When I heard that Husqvarna will come to the Philippines, I was ecstatic. I have always loved their bikes. Husqvarna only arrived to the Philippines this year and many seem to know it because of its relationship with KTM. “Black Arrow”. That’s what Svartpilen means in native Swedish, a fitting name given by Husqvarna to one of its popular motorcycles. Mostly known for the 401s, we’ve tried out its younger brother, the Husqvarna Svartpilen 200. Is it enough to shake up the motorcycle market? Let’s find out.
Out of all the things I’ve loved about this bike, I think most would agree that the Svartpilen’s design is a jaw-dropper. For a 200, the bike looks big, unlike other 200cc bikes on the market. I couldn’t count the number of times that it’s been mistaken as a highway-legal bike. As a scrambler/café racer, it has a tall seat, an edgy and slim body, and 17-inch wheels wrapped in MRF tires measuring 110/70 at the front and 150/60 at the rear. I also love how every part of it looks so premium. Though if I were to nitpick, considering how similarly the Husqvarna Svartpilen 200 and 401 look, I wish that they would also carry over the exhaust system into the 200. But apart from that, the bike’s almost perfect. Its body looks so different from others. It looks so futuristic.
I personally think that if you are someone looking to buy a new starting bike, or planning to switch from scooters to manual shifting but without the bigger engine, this will be the best choice for you. Powering the Svartpilen is the same engine that the KTM Duke 200 has–a single-cylinder, 4 valves, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 6-speed engine at 199.5 cc displacement. The Svartpilen is a very fun bike that revs high. You could not ask for a better starting bike than the Husqvarna Svartpilen 200. You’re getting a bike that doesn’t look like a 200 with a very capable engine enough for city riding fun. Yet it is a very light bike that you can easily ride in traffic. What else could you want?
As a 200, I wasn’t expecting it to have so much acceleration! The Svartpilen 200 has a very responsive throttle and shifting gears is a breeze. Paired with those is its engine note, which sounds very nice at high RPMs. City riding is perfect for this bike, while longer rides would take a toll on you as its seat isn’t friendly for long rides due to your riding posture. I was only about to get a top speed of 129 kph with the bike, but I think it could go up to 140 kph. Weaving in and out of traffic is easy enough because of its light weight. I am just unlucky that my time with it was shortened due to the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), and I wasn’t able to try the bike on twisties.
Its suspension is not soft. The WP Apex suspension is stiff and will make you feel the road more and thus making it harder to ride on longer trips again. Braking power is superb. It has a dual-channel Bosch ABS with a huge 320 mm front disc and 230 mm at the rear. It’s got very responsive braking and ABS works fine too. Braking performance is also a perfect 5/5 for me.
What surprised me is its fuel economy. I got 42 km/l despite my riding style, which is not exactly gentle with the throttle.
The bike has a digital LCD panel that has a gear shift indicator, odometer, time, and etc. I loved how they matched its panel with how the bike’s minimalist look. Its front, rear, and signal lights are also LED. The switches have a backlight too. You could do a lot of customization with the bike if you’d like, starting with putting on bar ends and spoke wheels, which would make the bike look so much better.
With all of that being said, I personally think that the Husqvarna Svartpilen 200 is immediately one of the best in its class. Considering how much you’re getting with the price you pay, it’s worth it. Husqvarna simply shows how much effort and time they put into these bikes, and how much they are willing to show us what their bikes are made of. If I had a spare P175,000 in me right now, I’d get this bike with no hesitation.
Elijah’s Likes 
- Very light bike. Traffic would not be as tiring as with other bikes.
- Fuel efficient.
- Great Acceleration.
- 5/5 for the bike’s looks and little details.
Elijah’s Nitpicks 
- I wish they adopted the same exhaust that the 401 has
- I hope there was an option to get the spoke wheels like in other countries
Pricing and Rating
Design: ★★★★★
Features: ★★★★☆
Safety: ★★★★★
Acceleration: ★★★★★
Handling: ★★★★★
Fuel Efficiency: ★★★★★
Comfort: ★★★☆☆
Value for Money: ★★★★★
Price: P175,000*
Overall: 4.6 out of 5
*Pricing is correct and accurate as of this article’s time of writing.
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