It was inevitable, wasn’t it? KTM’s sister brand Husqvarna had to adapt to the ever-growing Adventure bike market with their own take on KTM’s ‘mid-sized’ offerings. Now we all know the two KTMs currently on offer are the 890 Adventure and the 890 Adventure R, both superb in their own rights, right? So, what could the Husqvarna engineers possibly do with basically the same platform to entice adventure riders into their stable? Well, quite lot actually and I must say the result is much better than I first presumed; Say hello to the Norden 901.
Let’s get the engine out of the way before I begin: it’s virtually identical except for a few badges on the side of the 899cc, DOHC, fuel-injected, parallel twin and maybe a slight mapping change for altered power characteristics, but that’s all folks. The result is a feisty 105hp@8,000rpm and 100Nm@6,000rpm, more than enough to send the Norden well north of 200km/h, so the power equation is well and truly ticked I say. So much so that I have to mention a drag race with my mate, who was upon a BMW 1200 GS, the last of the air-cooled, four-valve version. To his angry disbelieve the Norden 901 left the GS behind on acceleration all the way into sixth gear, until we ran out of road. I consequently demanded a few beers in our local pub to not mention his embarrassing encounter, which he gladly obliged to, but I told everyone anyway! 
So, the motor is more than enough to keep anyone’s excitement gauge heading towards the redline. If you desire more aggressive riding the new rider modes, once disengaged, or in Rally mode, will allow one to lift the front wheel at will, but I’m not too sure how many owners will venture up that particular path of self-indulgence. The reason I’ve said that is because ‘usually’ KTM owners tend to be a bit on the ‘wild’ side, but the Norden 901 is focused more towards adventure-touring in, dare I say, a more refined manner. Sure, it can become an eager steed when in the correct hands but I believe the Norden will attract a more sedate person, or maybe not, your choice?
You see the comfort levels are more defined on the Norden, from its wider, softer and quilted seat to a wider and more effective fairing design to disperse adverse weather. It’s basically built for more long-distance distances, and maybe 890 Adventure owners might disagree, but I’ll stick by my decision thank you. Not only are the comfort levels of the Norden admirable, so is the new WP Apex suspension which, quite possibly, liftedmy eyebrows the most during the test spell. WP has chosen a very supple and plush setting for both front and rear units, which are manually adjustable by the way. No electronic suspension on this model, but certainly it’s of the highest quality on all counts, ideal for any undulating rough road and, of course, the inevitable venture up a dirty path or two.
Yes the 223kg (wet) Norden 901 is a very capable off-road machine too with its 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear, and it also has a new ‘Explorer’ mode to fiddle with during dirty adventures. This offers nine levels of traction control, which can be changed on the move, and probably does more that I didn’t absorb. To be honest I turned everything off on the road for immature wheelies and spinning tyre syndrome, instead of delving into its large electronic package. Of course, I’m very impressed with the wealth of electronics on offer from the R246,999 Norden 901, including the superb new TFT info-pod emitting a sweet yellow/black colour display and the ‘Easy-shift’ quickshifter also receives a commendable mention, especially when the exhaust produces an entertaining ‘crack’ as the next gear engages. This trait is helped by the addition of the Remus silencer at R8,000+/-, which is a must buy if you choose to own a new Norden. The Remus pipe addition adds flavour to the already attractive design of the Norden. There’s no denying it looks excellent, and the huge round headlight and matching LED fog lamps add to its striking visual attributes. Many people agreed except for one major problem, they didn’t know what make the bike is, unless you’re an avid motorcycle fan that is. No Husqvarna name/badge is found anywhere on the bodywork, except for a few pressed into the engine covers. It does have their signature gun sight badges on the fairing sides though (if you didn’t know they began making riffles and other stuff, and still produce chain saws and sewing machines). Anyway, it was just something I noticed during my week with the bike.
During this fun-filled week I mainly rode on the road with the odd dirt lane thrown in. Like I said at the beginning, the Norden 901 was better than I first though it might be. It’s not just a styling exercise with fancy new bodywork thrown over KTM’s 890 platform, far from it, because it offers something that the other two siblings do not. A very worthy addition indeed into the mighty KTM/Husqvarna Empire on all counts. 
Visit: www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com for more technical information, to locate your nearest dealer and to book a test ride in South Africa.
Even Diana Ross has made a song to go with this article, enjoy….
