Buy Or Hold?: Triumph Speed 400 vs Upcoming Husqvarna Svartpilen 401

We take a look if the Husqvarna is worth waiting for, or whether you should buy the Speed 400 now

The Triumph Speed 400, since its launch on July 5, has set the whole two-wheeler world on fire with its price tag, powerful engine, exquisite styling and build quality. But Huqsvarna is also gearing up to launch the upcoming Svartpilen 401 next year. So, if you are looking to buy a powerful sub-400cc motorcycle, then should you go for the Speed 400 now or wait for the upcoming Svartpilen 401? Let’s have a look at both the motorcycles:

The upcoming Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 shares most of its hardware with the upcoming KTM 390 Duke. The 401 has been spotted testing multiple times over the last 12 months and so far, we know that it gets distinct Huqsvarna styling with redesigned trellis frame, offset monoshock, adjustable upside down fork (USD), split seat and spoke wheels. Recently, it has also been spotted with alloy wheels. The instrument console looks like a square-shaped TFT unit. Powering the upcoming Svartpilen 401 will be a new 399cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine borrowed from the next-gen KTM 390 Duke in a different state of tune.

The Triumph Speed 400, on the other hand, gets exquisite neo-roadster styling with premium materials and finishing. It gets an upswept exhaust that gives an aggressive look to the whole design. Powering the bike is a 398cc liquid-cooled engine making 40PS and 37.5Nm and performance from the motor is available from the get-go. It is not as mad as the KTM 390 Duke’s motor but still pretty sporty for all the fun you want to have with the bike. And the motor’s tractability and the bike’s agile and smooth handling capabilities make it a great option for touring. And the most exciting bit of the bike is the price: Rs 2.33 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. Check out our review of the bike for more details here. 

So, looking at both the bikes, which one should you buy? Well, the Triumph Speed 400 is a great option if you are looking to level up (engine capacity-wise) to the 300-400cc segment of bikes as it is not as manic as the KTM 390 Duke. But it is also a great option for experienced riders looking for a touring bike because of its motor’s tractability and the bike’s smooth handling characteristics. And despite the mouth-watering price, the build quality is good enough to be a true-blue Triumph.

On the other hand, Huqsvarna bikes have always been a niche product in the sub-500c segment in India because they have never been built with a mass-market approach in mind and also because of their unique styling. And because of its exclusivity, the upcoming Svartpilen 401 will command a fairly costlier price tag than the Triumph Speed 400. But the upcoming bike will also get much-needed upgrades as mentioned above and will be more powerful than the Speed 400. So, if you’re the kind of person who appreciates Swedish design and engineering, and looking for something really elegant and unique, then the Svartpilen 401 is worth waiting for till mid-2024 because that’s when it is expected to be launched in India.