Category: Concept Bike

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero concept is simply stunning…!

Along with their two new production-ready bikes, Husqvarna have also unveiled two new concept bikes at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. First up is the Vitpilen 401 Aero, which is Husqvarna’s interpretation of how a modern faired sportsbike should look like. While it shares its chassis and engine with the production-spec Vitpilen 401, the Aero also gets an aerodynamic fairing, which gives it oodles of café racer style. Its silver/black paintjob looks terrific and the riding position is sportier and more committed than what you’d find on the production Vitpilen 401.

“There’s always been a fascination for faired bikes and for the guys it’s been a real pioneering approach to add fairings to a naked bike to experience aerodynamics and so on, and that’s the approach we took with the Aero. Not in a scientific way, really looking for performance, but more the emotional way to suggest as if the wind or airflow would have sculpted the fairing of the bike,” says Maxime Thouvenin, Creative Lead – Transportation Design, Husqvarna. “More than in a naked bike, on the Aero you sit inside the machine and not on it anymore, and it creates a very different riding experience, as well as a very different visual impact not just from the outside, but also from the inside,” he adds.
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Like other concept bikes unveiled by Husqvarna at the EICMA in recent years, the new 401 Vitpilen and 401 Svartpilen look quite cool…

Husqvarna have this great tradition of showing one or two great looking concept bikes at the EICMA, and that tradition continued this year, with the 401 Vitpilen, 401 Svartpilen and 701 Supermoto.

The Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen (Swedish for ‘White Arrow’) draws on the DNA of the 1953 Silverpilen. 'A modern interpretation of the functional simplicity of the classic Silverpilen, the 401 Vitpilen combines contemporary technology, cutting-edge design and high quality hardware to deliver an uncompromised, genuine riding experience for the street,' says a press note from Husqvarna.

The Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen (Swedish for ‘Black Arrow’) concept is, according to the Swedish company, "A golden-age inspired modern streetbike that draws its design ethos from past iconic Husqvarnas. Reduced to the bare functional essentials, it’s free of gimmicks, gadgets and extravagant design embellishments. It ensures a riding experience that honours the simple idea behind early, pioneering Husqvarnas."

Both the 401s are powered by a lightweight and powerful single-cylinder four-stroke engine that's mounted in a compact chassis. "They bring back the honest and pioneering spirit of pure motorcycle riding from the good old days into our modern times," claim Husqvarna.

While the 401s are concept bikes, the 701 Supermoto is production ready and, according to Husqvarna, features "the finest craftsmanship and unparalleled single cylinder performance." The 701 gets bits like ride-by-wire throttle control and engine management, as well as high-spec WP suspension, dedicated supermoto ABS and APTC slipper clutch. With 67bhp from its single-pot engine, and a kerb weight of 145 kilos, the 701 should be great fun to ride.
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