Husqvarna Vitpilen 250

The next-gen Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 is now here to continue on the legacy of the minimalist-looking Swedish motorcycles in India. It is an all-new bike with a new engine, chassis and a whole host of other new bits as well. So, does it have enough for you to consider it as your next 250cc purchase?

Husqvarnas have always stood out among other bikes in the Indian market with its sleek and minimalistic design. And the Vitpilen 250 maintains that approach. The round LED headlight complements the sharp design lines of the rest of the bike quite well. The fuel tank extending all the way to the side panels with “Vitpilen” badging give the bike a unique presence. And the sleek rear-end ties up the overall design quite well.  

Powering the Vitpilen 250 is the same 249.07cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine found in the new KTM 250 Duke. As such, it should offer some thrilling high-end performance, with the maximum amount of torque available beyond the 5,000rpm mark, allowing you to effortlessly cruise at speeds of 100-110kmph. Despite its peaky nature, it should also be tractable enough to move through city traffic scenarios without having to constantly shift gears to keep the engine running at a high rpm level.  

The all-new Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 gets a new trellis frame, subframe and swingarm, same as that of the KTM 250 Duke. This should result in some excellent handling characteristics and it should be a hoot of a motorcycle to ride especially when tackling corners on some mountain twisties. It gets the same brake setup as the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 with a 320mm front disc with sintered pads and 240mm rear disc brake setup with dual-channel ABS. This setup offers quite good stopping power, with the front brake lever offering good progressive feedback on the 401. Also, the 43mm WP Apex inverted fork and WP Apex monoshock with preload adjustability should absorb potholes and speed bumps with ease. 

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 gets quite a sporty riding position with rear-set footpegs. It has a somewhat tall seat height of 820mm, which should be a bit difficult to access for shorter riders. Combining all these factors, the Vitpilen 250 might not provide quite a comfortable riding experience when navigating through city traffic or during those long hours on the saddle. If the seat’s cushioning is on the firm side like the last-generation bike, then it should make touring a bit more comfortable. Also, because of the single-piece handlebar instead of the clip-ons in the previous-gen bike, the new Vitpilen 250 should offer a bit more comfortable riding position than before. 

The Vitpilen 250 gets a 5-inch LCD instrument console with no Bluetooth connectivity. The console also gives readouts such as speedometer, fuel level, odometer, gear position indicator and other regular readouts. It gets riding aids such as traction control, quickshifter and Supermoto ABS. So, for a 250cc bike, the Vitpilen 250 gets an extensive list of features, although the absence of Bluetooth connectivity feels like a big miss. 

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 offers a package of good performance, excellent handling characteristics and a more comfortable riding position than before. Yes, it misses out on some features compared to the KTM 250 Duke but it is also Rs 20,000 cheaper as well. So, if you are in the market for a performance-oriented 250cc bike with minimalist styling and a decent features package, then the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 is worth considering.