Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 will be retailed from February 2020 at KTM’s upgraded showrooms across the country
Bajaj Auto has taken the opportunity at the 2019 India Bike Week to unveil the Husqvarna brand for India. Showing its serious commitment to the domestic market, Husqvarna Motorcycle has arrived with two all-new bikes, the Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250.
The quarter-litre Vitpilen and Svartpilen will be retailed from February 2020 onwards in the domestic market and it has also been confirmed that the existing KTM dealerships across the country will be upgraded to accommodate the Husqvarna range of motorcycles.
The 116-year-old manufacturer moved to KTM AG’s ownership six years ago and is based at Mattighofen, Austria. It is housed along with their partners KTM Components GmbH and WP Suspension GmbH. Bajaj owns 48 per cent stake in the KTM AG group that composes of KTM & Husqvarna brands.
The Swedish motorcycle manufacturer is in continuous production since 1903 and has created motor racing legends mainly in the motocross arena. Bajaj has brought in Husqvarna as part of its Probiking Business Unit. Both the 250 cc bikes are equipped with a single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine.
Bajaj wants Husqvarna range to be a game-changer in the lifestyle premium bike segment and it has stepped into India to capitalise on the growth of the upmarket motorcycling space in the past half a decade. The Husqvarna twins are said to be for progressive urban riders with “an evolved taste, a strong appreciation for style”.
Both are built on the lightweight steel trellis frame we have already seen in the KTM range. They feature WP APEX suspension with upside down front forks, Bosch Dual Channel ABS system as standard, LED headlamp, LED tail lamp and indicators and 17-inch cast aluminium wheels among other features.
The DOHC 248.8 cc engine kicks out a maximum power output of 31 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 24 Nm of peak torque at 7,250 rpm – same as the Duke 250. Bajaj is pitching Husqvarna as a premium offering and it is rightly so. The build quality of the 250 twins is of high standards and they have a subtle Scandinavian design with a minimalistic approach.
The Svartpilen 250 has a more rugged styling and upright appeal than the Vitpilen 250 and it comes with dual-purpose tyres capable of both on- and off-roading. The Vitpilen 250, on the other hand, is sportier and has clip-on handlebars and a front lean riding position. It tips the weighing scale at 153 kilograms while the Svartpilen 250 is one kilo heavier.