Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250: Which Bike Should You Buy?

Husqvarna is ready to start its new innings in Nepal with the introduction of the 2020 Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 street bikes. The Swedish company is owned by KTM AG where Bajaj Auto has a 48 percent stake. The company which has blossomed into one of the most admired European motorcycle brands in modern times is synonymous with class-leading enduro, motocross, supermoto, and dual-sport models.Husqvarna was founded in 1689 in the southern Swedish town of 'Huskvarna', to produce muskets for the Swedish Army. Motorcycle production began in 1903, making Husqvarna Motorcycles one of the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturers with uninterrupted production.In 2017, the company re-entered the street segment by launching the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 production models adding a premium street line-up to the already existing impressive portfolio of enduro and motocross motorcycles. Three years later, in a bid to further grow the brand, the Swedish manufacturer entered the Indian, South East Asia, and Latin American market with the 250cc street twins - the Vitpilen and Svartpilen 250.  However, the India story is different. Husqvarna India makes the Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 at Bajaj’s Chakan factory and exports it to select international markets including Nepal.Speaking of the Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250, the former is a café racer style bike while the latter follows a scrambler type design language. Both the bikes share their underpinnings with the KTM 250 Duke including the drivetrain. Key highlights include a neo-retro design language, lightweight steel trellis frame, WP suspension with upside-down forks, Bosch Dual Channel ABS system, LED headlight and taillight, and 17” cast aluminium wheels.Trying to figure out which of these models to buy? Read belowThe Svartpilen 250 is a scrambler so it comes with a tall single-piece handlebar for a more upright riding posture. The Vitpilen 250, on the other hand, is a café racer and it comes fitted with low clip-on handlebars and a forward-leaning riding stance.The Svartpilen 250’s dark color with a contrasting fuel tank, white accents, and a silver tail section give the motorcycle a rigorous look as compared to the Vitpilen 250. The Vitpilen 250, on the other hand, gets a white fuel tank with a grey tail section and silver accents.Both Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 share the same 248.8 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that does duty in the KTM 250 Duke. The motor produces 29.5 hp at 9,000 rpm and 24 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. The gearbox is a six-speed unit, and both bikes are equipped with a slip and assist clutch. The engine is BS-VI compliant.The Svartpilen 250 also gets a tank rack to strap a tank bag that the Vitpilen doesn’t. Similarly, the Svartpilen has eight-spoke rims with dual-purpose MRF Revz FD tyres for soft off-roading and the Vitpilen has five-spoke alloys with road-focused MRF Revs FC 1.Both the motorcycles only hold 9.5-litres of fuel and the claimed fuel efficiency is 35 kmpl. Ground clearance stands at 145mm and the seat height is a massive 835mm as compared to an average Nepali build. In theory, those under 5’5” may struggle to plant their feet securely on the ground. However, we advise you to visit your nearest KTM showroom and jump on the bike to see if the seat height is comfortable.Suspension duties on the Husky twins are taken care of by upside-down WP fork at the front and a monoshock with adjustable preload at the rear. Both ends offer 142mm of travel. In terms of braking, both the motorcycles get the same brake setup – a 320 mm disc Bybre four-piston calliper on the front wheel and a single-piston calliper on a 230 mm disc on the rear wheel, supported by a dual-channel ABS. While the Svartpilen 250 weights 154 kg, the Vitpilen 250 is lighter by a kg.The Husqvarna twins will be sold out of KTM Showrooms which are being upgraded to sell both KTM and Husqvarna brands.Image courtesy - Zigwheels