Svartpilen 401

It might be because this blog was started 13 years ago, when there was hardly a mention of Royal Enfield in the US media. But I still get a kick of seeing articles like the one in the last issue of Rider Magazine about the Scram 411. 

If you are wondering about the title of the post, let me quote you the last two paragraphs of the article: 

"Has Royal Enfield got a sophomore hit on its hands? Accepted on its own terms – clean retro styling, a modestly powered little-engine-that-could Single, a solidly built price-point chassis, and an entry-level price – the answer is a qualified yes. Part of the deal is a low-tech motorcycle that’s heavy for its displacement class (432 lb with its 4-gallon tank full), which will be appealing, irrelevant, or unappealing depending on your point of view.

In the small-displacement scrambler segment, there aren’t many options available, but the Scram 411 isn’t the only game in town. For an extra $300, there’s the more modern, more powerful, and lighter Husqvarna Svartpilen 401. Different strokes for different folks."

I must confess I had never heard of the Svartpilen 401. It has 43 hp vs 23 for the Himalayan, which is 30% heavier. In the US and other markets, the prices are quite similar, so it might appear as tough competition. In India however, the Svartpilen is 50% more expensive, so I imagine RE should not worry too much about it as a competitor.