Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition 2023 Launch Review

Somewhere in South Africa, in a darkened room courtesy of the country’s energy crisis, I sat and watched a short film featuring explorer Mike Horn and five-time Dakar champ Cyril Despres as they piloted Husqvarna’s latest dual-sport creation through the remote Mongolian wilderness.

By far, the standout moment of the video was when Horn and Despres overcome an apparent dead-end by abseiling their pair of Huskies down a sheer cliff face. Talk about adventure.

The purpose of the film was to showcase the new 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition – the latest model in the Swedish-born brand’s adventure touring line-up, and an up-spec version of the original Norden 901 that earned a nomination in the 2022 Bikesales bike of the Year awards.

Of course, promotional videos like this are a little misleading. The truth is that 99.9 per cent of Norden 901 owners will never follow the footsteps of Horn and Despres. And, even if they had the desire, they will likely never have the knowledge, skill-set, or mental fortitude to be able to do so. But it does get the mind dreaming nonetheless.

When Husqvarna announced the Expedition variant, I (and presumably many others) assumed that it would be a Swedish-styled version of the immensely capable KTM 890 Adventure R. Alas, it is not. But that is not such a bad thing. The boffins at the KTM Group are not stupid, and they have deliberately targeted this new machine at a different, but no less adventurous audience.

The Norden 901 Expedition is less ‘Ready to Race’ and more ‘Ready to Explore’, and it took me a two-day ride through the stunning South African countryside to see exactly why.

The Norden 901 Expedition is not a new motorcycle. It shares the same platform as the base Norden 901, which was in turn adapted from the KTM 890 Adventure.

But where the Norden 901 Expedition separates itself from its sibling is with an extra level of specification and equipment designed to increase its travel capabilities.

The headline feature is WP Xplor suspension, which replaces the base model’s tarmac-friendly WP Apex setup. But while the Expedition shares the Xplor gear (and the 240mm front and rear travel) with the enduro-like KTM 890 Adventure R, the settings are quite different (more on that later).

Also new for the Expedition variant is a pair of soft panniers as standard, heated grips and a heated seat, an engine guard, a centrestand, and the full suite of Husky electronics (including Explorer mode and smartphone connectivity) fitted right out of the box.

There is also a new touring windshield and new model-specific graphics, which gives the Expedition quite a different look compared to the base model.

The Norden 901 Expedition variant checks in at $27,840 ride away, just $1800 more than the base model. That is not bad when you consider the level of equipment it comes with.

To compare, the KTM 890 Adventure R checks in at $26,575 ride away, while competition includes the Ducati Desert X ($25,800 ride away), Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro ($25,450 ride away), BMW F 850 GS Adventure ($21,680 ride away), and the smaller-capacity Aprilia Tuareg 660 ($22,230 ride away).

You could also throw in upcoming (but less-equipped) Japanese models, including the Yamaha Tenere World Raid, the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, and the Honda XL750 Transalp, all of which will likely be less than $20K. And don’t forget the bargain CFMOTO 800MT Explore, which utilises a KTM engine and checks it at $16,940 ride away.

The Norden 901 Expedition is definitely on the expensive end of the middleweight adventure spectrum, but arguably no other bike is as well-equipped, and no other bike (aside from the 890 R and Tuareg) is as capable in a wide variety of terrain. In short, you get what you pay for.

The KTM Group’s proven LC8 platform returns on the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition, with the 889cc parallel-twin engine putting out 105hp (77kw) at 8000rpm and 100Nm of torque at 6500rpm. It is paired with a six-speed gearbox, and is supported by a PASC anti-hopping clutch, a Bosch EMS, and electric start.

Also worth noting is that the powerplant only weights 54.3kg, which results in an overall lightweight machine (which is much appreciated when you’re abseiling down those cliffs in Mongolia). Husqvarna also claims 15,000km service intervals.

The base Norden 901 was already a well-equipped machine for its price tag, but the Expedition variant adds even more value for money.

As we’ve already discussed, the additional features on the Expedition include WP Xplor suspension, side bags, heated grips and seat, centrestand, touring windshield, and Explorer mode as standard, but the bike shares many of its best features with the base 901. Notably, the Norden platform includes a quickshifter and cruise control as standard, both of which are options on the KTM equivalents.

Husqvarna has once again opted for the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, which offer an excellent balance between tarmac and dirt performance, while braking is still handled by J.Juan.

You name it, the Expedition has it. As well as the aforementioned cruise control, quickshifter, and heated grips (yes, I consider that a safety feature), the Norden 901 also has cornering ABS, cornering traction control, off-road ABS, motor slip regulation, four ride modes, and LED lighting.

All of this is supplemented by a beautiful five-inch TFT display that is easy to read and navigate, and provides plenty of in-depth information. It’s not a perfect system, however, and I’ll touch on that in more depth below.

The primary purpose of the Norden 901 Expedition is to provide more off-road capability than the base model, and it ticks that box straight away.

Replacing the tarmac-biased WP Apex suspension with the dirt-biased WP Xplor suspension opens up more trails and terrain for the Norden 901 Expedition. The new bike is much more compliant over rougher terrain, with the rocky and sandy routes of South Africa presenting no real opposition.

At higher speeds, the Expedition didn’t really like big potholes or rocks, with a fair bit of deflection resulting in some hairy (but largely harmless) moments, while the rear shock tended to bottom out when launching off jumps (important to note I’m heavier than the average rider). But some easy adjustment of the clickers went a little way to rectifying these problems.

And it must be noted that, despite those small criticisms, the Expedition still performs better off-road than most other bikes in its class. That said, if you were expecting the Expedition to match the KTM 890 Adventure R, then you might be a tad disappointed. WP confirmed that the two bikes have different suspension settings and the difference is noticeable.

Husqvarna told us that the Expedition is targeted at a 50/50 road-dirt split, with the suspension settings aiming to provide more comfort than the 890 Adventure R. The KTM is far more aggressive off-road, but the Husky will reward you if you slow things down a bit and take in the surroundings. In fact, if you take your time, there aren’t many obstacles the Expedition won’t overcome. At the risk of sounding like a Husky marketing campaign, this is a bike for explorers, not Chris Birch devotees or those looking for lap records.

Elsewhere, the Expedition cuts the mustard in more ways than one. The engine is near perfect for this application. Even in Rally mode (the most aggressive throttle map), the 901 is easy to ride while maintaining plenty of snappy torque to power you out of corners.

And the power curve is incredibly tractable too. Even with traction control off, the bike rarely comes unstuck. You could put a pair of slicks on this bike and it would probably still maintain traction up a snotty hill. But the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR hoops are a great choice by Husky.

Handling is also superb, with the bike feeling very light and agile (it’s very easy to pick up too when you drop it). This is enhanced by a great riding positon that is super comfortable both when seated and standing. With the right skillset, you can really throw it around like a dirt bike. The only issue is that I found the peak of my helmet hitting the tall windshield from time to time.

I’ll keep this short, because there isn’t a whole lot to say. It’s bloody brilliant. If Husky was aiming for a 50/50 split for road and dirt, then it has achieved it, because the Expedition is as good on the road as it is on the dirt.

The Expedition, like the original Norden, feels very balanced on the road and allows you to really attack corners with plenty of spirit, while the suspension setup provides a compliant and comfy ride.

Another plus is the gearbox, which I jelled with a lot more than previous Husky/KTM models. In the past, I found I was hitting false neutral or slipping out of gears too often. I’m not sure if it has been updated in any way, but the current gearbox shifted smoothly and accurately.

The LC8 engine is also a beauty on the tarmac, especially with the now-standard Rally throttle setting. Sure, there are bigger and more powerful engines out there but, coupled with great handling, the Norden 901 is an absolute gem in the twisties.

Add in the reasonably comfy seat (with two seat-height settings), the heated grips and seat, and the tall and highly effective windshield, and it is easy to see yourself riding long kays and days on this dual-sporter.

Now, a few gripes. Firstly, the electronic suite needs a tweak. Like all bikes in the KTM Group’s adventure range, the TFT menu system is quite tricky to navigate on the fly. This could be fixed with a simple dedicated mode button, but Husky/KTM has so far refused to budge.

The other issue with the electronics is that there are a few little glitches that see some modes reset from time to time. This is a software issue, however, and it will hopefully be ironed out by the time the bike reaches customers. But the electronics work well for the most part, and having Explorer mode as standard is a win.

Adding the side bags as standard is also an excellent (and unique) choice by Husky. The bags provide plenty of storage for adventures of all kinds, and are quite secure and waterproof. But they do stick out quite wide and move around a lot on rougher terrain. After two days, a few of the bags had begun to wear slightly at the seams. Hopefully these are just pre-production examples, and future customers will get more durable material.

Unlike the 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R, there appears to be no cockpit USB port, although there is a 12V socket and a GPS mount. And we didn’t get to try the LED lighting, but if it’s the same setup as the original Norden, then it will be excellent.

Call me crazy, but I think that the new Norden 901 Expedition might just be the best all-around package in the middleweight adventure segment.

Sure, the KTM 890 Adventure R and Aprilia Tuareg 660 offer better off-road performance, while there are also more affordable options available. But with a high level of standard equipment, equally great on-road and off-road capability, and unique Husky style, I’m struggling to see what other models match it as a true dual-sport motorcycle.

That said, the Expedition does lose a few points for the electronic issues and the wear-and-tear on the side bags, while I’m sure many would have liked to see suspension capabilities equal to the 890 R (hey, you can always fork out $7K for the WP Xplor Pro gear if you like).

But the Expedition is still an excellent motorcycle and will be better if and when those few little issues are ironed out. Is this the best middleweight adventure bike available? I can’t say yes for sure without a comparison test, but it is bloody close. And yet, I’m not really surprised. This is KTM/Husqvarna’s bread-and-butter, after all.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke DOHC parallel-twin
Capacity: 889cc
Bore x stroke: 90.7mm x 68.8mm
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection with 46mm DKK Dell’Orto throttle body

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 105hp (71kW) at 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 100Nm at 6500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: PASC slipper

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Chromium-molybdenum steel trellis frame, powder coated
Front suspension: WP Xplor 48mm upside-down fork, fully adjustable, 240mm travel
Rear suspension: WP Xplor PDS shock absorber, fully adjustable, 240mm travel
Front brakes: 320mm discs with J.Juan four-piston radial calipers, ABS
Rear brake: 260mm disc with J.Juan twin-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR – front 90/90-21, rear 150/70-18 (not as tested)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 214.5kg
Seat height: 875/895mm
Wheelbase: 1513mm
Ground clearance: 270mm
Fuel capacity: 19L

OTHER STUFF
Price: $27,840 ride away
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres

Photos by Marco Campelli and Sebas Romero