It’s official: Husqvarna Motorcycles will be manufactured and sold in the Philippine market in 2020. The brand will be handled by the Ayala Corporation, with Husqvarna units initially to be sold at several KTM dealerships across the country.
The brand’s first local offerings will be the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401, but there are plans to produce bigger-displacement bikes, too. These models will be sold at six of the 40 KTM dealerships in the country, though the company has yet to specify exactly which ones.
The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 is a sub-500cc middleweight motorcycle featuring an attractive retro design. It peaks at 44hp and 37Nm of torque, and is being marketed as a capable urban two-wheeler. The Svartpilen 401, meanwhile, is a more rugged-looking model with similar output figures.
Husqvarna is known for its motocross bikes, though interest is beginning to shift toward the above-mentioned models. If any company is capable of injecting this product into the local market, it’s Ayala. KTM Philippines has manufactured more than 16,000 units at its Laguna plant over the past two years, with 70% of that figure exported to foreign markets like China, Thailand, and Vietnam.