However, while KTM says that they will continue working with the Aki Ajo team in the Moto2 category, there’s no mention of Tech 3 anywhere. That would mean that Hafizh may face fewer options.
The manufacturer made the announcement at their “home” Austrian MotoGP round, where they signed a contract with Dorna to remain in the series for another five years. That means the factory will continue for a total of another seven years.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer says that the decision will allow them to pool their resources and concentrate on MotoGP. The sentiment was echoed by Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director.
Putting more focus on Moto3 would do the brand some good, as well and paves the way for the return of Husqvarna to roadracing. The brand is currently owned by KTM and it’s expected that a new model albeit using KTM’s technical expertise will be unveiled.
Honda has dominated the series for the past number of seasons.
KTM akan memberikan fokus sepenuhnya kepada saingan MotoGP musim depan apabila membuat keputusan untuk meninggalkan Moto2.
Pengeluar motosikal Austria itu turut menjenamakan semula ke nama Husqvarna bagi kelas Moto3.
Keputusan tersebut dibuat selepas KTM bergelut dalam saingan Moto2 – meskipun Brad Binder berjaya julang KTM di laman sendiri hari ini – apabila beralih ke enjin Triumph.
KTM sebelum ini pernah beraksi di Moto3 di bawah jenama Husqvarna bagi musim 2014 dan 2015 dan berjaya menaiki podium menerusi Danny Kent, namun KTM mengesahkan akan menghasilkan jentera Husqvarna serba baharu musim depan.
Pembubaran KTM di Moto2 memberi ruang kepada mereka untuk memberikan tumpuan sepenuhnya di MotoGP selepas menandatangani kontrak lanjutan lima tahun ( dengan kontrak semasa masih berbaki dua tahun) untuk kekal dalam kelas premier.
“Kami telah membuat keputusan proaktif untuk kekal komited dalam saingan MotoGP untuk tempoh lima tahun lagi.
“Kami kini ada tujuh tahun untuk muncul sebagai pasukan tonggak di MotoGP, tempoh sama yang kami gunakan untuk memulakan dominasi di Rali Dakar,” jelas Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) KTM, Stefan Pierer.
Husqvarna is venturing into the road motorcycle segment as well.
The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Husqvarna Vitpilen 701, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 have arrived in Malaysia.
Each model line-up caters to a different sub-category, although they share the same engine platform.
Husqvarna is very much well-known for their dirt bikes, but the manufacturer has recently forayed in road motorcycles. The recently-launched Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Husqvarna Vitpilen 701, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 have made their way to Malaysia.
The Swedish brand is now under the KTM umbrella. They produce their own motorcycle line-up, although their engines share the same architecture as KTM’s.
We found the bikes listed in Chia Motor PJ’s Facebook page. So please refer to the attached links for more information.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 (Selling price from RM 44,500)
Husqvarna calls the Vitpilen 401 as a fresh and simple approach to motorcycling. It is subtle and style focused, stripped of everthing superfluous.
Those are the company’s lines, produced by a copywriter. We see the bike as a modern interpretation of the evergreen café racer layout.
Highlights
373cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine.
The engine produces 44 bhp (32 kW) and 37 Nm of torque.
Bosch fuel injection engine management system (EMS).
Ride-by-wire throttle.
6-speed transmission.
PASC assist and slipper clutch.
Steel trellis frame.
WP upside-down forks.
WP monoshock rear suspension.
BYBRE front and rear disc brakes.
Bosch 9M+ two-channel ABS.
Spoked wheels.
148 kg dry.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 (Selling price from RM68,500)
As the name suggests, the Vitpilen 701 is the more powerful version of the Vitpilen 401. However, there are many styling and component differences between the two models.
Highlights
692.7cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine.
The engine produces 75 bhp (55 kW) and 72 Nm of torque.
Keihin EMS.
Ride-by-wire throttle.
Traction control.
Up and down quickshifter.
6-speed transmission.
APTC assist and slipper clutch, hydraulically actuated.
Steel trellis frame.
Fully adjustable WP upside-down forks.
Fully adjustable WP monoshock rear suspension.
Brembo front and rear disc brakes.
Bosch 9M+ two-channel ABS.
Cast wheels.
157 kg dry.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (Selling price from RM 44,500)
The Svartpilen 401 is the “scrambler” of the line-up, with a higher handlebar and knobby tyres. Its lines follow those of the Vitpilen 401 but with differences in the details. The seats are longer and lower, too.
Highlights
373cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine.
The engine produces 44 bhp (32 kW) and 37 Nm of torque.
Bosch fuel injection engine management system (EMS).
The Husqvarna 701 Supermoto brings the excitement of supermoto racing to the streets.
Supermoto combines dirt riding with road racing styles, meaning a bike that’s super agile.
Riding it is the best fun one could have.
Uncle next door smiled and nodded his head. “So, what are you riding today?” as he walks closer while scanning the white, blue and yellow Husqvarna 701 Supermoto. He looks like he was leaving to meet his buddies at the coffee shop to discuss the ways on how the country should be run.
“It’s a supermoto, a Husqvarna 701 Supermoto,” I answered.
“Looks like it to a plantation for durian kampung, I suppose” he replied, obviously oblivious to what’s termed as a supermoto.
“Oh… How much is this thing?”
I told him the price and cringed as soon as I did. Because I knew what was coming next.
“WAHLAO EH! You might as well get a mini-SUV!”
“Yeah, but bikes are more fun.”
“Fun? What kind of fun?”
And that opens up the question. How does one define “fun”?
We’ve been salivating over the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto ever since it was unveiled to the public at the end of 2015. Although looks like a rebadged KTM 690 SMC R (KTM owns Husqvarna now), the bike was originally designed by Husky. It looked better in Husky’s white, blue and yellow livery, definitely.
But for 2017/2018, Husqvrna did the right thing to upgrade the engine like the one in this durian bike.
The engine is sourced not from the 690 Duke as most would believe but from the 690 SMC R
I first rode it around on the streets like I would on dirt-bikes: Gingerly. But it all changed as soon as I hit the first roundabout. But my road ridings habits took over subconsciously and I leaned into the corner. The Husky snapped over like a bicycle! I almost ran over the roundabout’s curb.
Now I let loose. For the next corner, I sat up on the outside, stuck my leg out and steered the bike. It responded immediately to the command, but the sole of my boot was still a long way from skimming the road surface.
While there are bikes on which you have to mind the throttle unless you want to discover how a Vellfire’s rear door feels like, the 701 Supermoto encourages to open up. And opening up on the throttle of the 701 Supermoto enriches your life.
That’s because the engine is incredibly smooth, regardless if you’re just trotting or on a last lap type charge. Speeds picks up quickly too but you are far from being intimidated and use it to blow away traffic like the bow waves behind a boat.
I’m sorry, did I say, “trotting”?
My bad, because the 701 Supermoto isn’t about trotting. It’s about summoning all your street, worries, grudges, and general unhappiness into one spot and blasting them away on this bike.
It’s not just about medium to long corners on the bike as you can readily chuck it into that pesky, off-camber corner at the intersection or even a decreasing radius corner, because changing lean angle is done without needing (too) much analysing.
In other words, it’s almost impossible to be a good boy on this bike. In fact, I got so guilty I handed the bike over to Sep and Oh Kah Beng for their turn of the fun.
“Man, it was so difficult to ride responsibly on this bike,” gushed Sep, “and it’s fast too. I grabbed some big throttle and it was off to more than almost twice the speed limit.”
Our MX-guru, “Foreman” Oh Kah Beng rode the bike at his Most Fun Gym facility on the standard road tyres. “We use road tyres in supermoto racing anyway,” he said.
“The Husky 701 Supermoto is just so much fun!” he exclaimed. “I could just do anything with the bike, whether it’s on the road of off.”
The fun factor also came from the engine which isn’t intimidating, which means you could ride the bike to its full potential. Sure a 160 bhp is faster but reaching its potential is often fraught with danger. The 701’s one bike which transcends the type of riding one would normally do, which needs lots of concentration. It allows you to ride any way you’d like, even sometimes pulling off impossible tricks like mad lean angles and the ability to square off any sharp corner.
In conclusion, the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto is just a wonderfully fun bike. Sure, it’s expensive but all that money is worth it.
So, how to define fun? Fun is when you don’t have to worry about the bike and riding to your heart’s content. It’s just you and the bike. Everyone else are in the weeds.
Oh Kah Beng, Sunny, William, Jack, Dato’ Eric, Dino, Marcus, Gabit, now I know why you guys are so happy all the time!
I wished Uncle Neighbour rides, because if he does, he’d ride the bike down to the coffee shop to meet his buddies and tell them what “fun” means over cups of kopi ‘o’ and half-boiled kampung eggs.
Rumours about the 2018 Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen has been circulating following the news on the possible launch of the new 401 series.
The new 701 Vitpilen is already available in Europe and it’s quickly gaining traction amongst motorcycle enthusiasts.
With a beautiful design and top of the range specs, the UK market has priced it at £8,999 (RM49,807).
Husqvarna is well on its way to penetrate into the world of road bikes. With the introduction of the 2018 Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen and Svartpilen, we’re left with a couple of questions in mind. These questions are on when will the 401 arrive here in Malaysia and will they bring in the Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen as well? (more…)
Rumours have been going around regarding the possible launch of the 2018 Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen & Svartpilen here in Malaysia.
The stories have pointed towards the bikes being officially unveiled in a few weeks’ time.
Known as “White Arrow” and “Black Arrow”, both bikes are fitted with a 375cc single-cylinder engine with 44hp and 37Nm of torque.
Some very exciting news has been floating around town these past few days which indicated to the launch of the 2018 Husqvarna 401 series here in Malaysia. Officially unveiled a couple of years back during EICMA 2016, the Austrian bike manufacturer is ready to penetrate the world of street bikes with their highly-awaited 2018 Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen and Svartpilen. (more…)
Husqvarna has reported their record-breaking sales figure for 2017.
The Swedish bike manufacturer reported a 20% increase in sales revenue with 36,883 units sold.
The total number of units sold last year translates to a turnover of €250 million (around RM1.2 billion).
Husqvarna is proud to announce that their motorcycle sales figure has hit a record-breaking high for 2017. This is the fourth straight year that the Swedish bike manufacturer has celebrated a major comeback ever since being taken over by Austrian bike manufacturing giants, KTM. (more…)
Husqvarna has joined the massive worldwide Brembo master cylinder recall.
Their popular PR16 radial master cylinder commonly used with Brembo M50 calipers are prone to breakage.
All Husqvarna FS 450 Supermoto models manufactured from 2015 to 208 are affected.
After KTM Malaysia has confirmed that their Super Duke models are due for a recall for their Brembo PR16 radial brake master cylinder, news broke out that Husqvarna is joining the recall happening worldwide. The major recall currently ongoing around the world revolves around the PR16 radial master cylinder popularly used with the Brembo M50 calipers. (more…)
