2025 Husqvarna Vitpilen 801: Everything You Need To Know

It's entirely possible that you are familiar with the Husqvarna name because they rank among the better lawn mower brands on the market. However, the Swedish company has also been in the motorcycle game for more than 120 years, having released its first bike way back in 1903. Husqvarna has continued to be a presence in the world's motorcycle market since it started making them, though the company was largely focused on building speedy off-road bikes like the FE501S for the motocross realm beginning in the mid-1950s. In recent years, the bike maker has made a rather triumphant return to the road bike arena, with its Vitpilen build leading the way.

That roadster's name translates to "The White Arrow" in English, and while that name suits the 2024 401 model Vitpilen to the T — that build is only available in white — it's a stretch for the 401's bigger, bolder offspring, the Vitpilen 801, which comes in either a yellow or gray. There are, of course, other significant differences between the 401 and the 801 Vitpilen builds, with the latter bike offering some significant upgrades over its predecessor. 

The Vitpilen 801 bears the nickname "The Dynamic Roadster," with Husqvarna positioning the build as a stylish, road loving beast fit for cruising about town in high style, and some early reviews would seem to back that position up. If you're interested in learning more, here's what you need to know about Husqvarna's Vitpilen 801.

If you've seen pictures of Husqvarna's Vitpilen 801, you know style is a big part of what sets the bike apart from most on the road, including predecessors like the manufacturer's Vitpilen 401 and it sibling, the Svartpilen 401. The Svartpilen, of course, got an 801 upgrade just last year, though one could argue Husqvarna's design team held back the more stylish upgrade for its brother, because the Vitpilen 801 doesn't look like quite anything the bike maker has ever produced.

Yes, the bike undoubtedly takes a few cues from the sleek, minimalist stylings of the other bikes in the "Pilen" lineup. But the 801 distinguishes itself from most of the other bikes on the road in its front end setup, which features a wholly unique lighting arrangement in the guise of a Bi-LED Projector Lens headlight haloed within an outer light ring. On paper, that might seem like a relatively small design tweak, but it gives the bike a decidedly modern appeal on the road whether the light is illuminated or not. So much so that we'd be surprised if it doesn't start appearing on most future Husqvarna street builds.

Indeed, the sleek headlight setup pops even more as the Vitpilen 801 doesn't have much of a fairing to speak of, serving in contrast to the largely exposed powder coated Chromium-molybdenum steel frame that highlights the bike's engine. With style like that, it hardly matters whether you don the bike in yellow or gray — even if that yellow makes for a legitimately head-turning colorway.  

Haute style is all well and good, but if you're serious about motorcycles, looks are likely always going to play second fiddle to raw, road-chewing power. Luckily, if you're looking at Husqvarna's Vitpilen 801, you don't necessarily have to sacrifice one for the sake of the other, as the bike is fit with a suitably punchy little engine. 

Powering Husqvarna's Vitpilen 801 is a liquid cooled, 799 cc parallel-twin 2 cylinder, 4-stroke engine. As the bike weighs in at a relatively lean 180 kg (about 396 lbs), that output is get-up-and-go worthy, with the 801 pushing a reported 105 horsepower and upwards of 87 Nm of torque (or 64 lbs-ft). Now, that level of power may not be enough to tempt the speed and torque loving motorcycle masses into the saddle of a Vitpilen 801, but if you're primary interest in the bike is zipping around town and occasionally venturing into the paved parts beyond, it should provide more than enough kick to keep the ride interesting.

So too should the 801's adjustable ride-by-wire throttle features, which heightens your control over the throttle and hand accelerator by effectively eliminating any mechanical link. The same is true of the build's 6-speed transmission, which boasts glass bead-blasted teeth between 4th, 5th, and 6th gears for increased reliability, and can even be fit with optional Easy Shift functionality. All in, those features should make for an engaging trip for new riders and seasoned vets alike. 

With the Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 seemingly checking the requisite boxes in terms of contemporary style and power, the bike takes things a step further by offering some tech-centric features to boot. Yes, some of those features are more run-of-the-mill in nature, with the bike coming fit with a 5" TFT dashboard screen that displays important info like speed, fuel levels, and the current gear you've selected. Likewise, the bike is BlueTooth enabled through its Connectivity Unit, allowing riders to place calls and play music while they're on the road. You can also download the Ride Husqvarna app to your mobile device, which provides turn-by-turn navigation en route to your next destination.

On the not-so-standard side of the Vitpilen 801's features is the addition of selectable Ride Modes, which allows a rider to tailor their on-road experience to the current conditions. Among the selectable ride modes are Street — which is preferable for normal riding conditions, Sport — which heightens throttle response, thus allowing riders to break traction and effectively back-wheel stear, and Rain — which is obviously ideal when you're on the road in inclement weather. You can further tailor the Ride Modes by adding the optional Dynamic Pack to your 801, which also offers Motorcycle Slip Regulation, anti-wheelie control, and 10-level slip adjustment.

The Vitpilen 801 also offers other desirable tech-ish features like traction control, a built-in anti-theft system and cruise control. On the safety side, the bike is fit with a state-of-the-art dual disc brake system from J. Juan and Bosh ABS, if that's of interest to you. Just FYI — it should be.