NORDEN 901 EXPEDITION: WHAT AN EXTRA $2K BUYS YOU

Spearheaded by its up-specced WP XPLOR fork and shock, Husky’s all-new Norden 901 Expedition cops an instant injection of off-road cred relative to the ‘standard’ Norden 901. The Expedition comes with 20mm more travel at both ends, 18mm more ground clearance and a 20mm taller seat height. And, understandably, that’s got a lot of the dirt-oriented Aussie adventure riders excited because, if there was one criticism of the Norden 901, it was that the WP Apex suspension was great for touring but found its limits too quickly in bumpy off-road terrain.

The point needs to be made, though, that upgraded suspension isn’t the only thing that differentiates the Expedition model. It also comes with a bunch of other components and features that add 10kg to its weight and $1980 to its Ride Away price tag ($27,840) – relative to the 2023 Norden 901, that is. So, let’s take stock of those extras, along with what they’d each cost if you were to buy them as a standalone Husqvarna Genuine Accessory…

• Heavy-Duty Skidplate ($728)
• Centre Stand ($323)
• Heated Grips ($436)
• Heated seat ($365)
• Taller Touring Windshield ($210)
• Pannier Racks ($388)
• Sidebag Set ($584)
• Connectivity Unit ($241)
• Explorer Mode ($324)

Those bits all add up to a total of $3599 … and that’s before you even take the superior WP XPLOR fork and shock into account! In other words, the Expedition model’s $1980 premium definitely ain’t hard to justify – especially when you consider we found the Expedition model boasted noticeable improvements in comfort and performance, both on and off the road.

Interestingly, Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia has recently announced a special retail promotion on the 2022-model Norden 901, which slashes $3255 off its price tag (down to $21,795) and effectively makes the differential between ‘standard’ and Expedition models closer to $6000.

For our detailed review of Husqvana’s Norden 901 Expedition – and what sort of bang for buck we reckon it offers relative to other brands in the increasingly populated mid-capacity adventure bike market – click here.