Good summary. Here my own viewpoint on the Norden 901 after one season and almost 15.000km: Seat: works nicely for me, guess this is a highly personal thing depending on the rider's anatomy: Electronics: I have bought the bike without the Explorer mode. I had the Rally mode (same thing in KTM terms) on the 790 but hardly ever used it. Suspension: very nice for my usage. I am mostly traveling or riding longer tours on the 901, on all kind of surfaces. When KTM presented the 790, I bought an R because I wanted best performance off the pavement, but for what I do it was overkill. Keep in mind that serious offroad riding on single trails and in terrain is illegal here in Sweden and above my abilities. However we have tens of thousands of kilometers of unpaved roads of variable standard and for that the 901 suspension is perfect. It's still comfortable enough for long days of pavement riding. Husqvarna is NOT marketing the 901 as a bike for extreme terrain, that's what the 890R is made for. Instead, as illustrated well by the promotional video of Lyndon Poskitt, they made it as a true "multistrada", a bike for traveling on all kinds of road surfaces. For that they hit the sweet spot perfectly. Screen: for my size 1.71m) a shorter screen will most likely work better, I plan to get one for the next season. Seat height: I buy my jeans in 30 or 32" length, but I don't find he seat height of the 901 to be a problem. I am used to set only ONE foot down, normally the left one and can easily flat foot, if I move my a... a bit to the side. The 790R was much worse in that respect. None of those bikes I can push backwards while sitting on it, so for those maneuvers I have to get off. My negative points: I have dropped my 790R numerous times (yes, my legs are a bit short) and never anything broke. First time I dropped the 901: cracked tank "protector" and broken hand guard. So from my point of view: after BMW F800GS, KTM 990, KTM 690, KTM 1050 and KTM 790R and CCM450 the Norden is the one I like best so far, by far! 🙂
I can't retrace the "Cons". I am riding the Norden now for 6.500 km and there were no issues with the heat, neither for my foot nor the suspension. The seat is really comfortable and trips about 3 hours at a stretch are no problem. After 3.500 km I changed it to the one-piece seat because it's 1 cm higher than the highest position of the standard seat. My day trips are generally about 500 up to 650 km and I am loving my Norden in this configuration. And I haven't any struggle with the windshield.
Thks for the point re: the location of the catalytic device and the heat it throws onto the rider's leg and foot. Out of the plethora reviews this bike has had, you're the second reviewer to not gush too much. I've considered buying one, but Great Plain's summer heat doesn't need to put more heat on the legs and foot. Running across the prairie and Sonoran Desert makes one consider extra heat with caution.
Ive owned a Norden for a few months and 4k miles with a mix of long, short and paved , dirt/gravel roads in remote New England and this is 100% accurate for me except I LOVE the seat. I've spent two rides with 6-7hrs of seat time and it was perfect for me. I am also 5'10" and 200lbs and again agree with the ergonomic pros/cons. I find the off-road setting works for where I ride so no need for the Explorer pack. I also only ride with either Oneil offorad and Forma road boots and do not feel the heat on the right side but more on my left leg especially when wearing jeans. Lastly my biggest gripe is the windscreen. I also have a Shoei RF-SR and the buffeting is terrible. I am playing with extensions now but have not figured out a solution. If and when I do the bike is a keeper for me. My 3rd KTM/Husky and it is by far the best.
explorer pack should be standard , req for me , i am also on the hunt for whomever makes a bigger windscreen first , 6'2" & 225-ish , i stepped up for Tractive suspension = total game changer unbelievably good !! i had a 1090r that was resprung and revalved custom , a 990 with the same treatment and a 690 also redone that i thought were good , this is a step above and of course should be for the investment but worth every red cent in my opinion
Thanks for another concise and honest review of this lovely bike, Tony. I love the bike but I'd be worried about the long term affect of the exhaust heat on the rear shock. I'd certainly consider one if this isn't an issue👌
Well done. Glad you highlighted some nuisances that you always overlook on a test ride but can really become serious niggles over time. I have a BMW GS now and the appeal of a lower weight adventure bike is tempting.
A very well put together concise re-review of the bike Tony! It's a bike I have hankered over since I saw it as a concept bike and I am glad they kept to that brief. Good to know some of the real world issue and good bits about it! Cheers!
Tony, thanks for the video; helpful as ever. As you know I love the relative simplicity of the T700 but thought the Norden looked brilliant when the first pictures surfaced. Unfortunately I just can’t warm to its appearance in the flesh.
regarding 3 holes for handlebar clamps: clamps also have 2 positions (toward and away from rider). I found third hole and clamps away, suit me best for riding offroad in standing position as whole handlebar setup gets further away and a bit taller. thanks for the video.
The Heat is a Big Con for me, suspension when you're fully loaded with camping gear or with pillion is con also. Everything else is more pros. Love this bike!
Great honest review. Had a 790 ADV R, also ran hot. Seen #1 reliability issue w/ 901 related to rear shock failure, which also appears to related to heat given cat placement as you mentioned. In areas where you can (like US), while I normally just replace this slip on, now starting to think that the fix may be de-cat pipe, possibly 2 birds 1 stone?
Thanks, i've not heard of many shock failures, but the ones i know of seem to be on the R model when its ridden really hard off road for long periods. Decat seems the simple solution
No clue what you're talking about with the heat. Maybe I just don't feel it because I always wear my heavy-wall tall boots. When I bought my KTM 690 the engine noise about freaked me out. I never liked it, and I still don't. So, when I got the 901 and heard that exact same noise, I concluded that it is a non-issue and probably just a matter of a normal overhead cam chain noise that happens to get amplified by housing dynamics or something along that line. I've got 2200 miles on it now and it has easily taken the top spot of most fun I've ever had on a motorcycle, and I've had lots of them over the last 45 years. I'm 61.
Impossible that you don't feel the heat with stock exhaust, I went on a 20 minute test ride in 85 degrees Fahrenheit and I had to get off the bike. I had jeans and sneakers on. Was not enjoyable at all
@@bigleftlcn I have no idea how you could feel the heat from the exhaust unless you're a passenger. Your legs are nowhere near the muffler. Maybe you are feeling engine heat because you're wearing SNEAKERS! My god, why don't you just wear socks while riding, or maybe go barefoot. Better yet, just stick to cars with air conditioning.
@@howlinhog it's from the catalytic converter not the muffler, it's not engine heat necessarily, you mean to tell me that all other 901 owners are wrong and you are the only person who doesn't feel the heat? You either live in a cold climate or are numb from the waist down 😂. There is no way you don't feel it on a 85 degree (fahrenheit) day or above
I did go and seat on the bike, and true it’s tall, I was also on tippy toes both feet. Plus I believe my inseam is 31/5 inches so even shorter legs than you 😊 But nevertheless I didn’t find this to be a problem at all, the bike is so light and very easy to balance and handle. I plan to buy this bike, once I do if this fact will influence my confidence in every day handling the bike, I will order the lowering kit from Husky/KTM and lower the suspension by 25mm.
Thanks for the info, good to hear. That’s a good idea too, I wonder if I can put a GoPro on the alternative front vent piece? I have been using a Dango clip mount, but that could be another option.
Appreciate your helpful experience and insight. I’m planning to purchase either the standard or expedition model in 2024 and keep going back and forth based on the value of upgrades on the expedition. One of my concerns with the standard is the suspension. I’m a little heavier and taller than you and have lots of off road experience. Use will be quick runs out to southern California mountains and desert and perhaps baja Mexico which is relatively close by. I guess it comes down to possible needed mods for me would be stiffer fork and shock springs and decent bags. Heated grips and seat are secondary as it doesn’t stay cold very long in winter here on a daily basis. The standard seems very capable and would love to save $$ if possible. Any thoughts and advice welcomed.
Hi Greg, as you know the expedition uses the higher spec Xplor suspension, but its taller and more expensive. I've seen people take the standard bike to places i'd struggle to walk through/over so its definitely a capable machine. The cost savings over the expedition could be used to have someone set the suspension up specifically for you, and you'd still have plenty of cash left over? it would be enough for me, but as I pointed out i'm not an expert off road rider!
Any compressed bike is producing heat by today emission standards. There is a metal plate wich can be placed between cat and suspension, decat is a option mabe with no need to remap and increased fuel consumption.
The fact that the heat from the exhaust has proven the boil the rear shock oil causing it to fail and the motor sounds like it has marbles in it were deal breakers for me..I purchased a tenere 700 instead and love its simplicity and I personally did not need a 100 hp bike
I own a 901. And i must say that you are absolutely right with that. It is a nice bike. But it has flaws. Flaws that are a disgrace for such an expensive bike. The shock is horrible and needs to be changed immediatly. I think that Husqvarna should make a recall and replace the shock for free for something better. With just a bit of luggage it is constantly botteming out. Needless to say that it is a shame. Also the exhaust is definitly boiling the oil in the shock. The heat from the exhaust that radiates to the shock is simply ridicules. I am angry about that. Also this needs a recall from Husqvarna. And then the cable to the steeringwheel. They are to short. Ordered a bar riser. Coukd not use it because there is no slack on the cables. Also on safing a few cm'ters they could safe some bucks. When you want one inch higher it is becoming an expensive upgrade. Never experienced this with any of my former bikes. Sometimes i had to radjust the cables. But with the 901 this is not helping you out with bringing the bar higher. So now i can not stand up while riding offroad. And i have a bar riser that i can not use. So waste on my money. And ofcourse i can stand while riding but in a way that it is better to just sit. So tall people should never buy this bike because it will give them a lot of discomfort being in the default riding position. And rasing the bar is max only somewhere around half an inch. And beyond that you have to pay atleast 400.00 euro's extra because you have to buy and install new and longer cables. Nobody will do that. After fixing the shock into something better you also need to do something about the shock and the boiling oil. Otherwise a 1200 till 2000.00 Euro costing shock will have a short lifespan. So another few hundred of Euro's to that and getting rid of the converter. And then hope not to get caught in Germany cause then you are really fucked. After doing all that you better could have bought a bike that is per default 3000.00 Euro more expensive. Like a nice BMW1250. In the Netherland the 901 cost 17400.00 Euro. But in reality it is 20400.00 Euro. That shock is expensive. When using heated gear you have to pay attention. My old crf250 generator gives more juice. I am sure that in 2023 they will adress all those problems but then the 2022 buyers are left with a bike that nobody in the future will buy. Like that with the change from 790 and 890 KTM . If you stick to the road then the shock maybe is ok. But when doing just a little more. A tiny bit of luggage or a passenger then you need to change the shock. No matter what. And the windprotection is horrible. Even far worse then the xt660z i owned. And from what did read on the web is that almost everybody who bought this bike for doing larger trips allready sold it again to buy a ten700 or the 890r.
@@keesverhagen9227 my dealership that I purchased my tenere 700 from also sales husqvarna and they told me that 2 of 4 901s they got had bad rear shocks straight out of the crate and has to sit on them for 3 months waiting for the replacement from husqvarna before they could sale them.. just one more reason I was happy with my decision
@@gabrielkopp2036 That is absolute horrible. Husqvarna should do a recall about the shock and the heat. I feel very ripped of. I knew that the shock was not something to write home about. But being this terrible is just hard to imagine. We 901 owners should email Husqvarna directly about the horror shock. I have owned several ktm's and all ktm's had it flaws. But this one is just a bloody shame to the name ktm.
Thanks for quite informative review. Dry weight of Norden 901 is 204kg which is +9kg than KTM 890 195kg with a little higher position of fuel tank. Will this be deal breaker? Or simply ignorable?
Cheers, I think the weight difference will be negligable in terms of riding feel. The Nordens tank is a litre smaller but still drops almost as low. I can't say I thought there was a major difference between the two.
suspension holds it back from being as good as it should be off road but with that fixed . Tractive Extreme , and the usual ergonomic personalizing the bike is absolutely amazing , all the multi-cyl KTM's ive had produced crazy amounts of heat until i removed the cat open intake exhaust and richen the mix accordingly
Hi there, Tractive extreme is a suspension upgrade or? Please a bit more info would be appreciated.. But I firmly agree with de-cating the bike with an open mid pipe or even entire headers and a nice muffler. There’s also heat shields for the rear shock on the market so all those problems can be solved easily.
@@roverroko306 if you are west coast USA the only importer and certified dealer for Tractive is Teds Beemer shop , awesome awesome awesome customer service they will hook you up
@@roverroko306 for decat and silencer i went with Arrow products through Rottwieler performance as well as their intake and cannister delete kit with a Rapid bike tuner
Husqvarna has never been marketing the 901 as a bike for extreme offroad riding! That's what the KTM 790/890R is made for. Instead it's an all terrain touring bike, the true "multistrada" in the meaning of "many roads". Just watch the video of what Lyndon Poskitt is doing with the 901 on the Husqvarna web page.
@@justsomedude445 No I am not from U.S at all I am from EU 🇭🇷. But anyway I order all those things online and Austria 🇦🇹 is very close to my country so I will get some parts there also.
Great review, very informative w/o being too judgmental. Every bike has +/- ; just depends on what the rider is willing to tolerate...? The engine is temptation enough alone and I do like the livery but for now I'll stick with my Tiger 900 Rally Pro.
I didnt find it too bad, ive ridden bikes with better and bikes with worse. Its will vary by individual, and there are remedies, but an adjustable screnn is a difficult thing to design to be fair
Sure it’s a great bike but too tall and ugly for me, I went for the Multi V2S as I don’t off road and love it…it can get warm though in traffic but it’s not uncomfortable.
But It’s priced about the same. More than the standard 890 Adv which doesn’t have adjustable suspension, and less than the 890 Adv R which has much more sophisticated suspension.
890 Adventure - £11449 Norden 901 - £12349 890 Adventure R - £12499 There’s not much in it after the recent price changes. The 890 R looks the best value if you need the off-road performance.
Great review! Living in Florida I found your point about the Heat coming off the catalytic converter /exhaust to be very helpful. On a side note, I really liked your jacket, what brand/model is it?
Good summary. Here my own viewpoint on the Norden 901 after one season and almost 15.000km:
Seat: works nicely for me, guess this is a highly personal thing depending on the rider's anatomy:
Electronics: I have bought the bike without the Explorer mode. I had the Rally mode (same thing in KTM terms) on the 790 but hardly ever used it.
Suspension: very nice for my usage. I am mostly traveling or riding longer tours on the 901, on all kind of surfaces. When KTM presented the 790, I bought an R because I wanted best performance off the pavement, but for what I do it was overkill. Keep in mind that serious offroad riding on single trails and in terrain is illegal here in Sweden and above my abilities. However we have tens of thousands of kilometers of unpaved roads of variable standard and for that the 901 suspension is perfect. It's still comfortable enough for long days of pavement riding. Husqvarna is NOT marketing the 901 as a bike for extreme terrain, that's what the 890R is made for. Instead, as illustrated well by the promotional video of Lyndon Poskitt, they made it as a true "multistrada", a bike for traveling on all kinds of road surfaces. For that they hit the sweet spot perfectly.
Screen: for my size 1.71m) a shorter screen will most likely work better, I plan to get one for the next season.
Seat height: I buy my jeans in 30 or 32" length, but I don't find he seat height of the 901 to be a problem. I am used to set only ONE foot down, normally the left one and can easily flat foot, if I move my a... a bit to the side. The 790R was much worse in that respect. None of those bikes I can push backwards while sitting on it, so for those maneuvers I have to get off.
My negative points: I have dropped my 790R numerous times (yes, my legs are a bit short) and never anything broke. First time I dropped the 901: cracked tank "protector" and broken hand guard.
So from my point of view: after BMW F800GS, KTM 990, KTM 690, KTM 1050 and KTM 790R and CCM450 the Norden is the one I like best so far, by far! 🙂
Thanks for the info
I can't retrace the "Cons". I am riding the Norden now for 6.500 km and there were no issues with the heat, neither for my foot nor the suspension. The seat is really comfortable and trips about 3 hours at a stretch are no problem. After 3.500 km I changed it to the one-piece seat because it's 1 cm higher than the highest position of the standard seat. My day trips are generally about 500 up to 650 km and I am loving my Norden in this configuration. And I haven't any struggle with the windshield.
Thks for the point re: the location of the catalytic device and the heat it throws onto the rider's leg and foot. Out of the plethora reviews this bike has had, you're the second reviewer to not gush too much. I've considered buying one, but Great Plain's summer heat doesn't need to put more heat on the legs and foot. Running across the prairie and Sonoran Desert makes one consider extra heat with caution.
Your reviews in one word - excellent … 🍻👍
Ive owned a Norden for a few months and 4k miles with a mix of long, short and paved , dirt/gravel roads in remote New England and this is 100% accurate for me except I LOVE the seat. I've spent two rides with 6-7hrs of seat time and it was perfect for me. I am also 5'10" and 200lbs and again agree with the ergonomic pros/cons. I find the off-road setting works for where I ride so no need for the Explorer pack.
I also only ride with either Oneil offorad and Forma road boots and do not feel the heat on the right side but more on my left leg especially when wearing jeans. Lastly my biggest gripe is the windscreen. I also have a Shoei RF-SR and the buffeting is terrible. I am playing with extensions now but have not figured out a solution. If and when I do the bike is a keeper for me. My 3rd KTM/Husky and it is by far the best.
explorer pack should be standard , req for me , i am also on the hunt for whomever makes a bigger windscreen first , 6'2" & 225-ish , i stepped up for Tractive suspension = total game changer unbelievably good !! i had a 1090r that was resprung and revalved custom , a 990 with the same treatment and a 690 also redone that i thought were good , this is a step above and of course should be for the investment but worth every red cent in my opinion
Don’t know how true but have heard that the hand guards are to blame for a lot of the wind buffering
I’m also in New England and in the market. What dealer dod you use?
Thanks for another concise and honest review of this lovely bike, Tony. I love the bike but I'd be worried about the long term affect of the exhaust heat on the rear shock. I'd certainly consider one if this isn't an issue👌
Well done. Glad you highlighted some nuisances that you always overlook on a test ride but can really become serious niggles over time. I have a BMW GS now and the appeal of a lower weight adventure bike is tempting.
Glad you enjoyed it! I always try and put balanced reviews out, I'm just being hinest about my experiences
Your reviews Tony are always very detailed and to the point, I like that.😊
Thank you!
thanks for the engine heat affecting the feet and the rear dampner
A very well put together concise re-review of the bike Tony! It's a bike I have hankered over since I saw it as a concept bike and I am glad they kept to that brief. Good to know some of the real world issue and good bits about it! Cheers!
Thanks Alan, much appreciated
Tony, thanks for the video; helpful as ever. As you know I love the relative simplicity of the T700 but thought the Norden looked brilliant when the first pictures surfaced. Unfortunately I just can’t warm to its appearance in the flesh.
Loved that very informative 😎🙏
Another great review 😊 and a great bike excellent styling
Glad you enjoyed it
Great review, love my Norden .
Thanks for watching!
Excellent review, what we need to know without time filling excess. Thank you
No problem
regarding 3 holes for handlebar clamps: clamps also have 2 positions (toward and away from rider). I found third hole and clamps away, suit me best for riding offroad in standing position as whole handlebar setup gets further away and a bit taller.
thanks for the video.
Thanks for the info
Nicely presented,thanks.
No problem Bruce, thanks for watching
Great review
The Heat is a Big Con for me, suspension when you're fully loaded with camping gear or with pillion is con also. Everything else is more pros. Love this bike!
Great honest review. Had a 790 ADV R, also ran hot. Seen #1 reliability issue w/ 901 related to rear shock failure, which also appears to related to heat given cat placement as you mentioned. In areas where you can (like US), while I normally just replace this slip on, now starting to think that the fix may be de-cat pipe, possibly 2 birds 1 stone?
Thanks, i've not heard of many shock failures, but the ones i know of seem to be on the R model when its ridden really hard off road for long periods. Decat seems the simple solution
No clue what you're talking about with the heat. Maybe I just don't feel it because I always wear my heavy-wall tall boots. When I bought my KTM 690 the engine noise about freaked me out. I never liked it, and I still don't. So, when I got the 901 and heard that exact same noise, I concluded that it is a non-issue and probably just a matter of a normal overhead cam chain noise that happens to get amplified by housing dynamics or something along that line. I've got 2200 miles on it now and it has easily taken the top spot of most fun I've ever had on a motorcycle, and I've had lots of them over the last 45 years. I'm 61.
Impossible that you don't feel the heat with stock exhaust, I went on a 20 minute test ride in 85 degrees Fahrenheit and I had to get off the bike. I had jeans and sneakers on. Was not enjoyable at all
@@bigleftlcn I have no idea how you could feel the heat from the exhaust unless you're a passenger. Your legs are nowhere near the muffler. Maybe you are feeling engine heat because you're wearing SNEAKERS! My god, why don't you just wear socks while riding, or maybe go barefoot. Better yet, just stick to cars with air conditioning.
@@howlinhog it's from the catalytic converter not the muffler, it's not engine heat necessarily, you mean to tell me that all other 901 owners are wrong and you are the only person who doesn't feel the heat? You either live in a cold climate or are numb from the waist down 😂. There is no way you don't feel it on a 85 degree (fahrenheit) day or above
I did go and seat on the bike, and true it’s tall, I was also on tippy toes both feet. Plus I believe my inseam is 31/5 inches so even shorter legs than you 😊 But nevertheless I didn’t find this to be a problem at all, the bike is so light and very easy to balance and handle. I plan to buy this bike, once I do if this fact will influence my confidence in every day handling the bike, I will order the lowering kit from Husky/KTM and lower the suspension by 25mm.
Thanks for the info, good to hear. That’s a good idea too, I wonder if I can put a GoPro on the alternative front vent piece? I have been using a Dango clip mount, but that could be another option.
Appreciate your helpful experience and insight. I’m planning to purchase either the standard or expedition model in 2024 and keep going back and forth based on the value of upgrades on the expedition. One of my concerns with the standard is the suspension. I’m a little heavier and taller than you and have lots of off road experience. Use will be quick runs out to southern California mountains and desert and perhaps baja Mexico which is relatively close by. I guess it comes down to possible needed mods for me would be stiffer fork and shock springs and decent bags. Heated grips and seat are secondary as it doesn’t stay cold very long in winter here on a daily basis. The standard seems very capable and would love to save $$ if possible. Any thoughts and advice welcomed.
Hi Greg, as you know the expedition uses the higher spec Xplor suspension, but its taller and more expensive. I've seen people take the standard bike to places i'd struggle to walk through/over so its definitely a capable machine. The cost savings over the expedition could be used to have someone set the suspension up specifically for you, and you'd still have plenty of cash left over? it would be enough for me, but as I pointed out i'm not an expert off road rider!
Does the heat affect the shocks performance did you notice Tony?
Great video too.
Any compressed bike is producing heat by today emission standards. There is a metal plate wich can be placed between cat and suspension, decat is a option mabe with no need to remap and increased fuel consumption.
The fact that the heat from the exhaust has proven the boil the rear shock oil causing it to fail and the motor sounds like it has marbles in it were deal breakers for me..I purchased a tenere 700 instead and love its simplicity and I personally did not need a 100 hp bike
well said !👏👏👏👏
I own a 901. And i must say that you are absolutely right with that. It is a nice bike. But it has flaws. Flaws that are a disgrace for such an expensive bike.
The shock is horrible and needs to be changed immediatly. I think that Husqvarna should make a recall and replace the shock for free for something better. With just a bit of luggage it is constantly botteming out. Needless to say that it is a shame.
Also the exhaust is definitly boiling the oil in the shock. The heat from the exhaust that radiates to the shock is simply ridicules.
I am angry about that. Also this needs a recall from Husqvarna.
And then the cable to the steeringwheel. They are to short. Ordered a bar riser. Coukd not use it because there is no slack on the cables. Also on safing a few cm'ters they could safe some bucks. When you want one inch higher it is becoming an expensive upgrade. Never experienced this with any of my former bikes. Sometimes i had to radjust the cables. But with the 901 this is not helping you out with bringing the bar higher. So now i can not stand up while riding offroad. And i have a bar riser that i can not use. So waste on my money. And ofcourse i can stand while riding but in a way that it is better to just sit. So tall people should never buy this bike because it will give them a lot of discomfort being in the default riding position. And rasing the bar is max only somewhere around half an inch. And beyond that you have to pay atleast 400.00 euro's extra because you have to buy and install new and longer cables. Nobody will do that.
After fixing the shock into something better you also need to do something about the shock and the boiling oil. Otherwise a 1200 till 2000.00 Euro costing shock will have a short lifespan. So another few hundred of Euro's to that and getting rid of the converter. And then hope not to get caught in Germany cause then you are really fucked.
After doing all that you better could have bought a bike that is per default 3000.00 Euro more expensive. Like a nice BMW1250.
In the Netherland the 901 cost 17400.00 Euro. But in reality it is 20400.00 Euro. That shock is expensive.
When using heated gear you have to pay attention. My old crf250 generator gives more juice.
I am sure that in 2023 they will adress all those problems but then the 2022 buyers are left with a bike that nobody in the future will buy. Like that with the change from 790 and 890 KTM .
If you stick to the road then the shock maybe is ok. But when doing just a little more. A tiny bit of luggage or a passenger then you need to change the shock. No matter what.
And the windprotection is horrible. Even far worse then the xt660z i owned.
And from what did read on the web is that almost everybody who bought this bike for doing larger trips allready sold it again to buy a ten700 or the 890r.
@@keesverhagen9227 my dealership that I purchased my tenere 700 from also sales husqvarna and they told me that 2 of 4 901s they got had bad rear shocks straight out of the crate and has to sit on them for 3 months waiting for the replacement from husqvarna before they could sale them.. just one more reason I was happy with my decision
I’ll take an Africa Twin instead.
@@gabrielkopp2036 That is absolute horrible. Husqvarna should do a recall about the shock and the heat. I feel very ripped of. I knew that the shock was not something to write home about. But being this terrible is just hard to imagine.
We 901 owners should email Husqvarna directly about the horror shock. I have owned several ktm's and all ktm's had it flaws. But this one is just a bloody shame to the name ktm.
Thanks for quite informative review. Dry weight of Norden 901 is 204kg which is +9kg than KTM 890 195kg with a little higher position of fuel tank. Will this be deal breaker? Or simply ignorable?
Cheers, I think the weight difference will be negligable in terms of riding feel. The Nordens tank is a litre smaller but still drops almost as low. I can't say I thought there was a major difference between the two.
I'd have thought that catalytic converter would also cook the rear shock
Thanks for the break down, does your 790 have the same heat problem on your feet/legs, live in Australia
It kicks out heat, but its not as obvious as on the Norden. I think its the bodywork that makes the difference?
suspension holds it back from being as good as it should be off road but with that fixed . Tractive Extreme , and the usual ergonomic personalizing the bike is absolutely amazing , all the multi-cyl KTM's ive had produced crazy amounts of heat until i removed the cat open intake exhaust and richen the mix accordingly
Hi there, Tractive extreme is a suspension upgrade or? Please a bit more info would be appreciated.. But I firmly agree with de-cating the bike with an open mid pipe or even entire headers and a nice muffler. There’s also heat shields for the rear shock on the market so all those problems can be solved easily.
@@roverroko306 if you are west coast USA the only importer and certified dealer for Tractive is Teds Beemer shop , awesome awesome awesome customer service they will hook you up
@@roverroko306 for decat and silencer i went with Arrow products through Rottwieler performance as well as their intake and cannister delete kit with a Rapid bike tuner
Husqvarna has never been marketing the 901 as a bike for extreme offroad riding! That's what the KTM 790/890R is made for. Instead it's an all terrain touring bike, the true "multistrada" in the meaning of "many roads". Just watch the video of what Lyndon Poskitt is doing with the 901 on the Husqvarna web page.
@@justsomedude445 No I am not from U.S at all I am from EU 🇭🇷. But anyway I order all those things online and Austria 🇦🇹 is very close to my country so I will get some parts there also.
Great review, very informative w/o being too judgmental. Every bike has +/- ; just depends on what the rider is willing to tolerate...? The engine is temptation enough alone and I do like the livery but for now I'll stick with my Tiger 900 Rally Pro.
Hi Tony, would you swap your ktm for a Norden. Waiting for them to transplant the 1290 into it, now thatd be awesome
Hi Jon, when I first reviewed it I saw it as a replacement for mine. Now I’m not so sure, I think I’d keep my KTM.
Ah, cooking the rider and the shock.
very nice, comparing with 790/890 machine I would still get the KTM, cheers V!
Cheers V, I think I would too. The standard 890 Adv with a suspension upgrade would be enough for me
The Norden is also known to have crappy wind protection. A deal breaker for me….
I didnt find it too bad, ive ridden bikes with better and bikes with worse. Its will vary by individual, and there are remedies, but an adjustable screnn is a difficult thing to design to be fair
Sure it’s a great bike but too tall and ugly for me, I went for the Multi V2S as I don’t off road and love it…it can get warm though in traffic but it’s not uncomfortable.
The multi v2s is a lovely bike, it’s one that grabbed my attention when I reviewed it.
I prefer the 890R.
Lovely bike, but too high for the average height rider though.
tweakability 😁
👌
The colour scheme and design overshadow everything else...not for me I think
How dumb have people got to be to pay even more than a KTM for the same machine.
But It’s priced about the same. More than the standard 890 Adv which doesn’t have adjustable suspension, and less than the 890 Adv R which has much more sophisticated suspension.
@@mancavemoto What are the RRP for each model please?
890 Adventure - £11449
Norden 901 - £12349
890 Adventure R - £12499
There’s not much in it after the recent price changes. The 890 R looks the best value if you need the off-road performance.
@@mancavemoto So the R is only a couple of hundred difference, I was thinking of the base KTM, over £700 difference.
@@teamtempest844 the base ktm is poor spec. The suspension is a real downgrade over the 890R
Great review! Living in Florida I found your point about the Heat coming off the catalytic converter /exhaust to be very helpful.
On a side note, I really liked your jacket, what brand/model is it?
Thanks, the jacket is the ‘Territory’ from Rev’it