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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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).
Basically 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 maintenance schedule is broken down into “required” and “recommended” work, just like on KTM bikes.
Items that need dealer / pro mechanic tools are marked [Dealer].
Required maintenance
| 000 miles | 0.62 | 4.65 | 9.3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000 km | 1 | 7.5 | 15 | Every |
| [Dealer] Read out the fault memory using the Husqvarna Motorcycles diagnostics tool. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| [Dealer] Program the shift shaft sensor. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Check that the electrical system is functioning properly. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the engine oil and the oil filter, clean the oil screens. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the brake discs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the front brake linings. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the rear brake linings. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the brake lines for damage and leakage. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the front brake fluid level. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the rear brake fluid level | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the tire condition | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check tire pressure | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Retighten the spokes. | ✓ | |||
| Check the spoke tension. | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Check the rim run-out. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the shock absorber and fork for leaks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Clean the dust boots of the fork legs | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the chain, rear sprocket, and engine sprocket | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Check the chain tension | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the coolant level | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check that the radiator fan is functioning properly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the air filter, clean the air filter box. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check that the throttle cables are undamaged, routed without sharp bends, and set correctly. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the cables for damage and routing without sharp bends | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the valve clearance, change the spark plug. | ✓ | |||
| Change the front brake fluid. | 2 years | |||
| Change the rear brake fluid. | 2 years | |||
| Check the steering head bearing play. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the headlight setting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Final check: Check the vehicle for safe operation and take a test ride. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| [Dealer] Read out the error memory after the test ride using the Husqvarna Motorcycles diagnostics tool. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| [Dealer] Set the service interval display. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Make a service entry in HusqvarnaMotorcyclesDealer.net. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
Recommended maintenance
| 000 km | 1 | 7.5 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000 miles | 0.62 | 4.65 | 18.6 | Every |
| Check the frame | ✓ | |||
| Check the link fork | ✓ | |||
| Check the fork bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the wheel bearing for play | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Check the antifreeze | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change the coolant | 4 years | |||
| Empty the drainage hoses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check all hoses (fuel, coolant, drainage etc.) and sleeves for cracking, leaks, and incorrect routing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Grease all moving parts (e.g. side stand, hand lever, chain) and check for smooth operation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Check the tightness of the safety-relevant screws and nuts which are easily accessible. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
About the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is a stylish and fun “city” type motorcycle with scrambler pretensions.
And being lightweight and shod with some decent rubber, it actually holds its own on dirt roads,
It’s lightweight (152 kg or 335 lb dry), easy to ride, but frisky and quick thanks to its 32 kW/ 43 hp single-cylinder engine.
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 spoked 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.
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.
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.
