Husqvarna, the Austria-based bikamaker, has finally announced its arrival in the Indian market with the launch of two motorcycles - Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 - at a special introductory price of Rs 1.80 Lakhs (Ex. Showroom, Delhi). Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 is a cafe-racer while Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 is a scrambler. Being based on the KTM 250 Duke, the duo undercuts 250 Duke by Rs 20,000 in terms of pricing. However, as mentioned by the company, it is just the 'special introductory price' and it remains to be seen how much hike the bikes going to see once it ends.
KTM India had stated that it will project Husqvarna as a more 'premium' brand than the KTM itself in the country. But, it appears that Husqvarna is taking a more aggressive route to attract buyers and establish itself in the Indian market. Both the bikes will be retailed via the KTM dealerships which have undergone upgradation to accommodate the new brand. Initially, the Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 will be available across 100 showrooms in 45 cities while gradually the availability will be expanded to 400 showrooms across 275 locations in an estimated time frame of five months. The first deliveries of the Husqvarna duo is expected to begin from March. For those asking, both the bikes are only Rs 7000 more expensive than the KTM 200 Duke.
Mechanically, they share several components with the KTM 250 Duke including the powertrain. The duo draws power from the 248.8cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder petrol engine which delivers top power of 30bhp at 9000rpm and peak torque of 24Nm at 7500rpm. The engine is linked to a 6-speed gearbox while the Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 weigh around 153kgs and 154kgs, respectively. The exterior styling is borrowed from their elder 401 siblings, save for the introduction of alloy wheels in place of wire spoke wheels. Speaking on the occasion Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto Ltd. Said, “The premium motorcycle segment has seen a strong growth in India over the last five years of almost 19 percent CAGR, with two broad classes of motorcycles – sporty high-performance motorcycles and lifestyle motorcycles with limited performance.