Future Husqvarna Motorcycles to Include 501 Models, Retro Bikes and Electric Scooters

UPDATE: We’ve discovered a similar presentation from August for the prior fiscal quarter that had an even larger list of future Husqvarna models including 901 and 1301 (!) versions of the Norden adventure bike and for the naked category.

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A presentation for investors produced by KTM’s parent company reveals a roadmap of future Husqvarna models including electric scooters, retro-inspired models and a new 501 Twin-cylinder platform. The presentation was released in late November by Pierer Mobility, the parent company of KTM, Husqvarna and the recently-acquired GasGas.

The 501 platform will include naked models, an adventure bike and a supermoto/enduro model. Husqvarna already offers a FE 501 enduro model powered by a 510.4cc Single, but we believe the new 501 models will be based on the new 490 parallel-Twin platform that KTM is expected to introduce in the near future.

Future KTM models Revealed in the Presentation
Future GasGas models Revealed in the Presentation

Husqvarna’s Product Portfolio slide suggests it will continue to offer the 401 naked models (currently consisting of the Svartpilen and Vitpilen) alongside 250 and 125 versions. The placeholder images for all of these are blurred, suggesting the existing models may be getting updates.

The presentation also confirmed four new models under the “classic” label including one model sporting scrambler-style high pipes. The other three are blurred, but the top one appears to have some sort of luggage. Husqvarna may be taking a page out of the Triumph Modern Classics playbook, so these four models might include a scrambler, a tourer, a cafe racer and a bobber.

The product plans also include adventure-touring models in 501, 401 and 250 sizes, though the plans notably omit the Norden 901 which Husqvarna has announced will enter production. The management presentation was published a week before Norden production was confirmed, but its absence in a presentation intended for investors is puzzling. Still, the Product Portfolio graphic suggests the Norden will also be produced in 501, 250 and 401 versions.

Also odd was the omission of the current 701 Vitpilen and Svartpilen. One possibility is Husqvarna may be repositioning the Vitpilen and Svartpilen models as “classics” with more contemporary designs filling the naked slots.

UPDATE: The investor presentation for the second half, published Aug. 26, includes several of these missing models. According to that document, the adventure line, including the Norden, will be offered in 901 and 1301 versions. The naked line will also have 901 and 1301 models, but no 701, suggesting they will be replaced by the 901s. Notably, the illustration shows what looks like a redesigned Vitpilen 901. The Supermoto/Enduro family also has a 901 model listed. It’s not clear why the product portfolio slide was changed from August to November. It may be a simple mistake or it could be a change in product strategy. Generally speaking, we would consider the most recent document to be more accurate, but the Norden 901 production announcement suggests the August roadmap might still be valid.

As for the electric scooters, Pierer Mobility says it is developing two versions in 4kW and 10 kW versions for 2021. These are expected to be based on the Chetak, an electric scooter produced for India by Bajaj which owns about an 48% stake in Pierer Mobility.

Apart from the electric scooters, the presentation does not provide any timeline on when we’ll see any of these models surface. We do know KTM is expected to introduce 490 Twins in the near future, and Husqvarna is likely to follow.