Power and torque are identical to the KTM’s 105 hp at 8,000 rpm, and 63.8 pound-feet at 6,500 rpm. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

As Husqvarna’s first road-going adventure bike, the Norden 901 is a hugely significant motorcycle for Husqvarna. But given that Husqvarna is owned by the KTM group, it will come as little surprise that, while the Norden 901 is new, it shares many similarities with KTM’s two highly acclaimed 890 Adventure variants. In fact, the 889cc parallel twin that powers the 901 is taken—lock, stock, and two smoking barrels—directly from the Adventure and Adventure R. And why not? This lightweight jewel of an engine works as well on dirt as it does on asphalt, and is already proven not only in the Adventure, but also the 890 Duke and 890 Duke R, and KTM’s racing 8RC.

Three riding modes as standard—Street, Rain, Off-Road—and there’s the optional Explorer mode. Rain mode caps power to 82 hp. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Husqvarna has positioned the Norden 901 between KTM’s road-focused 890 Adventure and the more off-road purpose 890 Adventure R, and is clearly confident in the on- and off-road capabilities of the new model as it invited us for two days of extensive testing on the stunning Azores islands. This was a true examination of its first global adventure bike in every condition imaginable, from sticky, strength-sapping mud and sand to epic switchback mountain passes in the wet and dry.

The Norden is controlled by 43mm WP Apex fork and a WP Apex shock (both fully adjustable) and, enhancing its function as a tourer, also comes equipped with a remote, easy-access preload adjuster. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Managing the power are multiple riding modes: Street, Rain, Off-Road, and optional Explorer mode fitted to our testbike. Each mode is set, changing the throttle response, traction control intervention level, and peak power. The specialist Off-Road mode delivers full power but turns off the lean-sensitive rider aids (ABS and TC), allowing some wheel rear-wheel slip and effortless wheelies, while significantly changing the bike’s behavior. The optional Explorer mode allows you to personalize the settings.

There’s lean-sensitive ABS and TC, which has a specific off-road setting. The up-and-down shift is standard, as is the cruise control. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Street mode, as you’d assume, delivers a perfectly well-behaved motorcycle. Power is smooth, with a lovely fluid drive from low down. For those riding in normal conditions this will be all most riders really need. However, we encountered some treacherous road sections featuring slimy, wet cobbles covered in moss which, with a closed throttle and via the KTM switch gear on the left bar, prompted a shift into Rain mode (which is clearly highlighted by the full-color TFT dash).

Last year KTM upgraded the Adventure’s IMU to a six-axis component, and the Norden benefits from that technology too. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Throttle response is noticeably softer in Rain mode with peak power capped at 82 bhp, and I was grateful for the increased intervention of the rider aids in such slippery conditions too. Both traction control (TC) and ABS are lean sensitive, and a comforting light is illuminated when the TC is triggered. However, despite a high level of intervention, there isn’t any backfiring or jolting, just smooth, uninterrupted drive.

As you would expect for a bike ready to take on the world, there is a long list of travel accessories, from luggage, crash protection, and heated grips to an Akrapovič silencer. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Explorer mode allows you to trim the electronics to match the conditions and the way you ride—you can also change the power output and throttle response—while in Off-Road mode the power delivery is easy to live with and throttle response is crisp without being too sharp. Progressive torque output allows the rear Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tire to find traction—and it’s just as easy to tickle the throttle to make a sharp turn as it is to spin the rear to tighten your exit.

An up-and-down quickshifter comes as standard and I had few problems with changes, even in clumpy off-road boots. The shift on the road is smooth and backed by a pleasing bark from the optional Akrapovič exhaust fitted to our bike.

The Norden is 17.6 pounds (dry) heavier than both the KTM 890 and 890 R, which is mainly down to its different styling, bash plate, rear rack, and the incorporated fog lights, which come as standard. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Given that the Norden sits in between the two KTM 890 Adventure models, it follows that it has more suspension travel—8.7 inches up front and 8.5 inches at the rear—than the more road-focused 890 Adventure, but less travel than the 890 Adventure R. The Norden’s ride is controlled by a 43mm WP Apex fork and WP Apex shock (both fully adjustable) and, as a useful nod to its role as a tourer, also comes equipped with a remote, easy-access preload adjuster.

Just as it is on KTM Adventures, the 901 suspension is excellent—and sits the bike lower than the Adventure R too. You don’t have the on-tiptoes feeling that shorter riders experience on the R, which instills confidence in those less experienced as well as on the short side, and nudges the 901 closer to the road-biased standard KTM 890 in this respect.

The KTM R features a beefier 48mm WP fork and more ground clearance for those serious off-road riders (10.4 inches compared to 9.9 inches). (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

This tough test threw every type of road imaginable at the 901, but at no point did I want the suspension settings altering. During fast, flowing cornering the Norden was exceptionally stable for a bike with long-travel suspension. Aerodynamic bodywork has been designed to enhance stability while the off-road-looking Pirelli rubber was always reassuringly planted on asphalt. There is significant travel under heavy braking and acceleration—but the suspension movement is always controlled. That is the key.

The Norden is 17.6 pounds heavier than the KTM 890 Adventure R but such is its comparative narrowness and compact feel (the fuel tank, for example, is slightly smaller) that extra weight isn’t noticeable, and only a back-to-back test with the KTM would reveal if there’s any tangible difference.

The fuel tank is 1 liter (0.3 gallon) smaller than the KTM 890 Adventure R’s, but runs the same frugal motor. Husqvarna quotes 4.5L/100km or 53 mpg, and I managed 5.1L/100km or 46 mpg. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

Off-road handling is eye-opening too. In extreme situations the Norden 901 lacks the sophistication and brilliance of the KTM 890 Adventure R—but for this 45-year-old dad from the UK who’s never ridden the Dakar and who simply enjoys weekend riding off-road, there’s little to fault. I’m sure if you ride hard and like big air, you’d want to tailor the suspension settings or even fit beefier suspension units to suit. But for me and 90 percent of the buying public, the standard suspension on these tires is both forgiving and reassuring.

I could feel what was happening; the bars were relaxed in my hands as the front 21-inch Pirelli found its way across the terrain and the rear just got on with the job of finding grip. The 901 is one of those adventure bikes that doesn’t intimidate the rider; it complements them instead.

The Norden has a slightly smaller fuel tank than the KTM, 5.0 gallons on the Husqvarna, compared to 5.3 gallons on the KTM. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

On surfaced roads it’s no Honda Gold Wing, and I didn’t test for pillion comfort, but compared to some 21-inch front wheel adventure bikes the Norden scores highly. The 33.6-inch seat is comfortable and, as noted, narrows neatly toward the fuel tank allowing shorties like me to get two feet on the ground. The nonadjustable screen (a trick missed in my opinion) is adequate, the standard hand guards do their best to keep hands dry in the heavy rain, and cruise control comes as standard.

The brakes are more than adequate for off-road riding at my level, but on the road lack the sharpness you normally associate with KTM’s sporting siblings. They felt wooden and lacked bite. Once or twice while braking heavily downhill into a slow dry corner I wanted more power and urgency, while more engine-braking—not adjustable on this model—would have helped and taken the load off the front tire.

The test ran for two days in the stunning Azores islands. This was a true examination of Husky’s first global adventure bike in every condition imaginable. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

However, the Bosch lean-sensitive ABS is impressive, particularly in the Rain and Off-Road modes. Off-Road the ABS is deactivated from the rear (the front can’t be switched off), and ABS becomes non-lean-sensitive. It’s hard to feel the ABS working—it’s that good—meaning it’s also startlingly easy to brake hard in low-grip conditions and still feel secure.

The riding modes and rider aids are accessible via a quadrant of buttons on the left bar, which interact with the new 5-inch color TFT dash. Like the KTM, the new clocks are informative with clear graphics and relatively easy to navigate, and, by the end of our first day, it felt like second nature to quickly flick between Rain and Off-Road settings. The display layout changes with the different modes, which I found confusing as sometimes the gear position was clearly shown and sometimes it was the TC…but I’m picking at details only discovered after two intense days of riding.

The dedicated adventure riding kit looks good and, according to the guys who rode with us, waterproof. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

The Norden 901 sits between the KTM 890 Adventure and the more off-road-biased Adventure R model, and you could argue it’s the best of both worlds. Road handling, comfort, tech, and rider aids are excellent, and equally it can cut it off-road. If you’re serious about your off-road riding—making deep river crossings and riding wide open in fifth and sixth gears—then the KTM’s R version would be a better option. But, for most, the Norden does it all.

The brakes are adequate on the road rather than stunning, and I’d like more engine-braking, while some may want to disable front ABS. But other faults aren’t really faults, just personal and minor niggles. If I was to repeat this test, I’d probably take the Husqvarna Norden 901 over either of the KTM 890 Adventures.

Individual styling, very similar to the prototype first unveiled at EICMA in 2019, allows the Norden to stand out from the rest. (Husqvarna, Marco Campelli/Sebas Romero/)

2022 Husqvarna Norden 901 Specifications

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