I like spoked wheels better... ...Apparently it’s coming.
Interesting. Now that Americans may have to wait until the 2025 release, I've refined my customization idea for a new Husqvarna 801 and am leaning toward it becoming a Gravel Grinder, built off a donor 801 Svartpilen.
The Gravel Grinder Build brief has evolved to represent a dream of rugged functionality and the purposeful and unique aesthetics of a roadster/explorer hybrid. Still, a city streets navigator that easily carves twisty tarmac, stable on highways but can crush gravel to dirt. I will rough up the thing by taking the road less traveled.
Minimalistic bodywork, no fairings. Lightweight, aluminum crash-protection for the key mechanical bits, and heavily emphasizing the exposed frame and naked fuel tank. Working with the basis being the Swedish Neo-Futurism engineering stripped to a design inspired by something out of "On Any Sunday."
Once the mechanical costs for suspension work get penciled in, I'd have fun planning design element details and a livery that blends classic scrambler elements with a modern, minimalist twist on a flat-tracker. A color palette with a combination of earthy tones like dark brown, and olive green, mixed with gunmetal grey, a choice of few contrasted accents that could be orange or yellow. Minimal if any graphics. If any at all, maybe incorporating my profile logo instead of a number or badging...or a simple 70s era paint pattern on the tank, once figuring out how to treat the bare, stock, metal tank that may need some fabrication work done to it for fitting the seat.
The focus is to fully showcase the exposed frame and mechanicals, letting the bike's form and function speak for themselves. No clothes. Raw finishes on any aluminum parts, maybe stripping the frame too - to emphasize the bike's utilitarian purpose. Perhaps some interesting leather on the seat or even the grips to add a touch of vintage. All that form stuff comes after solving the problem of adding more functionality. The build would be an exercise to legitimize the spokes if a wheelset becomes available from the factory.
This would create a petrol gravel grinder that can endure challenging terrains and varied road surfaces. Designed for exploration that expects to travel on poorly graded dirt fire roads, unpaved B-roads, dry lakebed flats, plus the low desert and the foothill chaparral two-track offroad trials that run off of the tarmac twisties of highways and byways in my region.
- Factory Tank Panel Removal
- Factory Fuel Tank Modification
- Functional Off-road Armor where required
- Suspension Modification
- Wire Spoke Wheels
- Tire Upgrade
I have accepted that I will not be able to pursue linkage modifications. That's fine and keeps me close to the inherent performance handling on twisty asphalt but adds capable performance for the purpose described. I won't be able to track in deep sand, and pull through heavy mud, or surmount big obstacles like rocks, tall or slippery roots, and logs. I'll have to slowly waddle in deepish and steepish ruts.
After I can test-ride a U.S. Svartpilen 801, I'll check my gut to see if my passion for this idea remains. Then, the real research begins to determine the range of suspension adjustability and performance upgrades that are available for the front and rear.
The goal is the ability to ride up to 2x speed on gravel and hardpack dirt roads that will only bottom-out suspension travel on unforeseen ruts, bumps, roots, and rocks; and can better handle washboard-rippling that can't be planned for at speed. Improved damping and travel to handle light off-road conditions encountered when overlanding. A machine that is suitable for adventures on unpaved road excursions where encountering moderate obstacles is likely.
Feasibility searches have directed me to first learn more about these two kits:
- WP XPLOR PRO 7500 or 7548 cartridge kits, which offer enhanced damping performance and can be tailored to increase travel.
- WP XPLOR PRO 6746 longer travel rear shock, designed for adventure and rally bikes. This shock offers progressive damping and increased travel, tailored to more demanding off-road conditions.
I did a fast render on how it would look like with spoked wheels (since I have a Svartpilen 401 and they have spoked wheels), I think looks much better with this setup, even though i used the fs450 wheels on the image 
. Give your opinions on this, I think Husqvarna should launch a model with these wheels.
