A subsidiary of the KTM AG, Husqvarna motorcycles will be brought to India by Bajaj Auto Ltd in the first week of December this year
Given the partnership between Bajaj and KTM, the Indian two-wheeler manufacturer confirmed that it will be bringing the Husqvarna brand to India in 2019 with the introduction of two models – the Svartpilen 401 and the Vitpilen 401. According to previous reports, the Husqvarna motorcycles will be retailed through KTM dealerships itself.
Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto Ltd. during an interview said that, “A series of new product launches will be seen as soon as the transition period from BS4 to BS6 will come to an end. Husqvarna’s bikes will be launched in the first week of December and it will be available for retail sales from January or February.”
The Vitpilen 401 is a café racer, whereas the Svartpilen is a scrambler offering, sporting the same 373 cc engine. Interestingly, the said unit is also the same liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine, that comes mated to a 6-speed transmission with the KTM 390 Duke in India. The engine has a maximum power output of 43 hp at 9,000 rpm, and a peak torque of 37 Nm.
Earlier this year, Husqvarna had also announced plans to introduce an automatic clutch option with both the Vitpilen and the Svartpilen motorcycles, but it is yet to be seen if the India-spec motorcycles will be offered with it.
Expect both the bikes to get a longer pillion seat, along with grab handles when the motorcycles are introduced in India next month. A test mule of the Svartpilen was spotted in the country, wearing heavy camouflage, sporting KTM 390 Duke-sourced alloy wheels, unlike the multi-spoke alloy wheels on the international model as well recently.
The KTM 390 Duke currently has a starting price of Rs 2.48 lakh (ex-showroom). Even though the production-ready versions of both the Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401 are yet to be revealed in India, expect the Husqvarna bikes to carry a premium over the price of the KTM 390 Duke.