Husqvarna Svartpilen 125 Unveiled For The European Market: India Launch Likely?

The Svartpilen 125 is based on the KTM 125 Duke and could be the perfect bike for inexperienced riders 

• Looks identical to its 200 and 400cc siblings.
• Features spoked wheels with dual-purpose tyres and a and a side-mounted exhaust.
• Packs a 125cc Euro 5-compliant, single-cylinder engine.

Most of us have been eagerly waiting for the larger 401 Huskies to be launched in India, but it appears as though the Swedish brand has other plans. Following KTM’s success, Husqvarna seems to be taking the bottom-up approach with smaller entry-level bikes. We already knew the company was working on introducing smaller capacity bikes, like the Svartpilen 200 and Svartpilen 125 in India. 

Now, the company has taken the first step towards this. Well, sort of. It has unveiled the entry-level Svartpilen 125 in the European market, hoping to interest new, inexperienced riders. 

The entire package seems familiar, and why shouldn’t it! After all, it’s based on the KTM 125 Duke that’s sold in India. As for its styling, the motorcycle looks almost identical to the Svartpilen 250, except for some minor differences. Unlike the India-spec design, the  Svartpilen 125 sold overseas features spoked wheels with knobbier Pirelli tyres and a side-mounted exhaust -- something we were aching to see on the Indian Huskies. 

The rest of it is pretty much the same. You have LED lights all around, a fully digital instrument console, a tank rack, and a fuel tank that can hold upto 9.5 litres of fuel. The seat height, though reasonably tall at 835mm, is quite narrow, which should make it relatively easier for average-sized riders to put their feet flat on the ground.

It uses the same Euro 5, BS6-compliant 125cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC motor seen on the 125 Duke. It's tuned to make 15PS and 12Nm of peak torque, mated to a six-speed transmission. In terms of hardware, the Svartpilen 125 uses an upside-down fork, a monoshock, and disc brakes at both ends. Single-channel ABS is offered as standard for added safety. The bike weighs in at 146kg dry, which is fairly light. 

When it does launch in India, expect the Husqvarna Svartpilen 125 to undercut the KTM 125 Duke. We reckon the bike would be priced at around an introductory Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom). Once launched, it will compete against the KTM 125 Duke, Yamaha MT-15, Bajaj Pulsar NS200, and the Ather 450X.