Yea I wasn't sure about the looks, but in person I really dug the new styling.

The post-neon green right up to 2023 are waayyy better looking than the 2024, but sure there are improvements. Interesting to see the msrp difference.

Those improvements had done by taking Indian and other customers openions, like seat extension for better pelion seat experience and mud gaurd is arranged to avoid mud throwing in muddy roads directly on rider...

Definitely some great deals available on them at the moment!

I think same also! Old one looks more unique.

are you an old one owner? 😂

@@hgamdic9993 yes, I bought it two weeks ago. I waited until the new model came out and I was disappointed with the new 401.

@@hgamdic9993 I am but selling it as it was a second bike. Are you a 2024 pre-order boy? 😂😂

I agree with you on that, I really don't understand why they changed the design.

Fair enough!

It's actually lighter

Imo, its the tail ender and that horrendous grab handle thats making this new one look generic

@@manuelvizcarramoran1171 incorrect, 2023: 330 lbs, 2024: 351 lbs.

I really like the flow of the new bodywork, the bike comes together a bit more naturally, and is very refined,

the old one's back end has an unique charm to it, the new one just feels out of place

The old bike is still a great machine, but yea I definitely feel it was put a little in the shade by the new model! That sounds like a good plan, I think for the right price, the previous gen is still a great deal. Plus styling is big with any bike, no point buying a bike that you don't like the look of.

Same here a little bit torn. I am going for the Vitpilen 250 but i prefer the old drl, old tyre hugger and the tank bag rack. Can we do these modifications/installations later? Are they compatible?

@@gamalialgiri1519 I don't think they'd be compatible. The hugger on the old model had a heap of wiring to reach behind the wheel that won't be present in the new model, and I don't think the new swingarm would have the mounting points either. Headlight swap I'm not sure about, but the tank rack is much smaller and there's a new tank, so I wouldn't think they'd be swappable.

@@MotoJournoKris Thank you. That's really informative.

Styling is subjective, so generally it varies rider to rider, gotta leave that one to each person to decide!

@@MotoJournoKris Agree. But i's sad we lost really unique style bike...

@@konfunable I actually think it looks really good. I think the design will grow on you once you see it in person.

@@nerychristian IDKm I'm an architect and some design choices are just things I don't like in general. So I am pretty sure I will not like it.

I reckon it'll be a very nice (and big) upgrade over the old 401s honestly, definitely worth a test ride!

Very nice, congrats on the new bike!

Thanks for watching, appreciate the support!!

Nice! The dual sports are plenty of fun. I love my WR250R, the DRZ400 has a fair bit more kick than it. I reckon I'd look at a CRF Rally if I was buying one today, the ADV loadout as standard is nice to see, and the bike great too with it.

I really rate them both. The gloves are a good full leather sport option and I'll run them year round, although Sydney doesn't get that cold! The jacket I think is a great summer jacket. Plenty of mesh means breathability is a real strong point and being leather, it's a bit more protective than the pure textile alternatives. That does mean textile or lighter leather/mesh jackets breath a bit better (like my old DRIRIDER Exo) but I'd rather be in the Argon Fusion jacket if I went down. I'll definitely look at doing that, might be a good excuse to get some new gear, as it's been a while!

Yea I really gotta get my hands on their 450 for a test!

Yea, there's quite a bit of difference in the settings that you really feel, which is very nice to see. I matched the forks up to what it was set to on the 2024 model and did feel like it was an improvement on the road. I need to spend the time with the shock I think. I'm not much of an expert on suspension adjustment, but could look at doing a video on it, I think it'd be more for entertainment purposes than anything but could be interesting!

Yep, with discounts like that it's an incredible deal. Can't remember off the top of my head on the USB socket! There is a USB-C socket accessory though.

I've got a video on stalling issues, as my sister's 390 Adventure did that. Was a poor quality spark plug - in that instance, although there seemed to be a few different issues, like fuel lines pinched on some people's bikes. I've never had stalling issues on my 401 luckily. Wasn't brought up however, and no issues with the new bikes that I saw. Fueling seemed better however.

I think if you could get an amazing deal it'd be worth considering, but personally I'd definitely hold out for the '24! We were just south of Malaga, but it was a bit of a whirlwind as far as the route we took from there. With the exhaust we saw two aftermarket options fitted, an Akro, which looked similar but had a little carbon-fibre end-cap, and a Remus exhaust with blacked out collector and added a more traditional muffler (and was my preference of the two). I'll chuck a pic up on Insta of the two. It looks like a very similar header setup to the previous bike, except the collector and muffler seem to be replaced with both those options.

I found it good, if not quite perfect. The quickshifter was great and probably helped a good amount there too.

Yep, that makes the old model an absolute steal!

Tubeless on the Vitpilen as it runs the alloys. I'm guessing you could fit the Pirelli Rally STR tyres though. We do get some special stuff here for LAMS though, can be confusing at times!

@@MotoJournoKris ohh absolutely.. I want to get something sensible like this Husqi or a Honda with one of those 471cc engines even though I could get a non-LAMS bike. But what I meant was we miss out on amazing bikes like the CB650R. The one we get is choked so tightly that it's got breathing issues! haha.. I don't want to buy one and de-restrict it (probably illegal) as the insurance goes through the roof if you can even find a provider. I've pretty much narrowed down on the Honda CL500. Don't know if it comes with Tubeless tyres. Probably won't want to spend any more money tinkering with it. That's unless I go nuts at the last minute and get a used XSR700 or 900! Thanks for the reply. :)

@@jaypod Yea the LAMS system has been responsible for that a fair bit unfortunately, and the legality of de-restricting is a real headache. The CL500 runs alloy wheels, so they are tubeless. The XSR700 is a great machine too in that same kind of 650 class, and the XSR900 takes things next level! Both great machines.

@@MotoJournoKrisThanks for the replies mate. Hope you're channel becomes huge.

I think I'd honestly bump up to the mid-sized adventures at this stage, just as a more do-it-all machine, but two-up is a much bigger factor, which really advantages going up in capacity. That said, the new 401 and the Triumph Scrambler are better rounded bikes than my current 401. I've under-utilised my 401 though, being honest. I like it for fire trails, but really should have pushed the envelope a bit more with it, to see just how capable the bike is. I'll probably try and do that a bit more if I have time and do a longer term wrap up.

I felt like highway and high speed was a really big improvement. The bike is more stable with the update in these conditions handling-wise, but the engine is also smoother, so it doesn't feel buzzy and is much nicer to sit at higher speeds in highway conditions. Not that it couldn't do this before, it's just more refined in the new version. We didn't get a chance to do any off-roading at the launch, so I can't say anything specific there. I think the extra stability will help though, as the new model is still very agile and fast to turn, but not as twitchy as the old bike. I never bothered with a fuel module, I didn't think it was necessary, even though a lot of riders seem to really like it and feel there's an improvement to be had there. But I think if you can get a good deal on an older model, it's definitely worth it, especially as people have mentioned seeing amazing deals on the run out stock.

Unfortunately I'm not sure!

Yea the choice got a whole lot harder! Should be good deals on the used bikes, or run-outs when the new ones arrive though!

Nature desperately wanted to be in the vid, lol!

Yea the new bikes are frankly amazing, even if accessories will be a bit of a wait!

No, it's an up and down quickshifter, rather than something like the Rekluse clutch which works more like a scooter's transmission and prevents that stalling. You still need clutch to get moving on these, rather than just a turn and go throttle.

I'd only be guessing on that one, the new bike did feel a little larger overall and roomier, but there's a decent bit of extra room between the seat and 'pegs on the older machines.

Yep it was a bit unusual. I guess as a photographer I like most of the features visible on the one side of the bike (probably just me being lazy), but it did show off that spoked wheel very well.

Used prices can be a bit crazy like that, hopefully as more of the new models arrive they'll normalise and drop a bit.

Nah they are both great bikes!

I've got the Oggy Knobbs fitted, they are listed as fitting the 390 Duke but were a perfect fit to the 401 too (for obvious reasons).

Nice! For the right discount I still reckon they're a great deal!

It’s a weird decision for sure. I mean I get it - bajaj makes them and whilst they’re designed with husq and KTM, it’s a bit like the triumph 400’s - they’re compromised by what bajaj is already making and what they can make and the economics etc. I get why tube tyres are a good option for the India market where these will sell gang busters, but why not just offer a tubeless wheel upgrade option for the west and those that want it in India? I’d definitely pay the upgrade price over the tubeless, but I’m not buying a whole new set of after market wheels

Yea CFMOTO have them on their new 450MT, so I did wonder if we'd see others following suite. I would guess that CFMOTO are willing to take a loss on the new adventure bike though, to make an impact. The Svartpilen I reckon it just wasn't high on the priority list with so many other components updated.

That's no doubt part of it. We probably prefer the tubeless, but if the mass markets where they sell oodles prefer the tubed, there'd be less motivation to change. If it's a huge advantage to that 450MT though I reckon KTM will match them, they are hyper-competitive in these offerings.

@@MotoJournoKris I don't think there is any market where people prefer tubes.

@@Bobby-wn5yr Why are tubes good for India?

They reckon April, so still waiting and saving!

Definitely a good plan!

I think that's what everyone was expecting to be honest! But looks like we get an 801 instead.

Hey!

I always felt my older 401 was down in build and component quality on the Japanese bikes, especially with a Ninja 400 to directly compare it to, even if there was some impressive features (better brakes, better suspension). The new 401s look much improved in the build and component quality, at least from a first impression. I think it'll take 6-12 months to see if owners feel the same way, once they've worked on their bikes and we see if any reliability issues come up. Although to be fair I've had no issues with my bike apart from a very slow oil leak which was solved with a new washer on the sump bolt, and my sister's 390 just needed a spark plug swap to fix its stalling issue.

@@MotoJournoKris thanks for the detailed reply. Appreciate it.

Yep, that's the TLDR!

Love your work Kris. Pls know that we value your reviews. Is the spoked tubed tyre a big drawback for you?@@MotoJournoKris

@@rsan1704 Thanks! Honestly, for the wheels, I'm not fussed. I haven't had any issues with the tubed rim for road use, and it's probably an advantage if anyone was more serious about off-roading the bike. If we were talking a much more expensive bike, I think it'd be more the norm to expect tubeless rims. If tubeless rims bumped the price up on these bikes I think there's more danger of losing sales, than impressing new riders with the feature (many of whom probably don't really care or even know the difference in the early riding stages).

Fair enough, you want to go with the bike you love the look of!

here I'am... simply, to me it look even nicer apart from the rear that's not super but I have seen already a shorter licence plate older (Husqvarna original spare parts) The front side is nicer, nicer is the front light, nicer and finally big enough fuel tank, nicer display, nicer exhaust, finally the dimension are not like a toy bike, many eletronic uapgrades that maybe are not so necessary but when you have them you are happy. And from what I read and see in the video... it goes better in many aspect. Tubeless is the only real missing Sorry for my English I'm Italian

Understandable preferring the old styling, apart from that though the new bike is undeniably a better machine for a new buyer. The fact these are made for the Indian market means they can expect to sell significantly more, which means better features and pricing are possible for everyone. That's a win-win. The old models were also made in India, and build quality on my '21 401 is definitely a step or two down compared to the new 24.

I agree, I like a lot of the new features, some go either way, but that's not unusual with big styling changes. Overall I'd say a big improvement on the ride and many of the individual features. Styling is very personal, so people will like what they like there.

Yea sounds similar to the fully Indian-made bikes. I did really notice the better fueling on the new version compared to my old one, but haven't tried the Fuel X yet as I've been happy enough living with it. Crazy the maintenance is more than a proper Gixxer, but the Japanese bikes have a reputation for reliability that's well earnt (and obviously it's a pricier bike, but still!).

From what I can see of the footage I've got I was sitting on about 135 km/h in sixth at 7500 rpm. However the engine is much much smoother than the previous version at higher revs, so it feels a bit more like being at 4000-5000 rpm on the previous 401s. So cruising on the highway at these speeds for longer periods should be a lot more comfortable and natural, despite the revs being higher.

I am with you on this issue. The new 801 is supposed to be launching in the next couple of days. I am interested in learning the specs for us longer leg riders. I do not need the power, but need the larger frame. Constant battle for the taller riders.

Honestly I would say the new bike is roomier. Seat height is secondary to seat to peg ratio as far as actual larger rider fit, and the consensus was that these were better for larger riders from what I saw and heard from other riders. That said, these smaller bikes do tend to be designed for smaller riders to help beginners. Adding a bit of height to the seat would likely be the best way to add leg room, but can also be done with any bike.

Svartpilen 801 is the same 820 mm seat height. I'm working on a video now!

Wicked, that's a good deal!

Yea the old bike had quite an impressive loadout and the looks to match. We'll have to wait and see how the new model goes as far as reliability, as that's where the much more conservative Japanese bikes still have an advantage. Looks just come down to the rider. I'm interested to see what the new Kawasaki 500s (450 cc) models are like, and how they compare to be honest.

It is a great value beginner bike, the 2024 is just better. Don't think I said it was underwhelming.

It's not just smooth in fueling, the bike's also mechanically smooth, especially at high rpm. No fuel module is going to achieve that. I'd have trouble personally justifying that investment in my '21 too, I don't really think the bike needs it and I'm super cheap.

@@emanueleguarnuto4056 Yep not sure I'd sell my 21 for a '24 despite the advantages, I'd probably wait for the 801 instead!

@@MotoJournoKris i love the design and the engine of the 801 beautiful bike, but it has the same brakes as the duke 790, and having tried one I can say that they really suck, if one day I were to buy an 801 I would spend 800 dollars for a quality Brembo brake system, before even thinking about changing the exhaust