Briefly tested: Husqvarna Norden 901 | Motokicx

After a long wait, it’s finally here: the Norden 901, the first real big adventure from the Swedish-Austrian brand. Now it is an open secret that under that fresh blue / yellow face orange KTM technology is in charge. Is the Norden unique enough, or just a KTM in a different guise?

The Norden 901 may be called a Husqvarna, but it is in fact a KTM 890 Adventure: engine and chassis are identical. But Husqvarna didn’t just ask KISKA to draw a different fairing, the Norden was also prepared for a slightly different target group; in this case, the rider who is looking for a little more comfort for longer journeys and is not afraid to dive into the sand every now and then. That is why it has the slightly higher quality WP Apex suspension. This puts the Norden between the 890 Adventure with non-adjustable front fork and the fully adjustable 890 Adventure R, but with a basic set-up that is mainly intended for use on the road.

The KTM 890 Adventure’s button shop has been ported over to the Norden 901 unchanged, giving you a very real KTM feeling in the saddle. However, a 5” TFT dashboard was designed for the Norden 901 that can be adjusted completely to your liking. Connectivity to the smartphone was still an option at launch due to the scarcity of chips that still prevails.

105 horses has the 889cc parallel twin on offer, and they are the enthusiastic type. Shift gear is possible, but the two-cylinder operates best if you keep it a bit higher in revs and chase it from corner to corner in second or third gear. If your enthusiasm exceeds the grip the surface has to offer, the traction control is ready to come to your rescue.

If you select the Offroad driving mode, the bike reacts less aggressively to a turn of your right wrist, although you can still make the rear swing quite a bit. With its 223 kilos ready to drive, the Norden 901 is not the lightest motorcycle to attack the unpaved with, but the electronics are an enormous added value. This way you can even set the ‘slip angle’ and determine the extent to which you let the rear wheel break out.

The Norden 901 is equipped with a steering damper, and it is there for a reason. If you open the throttle after a roundabout, the Husky will sometimes shake its head – without immediately panic breaking out at the wheel. Although life on board the Norden 901 seems all rosy and moonshine with a potent engine, lots of usable electronics, excellent suspension and confidence-inspiring steering, there are still a few doubts. The vibrations are prominent between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm, the steep windshield creates quite a bit of turbulence and the gearbox could have been better.

Conclusion
Despite the few points for improvement, the Husqvarna Norden 901 is a motorcycle that first and foremost offers exceptional driving pleasure. The characterful powerplant performs great and the electronics and chassis work together perfectly, letting you unleash the bike’s full potential. The Austrians position the Husqvarna Norden 901 between the KTM Adventure 890, which is mainly intended for the street, and the KTM Adventure 890 R, which was developed mainly for off-road use. The Norden 901 therefore not only offers the most all-round deployable package, we also think it is the most beautiful of the three.

Pros and cons
+ Characterful power source
+ Electronics as a safety net
+ Confident steering behavior
– Gear box
– Engine vibration
– Turbulence

Read the full test Motorcyclist January 2022 or KickXstart November 2021†

Engine: 889cc, 4 cyl./cyl., liquid-cooled parallel twin
Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8 mm
Compression Ratio: 13.5:1
max. power: 105 hp
max. torque: 100 Nm
Fuel supply: electronic injection
Transmission: six-speed, chain
Frame: chrome molybdenum tubular frame
Front Suspension: 43mm UPSD fork, non-adjustable, 220mm travel
Rear suspension: monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound damping, 215 mm . travel
Front brake: 320mm discs with 4-piston radial calipers, cornering ABS
Rear brake: single 260mm floating disc with 2-piston caliper, cornering ABS
Tires front/rear: 90/90-21/150/70-18 (Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR)
Wheelbase: 1,513mm
Headset angle/travel: 25.9°/106.9 mm
Weight: 204 kg (roadworthy without petrol)
Seat height: 854/874 mm
Tank capacity: 19 l.
Colours: black/white/yellow
Price Belgium: € 14,799
Price Netherlands: € 17,400,-