Husqvarna Motorcycles North America Inc. has announced the availability of its 2023 street lineup, including the single-cylinder Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401, the versatile single-cylinder 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro, and the parallel-Twin Norden 901.
Related: Backcountry Discovery Routes to Give Away a 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901
The 2023 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro were made available in November at authorized Husqvarna Motorcycles dealers, while the Norden 901 arrives in December 2022. The Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 models will be available from January 2023 onward.
2023 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401
Husqvarna says the 2023 Svartpilen 401 is great for urban and rural settings alike, while the lower bar and sport tires of the 2023 Vitpilen 401 make it suitable for twisty roads or as a commuter. Both bikes feature a liquid-cooled 373cc single-cylinder engine making a claimed 44 hp and 27.29 lb-ft of torque, a 6-speed gearbox linked to an Easy Shift sensor allowing for clutchless gear changes, and PASC slip/assist clutch.
The steel trellis frames, low weight (approximately 333 lb dry weight for the Vitpilen 401 and 335 lb for the Svartpilen 401), and WP APEX suspension contribute to the bikes’ middleweight capabilities, and ByBre brakes and Bosch ABS offer powerful, controlled stopping. Both bikes have an approximately 2.5-gal fuel tank.
See all of Rider’s Husqvarna coverage here.
2023 Husqvarna 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro
For 2023, the main changes to the 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro are new colors and graphics.
Both bikes return with a liquid-cooled 693cc single-cylinder engine making a claimed 74 hp and 54.21 lb-ft of torque at 8,000 rpm, a 6-speed gearbox with the Easy Shift function, and the Adler APTC slip/assist clutch.
The 701 Enduro and 701 Supermoto are equipped with an LCD dashboard with a USB port and an RPM display and gear selection indicator. From the handlebar, riders can quickly personalize their machine by selecting from two ride modes. Mode 1 on both bikes offers sporty throttle response and cornering-sensitive traction control. Mode 2 on the 701 Enduro provides a smooth throttle response with off-road traction control, allowing wheel slip and lifting of the front wheel.
On the 701 Supermoto, Mode 2 provides a more aggressive throttle response with reduced traction control to allow for drifts and full control on slides. Riders can also deactivate traction control entirely.
The 701 Enduro has WP XPLOR suspension, and the 701 Supermoto has WP APEX suspension. Both bikes feature Brembo brakes (with 300mm/240mm front/rear discs on the 701 Enduro and 320mm/240mm on the 701 Supermoto) and cornering ABS that can be disengaged.
The 701 Enduro has a dry weight of approximately 322 lb, while the 701 Supermoto comes in at approximately 324 lb. Both bikes have 3.4-gal fuel tanks.
2023 Husqvarna Norden 901
Husqvarna says the Norden 901 delivers “the ideal blend of offroad capability and world-traveler ridability.” Our editor-in-chief put this claim to the test with his video review of the 2022 model after two days of on- and off-road testing on to São Miguel, Azores, a wet, foggy island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The Norden 901 is based on the KTM 890 Adventure platform. It’s powered by a liquid-cooled 890cc DOHC parallel-Twin that makes a claimed 105 hp at 8,000 rpm and 74 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm at the crank, a 6-speed sequential gearbox with the Easy Shift function, and a PASC slip/assist clutch. It features ABS (Road and Offroad modes), lean-angle-sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control, and cruise control and is equipped with adjustable WP APEX suspension, with 8.7/8.5 inches of front/rear travel.
For 2023, the Norden 901 features updated ride modes, including the return of Street, Offroad, and the optional Explorer mode, as well as a Rain mode that replaces the Urban mode on the 2022 model. Street mode gives direct throttle response with traction control suited for paved surfaces and Road ABS. Rain mode has controllable throttle response with reduced peak power and traction control engaged at lower rpms. Offroad mode has smooth throttle response and allows wheel spin before traction control is engaged and ABS is automatically adjusted to match terrain. The optional Explorer mode gives the rider full control over throttle response, peak power, and ABS.
For more information, visit the Husqvarna website.
2023 WILL BE THE YEAR I FINALLY BUY A 701SM
Do it. I love my ’22. Absolute scalpel in the twisties. very confidence inspiring feel and control.
My first road bike, having been racing 250 class motocross for 17 years.
I’m not exactly sure why, but I think I’d like a Svitpilen 401…
I know why—it’s a really sharp looking bike! I kinda still wish they made the 701. From everything I heard, was an amazing bike. The 401 equally so, but I kind of think of that as a bit more “beginner” engine displacement, versus the 650-750ish class that is great for a wider range of riders.
For that matter, even though it’d kill its off-road ability, I think the Norden 901 on 17″ wheels would be pretty great for sport-touring.
Damn man, I am the same way. I have a 500 EXC-F that I’m thinking about trading for one. I sat on one at a dealer and couldn’t get my ass off of it. I think it would work for even going off-road (I’m too old to hell it too much).
Mr too. It’ll do double-duty as a Dualsport if that’s your thing. 44 hp in a lightweight package Incan be a real hoot!