Husqvarna/KTM continue with their relentless pursuit to find the perfect Adventure bike to suit you, the customer. So here’s another one placed into the Adventure bike stable, say ‘hi’ to the new Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition.
Ok let’s get the basic platform out of the way before we begin. This new and posh Norden does have the same engine, and chassis, as KTM’s 890 Adventure bikes with a few subtle changes to maximise the design brief, primarily bodywork and it is, without doubt, a fine looking motorcycle because of that.
Sitting behind the twin petrol tanks is their feisty 889cc, DOHC, parallel twin forcing out a claimed 105hp@8,000rpm and 100Nm@6,500rpm. Enough to propel the large faced Norden well past 200km/h, in case you’re wondering. With a weight of 215kg without fuel (19-litres of it), that’s also quite a commendable statistic when you consider its size. It’s certainly an exciting engine that pulls strongly from low rpm and has a delightful noise from the single silencer as the quick-shifter (both up and down) makes a sweet ‘crack’ as the next gear is selected. After that you’ll take pleasure in the mid-range torque which, for a bike like this and what it’s meant to do, is vital compared to top-end power delivery.
What Husqvarna has achieved is a more ‘friendly’ Norden with improved ergonomics and wind protection for a more relaxed touring experience and, in my opinion, it’s worked. The new taller screen deflects the wind around the rider superior to the basic Norden and with the standard fitting of heated grips and rider seat (pillion can be added), it’s also a better place to be when the temperature drops.
Of course the new Expedition is riddled with electronic rider aides. Cruise control, traction control (lean angle sensitive), rider modes (street, rain, off-road and the new Explorer mode), Bosch ABS with off-road mode, and a Ride App for integration with your phone allowing for GPS navigation and the like. More than enough to keep any techno junkie happy. All of this is relayed and accessed in an easy-to-use menu and seen on the TFT screen displayed in Husqvarna type colours.
The new Explorer mode, I believe, lets the rider adjust rear wheel slip on the ‘fly’, of which there’re nine levels. This does come as standard equipment with the Expedition so you won’t incur any more costs with software. It is a bit confusing though as it should be called Expedition mode instead of Explorer don’t you think, or maybe that’s just me poking at things?
Other standard equipment with the R279,699 price tag is two soft, 36-litres in total, panniers that are refreshingly easy to take off or install. A bit on the wide side for negotiating traffic though, so I mainly left them off around town.
The 901 Expedition does enjoy a large dose of high-end WP suspension updates over the basic Norden, similar to the units found on the new KTM 890 Adventure R, with a few tweaks to gel with the Expedition platform and they’re superb. A pair of chunky 48mm WP Xplor forks combines with a hefty Xplor PDS (progressive damping system) rear shock, ideal components for an Expedition into the unknown and beyond.
This is how the Norden 901 made me feel. No matter how far I rode the bike it felt like it was telling me it wasn’t far enough. The comfort levels are superb with the seat and foot pegs in the perfect position for long travels, about 400km +/- before you’ll need to replenish those twin tanks, and a massive aluminium skid/bash plate that looks like it came off the side of a battleship now protects these. Once you’re moving you end up sitting happily on the plush wide seat, which can be adjusted between 875-895mm (it is a tall bike), and that screen is a pleasure to sit behind too. Apparently the slit in the screen is designed to even out pressure and turbulence, which is nice touch.
If you fancy a spot of brisk cornering the Expedition will happily accommodate. Even though it has a 21-inch front wheel and off-road biased tyres it’s surprisingly agile and quite fun on the tarmac, it’ll even pull a decent wheelie or two if you desire. The braking is also very good from the J-Juan (Spanish subsidiary of the Brembo group) four-piston callipers clamping onto 320mm discs, if you need to come to an abrupt halt.
All well and good then but where this bike really excels is when you venture, or decide, to go off into an Expedition of some sort. Strangely I found myself singing ‘Climb Every Mountain’ from the old Sound of Music film staring Julie Andrews, no idea why, but it just seemed rather fitting for the bike I was on. A film about the Von Trapp family struggling to survive in the Austrian Alps in 1938, if you’re wondering, and probably are.
I was more than impressed by the quality of the new suspension and it devoured any road/gravel/river it came across, inducing confidence in the rider, or me to be more specific as I’m not the greatest fan of dirty adventures, well maybe some? But yes, I wanted to go and rescue Julie and her family and the Norden 901 Expedition would be my only choice of motorcycle to do so. Then her many irritating vocal kids could warm their hands and bottoms using my bikes attributes and enjoy a meaty sandwich that I unselfishly brought to them transported inside the soft luggage – perhaps.
Either way the 2023 Norden 901 Expedition does send you in that direction, not feeding defenseless yodelling children that is, but in a manner of going to find and discover things on a motorcycle whilst enjoying off-road comfort levels that ‘others’ will find hard to match. It certainly made my fictitious trip to the Alps enjoyable on all counts.
Images: Sudoku.
Visit: www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com for dealer locations in SA and more technical information.
