Husqvarna Svartpillen 401 & Wittpillen 401 Overseas Test Ride

Text and Photographs/Tsutomu Ogawa

Husqvarna Motorcycles, with its roots in Scandinavian Sweden, has been under the KTM umbrella since 2013. The Svartpillen 401 and Vittpillen 401 were launched commercially in 2018, and their beautiful Scandinavian design quickly became the talk of the town.
Two such 401 series vehicles have been fully remodeled for the first time.
We attended a test ride event held in Spain.

Svartpillen 401 & Wittpillen 401 are fully remodeled for the first time!

Stroll through the city center with its European atmosphere and take a break at a trendy café. Watching the bikes standing in modern buildings and old streets. When I heard about the presentation of Svartpillen 401 & Wittpillen 401, I imagined such a slightly casual but elegant content.
However, the test ride was all winding and cornering from start to finish. But it was outstanding fun.

Although a little more familiar now, the Svartpillen 401 and Vittpillen 401 had no impact when they were introduced. The Scandinavian style, which resembles nothing else, is composed of white, black, and gray tones, as is typical of a manufacturer with Swedish origins. The reincarnated 401 series has firmly inherited this chic, beautiful, and mature atmosphere and design.

However, when you actually see it in front of you, it is one size larger than the previous model. The longer swing arm, longer wheelbase, and increased tank capacity are all contributing factors, but in the case of the Vittpillen 401, the change from a separate handlebar to an up-handle is also a reason for this impression.

But what about when you straddle the bike?
The seat height, which is 15mm lower than the previous model, gives the rider a sense of oneness with the bike. The handlebar position is also more natural. The previous Vittpillen 401 was hard to lean forward, but the new Vittpillen 401 has no worries about position.

Svartopiren 401 with block-pattern Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR on spoke wheels.
It also features a visor screen, under guard, carrier on the tank, grab bars, etc. (approx.) 5385 USD.

Position of the author Svartpiren 401, who is 165 cm tall and weighs 68 kg.

The Svartpillen 401 has good footing. Seat height is 820mm.

Vittpillen 401 with Michelin Road 6 on cast wheels. Functional parts such as brakes and rear suspension are integrated on the right side.
Each part is well-finished and the overall quality has been improved.
(approx.) 5385 USD

The position of the author, Vittpillen 401, who is 165 cm tall and weighs 68 kg.

The Vittpillen 401 has good foot grounding. Seat height is 820mm.

Thoroughly upgraded features and top power and control in the 400cc single-cylinder class

The single-cylinder engine in the new 401 series has been increased in displacement to 398.7 cc and delivers 45 hp. It has been given top-class capability as a 400cc single-cylinder sport motorcycle that can be ridden with a standard motorcycle license.
Electronic control is also enhanced. Power mode, traction control, cornering ABS, and Easy Shift for shifting up and down are also available.

The difference between the two cars is the color, and the tires and wheels. Svartpiren 401 means "black arrow" in Swedish, and Vittpiren 401 means "white arrow," which is reflected in the body color. In addition, the Svartpillen 401 has large block tires on spoked wheels, while the Vittpillen 401 has road tires on cast wheels.

The engine has been extended by 4 mm in stroke from the previous model, increasing displacement from 373 cc to 398.6 cc. It turns beautifully up to 11,000 rpm.

Front and rear suspensions are made by WP.
The front has rebound and compression damping force adjustment.
The rear has adjustable rebound damping force and preload.

The fuel tank capacity has been increased to 13 liters from the previous model's 9.5 liters.

A new aluminum swing arm was introduced to gain wheelbase.

Even if you start riding because you fall in love with the style, you may end up getting into sport riding!

We started on the Vittpillen 401. After passing through several roundabouts with the traction control activated right from the start, we suddenly entered a mountain pass with a series of medium to high speed corners. From there, we rode for almost an hour at high speed through the corners only.

I was able to quickly adapt to the high pace because of the high sportiness of the Wittpillen 401. After this, we continued to drive through the mountain pass, switching several times between the Svartpillen 401 and the Vittpillen 401. Perhaps due to the difference in tires, the Svartpillen seemed to be a little peculiar in the way the rudder angle was applied to the front wheel from an upright position.
However, after changing bikes several times, I did not mind this behavior.

The engine is an easily recognizable high-revving type. It delivers 45 hp and revs to 11,000 rpm. It is really fast. However, it is necessary to keep the rpm above 3,500 to get the desired response under normal conditions, and above 6,000 to get the desired speed.
In addition, it is necessary to open the throttle firmly when starting, which may take some getting used to if you are new to the motorcycle. In exchange, however, at high rpm, you get acceleration that is unimaginable from this styling.

The sportiness of the motorcycle is more than you can imagine. Frequent gear changes are necessary to get the acceleration you want, but this is followed up by the excellent up-and-down easy-shifting system. There were some jittery scenes in lower gears and at low speeds, but basically no clutch operation was necessary except when stopping, starting, making small turns in alleys, and making U-turns.

The older 401 series models seemed to be pulled by design and did not have this level of sportiness. It was understandable that the test ride course for the new Svartpillen 401 and Wittpillen 401 was mountain pass only. The more we rode, the clearer the athleticism became, and the more we were drawn to it.

The 400cc class is equipped with state-of-the-art electronic control. Power modes are street and rain, and ABS has a selectable supermoto mode that can cancel the rear.
It can also be synchronized with a smartphone.

Although the tire blocks are larger, the grip is very good and the Svartpillen 401 can run at the same high pace as the Wittpillen 401.

The Vittpillen 401 showed the athleticism that makes you want to call it a pure sports single.

Husqvarna Motorcycles Svartpillen 401 & Wittpillen 401 [2024] Main Specifications

Wheelbase: 1368±15.5mm
Vehicle weight (excluding fuel):159kg（154.5kg）
Engine: Air-cooled 4-stroke DOHC 4-valve single cylinder 398.6cc
Maximum output: 45 PS/8500rpm
Max. torque: 3.98kgf-m/7000rpm
Fuel tank capacity: 13L
Transmission: 6-speed return
Brakes: F=disc, R=disc
Tire: F=110/70-17, R=150/60-17
Price: (approx.) 5385 USD
Figures in (parentheses) are Wittpillen 401.