Text/photo: OA isdahl

Speed Motorcenter got the Husqvarna agency earlier this year and has so far had a very good start with the brand. Husqvarna has always made fun motorcycles and for this year’s season we have the Svartlilen and Vitpilen 801. Two fairly similar yet very different motorcycles in the funfair category. Husqvarna describes it as a “pure romster” and it’s easy to agree.

I’ve been looking forward to riding this bike all summer, I rode the Svartpilen earlier and was therefore very excited to ride the Vitpilen which is a slightly more sporty version with “flat bar” this is a bit more cheeky. Terje Bredal was kind enough to deliver the bike to my house today and I’m going to ride it until the Touringtreffet at Beitostølen next weekend. There I’ll be sharing my experiences with anyone who wants to listen to a two-wheeled enthusiast.

I managed an evening trip on the first fall evening of the year with about 20 degrees and it was a festive pleasure. 105 hp and 87 Nm distributed on cheeky geometry numbers and a hefty 189 kg fully fueled is just fun. The seating position on the Vitpilen is a little more aggressive than on the Svartpilen and it does something to what sits between the ears. As everyone knows, the entire Husqvarna family comes from KTM, but Husqvarna has managed to preserve its own identity even though you can recognize the operation pattern of the engine, dampers, swingarm, frame, dampers and brakes.

Of course, the dampers come from KTM’s own WP shelves and it’s top equipment that delivers on a par with the other components. As we all know, KTM is good at performance and driving characteristics that stimulate both smile and laughter muscles.

Vitpilen challenges your driving skills

The LC8c engine has a nice throttle response and engine management and comes with ride by wire and four driving modes, rain, street, sport and dynamic, the last two mapping options continuously pump the 105 horsepower and 87 Newton meters straight into your veins and you notice it. Now I haven’t driven it much but of course I notice that I have to sharpen up, this “power to weight ratio” definitely challenges most people. The gearbox and the quick-change system work silky smooth and super fast and it becomes very clear to me in the course of a little evening hour that I’m the one who’s going to deliver the goods here, this bike is more than hefty enough in itself.

Yellow and cool

When it comes to design, the bike is a statement and clearly stands out from all comparable competitors. The Vitpilen has character and identity and is very different from all those in the mainstream category, simply cool that Husqvarna both wants and dares to be a little bit different. Yellow is undoubtedly cool, as is everything else on this motorcycle. I look forward to getting to know it better in the run-up to the Touringtreffet, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. As I said, I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and learning with anyone who cares to listen.

Here you get drama, satire and comedy in four acts and the quality of the performing arts is definitely high enough to create memorable experiences. Just like in the theater.

We look forward to seeing you.