All you need to know about the Husqvarna Svartpilen 125

Husqvarna’s street line-up has just been expanded thanks to the all-new Husqvarna Svartpilen 125, a bike that they say will “open up the world of urban exploration to a new generation of youngsters”. The Svartpilen 125 joins the 401 and the 701 in Husky’s urban street bike range. With its A1 license compliant 11kW motor (or 15bhp), it probably isn’t going to give any grownups a hardon, but if you are looking for something to learn on, or just potter about town on, it might not be a bad shout.

The single cylinder 125cc engine doesn’t have a whole lot of power, but at only 146kg (dry) it should still be good for 60mph or so. And you shouldn’t use too much fuel thanks to the EURO5 spec engine. Despite the baby engine, Husqvarna have told us that the little Svart’ shares plenty of the same ‘high quality components’ found on its bigger brothers, the 401 and the 701.

Speaking of high quality components, the chainsaw specialists have kitted the new bike out with WP APEX suspension front and rear. Talk about bling. You get 43mm open cartridge upside-downies at the front and an monoshock with APEX’s progressive damping system, at the back.

It comes with ByBre brake calipers (no, I hadn’t heard of them, either) front and rear, which are apparently shit-hot, and Bosch ABS. Don’t worry though, the system can be set to Supermoto mode which disables ABS to the rear wheel. In Supermoto mode you can do as many skids outside the college gates as you want. Or just as many as it takes to get laid.

The Husqvarna Svartpilen 125 is an odd looking thing, but I quite like it. Whilst the LED lights and futuristic tank design give the thing a bit of a space age feel, there’s no getting away from its retro quirkiness. Next to all the other A1 license options, it certainly stands out from the crowd. And that’s what kids are all about these days, isn’t it?