HUSKY NORDEN 901: 10 FAQS ANSWERED

It’s been a long two-and-a-half years since a prototype of Husqvarna’s Norden 901 was first revealed amid great fanfare at Europe’s EICMA show. In the meantime, the adventure bike market segment has certainly become more populated – especially with mid-capacity machines. That includes KTM’s 790 Adventure and subsequent 890 Adventure models (whose engine and chassis Husky’s Norden 901 now shares), along with other brands who’ve been scrambling to produce a lighter, more manageable and more affordable mid-capacity version of their ‘maxi-enduro/travel’ machines.

So, now that we’ve finally seen the production Norden 901 in the flesh – and thrown a leg over it for a few days at the new model’s Australian media launch – what can we tell you about how this machine differs from KTM’s two 890 Adventure models? What’s the 901’s component spec like? How’s it priced relative to its rivals? Who is it going to appeal to? And, most importantly, how does it perform – on the road and off it?

In the wake of the recent Aussie media launch for Husqvarna’s Norden 901, we fielded a tonne of enquiry about this all-new model. Which is why it’s about time we answered the 10 most frequently asked questions…

1.

Is the Norden 901 simply a re-branded KTM 890 Adventure, or does this new model carve out its own identity?
Well, there’s no hiding from the fact that the Norden 901 shares its engine and chassis platform with KTM’s 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R models, along with a fair bit of its running gear. It also runs a low, road-style front guard, similar to the 890 Adventure’s. But that’s where similarities end, especially from an ergos perspective. The Norden’s seat and fuel tank both use their own design, while its bodywork is completely different to the KTMs. The 901’s shrouds and headlight faring is all integrated into one streamlined, minimalist, modular-looking piece (with a more upright windscreen and that trademark ‘LED ring’ headlight) whereas the KTMs have distinct shrouds and a separate, bolted-on headlight and surround. These bodywork differences make the Norden’s silhouette appear more front-heavy, but that’s just an optical illusion not reflected on the weight bias scales.

KTM knows it already has the most off-road capable mid-capacity adventure bike on the market in their stable, which is why the Norden 901 has been intentionally designed and positioned as a different animal; to be more of an adventure touring machine. Unlike KTM’s 890, which comes in two variants, the Norden only comes in one guise – or, as Husqvarna’s PR puts it, “The perfect balance between performance and touring ability”.

2.

Where does the Norden ‘sit’ in the mid-capacity adventure bike market?
This is probably the most frequently asked question about the Norden because people want to understand how this all-new machine is positioned relative to the spectrum of existing players in the segment, and what that indicates about its relative on- and off-road capabilities. Again, at the risk of making too many direct comparisons with the KTMs, the Norden 901 clearly sits somewhere between KTM’s 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R models. The Norden runs the same (slightly steeper) 64.2º steering head angle (and the same 43mm WP Apex fork) as the 890 Adventure, but its seat height, ground clearance and suspension travel specs all sit mid-way between the two 890s. The Aussie media launch ride covered 700km over two days, on a route that was specifically designed to include a 60/40 blend of bitumen and gravel roads, respectively. And to our way of thinking, that’s a pretty accurate reflection of this machine’s road versus off-road capabilities.

Despite some initial skepticism (even from Husky personnel) about the claimed 400km+ fuel range from the 901’s 19-litre fuel tank, the launch ride actually endorsed the brochure’s claims. Also, curiously, even though the Norden’s spec sheet says it weighs in at 204kg (fluids, but no fuel), we know a few crew who’ve weighed both the Norden and KTM 890 Adventure R on the same scales at the same time, and they both come in at 196kg.

3.

What’s it like on the road?
The Norden’s 889cc parallel twin is cracker of a powerplant, with a 75º firing order that actually makes it sound like a sweet V-twin. Aside from the fact it pumps out a cool 105hp of peak power and 100Nm of torque, it’s got an incredibly refined and versatile delivery that pulls hard from 2000rpm. That’s complemented by a chassis that’s stable through high-speed sweepers and yet very agile and confidence-inspiring when flicking the thing from side to side through a tight series of peg-scratching turns. While I’m no road racer, the 901 made me feel like I could keep a sports bike honest on any set of second- and third-gear tarmac twisties. But it felt equally at home just purring along at 3000rpm on the freeway with the cruise control engaged.

The seat is wider and more comfortable on your arse (compared with both 890 Adventure models) for those longer hauls, and its height can conveniently be adjusted by 20mm. The Easy Shift function and Power Assist Slipper Clutch and lean-sensitive ABS and Traction Control are all brilliant rider aids on the tarmac. The brakes are powerful and predictable. And the riding modes (Street, Rain, Offroad, and Explorer – which is optional, but came installed on the media test bikes) give you the option of customising the power’s character to the conditions and/or how itchy your right hand is. The headlight may look fancy, but it’s also bloody effective, especially when aided by the standard-fitment fog lights (which gives the bike an imposing stream-train look from front-on!). My only request: a slightly taller (or better still, adjustable) windshield for more wind protection at high speeds.

4.

What about its manners on dirt and gravel roads?
The bike’s standard Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres look like bald knobbies and offer impressive grip and feel on the sealed stuff, but the bike also remains surprisingly predictable on gravel roads. And that speaks volumes about the Norden’s chassis balance and front-to-rear weigh bias. In other words, it’s relying on good chassis geometry – not mechanical grip from its tyres – to produce a confidence-inspiring off-road ride. That all translates into predictable drifts on corner exits and entries, rather than sudden losses of traction, and under acceleration the Apex shock does a good job of processing the kind of corrugations and potholes found on most gravel roads. The Offroad mode comes with sweet pre-set Throttle Response and Traction Control settings, which helps you lay big, controlled hero slides out of gravel turns. But then there’s no denying the Explorer mode is fun because it opens up adjustment for the TR and TC settings and lets you toggle up and down through nine ‘Slip’ settings on the fly.

Meanwhile, the ABS settings in Offroad mode (subtle intrusion on the front, while the rear can still be locked) give you excellent feel, especially when you when you need it most – such as hitting an unexpectedly deep patch of gravel on an off-camber section. It’s also worth mentioning that the 20mm taller seat position (874mm) works well off-road because it makes it easier to get into the standing position quickly. And, combined with rolling the bars forward a notch, this creates a much more commanding standing position on the bike for off-road terrain. Also helping your control over the bike while standing is the flared shape of each sideplate, which helps lock your legs into place almost as effectively as Steg Pegz! In fact, the Norden is a tad wider through the entire girth than KTM’s two 890s – not enough to make you ride bow-legged, unless you need to get right back on the bike for a super-steep downhill.

5.

How does the Norden handle more serious off-road terrain – singletrail, loose rocks, square-edge bumps and erosion mound jumps?
For a 200kg machine, the Norden is incredibly agile in tight terrain, thanks to compact engine and chassis and the super-low centre of gravity generated by the tear-drop shaped fuel tank. With 220/215mm of front/rear travel from its WP Apex fork and shock, the 901 remains more composed than the 890 Adventure on bigger hits (the Kato also uses WP’s Apex suspension, but only has 200mm of travel at both ends). In fact, when the going gets rough, the 901 is more off-road capable than a greater majority of its rivals in the mid-capacity adventure bike segment. That said, there’s limited adjustability if you want to dial the suspenders up for a more demanding trail. Sure, the Apex shock has a handy tool-free dial to add spring preload (which helps counter the extra weight of a pillion and/or luggage), and a couple of turns of extra preload definitely gives the rear-end more bottoming resistance when you start giving things a nudge. Similarly, a few extra clicks of compression on the fork helped the front-end sit up better under hard braking. But with no compression damping adjustment, the Apex shock soon finds its limit at speed in technical terrain. So, as you’d expect on bigger obstacles and jumps, the ride offered by both ends of the 901 does fall short of the 890 Adventure R, whose WP XPLOR fork and shock offer 240mm of travel at both ends, and class-leading off-road capability.

6.

Can you up-spec the Norden’s suspension?
Yep. And that’s a question the bike designers appear to have expected as they’ve ensured the optional WP XPLOR Pro fork and shock will bolt straight into the 901 (the standard Apex fork runs 43mm chrome sliders, but its upper stanchions have the same diameter as the 48mm XPLOR and XPLOR Pro forks) and extend the standard 215/220mm travel to 240/240mm and 270/270mm, depending on which spec you go for. Interestingly, the XPLOR Pro shock is also designed to rake the 901’s steering head angle out by half a degree, so it matches the 63.7º used by KTM’s 890 Adventure R. At $5100 for the fork and $2700 for the shock, they’re not cheap upgrades. But aside from the fact you can take them with you from bike to bike, these things are high-end cone-valve forks and sophisticated factory-spec shocks, which is why they make an enormous difference to the bike’s ability to maintain drive over rough terrain and absorb much bigger hits. Heavier, faster and more experienced riders will love what the XPLOR Pro bolt-ons suddenly allows them to hit with confidence, while less experienced riders (who’ve got the cash) will simply appreciate the added margin for error they offer – like when you hit something you never saw coming or spear yourself off a jump that’s much bigger than expected.

7.

Is the electronics package any different from the KTM 890’s?
The 901 gets an upgraded graphic or two on its super-high-def 5-inch TFT display, but it’s essentially the same sophisticated electronics package that’s proven itself on KTM’s 890 Adventure R. That said, the Norden does come with a few standard features that are only available as an option on the Katos – namely, the Easy Shift (Husky’s version of KTM’s Quick Shift) and Cruise Control. If you want those features on your 890, you need to pay around $1300 for the Tech Pack, which also includes Rally Mode. The 901’s version of Rally mode is called Explorer mode – an option that is available on its own and costs $324. In other words, Husky has intentionally equipped the 901 with road-oriented features they reckon most owners will want, and then offered the get-up-and-boogie Explorer mode (and all the customised settings it opens up) as an affordable tack-on for those who do more off-road riding.

8.

Are any genuine accessories available for the 901 yet?
Dumb question! There’s no such thing as releasing an all-new model without the simultaneous unveiling of a range of technical accessories and matching apparel – especially when we’re talking about the lucrative adventure bike market, where customers are generally thought to have more disposable income. And Husqvarna’s Norden 901 release has been no different. There’s a bunch of performance, protection, luggage and apparel options in the Husqvarna Norden Adventure Guide, which includes RRP pricing in Aussie dollars. We’re looking forward to sampling the taller, one-piece seat that’s expected to become available in the coming months. It’d go very nicely with some of that high-end WP XPLOR Pro suspension!

9.

What sort of customer is the Norden likely to attract?
According to a few Husqvarna dealers we’ve spoken to, the Norden 901 should appeal to customers for whom KTM’s 890 Adventure R is just too hardcore; too off-road capable for their abilities or riding intentions, but who want more off-road scope than the 890 Adventure offers. Those dealers also think the 901 will offer a compelling alternative for consumers before they ‘disappear’ and buy an adventure bike that’s not produced by the KTM group. Which makes a lot of sense because the Norden is a good-looking rooster and comes standard with a bunch of cool features and top-end componentry.

10.

Relative to its rivals, does the Norden’s price tag make it good value for money?
For starters, we reckon the Norden renders KTM’s 890 Adventure obsolete because the Husky is only $1650 more expensive than the Kato but outperforms it on and off-road. As for the Norden’s value for money compared with its rivals? Well, that’s ultimately a question that can only be answered by consumers. But, according to those same dealers mentioned above, the 901’s $25,050 Ride Away price has got them very excited about the prospect of selling plenty of them, largely because of the bang-for-buck this bike offers. A few of those dealers also judiciously pointed out that, compared with Yamaha’s big-selling Ténéré 700, for instance – which is now around $19,400 Ride Away – the Norden 901 comes with an extra 30hp, 30Nm more torque and a much more sophisticated electronics package. The Norden 901 is also similarly priced to comparably specced mid-capacity machines such as KTM’s 890 Adventure R and Ducati’s all-new DesertX. Our advice: just get out there and organise yourself a demo ride on the Norden 901, which is now in dealers around the country. You won’t be disappointed!