Husqvarna 401 series to be CBU imports initially; local manufacturing to commence in 2019
According to a new report from Money Control, Bajaj-KTM will launch the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 and the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 in India as CBU imports, but local manufacturing is planned to kickstart soon after.
While local production of Husqvarna Motorcycles seems to be on schedule, the launch plans of the 401 twins have been revised. The motorcycles will be imported from Austria, as part of the brand building exercise, while locally produced bikes will hit the market in six months time. On June 27, we reported about Bajaj-KTM's plan to shift production of the Husqvarna 401 twins at the Chakan facility in Pune by early 2019.
While the company has not revealed the launch timeline, we won't be surprised to see the bikes being introduced in the coming months to take on the Royal Enfield 650 twins. Sure, the CBU import of the Husqvarna 401 twins will result in higher sticker prices. Speaking to analysts, Rakesh Sharma, Chief Commercial Officer, Bajaj Auto said:
“We will begin with models sourced out of Austria, but the teams are working in extending the partnership for design and development in India for the Husqvarna brand. I cannot talk about the timeline for launching the new line of products from Husqvarna.”
The company has opted for a ‘modern retro’ design language for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 and the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401. The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (Black Arrow) is a neo-scrambler with an upright riding posture, raised handlebar and knobby tyres. The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 on the other hand, is a modern cafe racer with clip-on handlebars, rear-set footpegs and slick tyres.
Both the bikes share various components like the chassis, engine, LED headlight, wheels and suspension (43 mm WP upside-down front forks and a rear mono-shock). They ride on 17-inch wire-spoke wheels. Braking department is handled by a 320 mm front rotor with radial mounted callipers and a 240 mm rear disc with a single-floating calliper.
Also Read: EICMA 2018: Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 Aero Concept unveiled [Video]
The Husqvarna 401 twins employ a 373.2cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve, liquid-cooled engine, which powers the KTM Duke 390 and the KTM RC 390 as well. The fuel-injected motor is tuned to produce 43.5 bhp of maximum power and 37 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed transmission. Features like a slipper clutch, ride-by-wire throttle, full-digital instrument cluster and switchable dual-channel ABS will be standard.
[Source: Money Control]
