P98
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 801
switched to Supermoto mode that
allows the rear brake to lock up but
keeps ABS on at the front end. Front
ABS can never be switched off.
Once these settings were settled,
the Husky and I got on rather well.
The 799cc motor has two distinct
personalities, that of below 5000
rpm and that of above 5000 rpm.
Below 5K gives a cruisy demeanor,
and if you never ventured north of
this mark, I'm sure you'd be just
fine. Low-speed manners are very
good from the twin-cylinder, and
you can dumb it down even further
by selecting Road or Rain mode if
you fancy.
However, give the Vitpilen a kick
in the midsection, let it roar past
5000 rpm, and it's a different bike
entirely. The Vitpilen becomes
a right little brat, offering jumpy,
almost nervous performance that
sees you ripping toward the redline
way quicker than you might expect.
Given there's 64 lb-ft of torque on
offer, that may not seem like a lot,
but it's spread pretty wide across
the rev range. However, it's way
more fun keeping the revs in the
reds and having a sparring session
with the Vitpilen rather than holding
hands on the beach.
As you'd expect, Husqvarna has
outfitted the Vitpilen with sister
company WP's flashy forks and
shock, although they are not fully
adjustable at either end. What is
cool, however, is WP has drastically
simplified the range of adjustment
with five clicks of compression and
rebound damping on the fork, and
eight clicks of rebound damping on
the shock, but with adjustable pre
-
load. These clicks are down from
upwards
of 25 for both compres-
sion and rebound, meaning each
