Story by Mike Seate
Photos by Paul Rudolf
Having sat on an idle Vitpilen at a recent International Motorcycle Show, I was struck by how low the handlebars were and how compact the overall design was of this Swedish-made factory cafe racer. Hoping to blag a test ride aboard one of the sporty 700cc singles, I jumped at the chance when a neighbor offered a blast on his showroom-fresh 2020 model. The angular bodywork and unusual looks of the futuristic machine are shared by Husky’s Svartpilen, which is a matte black, higher-handlebar version of the same bike. The looks are divisive, but not the performance which has garnered nothing but praise. After riding contributor Nick Coumos’ KTM 690, which, thanks to the companies being under the same ownership, houses the same sporty four-valve engine, I knew the Vitpilen – which translates to white arrow – would be a fun, engaging motorcycle. Nearly silent on the idle, the single-cylinder powerplant barely causes a smidge of vibration at low revs. This isn’t your father’s thumper. No frantic shaking of the rear-view mirrors or a motorcycle that dances on its kickstand. Instead, the engine’s counterbalancers ensure a smoothness and throttle response that makes this feel more like a twin than a bike pumping a single 105mm piston up and down. Power is available from anywhere up to the 9,000 rev ceiling and the hydraulic clutch has an actuation that’s both light and effortless. My initial impression is that this is the sort of streetbike too many manufacturers have missed the boat on: new riders, like my neighbor, aren’t intimidated by the reasonable spread of power while the more experienced will dig the way the motor has enough oomph in store to make everything from commuting to backroads jaunts to even highway riding a breeze. No racing pretensions at work here, just a fun, easy-to-use streetbike with an aggressive but not torturous riding position.
