I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.

Bit difficult to go mad on greasy Sussex roads but I had enough fun on
it. I was impressed overall - very comfortable and pleasant to ride.

I'm comparing it to my 2017 Triumph Tiger 800 as that's what I have at
the moment - the build quality is good but the Triumph has the edge,
especially on switchgear and 'heft'.

On the subject of 'heft' the Husqvarna seems a lot lighter and nimble.
Has pretty good spec WP suspension. I'm a fan of the quickshifter.

The clocks are quite flash - I would have liked to see the phone
integration for the sat nav etc. but the demonstrator was a base spec
model.

On the extras, it seems not all are available at the moment but
interestingly all can be retro fitted as they come into stock.

When I first got the Triumph I thought the heated seats were an
affectation but I'm quite the convert - they're available for the
Husqvarna (hooray!).

It has KTM heritage (unsurprisingly) and it dawned on me the only
parallel twins I've owned were a 250 Superdream and an XS400. Not
really comparable. Also, the Triumph triple is a lot smoother but
that's because it's a triple...

I was offered £5k trade in for the Triumph - which is fairly high
mileage but has been properly serviced. It is what it is - cost me
£10k in depreciation, servicing and consumables for five years and 40k
miles.

However, the fucking thing on hearing it was for the chop developed a
bloody great misfire (suspect a coil pack) - which is a pain.

I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.

Proper review here:
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bikes/husqvarna/norden-901-2022

--
Simon

On 28/01/2022 08:45, sweller wrote:
>
>
> I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>
> Proper review here:
> https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bikes/husqvarna/norden-901-2022
>

The big ones aren't. The 401s are still pretty bargain basement, though
the KTM 390s are cheaper still.

my Svartpilen is OK so far but I have hardly used it to be fair. I
started it up yesterday after being on the Noco for a while. The delayed
action starter reminds me of a Morini 1200 Corsaro. If you catch the
engine in just the wrong position it sounds almost as if the battery
flat. Knowing it isn't, you stab the button again and it fires up after
a revolution or two. Not bad considering it hasn't run since November.

--
Moto Morini 2C/375, Moto Morini 2C/350
Gilera 175 Sport, Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen
1937 Sunbeam Model 14 250 Sports
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

On 28 Jan 2022 08:45:12 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
wrote:

>I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.

<looks>
Not pretty, either :-)
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Friday, January 28, 2022 at 11:45:58 AM UTC-5, Champ wrote:
> On 28 Jan 2022 08:45:12 GMT, "sweller" <swe...@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
> >I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
> <looks>
> Not pretty, either :-)

All modern bikes are ugly, aren't they? I haven't like the look of any bike since the first generation R1.

On Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:45:54 +0000, Champ wrote:

> On 28 Jan 2022 08:45:12 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>>I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>
> <looks>
> Not pretty, either :-)

Yes, it's definitely been hit by the ugly stick.
Maybe an improvement over their naked bikes, though its a close call.
Certainly on a par with the HD Pan Euro.
My mate took the HD out for a test, said it was really good,far too
heavy, but its spec was good.

For me, the 2004 VFR800 was , maybe, the best looking bike.
Closely followed by a few Ducatis, the 916 was a favourite for me.

Champ wrote:

> > I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
> > I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>
> <looks>
> Not pretty, either :-)

I quite like how it looks - prefer it to the spikey, angled style of
bikes a couple of years ago.

--
Simon

Ben Blaney wrote:

> > > I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
> > <looks>
> > Not pretty, either :-)
>
> All modern bikes are ugly, aren't they? I haven't like the look of
> any bike since the first generation R1.

I'm hard pushed to think of any bike in recent years - that wasn't a
retro or reimagining of something that went before - that looked
beautiful.

Technologically attractive there's been quite a few, but actually nice
looking...

--
Simon

On Fri, 28 Jan 2022 09:51:57 -0800 (PST), Ben Blaney
<benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Friday, January 28, 2022 at 11:45:58 AM UTC-5, Champ wrote:
>> On 28 Jan 2022 08:45:12 GMT, "sweller" <swe...@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>> >I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>> >I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>> <looks>
>> Not pretty, either :-)
>
>All modern bikes are ugly, aren't they? I haven't like the look of any bike since the first generation R1.

Good point, well made

sweller <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
> Champ wrote:
>
>> > I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>> > I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>>
>> <looks>
>> Not pretty, either :-)
>
> I quite like how it looks - prefer it to the spikey, angled style of
> bikes a couple of years ago.

Preach it, brother.

I've no idea why bikes have all gone to the sharp angle school of
design lately. I much prefer rounded smooth curves.

On bikes as well as other things.

https://historydaily.org/content/52376/feb0b54e96ba0746c3255f21a61f6add.jpg

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, Vespa Ciao

On Sat, 29 Jan 2022 15:52:12 -0000 (UTC), Mark Olson
<olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:

>I've no idea why bikes have all gone to the sharp angle school of
>design lately. I much prefer rounded smooth curves.

It's cyclical. For one product generation, designers favour flowing
curves, and then the next they rebel against that and go spikey. And
then the next gen they go back to curves.

I suspect this might have something to do with the natural career
progression of designers within the teams at manufacturers
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On 29/01/2022 16:52, Mark Olson wrote:
>sweller <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>> Champ wrote:
>>
>>> > I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>>> > I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>>>
>>> <looks>
>>> Not pretty, either :-)
>>
>> I quite like how it looks - prefer it to the spikey, angled style of
>> bikes a couple of years ago.
>
>Preach it, brother.
>
>I've no idea why bikes have all gone to the sharp angle school of
>design lately. I much prefer rounded smooth curves.
>
>On bikes as well as other things.
>
>https://historydaily.org/content/52376/feb0b54e96ba0746c3255f21a61f6add.jpg

Can't see the point....

--
Geoff

On 29/01/2022 19:12, Pipl wrote:
> On 29 Jan 2022 11:56:38 GMT, "sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>> Champ wrote:
>>
>>>> I had a test ride on the new Husqvarna Norden yesterday.
>>>> I'll probably get the Husqvarna. It's not cheap though.
>>>
>>> <looks>
>>> Not pretty, either :-)
>>
>> I quite like how it looks - prefer it to the spikey, angled style of
>> bikes a couple of years ago.
>
> Yes, I have never liked the KTM road styling at all, if that's an
> example of what you were referring to.
>

The immediate appearance of a motorcycle is important, but function is
paramount in my view. It's for riding, not looking at = except possibly
S Really OBs.

--
Moto Morini 2C/375, Moto Morini 2C/350
Gilera 175 Sport, Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen
1937 Sunbeam Model 14 250 Sports
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

On Sat, 29 Jan 2022 19:40:14 +0000, Pipl <pluscher@live.co.uk> wrote:

>>The immediate appearance of a motorcycle is important, but function is
>>paramount in my view. It's for riding, not looking at = except possibly
>>S Really OBs.

>I used to think that, and still do when it comes to bikes with a
>specific task, for example MX and track days. and as has been said
>here, you don't look at it while you're riding it, but in general I
>like the whole ownership thing, which includes enjoying its
>appearance.

Pretty much my view too
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old