A camouflaged test mule of the upcoming Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 was recently spotted testing in India, and for the first time around the bike has been spied with alloy wheels. In fact, the bike appears to be running on the same 17-inch KTM orange alloys that currently do duty on the 390 Duke. While globally, the bike is available only with spoked wheels, this is a possible indication that the company might consider alloy wheels for the India-spec model, however, right now it's too soon to confirm the possibility.
Bajaj Auto has already confirmed that the Husqvarna brand will be launched in India during the 2018-19 financial year, most likely in early 2019. The two-wheeler maker hasn't officially announced the product line for the Indian market yet, but the two suitors for us are the Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401. The names translate to 'Black Arrow' and 'White Arrow' respectively and prototype models of both the bikes have been spotted in India.
The bikes are based on the KTM 390 Duke and will be manufactured in India alongside other KTM bikes at Bajaj's Chakan plant. This particular prototype still appears to be in the early stages of testing because, in addition to the alloy wheels, the bike is also seen with the 390's belly pan and we can also see the KTM branding on the engine. This could mean that the company might be still in the process of sourcing parts from local suppliers.
In addition to the platform, the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 will also borrow the 373.2 cc single-cylinder engine from the Duke 390. In the latter, the engine produces 43.5 bhp and develops 37 Nm of peak torque, while paired with a 6-speed transmission. Considering the European-spec Svartpilen 401 offers the same power output, it's likely to remain unchanged in the India-spec models as well.
In terms of pricing then, the Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen and 401 Vitpilen are likely to be priced over the Rs. 3 lakh, well into the BMW G 310 territory, which should make for an interesting rivalry. Competition, of course, will come from the likes of the aforementioned BMW G 310 R and its cousin KTM 390 Duke.
Image Source: Motohive/Facebook
