Husqvarna made a debut in India with their Svartpilen 250 & Vitpilen 250 motorcycles. Both of these unconventional two-wheelers based on the KTM 250 Duke would go on sale later in 2020 and would be sold in the same KTM showrooms and made by Bajaj Auto. However, that’s not all. New reports suggests that considering the huge interest in adventure motorcycles, Husqvarna is also working on a new Explorer 250 model which will be made in India and exported to other key markets as well.
Now, Husqvarna does not have a product in the adventure touring segment at the moment in their global portfolio. But the Husqvarna Norden 901 concept which was revealed a few weeks ago gives us a hint at what the brand might be considering for the quarter litre segment. Powering the Explorer 250, just like the Svartpilen 250 & Vitpilen 250 will be a liquid-cooled, 248.8cc, fuel-injected, single-cylinder, BS6 compliant, 4-stroke motor producing 31 HP of peak power and 24 Nm of peak torque matched to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper assist clutch. To suit the adventure touring nature, the bike could get different gear ratios and throttle response might be adjusted accordingly. Also, the bike would be heavier than the Svartpilen & Vitpilen 250cc models which weight 154 kg & 153 kg respectively.
Husqvarna is developing this Explorer 250 motorcycle along with a 401 model which will be based on the KTM 390 Duke. However, these adventure touring motorcycles will debut by 2021-22. That will allow breathing space for the new and soon to be launched KTM 390 Adventure and 250 Adventure. This would also serve as a case study for Husqvarna.
We expect styling to be neo-retro for the Explorer 250, with all the modern electronics features to be offered as per segment standards. No doubt, the Husqvarna Explorer 250 will be priced at a premium compared to the KTM 250 Adventure which has already been revealed. Expect a concept motorcycle from Husqvarna to be revealed next year.