Husqvarna Svartpilen 250

The KTM Husqvarna Svartpilen is offered as a modern retro alternative to the KTM 250 Duke. It undercuts the 250 Duke by Rs 25,000. The Svartpilen 250 shares the same engine as the 250 Duke but comes with added features like dual-purpose tyres and a tank rack. We tested the Svartpilen 250 to see if it offers better value for money than the 250 Duke.

It comes equipped with a round LED headlamp and sleek LED indicators which add to the minimalist appeal. The circular theme has been carried forward to the instrument console. We loved the tank rack that not only looks cool but can also carry a small bag with the help of a bungee net. At the rear, it has a simple and sleek taillight. It also has an odd-looking single-piece grabrail.

The switchgear from KTM Duke is of high quality and feels premium. Despite its name meaning "Black Arrow" in Swedish, the Svartpilen 250 comes only in a matte greenish shade instead of black. The paint finish is impressive and the neon accents on the radiator shroud are a nice touch. The exposed wiring above and around the engine looks messy. On the KTM, they are covered by the larger bodywork, but here it takes your attention away from the lovely-looking panels.

The Svartpilen 250 is a compact motorcycle. It has a lower ground clearance due to a metal bash plate and lowered rear suspension, so you have to be careful while tackling speed breakers. Thankfully the metal bash plate extends from below the radiator to the back of the motor.

The Svartpilen 250 shares its motor with the previous-gen KTM 250 Duke with the same tuning. Its 250cc 4-valve liquid-cooled engine makes it one of the quickest bikes in the 250cc category, with one of the highest power outputs in the segment. It maintains the characteristic smooth power delivery of the 250 Duke but with most power concentrated at higher revs. Refinement is excellent, although some vibration is felt at the footpegs after 8000rpm. It's a fast-revving engine with less low-end power delivery. Power kicks in after 7000rpm, peaking around 9000rpm before fading off towards the 11,000rpm redline.

The 6-speed gearbox is not as smooth as other Japanese 250cc motorcycles but still works decently. It has a short gearing and you need to shift down a gear to make quicker progress in city traffic. This affects city fuel efficiency too. Out on the highway, the Svartpilen 250 sits comfortably at speeds of 90-95kmph thanks to the taller gearing. However, it isn't fuel-efficient at high speeds either. With a 9.5-litre fuel tank, it delivers a real world tested mileage of 32.44kmpl in the city and 30.97kmpl on the highway, as compared to 41kmpl (city) and 35.66kmpl (highway) of the BS6 250 Duke. Overall, the motor impresses with its refinement and performance but loses out on fuel efficiency.

The Svartpilen 250 has the same trellis frame as the 250 Duke but has a different subframe with a flat seat. It comes with inverted WP forks at the front and a WP monoshock at the rear, although the rear suspension stroke is 4mm less than the 250 Duke for increased stiffness. This adjustment was made to manage the extra weight of the swingarm-mounted number plate holder. But even with the reduced suspension stroke, the bike offers a comfortable and composed ride over rough roads. Only sharp edges or small speed breakers may cause the rear to bottom out occasionally, but overall, the bike provides a good riding experience. Similar to the 250 Duke, the Svartpilen 250 feels light and changes directions quickly, making it easy to ride through traffic due to its compact size and sharp handling.

The Svartpilen 250 feels composed around corners, thanks to the grip offered by the excellent MRF Revz FD dual-purpose tyres. Despite their dual-purpose nature, the tyres were surprisingly grippier and more confidence-inspiring than the road-biased MRFs on the Vitpilen 250. Even while braking hard on wet roads, the tyres offered excellent control. It gets a large 320mm front disc with ByBre radial callipers and a 230mm rear disc. The dual-channel ABS offers minimal intervention, leading to better feedback from the levers. The Svartpilen 250 brakes better than most of its rivals in the 250cc motorcycles.

Off-road, the Svartpilen 250 faces limitations due to its short suspension travel and 17-inch alloy wheels. We feel a larger front tyre, longer travel suspension, spoke wheels and higher handlebar could help the Svartpilen 250 perform better off-road. Overall, the Svartpilen 250 is better suited for road use, offering a good balance between comfort and handling.

The Svartpilen 250 has a small narrow seat, which is okay for the rider but when you ride with a pillion it gets uncomfortable because of the short seat. However, the upcoming one will have a 100mm longer seat. At 842mm the seat is tall too, hence suitable for riders with average and tall heights. It wouldn’t be comfortable for shorter riders as they will have to struggle to keep their feet on the ground, even if ridden by taller riders with a pillion, it will become uncomfortable. Moreover, it is a compact bike and rides through the traffic with ease.

The round LED headlamp looks fantastic and lights up the path efficiently. Its low beam offers a strong and wide spread while the high beam offers a longer and focussed throw. However, the high beam in our opinion, could have had better intensity. Along with all-LED lighting, the Svartpilen 250 gets a circular digital instrument console. Like the KTM 250 Duke, it gets additional information like engine temperature, fuel range, side stand indicator and braking modes.

The Svartpilen 250 also gets a Supermoto mode like the 250 Duke that allows you to switch off the ABS at the rear for better brake control during your off-road rides. The tiny display though is difficult to read on the move. We would have liked a larger negative LCD with larger fonts that would have looked premium and easier to read on the move, which should come on the upcoming 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 250, as the new 2024 Vitpilen 250 has an LCD console, similar to the 2024 250 Duke. 

If you want a bike that looks unique, offers exciting performance, handles well, and is suitable for long highway rides, then the Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 ticks all these boxes. However, we recommend waiting for the updated 2024 Svartpilen 250 or considering the KTM 250 Duke instead, as the 2024 Svartpilen 250 is set to be launched in India soon. It will feature a larger LCD console, a bigger fuel tank, a 100mm longer seat, a refreshed look, a larger headlight and updated underpinnings similar to the 2024 Vitpilen 250.