Husqvarna Shows Us Its Adventure Machine

Husqvarna broke wraps on the adventure bike it's been developing during the EICMA Show, and though it's still just a concept, we fully expect to see the Norden available to consumers in the future.

The Norden represents Husqvarna's first-ever adventure-touring machine, and it's built around an 889.5cc parallel-twin engine. It has a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear, and features WP suspension. These are the specifics Husqvarna shared, though it's evident from images that the bike has a lot more going on than that.

Apart from mirrors, the Norden appears to be a fully developed bike. Interestingly, Husqvarna has wrapped the bodywork in crash protectors, fit luggage perfectly onto the rear, and designed a skid plate to protect the internals. These may be minor elements when considered against more relevant mechanical details, but it seems telling, to me at least, that designers have gone so far as to build what are likely accessory add-ons for a project that remains in the concept stage. It may just be wishful thinking, but it feels like this bike is destined for production.

Plus, it accents Husqvarna's growing street line with a bike that, it could be argued, has more mass appeal than its Svartpilen or Vitpilen. The adventure market is popular, Husqvarna and parent company KTM have well-established off-road credentials, of course they're going to leverage that standing when introducing the brand's largest road-going platform yet.

Plus, it looks awesome. It could be a while before we get details on the official launch plan for the Norden, but I’m convinced they’re coming.