Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1426751
FIRST LOOK I 2022 HUSQVARNA NORDEN 901 P50 I t's been two years since we first laid eyes on the concept Husqvarna Nor- den 901, and now we have the produc- tion-ready version. The best news is that it looks nearly identical to the prototype, which is a rare and welcome thing. In keeping with tradition, the Husqvar- na borrows heavily from its KTM equiva- lent, this being the 890 Adventure. As such, the motor, frame, swingarm and wheels are all lifted directly from the Adventure, although the WP Apex fork and shock get a bit more travel with 8.7 inches at both ends. The higher-spec KTM Adventure R, for comparison, gets 9.5-inches travel front and rear. The motor cranks out a claimed 105 horsepower at 8000 rpm and 74 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm and is matched to a similar electronics suite—just rebranded— t's been two years since we first laid eyes on the concept Husqvarna Nor- eyes on the concept Husqvarna Nor- eyes on the concept Husqvarna Nor den 901, and now we have the produc- tion-ready version. The best news is that it looks nearly identical to the prototype, which is a rare and welcome thing. In keeping with tradition, the Husqvar- In keeping with tradition, the Husqvar- In keeping with tradition, the Husqvar na borrows heavily from its KTM equiva- lent, this being the 890 Adventure. As such, the motor, frame, swingarm and wheels are all lifted directly from the Adventure, although the WP Apex fork and shock get a bit more travel with 8.7 inches at both ends. The higher-spec KTM Adventure R, for comparison, gets The motor cranks out a claimed 105 horsepower at 8000 rpm and 74 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm and is matched to a similar electronics suite—just rebranded— that you'll find on the KTM. Street, Off Road and Rain modes are complemented by the Explorer mode, which is basically the same as the KTM Rally mode on the Adventure R, in that it unlocks the trac- tion control, letting you select one of nine levels. Other electronic goodies included are Bosch IMU, cornering ABS with an off- road mode that takes the system off the rear wheel, Bluetooth connectivity for your smartphone and cruise control. Where the Norden is vastly different is in the styling. Although the motorcycle still uses the KTM's low-slung gas tank, it has been restyled to match the Norden's aes- thetic and, consequently, has dropped 0.3 gallons for a five-gallon capacity. The styling is reminiscent of Dakar racers of the 1980s, although a touch of modernism is apparent with the circular LED light setup that gives a doff of the cap to the Husqvarna Svartpilen and Vitpilen street-bike range. The Norden will be available in deal- ers at the end of this month for $13,999 MSRP. CN