2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801
Husqvarna has introduced the Svartpilen 801 in a bid to take things a little more upmarket in regards to their road offerings with this new, larger capacity and quite stylish naked.
The 701 Husky was a single-cylinder 690 Duke-derived machine, but the new 801 is based on the parallel-twin-powered 790 Duke.
The increase in performance with this bigger engine is obvious. However, it does come with a 22kg weight penalty over the single. At an enticing 181 kilograms, the Svartpilen is still a fairly lithe machine in this category.
You will have at your disposal a claimed 105 hp and 87 Nm of torque from the liquid-cooled DOHC 799 cc parallel-twin. This engine is produced in China, which will hopefully keep the bike at a very competitive price-point.
The engine itself weighs 52 kg dry, runs a semi dry-sump, has assembled camshafts rather than forged, and the cam profiles have been tuned for torque. There are also 36 mm steel intake valves, and 29 mm exhaust valves run with oval steel springs, and actuated by DLC finger followers, with a hydraulic cam-chain tensioner for reliability.
The horizontally-split crankcases allow for the large 88mm bore and are high-pressure cast aluminium, which optimises wall-thickness and saves weight. The sleeveless aluminium cylinders are Nikasil coated, and are of open-deck construction, which assists cooling. The semi-dry sump offers reduced friction losses, and results in a more physically compact engine, this comes with two oil pumps, one to scavenge and one to pressurise.
As mentioned above, the pistons are forged aluminium, with a bridged-box design and three piston rings each, reducing weight and improving durability. Two oil jets cool each piston, and they provide a compression ratio of 12.5:1. There are also two balancer shafts to reduce vibration, one in front of the crankshaft and one between the camshafts.
That smoothness is further assisted by the two 46mm Dell’Orto throttle-bodies, which measure and regulate manifold pressure and run separate intake tracts for each cylinder. If poor-quality fuel finds its way into the tank, there’s a knock sensor to help the ignition to deal with the crap fuel. The six-speed gearbox runs glass bead-blasted teeth on the fourth, fifth and sixth gears for durability.
A RbW throttle feeds into an extensive electronics package, with three standard ride modes, Street, Rain, and Sport. The standard Easy Shift feature provides quick-shifter capabilities, which should be pretty slick, judging by the implementation of it in the new 401s. A slipper clutch is also standard.
Cornering traction control and cornering ABS are also standard, but you’ll need to fork out for the Dynamic Pack to get Motor Slip Regulation (10-level adjustable), Anti-Wheelie Control (five-level adjustable), and Cruise Control. You also get an additional ‘Dynamic’ ride mode with that pack.
A five-inch full-colour TFT display also offers an integrated USB-C connector for charging, while the connectivity comes standard and is accessed via the Ride Husqvarna Motorcycles app for turn-by-turn navigation, phone calls, and music.
On the chassis side, there’s a chromium-molybdenum steel frame matched to a cast aluminium sub-frame and swingarm, with the airbox engineered into that subframe.
Triple clamps are forged aluminium, as is the steering stem for engineered flex, and the aluminium ‘bars are tapered and come with a steel crossbar for strength. The mounts can be reversed to adjust the handlebar position by 7mm. There’s even a standard WP steering damper.
WP also provides the suspension, which consists of 43mm USD forks with 140mm of travel, with five-step clickers for rebound and compression adjustment, mirroring what we saw on the 401s. The rear shock offers 150mm of travel, with both pre-load and rebound adjustment.
J.Juan (owned by Brembo) provide the brakes, with radial four-piston front calipers and 300mm floating rotors, and that ABS system is by Bosch. The rear runs a 240mm rotor with a two-piston floating caliper. Calipers are black anodised with Husqvarna branding, but don’t hold quite the same sex-appeal as a set of Brembos.
Supermoto mode is a common feature on KTM and Husqvarna models, and it is linked to the Sport mode. You have to buy that Dynamic Pack to get switchable Supermoto ABS in the standard Street mode, which seems a bit contrived to force people into that purchase.
The wheels are cast alloy rims, both 17-inch and obviously tubeless, rather than the spoked wheels (tubed) on the Svartpilen 401. Pirelli MT60 RS rubber is fitted with a 120/70 front and 180/55 rear, and it does give the bike a more rugged look.
The two-piece seat is 820mm off the ground, and ground clearance is relatively generous at 174mm for what is a pretty road-centric machine. Alloy foot controls are designed to allow switching to race-pattern with no extra parts needed. The fuel tank also holds 14 litres, and they tell us there’s a premium filler cap with a machined Husqvarna logo if you’re into bling.
The styling closely follows the new Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401, though to my eye, it looks more refined, I’d say a little less out there or extreme, but it loses a tiny bit of that super-unique character that helped the previous machines stand out—and that includes the 701. The styling might make the new machine more widely appreciated by riders, but it may lose some of the more hardcore, we-like-slightly-weird-things fans.
The 2024 Svartpilen 801 will be available in Australia from July 2024 and New Zealand from August 2024 onwards, with pricing yet to be announced. For more information, head over to the Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia website.
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Specifications
| Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Specifications | |
| Engine | |
| Engine type | 2 cylinder, 4 stroke, DOHC parallel twin |
| Displacement | 799 cc |
| Bore x Stroke | 88 x 65,7 mm |
| Power | 77 kW (105 hp) @ 9250 rpm |
| Torque | 87 Nm @ 8000 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 12.5:1 |
| Starter/battery | Electric starter/12V 10Ah |
| Transmission | 6 gears |
| Fuel system | DKK Dellorto (Throttle body 46mm) |
| Control | 4 valves per cylinder / DOHC |
| Lubrication | Pressure lubrication with 2 oil pumps |
| Engine oil | Motorex, Power Synth SAE 10W-50Â |
| Primary drive | 39:75 |
| Final drive | 16:41 |
| Cooling | Liquid cooled with water/oil heat exchanger |
| Clutch | Cable operated PASC Slipper clutch |
| Engine management/ignition | Bosch EMS with RBW |
| Traction control | MTC (lean angle sensitive, 3-Mode, disengageable, Dynamic mode opt.) |
| Fuel consumption | 4,5 l/100km |
| CO2 Emissions | 106 g/km |
| Chassis | |
| Frame | Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated |
| Subframe | Cast aluminium, powder coated |
| Handlebar |  Aluminium, tapered with cross bar, Ø 28/22 mm |
| Front suspension | WP APEX-USD Ø 43 mm |
| Adjustability | Compression, Rebound |
| Rear suspension | WP APEX-Monoshock |
| Adjustability | Rebound, Preload |
| Suspension travel front/rear | 140 mm / 150 mm |
| Front brake | 2 x 4-piston caliper, radially mounted, brake disc Ø 300 mm |
| Rear brake | 2 piston floating caliper, brake disc Ø 240 mm |
| ABS | Bosch 9.3 MP (incl. Cornering-ABS and Supermoto mode, disengageable) |
| Wheels front/rear | Cast Aluminium wheels 3.50 x 17”; 5.50 x 17” |
| Tyres front/rear | Pirelli MT 60 RS R 17; R 17 |
| Chain | X-Ring 520 |
| Silencer | Stainless steel primary and secondary silencer |
| Steering head angle | 65,5° |
| Triple clamp offset | 32 mm |
| Trail | 97,9 mm |
| Wheel base | 1,388 mm ± 15 mm |
| Ground clearance | 174 mm |
| Seat height | 820 mm |
| Tank capacity (approx.) | 14 litres / 2.0 litres reserve |
| Weight (without fuel, approx) | Â 181 kg |
| Electronics | |
| ABS Modes | Street (cornering sensitive) / Supermoto |
| Ride Modes | Street, Rain, Sport, Dynamic* |
| Engine Management Systems | MTC, MSR*, Easy Shift |
| Cruise Control | TA |
| Connectivity | Turn-by-Turn+ Navigation, Call-In, Call-Out, Music Selection |
| Technical Accessories | Heated grips, alarm system, lithium ion battery |
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Gallery
