India-spec Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 is spotted with alloys similar to that on the KTM motorcycles.
The first thing that would come to your mind when you see the bike is that, have I seen those alloys somewhere? Yes, they are the same as fitted on the KTM bikes. It’s not sure whether the company did it for the cost-cutting aspect, but it also means that those rims can hold tubeless tyres. The India-spec model comes with MRF tyres, unlike the European-spec, that is wrapped in Metzeler Sportec M5.
The seat is a split unit instead of a single-piece one seen on the European-spec bike. It is also broader at the rear, with bigger grab rails to make it more practical for the pillion. The radiator on the Vitpilen 401 is seen with a guard, that is absent on the European-spec bike. The crash guards are also similar to that of the KTM bikes. The test vehicle is wrapped up in camo and the body panels and the exhaust don’t look like the finished products, hinting that the bike is still in pre-production stage.
Husqvarna might be experimenting with locally-sourced parts to bring down the production costs. The bike is seen with a different exhaust set-up than on the European-spec as well as the Duke 390. The exhaust downpipe first goes downwards and then towards the rear of the bike. This all may be done to make the bike BS6 compliant as the market would have fully adopted BS6 norms by 2020.
The Vitpilen 401 is expected to feature a 373cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that churns out 43 BHP and 37 Nm of torque. The engine is also expected to get a 6-speed gearbox and a dual-channel ABS is likely to be offered as standard. The expected price of the Vitpilen 401 is around Rs. 3 lakhs (ex-showroom). The BMW G310 R and Benelli TNT 300 will be the key rivals of the Vitpilen 401.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 India
– It get alloys and engine crash guard from KTM bikes which could be a measure to cut costs
– The bike sits on WP sourced USD front forks and monoshock suspension at the rear
– Exhaust setup is different from the European-spec Vitpilen 401, it is unlikely that the power figures will remain identical to the European-spec model
Source – BikeDekho.com
