DIRT and TRAIL DECEMBER 2021

Now it might all sound very similar to another bike in the groups
arsenal and that’s kind of what we expected, but in our opinion,
Husqvarna has carved their own niche in the pack with this new
machine. We love the look, and it’s quite amazing just how close
the finished product is to the concept model that was displayed
a few years back.
The next day we were up with the chickens. It was an early start
because, with only five bikes in the country, the group needed to
be split so that everyone could get a little taste.
The route was a proper treat.
A short section of single spoor tracks through the reserve and
out to the gravel roads around the reserve. A section of tar and
then, back to the reserve onto thick sandy trails to a giant rock
on the property where young Sage Voges took that cool cover
photograph.
From there it was a short, sandy leg back to the lodge where we
started.
Although the circular route was short, it was sufficiently
challenging to give everyone a good idea of the Norden 901’s
capabilities.
Climbing aboard, the bike feels very different to anything
Husqvarna that we have ridden before. It’s pretty clear to
us that they have built a comfortable touring machine with
a comprehensive screen and faring, a comfortable seat and
ergonomics that are suited to just about anyone. It’s a really
comfortable bike that you can happily pop your best friend onto
the back and take off for a dirty weekend. The bike has a small
feel to it. Not overly tall either, no idea which setting our seat was
on, but there were times in the sand when we were grateful that
we could paddle along and stay upright.
We are familiar with the power plant and it is a great choice for
a bike like this. Really nippy with great torque and power that is
not intimidating. It’s a bike that is really easy to ride and the 3
rider modes are simple to select. Off-road mode disengages the
traction control, so that was the order of the day for the route
through the reserve and onto the gravel.
When we hit the tar, road mode engaged, the bike easily ran up
to speeds close to the 200KPH mark and getting there was a lot
of fun. The engine pulls really well for a bike in this class. There
is an extra rain mode which makes the bike easier in slippery,
wet conditions, but… hey… it was not raining, so we didn’t get
to try it. Brakes, handling and suspension on the road are great,
it’s a comfortable, peppy fun bike to ride. The kind of bike that
you will happily ride every day and then take off on for that EPIC
long trip.
Pretty soon we hit the sandy gravel roads back into the reserve,
the loose sand and rutted surface was fun. We did fiddle a
bit, but in this terrain, you need to set the suspension and air
pressures up to your own preference. WP gives you that option
without a whole lot of fuss. Chat to your dealer.
The routes through the reserve were simply fantastic. Not quite
where most would venture on their bigger adventure machines,
but single spoor, sandy trails, open grasslands and a great big
rock to explore, all the while watching out that an angry buffalo
does not decide to stroll across the trail. The Norden easily
lapped it all up and made many of the riders actually look quite
good! It’s a very nimble, capable bike and you can really feel
Husqvarna’s off-road DNA shining through.
Go and visit Monate Lodge.
Its great
At The Rock, as usually happens, the jumps started getting
bigger and the riders got braver and braver… it’s all about the
bench racing afterwards you see. The second wave of riders
needed a turn, so we reluctantly pointed North, with a detour
past the lions through the thick sand and handed the bikes over
to the next lot. A quick, challenging 50km odd flip that gave a
really impressive impression (is that a decent sentence?) for the
new bike.
26 DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2021