine Protector/Guard + Crash Guard + Tank Pad + Side Pad etc. 2023 XDiavel + Termignoni Slip-on + Ducabike (Clear Clutch & Frame-Sliders & Red Axle Nut for rear-wheel) + CNC Radiator Guard + OEM Wind-Screen etc. 2024 Scrambler 400X My Question is : Should I replace my Busa with 2024 S1000RR M-Pro (white) ? both are inline-4 but BMW is 50% more expensive than Busa, so is it worth spending so much extra, or instead I should go with a 60 degree V4 like Aprilia RSV4 Factory (not Panigale as I already have a Ducati) ? Sold other 2 bikes : 2020 390 Duke 2023 Yamaha R15

[@devilgames2217]

Really like that new svartpilen. I bought my first bike a month ago, its a 2023 KTM 390 Duke. 😁

[@jfu5222]

I've been riding for 40 years and now ride the KTM rc390, don't let anyone tell you it's a beginner bike. It's the most fun I've had in years!

[@TheDougSpot]

Bought my first bike a month ago, it’s a 2023 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401😁

[@Scantcity]

Great choice!

[@tedbewely3637]

Would love to had this video with American measurements. They speak better English than I do because I was raised in southern United States

[@leoliu8189]

I would say that : The design language is very similar as my 2019 CB1000R!

[@fiveforbiting]

My 2 top choices for next bike. Only things I don't love about the CB is the price and I don't love the 4cyl as much as twins. The newer CB also has an updated dash I believe. I hate LCD readouts.

[@axamitidynamit8355]

Yeah, it has two wheels and a round headlight 😂

[@konfunable]

Totally agree. Previous Svartpilen generations of 401 were more unique.

[@thodoris3790]

i dont think that seat would be so perfect

[@subzero-ku2wx]

Sure, if you ignore the propensity of the LC8c to melt its cams.

[@tjbarke6086]

Wish it had a trellis frame...

[@momoski68]

Im just gonna put this out there. When Americans do these videos we include metric with our imperial units out of courtesy. Your fancy numbers mean nothing to me :-P

[@andrewoh1663]

Vee twins are suboptimal in several respects: > They don't fit into a motorcycle frame very well. >The air intakes, filter and exhausts are hard to arrange neatly. >They're expensive to make due to having 2 x cylinder heads, camshaft drive gear and water supply tubing. Best practice for a mid-range bike is still the good old parallel twin.

[@johnfragos7660]

Having a soul is a requisite element of biking, V2's are the soul

[@andrewoh1663]

@@johnfragos7660 You've lost me there pal. Motorcycles have souls???

[@brunocarmona4958]

The Triumph Street Triple is the closest to a perfect motorcycle that was ever made.

[@markholmes5695]

Sfv4 for me

[@fiveforbiting]

Yes.

[@seebarry4068]

Its nice having a 200+ mile tank range, not useful if you have 50 mile seat comfort.

[@oknevals]

I only saw title and came to ask, perfect for what? Maybe I see vid later.

[@sd3457]

Something that looks like a Scrambler 900, with better suspension, bigger tank and less weight. Are you sure that the Svartpilen isn't self assembly from IKEA?

[@motocomconteudo497]

Is the same engine of BMW f800r? If so.. not a good one... tons of vibration... excessive engine breaking...

[@gerrybailey447]

BMW XR 1000.

[@emanuilzahariev9561]

Very interesting discussion guys, love the video. If I have to describe the perfect bike, it would be Honda cl500 looks with (hornet, transalp) 750 cc engine and price of 8000 - 8500 euros. The best part is we CAN get this bike the next year if honda make it happen. It would be brilliant.

[@Derolo808]

A perfect motorcycle has wind protection.

[@konfunable]

I don't get it. 401 svartpilen first gen was the best design and I really don't like the direction the design took after that....

[@Pillokun]

svartpilen? what? just get an old sd 990 or smc and just make it a bit lighter and u will have a super light and nimble bike that is light years better than the duke 790/890/990/svart pilen 801, why? Because of the weight.

[@viraltube4232]

For Me I Would Say " BMW R nineT " Is A Perfect Bike... What Do You Guys Think...??

[@PerfectlyNormalBeast]

That's what I landed on (2022) Shaft drive, basic classic looking bike. Luggage rack and side bag Great bike

[@formernorcal2530]

No the Svartpilen is not the perfect bike. What does Svartpilen mean?

[@gueviemoncor328]

Black arrow

[@bulthaosen1169]

No. Its not.

[@fidobite3798]

A boxer twin? You mean the engine design that uses its valve train as the crash bars for the bike? Yeah, I've always thought this must be the most ignorant design of all time ever since a friend out riding his 90's bmw with me crashed & punched a hole through his valve cover ruining the day for both of us. A simple tip-over that wouldn't have hurt a thing on my inline 4 at the time. 🤬

[@Bonercondoner]

I think the perfect bike is the nuda 900r.

[@paulred158]

It would be if you could get parts.