Husqvarna Norden 901 Ready To Launch After receiving positive feedback,
Husqvarna announced it would build the bike. Then everything went a bit quiet. Now, however,
not only do we know it will be based on the KTM 890 Adventure but we also know it will,
in all likelihood, be officially launched at this year’s EICMA show in November as a 2022 model.
Husqvarna is releasing a series of teaser videos in anticipation of a launch announcement.
The first one was released this week and goes behind the scenes with the two designers, Marcello
Basilio and Jules Fontvielle, who were responsible for turning the concept into production reality.
the pair explain how inspiration for the Norden came from off-road and enduro bikes,
with classic and modern design cues. “We even took inspiration from the lightweight
FC motocross range and tried to apply that philosophy to a bigger bike,” says Marcello.
“We have a typical ultra-modern round light. It’s simple in itself. But it’s rich of detail.
Enough to give you a completely new feeling,” he added. Time flies doesn’t it? It’s already
been almost two years now since Husqvarna created a stir by releasing images of its
first adventure travel machine — the Norden 901. After receiving a resoundingly positive
reception for its new concept, Husqvarna announced they’d be moving forward with building the bike.
Since then, details have been scarce about the new model’s specs and features but we do know it will
be based on the KTM 890 Adventure platform. Other than that, we’ve seen different spy shots floating
around the Internet showing it being tested and we know from an interview with KTM Group Head,
Stefan Pierer, we can expect it to be released as a 2022 model. Now Husqvarna
appears to be ramping up its teaser marketing in preparation for an imminent launch announcement.
This week the Swedish-born brand started a new video series about the origins of the Norden 901
that takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes look at the journey the company took to develop its
first adventure bike. In this first episode, we meet the two Kiska designers — Italian Marcello
Basilio and Frenchman Jules Fontvielle — who were responsible for transforming the Norden 901 from a
vision into reality. Both united in their love for 80’s rally bikes, Jules and Marcello were
the perfect mix of passion and flair to bring the Norden 901 to life. The video goes on to explore
how the Norden’s inspiration came from Rally and Motocross bikes, and how they integrated both
classic and modern designs to create a completely new statement. “We even took inspiration from the
lightweight FC motocross range and tried to apply that philosophy to a bigger bike,” says Marcello.
The team wanted the Norden to be simple, progressive and approachable. Something
instantly recognizable. “We have a typical ultra-modern round light. It’s simple in itself.
But it’s rich of detail. Enough to give you a completely new feeling,” adds Marcello. All the
while, the Kiska duo ensured function was followed by aesthetics, and they achieved a design that is
truly Husqvarna, inspired by the rugged beauty of Scandinavia. No details have been released on
what’s next for future episodes, but we expect the series will give an inside look at everything from
engineering to final production, and hopefully reveal other details about the bike that have
been obscured from the public so far. If you are a fan of the Norden 901, keep an eye out for the
next episode to drop soon, or better yet Husqvarna Norden 901 is almost ready and should arrive in
2022. Husqvarna it is working on Norden 901, its 900cc bigtrail motorcycle, which should reach the
market in 2022. The model already appears in some images being tested in Europe, and has a design
very similar to the Yamaha Ténéré 700. There is a lot of fairing covering the engine, sides,
suspension fork and even the front brake disc. The headlight seems to be a little out of line
with the whole, as it is round. In addition to it, there are also round auxiliary lights.
Information says that the engine of the Husqvarna Norden 901 is the same as the KTM 890 Duke R,
a 889 cm³ twin-cylinder which, in the ‘naked’, has a maximum power of 121 HP.
The expectation is that the adventurer will have a little less, giving priority to torque. Some say
that the base of the Norden 901 is the KTM 890 Adventure, meaning the chassis, suspension and
rear balance are the same. Anyway, we’ll have to wait to confirm the information, but from
the images, the Husqvarna 901 appears to be a very robust motorcycle, good for travel and adventure.
As well as amazing views of Iceland, what the video really shows us is just how capable the
new bike will be (especially in the right hands). So far all we’ve been able to garner from the bike
is what it’s like to ride on the road, when MCN bagged an exclusive first ride last year.
At the time we said: "it offers a slightly softer – luxurious, even - more real- world alternative
to the sportier 890 Adventure R. It’s subtly more welcoming, especially as you sit more in the bike
than on it, so you feel more part of the bike and can ride it more intuitively." But now having seen
it do the business off-road, it’s clear that it’s just as capable as its orange counterpart.
Concentrating on the bike, it’s clear that these machines are one step closer to production,
quite possibly even full production spec, and that very little has changed between these
and the first prototypes we saw two years ago. The biggest change, other than the paint finish,
is that the two-part split dash has gone in favour of a more conventional TFT – albeit not the one
from the 890 Adventure, with Husky instead opting for the 5in full colour unit from the 1290 Super
Duke R. It’s no real surprise to see a few items carry over from the 890 accessories catalogue,
including the Akrapovic pipe. We’re expecting Husqvarna to unveil two versions of the
Norden – a more off-road and adventure focused version with a high mudguard,
longer-travel suspension and dual sport tyres as well as a more touring focused
model with shorter suspension, comfier seat, larger screen and road-biased tyres.