How many miles do you have on your bike? Any reliability complaints?

[Liteway]

My bike is 2021 Svartpilen with 5165 miles on it. I have only put 170 of those on it (It's cold here), the first owner about 4550 and the second about 450.
No problem except quick shifter was never programmed in until I took it to the dealer, even though first 2 services were documented.
Rear tire is at first replacement point. All I have done is oil the chain which showed signs of neglect.

 

[GeoKrpan]

No issues for me but I've got less than 1k miles on my 2022 Vit, bought new.

 

[Laceys]

I'm interest in seeing more people's responses on this as well.
I am seriously considering to buy the 401. Originally I had ninja 400 and rc 390 on my radar to buy instead. Recently I've eliminated the rc 390 because the forums and internet are swarmed with issues of serious engine failures to dashes to dangerous stalling issues.... wiring problems.. just everything you can imagine and sometimes issues starting at 200miles!
The vit has the same motor with a few minor modifications but no one is talking about issues .... no one is talking at all actually.

Help us out!

 

[GeoKrpan]

I'm interest in seeing more people's responses on this as well.
I am seriously considering to buy the 401. Originally I had ninja 400 and rc 390 on my radar. Recently I've eliminated the rc 390 because the forums and internet are swarmed with issues of serious engine failures to dashes to dangerous stalling issues. A lot.of complains ate by owners with even less than 500 kms.
The vit has the same motor with a fee minor modifications but no one is talking about issues .... no one is talking at all actually.

Help us out!

Here's a thread that I started about one 2021 Vitpilen rider that had a head gasket issue at 11k miles.

2021 Vitpilen 401 Head Gasket Woes

The bike has around 11k miles. He noticed he was using coolant. He removes the motor and tears it down. He believes the problem is not the head gasket but rather the castings of the barrel and head, something that can't be fixed. He warns not to DIY this job. He says he's getting rid of the...

hqvadventure.com

He had made some performance mods which may have contributed to the problem. After seeing his vid I'm reluctant to do any mods. It's pretty good bone stock anyways. Also, most of his miles were on the freeway.

It's possible that you haven't seen any posts about problems because no one here has had them. I haven't had any but I only have 1000 miles on my 2022 Vit. I don't ride the freeway and have no intention of doing so. The Vit is plenty capable at freeway speeds but I hate riding on the freeway.

Evidently you're a fan of clip ons, me too. I love my Vit. The new RC390 is really cool but a naked bike with clip ons is the best of both worlds, sporty and beautiful.

 

[Liteway]

Yes , there is very thin participation here, to be expected because the mark is rare, at least in the U.S. and most owners do not choose to be active on forums anyway.
Sadly, I do not see why the Huskys would be any more reliable than the Dukes,
Just hope that later production models are better than the first gen.
I expect to put no more than about 2500 mi a year on mine, or I would have skipped over. JMO
And like GeoKrpan I do not like taking any motorcycle on long interstate highway runs , especially this one.

 

[Laceys]

Here's a thread that I started about one 2021 Vitpilen rider that had a head gasket issue at 11k miles.

2021 Vitpilen 401 Head Gasket Woes

The bike has around 11k miles. He noticed he was using coolant. He removes the motor and tears it down. He believes the problem is not the head gasket but rather the castings of the barrel and head, something that can't be fixed. He warns not to DIY this job. He says he's getting rid of the...

hqvadventure.com

He had made some performance mods which may have contributed to the problem. After seeing his vid I'm reluctant to do any mods. It's pretty good bone stock anyways. Also, most of his miles were on the freeway.

It's possible that you haven't seen any posts about problems because no one here has had them. I haven't had any but I only have 1000 miles on my 2022 Vit. I don't ride the freeway and have no intention of doing so. The Vit is plenty capable at freeway speeds but I hate riding on the freeway.

Evidently you're a fan of clip ons, me too. I love my Vit. The new RC390 is really cool but a naked bike with clip ons is the best of both worlds, sporty and beautiful.

There is no way mods wrecked that motor with those off center coolant holes and no way the highway did either. it was built that way. Riding on the edge to spur a leak. Also, just for debatable purposes, a upgraded fuel controller will cool the motor down which will rescind the issue a bit. Rescind is a word that works in that sentence right? The opposite of contribute! whatever, don't get all smart!(haha) anyway......

Anyway, its just a really difficult decision now. I have nothing against the ninja 400 but there are sooo many of them.

Let me ask you both another question. Any problems will stalling when downshifting?

 

[Liteway]

No.

 

[rr0sp1]

If you're so worried about reliability, why not just get a Honda, Suzuki or maybe Yamaha? Mt03 is really cool too! Cb500r super boring, but looks nice and it's super reliable! If you like the Pilen's for the looks and because they're really fun, then just get one and worry later only if you ever have an issue. I'm being honest and direct, really feel it's pointless coming to this forum and ask these questions. Get what you want and enjoy it. These are all good brands, it's not like you're buying some chinese muck off. Of course, European brands have reputation of not being as reliable as Japanese, it's a give and take.

 

[GeoKrpan]

There is no way mods wrecked that motor with those off center coolant holes and no way the highway did either. it was built that way. Riding on the edge to spur a leak. Also, just for debatable purposes, a upgraded fuel controller will cool the motor down which will rescind the issue a bit. Rescind is a word that works in that sentence right? The opposite of contribute! whatever, don't get all smart!(haha) anyway......

Anyway, its just a really difficult decision now. I have nothing against the ninja 400 but there are sooo many of them.

Let me ask you both another question. Any problems will stalling when downshifting?

I think mitigate is a better word in that sentence than rescind.

I like sport bikes but there are so many of them. A little crowd formed around my Vit last Saturday at the Rock Store in Malibu. Many have never seen one before.

No problems with stalling when downshifting on my 2022 Vit with 1000 miles on it.

What motor mods have you made on your Husqvarna?

 

[Laceys]

If you're so worried about reliability, why not just get a Honda, Suzuki or maybe Yamaha? Mt03 is really cool too! Cb500r super boring, but looks nice and it's super reliable! If you like the Pilen's for the looks and because they're really fun, then just get one and worry later only if you ever have an issue.

Honda - too large. I only wieght 121lbs. I think that any of these 500ss or xer600s and what not are going to ride me and I want to be able to control them. I'm trying to find the happy medium between having something that doesn't sound like a lawnmower and ride like an e-bike but should launch from under me and ghost ride into a river.

Suzuki - the suzuki 250 is a sluggish and pointless existence. What were they thinking. The bouleward S40 is a cruiser and I want something sportier or cafe-ee-ish?(defiantly not the right word)...

Yamaha r3 - I like it. ninja400 or that.
MTt03 - I don't like that style. I was doing a lot of looking up with the BMW 310 and I couldn't get over the look. Apparently the streetfighter style isn't me at all.
or maybe Yamaha? Mt03 is really cool too!

I'm being honest and direct, really feel it's pointless coming to this forum and ask these questions.

I like to be social and want to be around bike talk.

I like sport bikes but there are so many of them. A little crowd formed around my Vit last Saturday at the Rock Store in Malibu. Many have never seen one before.
No problems with stalling when downshifting on my 2022 Vit with 1000 miles on it.
What motor mods have you made on your Husqvarna?

I don't have one. I'm trying to figure out if I want to buy one or other bikes.

 

[Liteway]

I see where you are coming from. You know this is not the equal in durability/ reliability to the big four but you are wondering just how big the deficit is to see if the bikes attributes outweigh that.
A forum where folks are familiar with the breed is as a good a spot as any to help determine that: it is not cut and dry because everyone's priorities are different.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[GeoKrpan]

If you're so worried about reliability, why not just get a Honda, Suzuki or maybe Yamaha? Mt03 is really cool too! Cb500r super boring, but looks nice and it's super reliable! If you like the Pilen's for the looks and because they're really fun, then just get one and worry later only if you ever have an issue. I'm being honest and direct, really feel it's pointless coming to this forum and ask these questions. Get what you want and enjoy it. These are all good brands, it's not like you're buying some chinese muck off. Of course, European brands have reputation of not being as reliable as Japanese, it's a give and take.

It's too bad the Japanese aren't more adventurous in their styling. If the Japanese won't then the Chinese will.

 

[GeoKrpan]

Honda - too large. I only wieght 121lbs. I think that any of these 500ss or xer600s and what not are going to ride me and I want to be able to control them. I'm trying to find the happy medium between having something that doesn't sound like a lawnmower and ride like an e-bike but should launch from under me and ghost ride into a river.

Suzuki - the suzuki 250 is a sluggish and pointless existence. What were they thinking. The bouleward S40 is a cruiser and I want something sportier or cafe-ee-ish?(defiantly not the right word)...

Yamaha r3 - I like it. ninja400 or that.
MTt03 - I don't like that style. I was doing a lot of looking up with the BMW 310 and I couldn't get over the look. Apparently the streetfighter style isn't me at all.
or maybe Yamaha? Mt03 is really cool too!

I like to be social and want to be around bike talk.


I don't have one. I'm trying to figure out if I want to buy one or other bikes.

I saw an all black 2023 MT03 at a dealer and thought it was really good looking.

Better looking than than a 'pilen? Nah. It would be invisible at the Rock Store.

It was marked up to $6700. I paid $700 over list for my '22' Vit, $6100.

 

[rr0sp1]

Performance wise and looks the MT03 is really cool! Same with the G310R, I've sprinted with a couple on the way back home from work and they are almost on par with the Svart, very nimble as well. But.... We all here have to admit we LOVE how the Pilen's look! Ohh man this is a beautiful bike and there's no other bike on the market in this category with such good looks. Once I rode it and felt that thumpy single cilinder, I just had to buy it. Amazing bike to ride in the city and around.

I cannot attest for the reliability of the bike, I've had no problems yet, but as you say there's no much comments about people having issues. The duke 390 adventure which shares the same engine, with the new exhaust route, has also great reviews. I've met several happy Pilen and Duke owners that haven't had any issues with their bike.

If you want looks and fun, this one is right for you. If you want the most reliable bike, get a Honda. Maybe in between, mt03? This is how I look at this situation.

 

[GeoKrpan]

Performance wise and looks the MT03 is really cool! Same with the G310R, I've sprinted with a couple on the way back home from work and they are almost on par with the Svart, very nimble as well. But.... We all here have to admit we LOVE how the Pilen's look! Ohh man this is a beautiful bike and there's no other bike on the market in this category with such good looks. Once I rode it and felt that thumpy single cilinder, I just had to buy it. Amazing bike to ride in the city and around.

I cannot attest for the reliability of the bike, I've had no problems yet, but as you say there's no much comments about people having issues. The duke 390 adventure which shares the same engine, with the new exhaust route, has also great reviews. I've met several happy Pilen and Duke owners that haven't had any issues with their bike.

If you want looks and fun, this one is right for you. If you want the most reliable bike, get a Honda. Maybe in between, mt03? This is how I look at this situation.

The service manager at the local BMW dealer told my neighbor, a good customer of theirs, that the G310s had blown head gasket problems. This was a few years ago when they first came out.

I had a 2019 CB300R for 3 1/2 years and 15k trouble free miles. While it is a good bike and way underrated power wise it's not nearly as good as a 'pilen.

Rizoma Race Retro bar. Note the Husqvarna mirrors.

 

[Liteway]

In what ways are the Vitpilen superior?

 

[GeoKrpan]

In what ways are the Vitpilen superior?

In every way. The Vit feels premium, the Honda feels mediocre by comparison. The Vit doesn't feel designed to a price, the Honda does.

My favorite advantage over the Honda is the gearing. The Vit has more power and can be geared higher. 2nd gear is far more usable, important to riding the tight, twisty roads in my vicinity. The Honda has less power and must be geared lower. 2nd gear is too low but 3rd gear is too high in many of the turns. I could have changed the front sprocket from a 14 to a 15, that would have helped.

 

[yonsson]

1000 miles in on my 22 Svart. No issues so far. I think a lot of people that are having shut down and quick shift problems don’t have the lever set up correctly or don’t know how to ride a bike with quick shift. You are not supposed to have pressure on the lever other than during shifting and shifting has to be done “with determination”.

Swapping from regular shoes to adventure boots made me have to adjust the lever position. It took a few tries but now the quick shifter works great again.

Overall very happy with the bike. I have previously owned Ducati Monster 600 and Triumph Thruxton. The Svart is faster than both of those up to highway speed. After that (110km/h) there’s not much left. So it’s a bike for lower speeds, not for high speed cruising.

 

[GeoKrpan]

1000 miles in on my 22 Svart. No issues so far. I think a lot of people that are having shut down and quick shift problems don’t have the lever set up correctly or don’t know how to ride a bike with quick shift. You are not supposed to have pressure on the lever other than during shifting and shifting has to be done “with determination”.

Swapping from regular shoes to adventure boots made me have to adjust the lever position. It took a few tries but now the quick shifter works great again.

Overall very happy with the bike. I have previously owned Ducati Monster 600 and Triumph Thruxton. The Svart is faster than both of those up to highway speed. After that (110km/h) there’s not much left. So it’s a bike for lower speeds, not for high speed cruising.

I'm thinking of getting a new pair of boots. I suspect that the toes of my current boots aren't stiff enough.

It's interesting, your thoughts about the Svart verses your Ducati and Triumph.

'22 Svarts are rare in the US. Are they rare in Sweden? Did you have to pay more than list price?

 

[yonsson]

I'm thinking of getting a new pair of boots. I suspect that the toes of my current boots aren't stiff enough.

It's interesting, your thoughts about the Svart verses your Ducati and Triumph.

'22 Svarts are rare in the US. Are they rare in Sweden? Did you have to pay more than list price?

They are rare here as well but we have a dealer locally. I got 10% off, it’s not like the Husky’s fly off the shelves. I test drove one in June, then I bought it new from the same dealer in September. Triumphs have been out off stock though. Japanese bikes and Triumphs are the most common here. BMW probably sells OK as well.