Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 to get Apollo Tramplr tyres instead of Pirellis. Here’s why
5 months ago | 11 Views
The Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 was launched earlier this year and one of the key highlights on the motorcycle were the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR dual-purpose tyres, which impressed us too. The new offering has now begun arriving at dealerships and it turns out that the production-spec model gets the locally made Apollo Tramplr XR tyres instead of the fancier Pirellis.
Apparently, a fresh government regulation bars manufacturers to import tyres of a particular size if they are being locally built by a tyre maker. Considering Apollo makes the tyres in the size and spec required for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, Bajaj was not given the licence to import the Pirellis for the Swedish scrambler-styled offering. The ban though is only for the OEM, while private players will still be allowed to import the tyres in the aftermarket space.
This is certainly a big disappointment for those looking forward to enjoying the Husky with the dual-purpose tyres, particularly given its big block pattern, allowing good traction on and off-road. Bajaj has not announced plans to reduce prices given the change in the tyre maker, especially since the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR command a hefty premium.
That said, this is not to say that locally made tyres are of substandard quality. The Tramplr XR range from Apollo offer excellent grip. That said, buyers may feel some of the value-friendly quotient on the Husqvarna has been robbed off, especially with no price reduction in sight.