No More Pirelli STRs Offered On Husqvarna Svartpilen 401

On a motorcycle, the two rubber contact patches are what keep you smiling inside that helmet. Tyres, we mean. It is what makes all the difference in how effectively one can put the power down, lean into a corner or shed speed on the application of the brakes. When we rode the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, we were very happy with the grip levels and overall performance offered by the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres. And despite the reduced electronics package compared to the 390 Duke which the Svartpilen 401 is based on, the Pirelli tyres were one of the main highlights for the Husqvarna.

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It has been reported that the units of the Svartpilen 401 arriving at the authorised KTM/Husqvarna dealerships are equipped with Apollo tyres instead of the Pirellis. It seems that due to the ban on the import of tyres as per the regulations set by the government, Husqvarna had to alternatively opt for locally manufactured Tramplr XR tyres from Apollo. 

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Now, the Tramplr XRs are on-off tyres that aren’t poor in terms of performance or grip, but they are not as equivalent as the Pirellis either. And to add to the disappointment, Husqvarna hasn’t revised the prices of the Svartpilen 401 which continues to retail at Rs 2.92 lakh ex-showroom, after equipping the motorcycle with Apollo tyres. 

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Similarly, the same can turn out to be the case for other motorcycles in the segment like the KTM 390 Duke which comes equipped with Metzeler tyres. It will be a matter of time to know what happens in the case of the KTM and which tyre alternative will be offered.