Vitpilen 401 - 2 Year Review (Lessons Learned, Maintenance, Highs, and Lows) 

Appreciate it! Glad the video was helpful to you! 👊🏽.

Nothing wrong with that, gives you something to look forward to. Once you save up enough for one, I think you’ll enjoy it very much.

@@ridewithKY Yeah this really has been one of my biggest goals! Hopefully soon i will buy it, getting my license next month. Thank btw for the many videos about this bike really are informative.

@@abdullahzalzala2594I’m sure you will. It was the same for me, and i just got it. My exam in in two weeks and i can’t wait! I’m just starting the engine and revvin it up. It’s just amazing! I’m sure it will happen to you too! Best of luck! 🏍️

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Riding your own ride is the key sometimes.

Were there any updates from 2021 to 2022 to 2023? The 2024 Vitpilen had some major changes. Bigger fuel tank, nice display etc. I could get a new cheap Vitpilen from 2023. It seems to sell worse compared with the new version so you get some very good discounts.

2021 through 2023 is the same.

@@m.3257 in 2023 they started making them in India, the price dropped 1000 bucks. I have a 2023, mines perfect.

@@ridewithKY thx

70mph cruising speed is perfect for these. If you are running the stock gearing they will also hurt your fuel economy IF you are on the freeway a lot. Cheers man.

Right on. Tires going to make a big difference on your bike for sure. Really any bike, tires are going to make a huge difference. Ride safe man.

@@ridewithKY You too ,greeds from Germany!

Yeah they are supposed to come with QS. However, some owners report the QS wasn’t activated until after their first service. Mine was activated from day 1. Cheers man, thanks for watching.

This bike actually has the stock clip-ons still. Thanks!

@@ridewithKY my bad. Don’t know why I even typed that. I meant bar end mirrors 🤦🏻‍♂️.

@Jemmartin all good! The bar end mirrors are just some Amazon specials. They were around $50. Not the greatest quality but they do the job for this intended use. Thanks man!

Did the dealership agree that it’s unstable at 40+ mph? If you get a Vitpilen it’ll basically be the same thing as what you already have aside from the aesthetics.

@@ridewithKY the dealership somewhat agreed but said that I needed new tires. I even went to another dealership (Honda) and they said that it is borderline. However, all agreed that there was tire cupping. Two of my cousins have a Vitpilen and compared with mine they run on train tracks. Very stable and smooth.

Probably has more to do with your particular example rather than Duke390’s across the board. If there really is a stability issue and nobody seems to be able to diagnose/fix it, I would definitely move on from it. Not worth risking getting into a crash over that instability problem.

@@ridewithKY fully agree. It's a particular issue of my Duke but finding the cause is so difficult that I want to move on. Really had bad luck with this one, bought it during the pandemic and had so many issues with it. Still, thx for your videos.

Not surprised really. KTM/Husqvarna quality control is pretty poor. I would say in many cases it’s just downright unacceptable quality control. KTM/Husqvarna makes some really cool and innovative bikes, but I doubt I’d ever buy another one unless their quality vastly improves. Not too fun spending your hard earned money on a product that is such poor quality.

I am very interested to see the new 801. I like that they’ve gone with a twin instead of just a big single like the 701. It’ll be interesting to see how well it sells when it’s finally released.

Yes, tubeless.

The bike needs a tube if it's stock.

@scyther666 you are right. Don’t know why I put tubeless. Meant to say it has tubes. Thanks for clarifying.

I actually made it.

701 is good but I don’t really like the aesthetic as much on the 701’s. Plus it’s still a single. I know I didn’t mention it in the video but I just don’t like the sound of a single. No matter what you do, it will always just sound like a dirt bike. Thanks for watching!

@@ridewithKY The Vit701 was originally the standout of the two for me, in terms of styling but I could only find and buy a Svart401. The 401 styling then grew on me and I preferred it. Then I was lucky enough to pick up a 701. After owning the 2, I now can’t decide which I prefer. I think I like the 401, but the proportions of the 701? Either way, you’re right about the single cylinder. No matter what you do, they just sound like a lawnmower !

Lucky you were able to experience both. I mean I don’t dislike the 701 styling, I just don’t think it captures the same spirit as the 401. The 401 looks like a cafe racer I think because the proportions are small. The 701 looks unique but I think because of the proportion just looks more like a cruiser. Thanks for sharing your experience of owning both the 401 and 701.

There making an 801 inline 2 I think it’s the same engine as the ktm duke 790

Going to be interesting to see that 801. I think it’s a step in the right direction.

Some good points here but it’s definitely not impossible to self maintain these bikes. Even in the warranty paperwork it says: Service work properly done by the owner will not void the warranty. The shift sensor service is just a calibration update from KTM, if there even is one. I can’t speak for all dealers but my dealer said they would perform just the calibration update if I wanted to, assuming there was an update available. In my case there was no update available, therefore, the dealer recommended I not worry about it. Similar story goes for the diagnostic reading. This is a service my local KTM dealer offers on its own, but again, they indicated it wasn’t really necessary. Back in 2022, I was quoted around $280 for the first service. I elected to do it myself. All that being said, the bulk of the maintenance items can easily be done at home with normal tools. Like anything on a mechanical device, just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean you can’t mess it up. However, a basic tool set and basic mechanical knowledge can get you by with these bikes. They are very simple. With the interval at 4650, you probably want to change the oil more frequently anyways. These bikes are almost at redline everywhere you go. Pretty long interval when the engine is maxed out all the time. If an owner is really worried about the QS cal and the diagnostic service, they can just have this done aside from the maintenance done at home. Cheers man.

@@ridewithKY "my local KTM dealer" : Excellent idea! I always forget that I don't need to go the original Husqy dealer and that any KTM serivce place can handle it. I'll defenitively start shoping around. "$280 for the first service." Nice! In 2023, 1st service 620 mls paied $420, 930mls paid $854 (CA, SanJose/SF) ... and I still ended up having to lift the tank myself as the fuel overflow hose was blocked because of a fold, which allowed water pooled under the filler cap to get in the tank after the 1st rain :( . " is just a calibration update from KTM": The Repair Manual 2023 (3403203en). ch20.2 p278; ch20.4 suggests that it is not just an "update" (like for the ECU). It has to "clear adaptation values", resets what it thinks is neutral, and re-calibrates the quickshifter. People who have watched a tech do it say it required the computer to monitor the sensor while the bike is running and gears are shifted . When I told my dealer about the neutral being a hit and miss, they said they "tried" to calibrate it but couldn't fix the reproducible issue... Time for me to checkout a different service place :) "Service work properly done by the owner will not void the warranty." : Things might have changed over time. Owner's manual 2023 (3402694en) ch 3.1 p10. "The work prescribed in the service schedule must only be carried out in an authroized [...] workshop and confirmed in the Husqvarna Motrocycles Dealer.net, as otherwise all warranty claims will be void.". Soon I won't have to care :D and can do stuff myself.

@GloobyBoolga per the KTM dealer it is a calibration update and it’s not exclusive to the 390 series… there is no adjustment on the quickshifters for these bikes anyhow. That’s why the dealer you visited couldn’t do anything about your QS being out of whack despite calibrating properly and despite the issue being able to be reproduced. It’s also illegal to void a warranty if the item isn’t serviced at a factory dealer. It’s the Magnuson-Moss Warranty act. Of course in other countries this may be different, but in the USA there are consumer protection laws that protect against the scenario you cited in the manual. This is why you see even the high end motorcycle brands such as Ducati, MV Agusta, BMW warranting catastrophic failures even if the owner did not have the bike serviced at an authorized dealer. The owner has to submit proof the bike was maintained properly, but it cannot be arbitrarily voided for not using certain service centers.

Don’t want another single.