Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, a small capacity naked motorcycle from Husqvarna.
The Svartpilen 401 is based on a 373 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC 4-valve engine that makes a peak of 32 kW (43 hp) at 9000 rpm, with its peak of 42 Nm (27 ft-lb) of torque coming at 7000 rpm. It’s quite a high-revving, high-torque single-cylinder engine that is responsive and fun through the whole rev range.
The engine is borrowed form the KTM 390 series, e.g. the KTM 390 Duke. This isn’t a random occurrence — the Swedish Husqvarna brand is now owned by Austrian company KTM.
But the Svartpilen 401 is far from a “rebrand” or a sticker job. Many details are different, and the Svartpilen 401 is altogether a significantly different bike from the 390 Duke.
You can also find the same engine and many chassis components in the Svartpilen 401’s racier sibling, the Vitpilen 401.
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Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Service Intervals
Overall, the Svartpilen’s maintenance schedule is:
- Every 7500 km: do a minor or major service (the major service involving a valve clearance check, too)
- Every year, 2 years, or 4 years, change some of the fluids.
- Every 15000 km, do a valve service and change the spark plug.
The Svartpilen has a liquid-cooled engine, so you do need to replace the coolant regularly.
Aside from that, keep the chain lubricated and fresh (and check its tension regularly) and your Svartpilen should be good for a long time.
Maintenance Schedule for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
The below table is adapted from the manual for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, but simplified to make it easier to understand.
For example, in the original schedule, many things are marked to be done every year as well as every two years (redundantly).
The maintenance schedule in the manual is broken up into “required” and “recommended” work, just like on KTM bikes. But since most of the items in “recommended” are considered “required”, we’ve included them in the one schedule, but separated out a “maintenance checklist”.
Core Maintenance Schedule
This is the main maintenance schedule for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Items that need dealer / pro mechanic tools are marked [Dealer].
| 000 miles | 0.62 | 4.65 | 9.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000 km | 1 | 7.5 | 15 | Every |
| Perform standard maintenance checklist (see below). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the engine oil and the oil filter. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Clean the oil screens. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the spark plug. | ✓ | |||
| Check the valve clearances. | ✓ | |||
| Change the air filter, clean the air filter box. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Change the front brake fluid. | 2 years | |||
| Change the rear brake fluid. | 2 years | |||
| Change the coolant | 4 years | |||
| Check the fork bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the wheel bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the link fork | ✓ | |||
| Check the frame | ✓ |
Standard maintenance checklist
This is the standard list of maintenance items to do on your Husqvarna Svartpilen 401. Do it according to the schedule above.
| Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Standard Maintenance Checklist |
|---|
| [Dealer] Read out the fault memory using the Husqvarna Motorcycles diagnostics tool. |
| [Dealer] Program the shift shaft sensor. |
| Check that the electrical system is functioning properly. |
| Check the coolant level |
| Check the antifreeze (testing to measure freeze / boil protection) |
| Check that the radiator fan is functioning properly |
| Check all hoses (fuel, coolant, drainage etc.) and sleeves for cracking, leaks, and incorrect routing |
| Check the brake discs. |
| Check the brake pads, front and rear. |
| Check the brake lines for damage and leakage. |
| Check the brake fluid level, front and rear. |
| Check the tire condition and pressure, front and rear. |
| Check / adjust the spoke tension. Retighten as necessary Especially important at first service |
| Check the rim run-out. |
| Check the shock absorber and fork for leaks |
| Clean the dust boots of the fork legs |
| Check the chain, rear sprocket, and engine sprocket |
| Check the chain tension |
| Check that the throttle cables are undamaged, routed without sharp bends, and set correctly. |
| Check the cables for damage and routing without sharp bends |
| Check the steering head bearing play. |
| Check the headlight setting |
| Empty the drainage hoses |
| Grease all moving parts (e.g. side stand, hand lever, chain) and check for smooth operation |
| Check the tightness of the safety-relevant screws and nuts which are easily accessible. |
| Final check: Check the vehicle for safe operation and take a test ride. |
| [Dealer] Read out the error memory after the test ride using the Husqvarna Motorcycles diagnostics tool. |
| [Dealer] Set the service interval display. |
| [Dealer] Make a service entry in HusqvarnaMotorcyclesDealer.net. |
Svartpilen 401 Chain Tension Check
To check chain tension on the Svartpilen 401, you need to raise the rear wheel off the ground. The motorcycle should be in neutral.
In the area after the chain sliding guard, press the chain upwards towards the link fork. Chain tension is the distance between the chain and the fork. It should be 5-7 mm (0.2-0.3 inches) on the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
If the tension is out of spec — too loose or too tight — you need to adjust the tension.
To adjust the chain tension on the Svartpilen 401, follow the procedure below. Make sure there’s no load on the motorcycle.
- Loosen the rear axle and the adjuster lock nuts on either side of the axle.
- Turn the adjuster nuts to tighten (or loosen) the chain. Keep checking the chain tension to see if it has come within spec (Slack of 5-7 mm)
- Keep an eye on the adjuster alignment marks on either side of the axle. Make sure that the adjustment is to the same point, to keep the wheel in alignment.
- When you’re done, tighten the axle to 90 Nm / 66 lb-ft, and tighten the adjuster lock nuts firmly.
- Re-check the chain slack again to make sure it’s still within spec.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Tire Size and Pressure
The Svartpilen 401 ships with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires front and rear.
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 110/70 R 17 M/C 54H M+S TL | 2.0 bar / 200 kPa / 29 psi |
| Rear | 150/60 R 17 M/C 66H M+S TL | 2.0-2.2 bar / 200-220 kPa / 29-32 psi |
About the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (see here for Husqvarna’s product info page) is a stylish and fun “city” type motorcycle with scrambler pretensions — and some actual ability.
Being lightweight and shod with some decent rubber, it actually holds its own on dirt roads, perhaps more so than other Scrambler-style motorcycles with a lot more weight.
It’s lightweight (152 kg or 335 lb without fuel), easy to ride, but frisky and quick thanks to its 32 kW/ 43 hp single-cylinder engine. This makes it as light as bikes like the Honda CRF300L, but with more power under the bonnet.
The Svartpilen is a small, standard motorcycle, quite a lot like KTM Duke 390 on which its based, but with huge difference in the fit and finish.
Looking at photos, it’s easy to see that the Svartpilen 401 is an attractive motorcycle. It has the design of a custom bike — stripped back, minimalist, and with no ugly tail section.
But up close, there are many design details that make it seem a high-quality bike. This includes
- Really attractive wire-spoked wheels (that you do have to check the tension of the spokes for, though)
- Blacked out levers
- Stylish radiator shrouds
- An exhaust that looks “aftermarket”, not “huge can”
The styling quality level puts it easily at the top of commuter/low-capacity learner motorcycles.
The braking is done via a single disc (with ABS) and ByBre calipers, just like on KTM bikes.
The suspension in the front is also like on KTM bikes up until 2020 models — a WP 43mm upside down fork — with no adjustability (despite the asking price). But from 2021 onwards, the Svartpilen 401 got fully adjustable front and rear suspension — a stark upgrade and a killer feature on a still-affordable ostensibly entry-level bike.
There are even some extra nice bits that you wouldn’t expect on a “learner” class bike, which is how Husqvarna puts it.
For example, the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 comes with an easy-shift sensor, which allows for clutchless shifting and rev matching. This is on top of the PASC anti-hopping clutch that it already has.
It lacks a bit of the tech of the latest KTMs. For example, the Svartpilen 401 doesn’t have cornering ABS or a TFT display. But you get a load more style in exchange for that trade.
Standard tyres on the Svartpilen 401 are almost dual-sport or Scrambler-style, Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres, the same as those on the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled. According to Husqvarna’s marketing, this is because the Svartpilen 401 is designed for rough roads, not necessarily smooth race tracks… the real world.
Is this a “Scrambler”? It might be! With its light weight, an engine guard, and tyres that could handle a bit of dirt, the Svartpilen 401 has more right to scramble than, say, the much heavier Triumph Street Scrambler.
Reference — Manual for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
The above maintenance schedule and parts came from the manual for the Svartpilen 401, as well as from parts catalogues and press releases.
You can get the manual for Husqvarna motorcycles directly from the website here.
