Ride Tested Review | 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition. Is it just a dark blue KTM890 Adventure R 

NOTE: **********AFTER THE PREMIER I'M GOING TO GO LIVE IN THE GARAGE WITH THE BIKE TO PROVIDE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BIKE.

The passing of years has gently evolved me past wrestling my GS through offroad sections where drops are reality. That's where the Norden Expedition entered my adventure story. After over 12,000 Norden miles I confidently endorse the Husqvarna path forward to GS riders who are spoiled with industry leading amenities, comfort, and refinement. Excellent content MAD men! Thank you.

Great review. Appreciate how you went into the detail about the chassis differences between the 901 and 890. Havent heard anyone else mention that

You guys set the standard for entertaining and informative reviews. I’ve been waiting for this one! Thanks for the hard work!

In my opinion, the best Norden 901 Expedition review on youtube till now!! Congrats mate! Cheers from Portugal

Fantastic and Best review on the net on the 901. Complete coverage! Thanks for your work. I'm here in Topanga Canyon, CA, and will get the 901!

I just hit 5,000 miles on my Expedition and love it. I learned a couple things from you. Great video and much appreciated. 🏍️💨

It's bloody christmas AGAIN - and it's only June. Thanks Dave and crew for more adventure food to digest!!! 😁👍

Love this channel, keep em coming ❤

Someone in your comments said thanks for your hard work, I would say thank you for taking the time to film your adventure. And make such great quality content and production of the vid itself. Because that’s not hard work that is the best job in the world. 😊

Dave, that was more like it! Brilliant review, with everything you need. Really good!

Crikey Dave, this is the best 901E video in terms of content and videography. As a photographer I really appreciated and enjoyed your filming and editing skills. I have a 901 and I am a big bloke and the suspension is the 901's biggest downfall but it's not terribly bad. However I have seriously been considering selling the 901 and buying the expedition version and for me your video has confirmed that choice with your no BS comments about the pros of the 901E. Your review was excellent and filmed in a very casual yet completely informative style. You are blessed to live in a land where exploring is the name of the game. Here in southern Alberta Canada we also have some great places to ride but our riding season in only 6 months at best unfortunately. I'm glad I found your channel and naturally I subscribed :) Cheers Dave.....Mike

Brilliant! Best Expedition review out there! Cheers mate

100% excellent review guys, thank you. !

This is the best review I’ve watched so far. 👍

Great review, Dave, as usual. Greatings from Spain.

Great work Dave. I haven’t heard a bad review yet. I’m picking up my Expedition on Tuesday. I’ve been waiting since early Feb. 👍😎

I just like seeing you guys giving a brand new bike a proper thrashing! Greetings from the USA

Comprehensive analysis.Thanks.

Nice bike. Great ending Dave, loved it..

Great Review guys!

Excellent look at the Expedition fellas! 👍 I love my lil 1st Gen 890 Adventure S model because I’m only 5’8” 30.5” inseam and I can get my feet on the deck. But, I could handle the Norden Expedition. It wouldn’t be any taller than the 2018 1290 that I had briefly and if it were, I’d just have the lowering kit installed. There is no shame in making the bike fit. Us shorties can ride the taller bikes but when fatigue sets in it becomes harder to maintain vertical on slow challenging terrain. The luggage is disappointing but I’m sure the aftermarket will come up with a square rack fix. That’s the beauty of Giant Loop and Mosko Moto, you don’t have to have racks for long haul luggage options. It looks like the Expedition is very appropriately named.

Like the new style of MAD ,hopefully looking at the bike this weekend at ABR FESTIVAL in the UK . thanks Dave

Excellent review, just excellent. Thank you.

So much appreciate your vids and especially this one! I'm reluctantly looking for a replacement for my trusty 990 and this is a great set of perspectives from guys I trust. We are about the same size and age and seem to enjoy similar dirty terrain. In your seat height piece, you look exactly like I look on my 990. Tip toe to Tip Toe. I fI was still in my 40s maybe the 890R, today pushing 60, the Nordy seems like the choice. Thanks again to you and Cubby.

Excellent as usual

Great review!

Since commin into our lives your down to earth no nonsense Aussie show give great incentives, advice an the ground an land you guys have got make the shows . Bike safe bike lucky an bike well cobbas, Ay!❤❤🏍️🏍️🏍️🥾🥾🥾🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

18:12 as a 6'5/195ish cm man, I see this as an absolute win and love it, and will be looking for a test ride to try it

only a few weeks ago i saw an American luggage setup that i think would work for that bike better than the factory stuff especially with the streel part rack it has. it was called the mosko moto reckless 80L (v3.0) revolver. it's a fairly good looking system that really only needs a back rack to work but would benefit from some side bars. it's not on the cheep side of bags but comes as a rackless setup , it has 3 big bags 27lt 2 small bags 4lt and an adjustable soft Mounting pack that you put the bags into. that's also got extra bits for more storage. something like that on the 901 would finish that bike off better than the not so good factory bags. dave and clubby, it's a fantastic bike that i can imagine myself getting quite easy so i think that husky has done a fantastic job, i really liked the easy suspension setup, that sold it for me , the rest is just icing. yeah you guys definitely know how to spend the Xmas fund 😄

It truly is a gorgeous country you guys live in, and I plan to visit soon. Hopefully I’ll be able to rent a Norden Exp and go for an adventure in the outback.

I've been waiting for this review. Great excellent job! Now if I can just get one. Desert X bikes are available here in North America, but these Expeditions are getting harder to find. I really want this to complement my 501. I'm a tall bloke 6'3" and do find the standard Norden a touch cramped (compared to the Desert X). Expedition is a fabulous looker compared to those ktm 890's...even gets a thumbs up from the wife....along with the pillion seat. Cheers!

Great review. Thank you.

Great stuff guys as usual. I just picked a standard Norden up, brand new for $19,990. Can’t see that one being worth $7k more than the standard. Definitely worth the extra cash if you’re paying full price for the standard Norden though. The suspension alone would be worth that.

Dave, very thorough honest review. I do love the spec and graphics of the expeditions might have to come out of retirement to afford one 😂

Great bike just bought a 701 on your recommendation very pleased with it, travelling throughout,in Snowdonia North Wales, I still think Nugget-is the star of the show thank you for hours of enjoyment

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 best reviews ever !!!!🤟🤟🤟

That's a nice looking bike at the 14minute mark!

Awesome Review… thanks

Great review! I just went to a Husky Demo Ride today and tried both the standard 901 and the Expedition. I rode the Expedition first, and the tall seat height and wide seat made me feel ill at ease on the bike. The standard one felt perfect, and I was very at home on it. BUT, I know what you mean about the suspension. The Exp was much plusher while the standard was lacking rebound dampening though the bigger whoops. When you consider all the upgrades, the Exp is a better deal, no doubt. But I guess I'll have to spend a little more and get the lowering kit in order to feel as comfortable as I was on the base model.

Bravissimo-great-sehr gut-very good review! Greetings from Austria 🙂

When i discovered your channel some years ago (i think it was the 701 LR review) and saw some 30-40 minutes video length if a remember well, i thought "why is the video so long??" After watching many of your videos (productions is a better word) i gave myself the answer. This content should not be free of charge. So thorough, so detailed so matched to the needs of all of us who love doing it or/and watching it! I have a question however! Should i trade my 19' Tiger 800 XCA for a Norden Expedition or use the money (plus some..) to buy a brand new 701 to enjoy all circumstances with the proper bike? I saw your latest vid on the 701 review and i am so biased into it.... Keep up the amazing content! Thank you for giving us the chance to explore Australia on an ADV bike!

I can wait just order the Explorer 901 , will be ready to pick up next week . Can´t wait.

The Mosko Moto base units or the Kreiga base units could probably bolt up to those pannier racks even small as they are in which case as long as they are strong enough they will be fine.

Great review dave. Is it just me or would it look ever so much better with a high front fender

I was very nearly pulled the trigger on a DDX purchase till I saw this review 🤯

Excellent review Dave and Clubby, it sounds like it would be a cracker of a bike with a few customisation's but is already a very capable mount right off the showroom floor. Adding power parts or aftermarket parts soon adds up fast though. Husky have done an excellent job for the price, and if they listen again and go that extra mile I'm pretty sure their sales would increase a lot. It would be nice to have a shed full of bikes but for me I'm looking forward to getting familiar with my new 701 That arrives tomorrow afternoon finally. Thanks again, excellent job as always. Go have a few well earned beers after that test. 👍🍻🍻🍻😎

Ultimate adventure bike Expedition brutal ride ❤❤❤

Glad you mentioned the effect of softening the preload! So many channels forget to mention that. What’s your inseam, Darcy?

Great video, thanks you guys. If you had to choose between this and the Yamaha World Raid edition which would you choose?

Oh you forgot to say about the bags mate. You can also use them as Xmas socks !Ay. Owe them apples.😂😂😂❤

You guys are great, I have watched about 25 different reviews of the Norden Exp, but this one just like the last one is by far the best and most informative of all. I am just about your height 179cm, and I was wondering about the reach to the ground. But you perfectly demonstrated exactly what I felt would be a must for that bike, getting as far up on the tank as possible. Where obviously the seat is narrower. I am sure I would fit and reach the ground just like you so I would manage fine then. You did mention the suspension travel is 280mm but I thought it was 240mm? So did you say you would recommend the factory lowering kit. Which by the way on your photo looks just like the one for the regular Norden, but how can that be if this is an up specked WP suspension?

I purchased the Expedition based largely on your review. Love the bike! If you have pull with KTM/Husky hit them up for a $40k rally version (890 Adventure R Rally spec) I’ll lower the Expedition and hand it down to the Mrs. I wanted the KTM 890 but couldn’t get past the looks of the pumpkin. Only thing I have done was replace the pannier frames with proper ones from outback motortek. The Screen would probably be better if it was more vertical like a Dakar rally screen.

Great review, love the channel. A question I can seem to find an answer on is in relation to heat. I have a 1090R and travel a lot in Europe. Any time I get stuck in a bit of traffic or slow speed when it's hot, the think burns my inner thighs. It also cooks my knees awfully when the fan comes in. I believe this isn't helped by the fact I'm sitting on a cylinder more or less! Do these parallel twins improve that heat situation at all? And do the vent placements on the expedition help or hinder? Thanks a lot

Same brakes as Clubby's CF MOTO 800mt EXPLORE he rode last week... both bikes have a lot more in common then most realise.

I was just looking at this online. And wondered if you had ridden it yet

Fantastic review! Given your style and type of riding if you could just have one in your garage between the 901 Expedition and the Desert X, which would it be?

Great reviews boys Too much bike and too many $ for me But looks like the best out there I will keep my little red roaster 😅

Man there are so many good choices in the adv market right now. Makes picking one kinda hard.

wow preload adjustment without the dual shock body spanners and lock ring. how long has that been a thing? (granted its been a decade since I've looked)

Great bike have 6200 Km on mine! 441KM til empty 3/4 off-road 1/4 road.

Hopefully, after the market addresses the paniers bcs they also protect the exhaust!

About fuel/range: keep in mind, Rottweiler has launched a 6.8L tank that goes into the subframe.. It's made to go with their air-intake though.. & i the present version, you'd have to swich to a single seat..🤔

I recently tested the Norden 901 Expedition, comparing it to the 12 years I have been riding a 2012 BMW F800 GS Trophy (aftermarket progressive springs oil). The 901 handles the bumps gracefully with a better sense of being in control and able to handle rough terrain with less likelihood of damage. It felt lighter than my F800GS, despite being heavier dry weight. The bash plate is exceptional, full stop. The fabric side bags are trash (apparently tearing from bumps according to other reviewers) and you are very right that their capacity is inadequate. I would look to use these for daily, and swap out for something like the SW-Motech TRAX ADV cases for trips. Has anyone tried fitment with side racks in place? The horsepower and extended range are very welcome on the street. Apparently no KTM demo mode (kudos Husqvarna)... but needs to be verified (anybody know this for certain). Ride modes are okay but learning riding skills is better. The F800GS has a nasty speed wobble when riding on knobby tires. I have tried many tires and suspension adjustments to tame it: it can't be; too tail heavy. I'd like to hear more test reviewers take these bikes up to high speeds. Lastly, the fuel storage hits a sweet spot. The original 800GS gets low 300's, the new 900 gets high 300's, the 890 Adventure / 901 get low 400's, and this Expedition gets nearly 500.

How would you rate the reliability? Great in-depth proper review ty.

I’ve got a 2022 Norden with all the upgrades except the heated seat and the suspension upgrade. And I don’t want them. I love my Norden. I have trouble getting it on the center stand, but it IS easier than my BMWs.

Hi Dave is there any realestate in the cockpit to mount a Garmin XT.

Hi Dave 👍 Just an observation but the husky always looks to me like it rides heavier than the 890advR. More so with this new expedion model !! Think ktm has done an ok job with the 2023 advR , deffo looks the slimmer and more capable off-road option !! In the uk both these bikes would be to big for the trails available !! Gs1250 is still the leader when used as a tall tourer cos of its comfort !!

Question about the rear hand holds. They look like they possibly may injure you if the bike came down on you in a crash or your legs get hooked on something while your riding fast and pull the back into them.

Ment to ask I also have a Africa twin 1100 l DCT how do they compare and weight comparison in relation to the 901 Experdition many thanks Guto

Do they come standard with the quick turn throttle in Australia? I'm in the US and it has the quick turn throttle from factory and I've never heard anyone mention it.

You’ve got me thinking Dave, could be a better pair to my 701LR than my T7. Love my T7 to bits but the suspension does have its limitations.

G'day gents, would you mind doing a review on the Norden 901 expedition compared to the F900GS both on and off road?

As a dual sport whats your choice Tiger 900 Rally Pro or Expedition?

06:05 couple of close belly scrubs there!

Would you change the front fender? Mud issues?

Does the skid plate negate the need for crash bars?

Awesome review guys. Odd qq for you…did you find moving from 1st to 2nd gear you hit neutral a lot?

You rated the Tuareg 660 very highly , I’m 180cm like yourself . With quick shift and and heated grips options how would you rate it against it ?

👌👌

how do you find a comparison with aprilia Tuareg?

I have an R1250GSA and been thinking of downsizing but still need the bike to be able to comfortably put in a good amount of miles between the off-road sections. Is this 901 expedition light enough to make it worth swapping out to as well as being a lot more capable off road? Or if I’m downsizing do I need to smaller and lighter but unfortunately less powerful like the Tuareg 660 to really make a noticeable difference in weight and handling?

For me it fits between the 890 and 1290 like the 1090 did, the red flag for me is the LC8 motor in the 1090 was just a much better build quality than this 790/890/901 parallel twin.

The bike wrapped me in a cocoon of goodness

Tack MAD Boys ❤ ❤👍 From Sweden Det är min dröm hoj 🏍️ i framtiden. Men jag är bara 170cm 😂

Has KTM finally fixed the cam ware issues with LC8 engine, plenty of storys of cam failure on the internet, I really want buy a Husqvarna Expedition BUT I am worried about the cam reliability.

THIS CAN BRING THE INCREDIBLE 890 ADVENTURE R INTO A STANDSTILL. 270 MM GROUND CLEARANCE AND 242 MM SUSPENSION? WOW!!! WOW!!! THE TOPMOST AMONGST RALLY BIKES

Its a shame these are all pre-sold out in the US. I REALLY wanted one but settled for the base model, which is still a da-- fine bike.

For me, this bike is a modern ktm 990 adventure !

Very attractive bike, the supermodel of ADV's?

What would be incredibly great. If some aftermarket company would create an extra fuelholding compartment on the sides of the back of the bike. That could hold around an extra 10 liters. Those liters are the first that will be used. So affecting the center of gravity is minimal over time. That extra range for me would be so great. A lot of times needed to attach extra cannisters / fuel bottles. I do not like fuelbladders. Does anyone else also experience the extremely slow filling of the last 5 liters of fuel ? Almkst have to drip that in. Otherwise it overfills. Takes several extra minutes.

Does this allow CarPlay on the bike display?

I'd like to install an adjustable steering stabilizer on my 901 but Husqy doesn't offer one. Anybody have a line on one for the 901?

It is way better to replace this screen with the stock screen from the 2022 Norden 901 and then use the add-on screen. Not only do you get wayyyyyy less bafling then with the larger screen. But with the large screen i immediatly got it in my neck. Had less then 100 km on the clock but i wanted to try it out offroad. So went to a place that is used by Dutch militairy. Ok, not allowed. A big fine when you get cought. But i have nothing else in my surrounding. On that terrain they also ride with tanks so there are deep holes. And deep tracks. Whith steep sharp edges. Maybe 30 cm lower. The frontwheel landed in such track. Ik compensated with my body. And got that screen planted in my throught. A bit harder and it would have crushed it. Honestly i must say that it was not really a contrated ride. But then still ? I knew immediatly that in the future it would happen again. Last year i owned the 2022 model. That screen was horrible. Awfull and a lot of other negative words. Normally i wait for Givi and their Airflow screen. But it was so terrible that in the meantime during an webshop order also tagged that add-on screen. But although i had no hopes for it. But man. What was i wrong. So much difference. The baffling was gone. It was a perfect combination. Maybe it was pure luck. I do not know. But i got a different bike by that. It became also fun to ride on the highway. 160 kph and had no baffling around my helmet. Just a constant low windflow. So no need anymore for a future Givi Airflow screen. But i traded that bike in. And bought the Expedition. With a screen that way more baffling then the combo of the standard Norden. After throat incident ordered the screen of the standard Norden. The add-on screen i had kept. So not needed to buy that again. A question for you guys. I get a very sore ass after only one hour of riding. When using an Airhawk i have the feeling of floating a bit. Do not like that when away from the tarmac. It helps but not enough when going away for a few days. It has a heated saddle. So replacing it i find not a great idea. Any tips ? After a few hours it becomes agonising. Never had that before. Not even with 1190R. Or even the XT660Z. Man, not even on my NX250 from years ago ! Still miss that little bike.

Better than a tiger rally pro if your doing 50 on 50 off road ??

This bike in my opinion is made for adventure bikers the age of Dave and I. 😅 No bs adventure riding.🏍️💨

I'm looking at this instead of my 701LR. On the Husky trek last year, the 901's seemed to have to work a lot harder, and I was glad I was on a 701. Do you think this upgrade puts it closer to a 701 replacement? I'm reluctant to give up the 701 for it's off road ability and lighter weight.

The brakes a J. Juan which is Brembo subsidiary in Spain...Brembo but not Brembo.

can carry more weight than 901 standard ?

Not many negatives about this bike. How do you think it would it handle a load for a unsupported Simpson desert ride or around the world?