Husqvarna has revealed its latest dual-sport adventure bike, the Norden 901, and it looks a real treat. Find the Norden 901 looking a bit familiar? Well, that’s because it looks a lot like the concept showcased by Husqvarna back at EICMA 2019. It appears that the concept was so well received that the company gave the production model the green light.
Exhibiting a design that’s characteristic of the Swedish firm, the Norden 901 stands out with its straight and aggressive lines, its LED lighting system with the circular headlight with DRL. The tail section is tapered which shows that the bike is pannier-friendly. A large capacity 19-litre fuel tank is said to give the Norden 901 a range of up to 400 kilometres.
The Husqvarna Norden 901 has a customisable five-inch colour TFT screen that projects all kinds of information. With the Ride app you can associate a mobile phone so that it acts as a browser, music player or to accept incoming calls.
The Norden 901 has a lot in common with the KTM 890 Adventure. The 901 borrows its engine from the KTM, but the specs are a bit different. The Norden has an 889cc twin-cylinder engine that makes 104 hp and about 100 Nm of torque. The parallel-twin’s power delivery will depend on a ride-by-wire throttle, while the bike comes with three selectable modes – Street, Rain and Off-road – that will have the electronic aids intervening at different levels.
Its braking system will also have selectable Street and Off-road modes, with Bosch Cornering ABS. The Easy Shift function allows for clutch-free up- and down-shifts through the six-speed gearbox, while a Power Assist Slipper Clutch (PASC) provides added control. The Norden weighs about 204 kg (dry).
The Norden 901 comes with the stuff that you’d typically want on your dual-sport. Seat height is at 854 mm, and goes up to 874 mm. The front wheel is a big 21-incher, while the rear wheel is 18 inches and the wire-spoke tubeless wheels come wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres.
The Norden shares the same frame as the 890 Adventure and its suspension comprises an adjustable WP Apex upside down fork out front, and a WP Apex adjustable rear shock that allow 220 mm/215 mm of travel). Braking duties are managed by 320 mm floating discs at the front and a 260 mm disc at the back.
In terms of its competition, the Norden 901 will go up against the KTM 890 Adventure, the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and the incoming Ducati DesertX.