Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 Review

Used Buyer Review

The Vitpilen 801 is genuinely one of the more interesting bikes you can buy used right now — a proper cafe racer that actually rides rather than just poses. It shares its 799cc parallel-twin with the KTM 790 Duke, which means strong parts availability and a tuning ecosystem already well-established. That engine is the real star here: punchy, characterful, and more tractable than its power figures suggest. Husqvarna's Scandinavian styling isn't for everyone, but it turns more heads than any Japanese naked in the same bracket. Buying used, inspect the subframe carefully — they can crack under hard riding. Check service history obsessively because these motors need regular valve checks and owners often skip them. The WP suspension is decent but previous owners may have thrashed it, so bounce-test both ends. Electronics are solid with multiple riding modes and cornering ABS, which is reassuring on a used buy. Budget for a throttle-by-wire recalibration if it feels snatchy — it's a common complaint easily fixed.