The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 are all-new this year, from the engine to the chassis. The single-cylinder urban rippers get more displacement, lighter weight, upgraded suspension, and more. So, without further delay, let’s take an in-depth 20 Fast Facts look at the new closely related 401 street-going siblings from Austria.
- The displacement for the 401 motors used in the 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 is now closer to 401cc. Husqvarna lengthened the stroke of the new-generation LC4c 401 powerplant by four millimeters to provide a 23cc displacement bump to 399cc.
- The cylinder of the 401 motor has a plasma coating. Husqvarna claims this is a more environmentally friendly process than a Nikasil coating.
- New cams have increased lift for higher performance.
- The cylinder head is smaller to reduce weight. However, the size of the valve cover is increased.
- Dell’Orto takes over EFI duties from Bosch, and the 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 now have a ride-by-wire arrangement. The throttle body diameter remains unchanged at 46mm. The injectors now send fuel directly into the two intake valves. Air comes from a new airbox with air taken in from the front of the chassis.
- The new stainless steel exhaust system is 4.4 pounds lighter for 2024. It’s a dual-catalyst design.
- The 401 motor now has two power modes—Street and Rain. Traction control can be set to Street, Rain, or Off. You can also set a maximum speed, and the 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 won’t exceed it.
- Heat management has been improved. The new 401 motor warms up faster, and the cooling system jumps into action faster to prevent overheating.
- The six-speed transmission gets numerous updates, including a quickshifter. Husqvarna’s quickshifter allows for gear changes at an rpm, regardless of the load on the engine. Also, the shift lever has a shorter throw and a new shift drum. While the internal ratios of the gearbox are unchanged, the primary and final drive ratios are new.
- The clutch is updated to include an assist function. This is compensation for higher spring rates to accommodate the larger displacement motor. The clutch retains its slipper function. Also, the clutch basket gears have been lightened.
- The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 chassis is all-new, including the suspension. It is still a trellis frame, though high-tensile steel has replaced chromoly. The shock is now a cantilevered side-mounted setup on a new arched swingarm to accommodate the larger airbox and allow for the seat height reduction of 0.7 inches to 32.2 inches. The new bolt-on subframe aided in the seat height drop.
- Husqvarna claims a “significantly improved, enhancing stability and control at higher speeds” despite reducing the steering head angle one degree to 24 degrees. This is accomplished by giving the new frame added torsional rigidity and the implementation of new suspension units. The new forged aluminum triple clamps have one millimeter less offset than last year.
- The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 get new WP Apex suspension with enhanced adjustability. The new open-cartridge, split-damping fork has five-position damping adjustment available for compression and rebound; there is no spring-preload adjustment. The shock, which has progressive damping, can be adjusted for rebound damping and spring preload. Fork travel has been lengthened by about a third of an inch to 5.9 inches and now matches the rear wheel travel.
- The Svartpilen’s ergos are massaged slightly, while the Vitpilen gets a new handlebar and a more upright seating position. The Vitpilen’s handlebar has a straighter, flat bend, while the Svartpilen’s handlebar moves the grips into a scrambler-esque position.
- With more power and more aggressive handling, the 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 get improved braking. The front disc grows 20mm to 320mm and has a radially mounted ByBre caliper grasping it, plus an upgraded hydraulic system. Also, the front disc is now on the right side, so the 401s look better on the sidestand. The 240mm rear disc is also 20mm larger in diameter than last year. The Bosch 9.3MP ABS unit is two-channel and cornering-aware, and there’s a front-only Supermoto mode. Conveniently, if you select the Supermoto mode and turn either bike off, it will still be in Supermoto mode when you turn it back on.
- Wheels and tires are a differentiator between the Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401s. The Vitpilen gets new Michelin Power 6 rubber mounted to five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, positioning it as the sporty model. Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires on wire-spoked aluminum rims return, giving the Svartpilen a rugged scrambler-like look.
- Seating is another way to tell the Svartpilen from the Vitpilen at a glance. Both have seating for two, with the Svartpilen having a two-piece setup with a hand grab, and the Vitpilen going with one long seat and a passenger strap. If you’d like, you can switch the seats between them.
- The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 get a new five-inch TFT display, switchgear, mirrors, footpegs, USB-C charging port, and LED lighting. The turn signals are now auto-cancelling. The Svartpilen 401 has a headlight cowl.
- You can pair your smartphone with the dash via the Ride Husqvarna app. This gives you turn-by-turn navigation, along with the ability to control your music player and answer phone calls.
- The 2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 will hit dealer showrooms in March. We don’t have prices yet, however.
Location photography by Alessio Barbanti
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (and Vitpilen 401) Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Single cylinder LC4c
- Displacement: 399cc
- Bore x stroke: 89 x 64mm
- Compression ratio: 12.6:1
- Valvetrain: DOHC; 4 valves
- Fueling: Dell’Orto EFI w/ 46mm throttle body
- Exhaust: Stainless steel
- Lubrication: Wet sump w/ 2 oil pumps
- Cooling: Liquid
- Transmission: 6-peed
- Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ slip and assist functions
- Final drive: X-ring 520 chain
CHASSIS
- Frame: Steel trellis
- Handlebar: Aluminum
- Front suspension; travel: Damping-adjustable WP Apex inverted 43mm fork; 5.9 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Cantilevered rebound-damping and spring-preload adjustable WP Apex progressive-damping shock; 5.9 inches
- Wheels: Wire-spoke w/ aluminum rims (Vitpilen: Cast aluminum)
- Front wheel: 17 x 3.0
- Rear wheel: 17 x 4.0
- Tires: Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR (Vitpilen: Michelin Power 6)
- Front tire: 110/70 x 17
- Rear tire: 150/60 x 17
- Front brake: 320mm disc w/ ByBre radially mounted 4-piston caliper
- Rear brake: 240mm disc w/ ByBre 2-piston floating caliper
- ABS: Cornering-aware Bosch 9.13MP 2-channel
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 53.4 inches
- Steering head angle: 24 degrees
- Triple clamp offset: 1.3 inches
- Trail: 3.7 inches
- Seat height: 32.2 inches
- Tank capacity: 3/4 gallons
- Curb weight: 351 pounds (Vitpilen: 341 pounds)
2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Price: $TBA MSRP
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Price: $TBA
2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Photo Gallery
2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Photo Gallery
