2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Review

Aug 10, 2023

We get some south-of-the-planet seat time on the new Expedition.

Photography by Marco Campelli and Sebas Romero

The Husqvarna Norden 901 has been upgraded with more substantial off-road suspension, significant protective equipment, and elevated travel comforts as the Norden 901 Expedition. Is this the bike the Norden 901 should have been all along? Or is all this just an exercise in excess? Let’s find out as we rip on the new Husqvarna ADV weapon across South Africa.

When Husqvarna launched the Norden 901 in late 2021 it sent a very well-equipped bike into the adventure market with a suspension package as unique as the bike’s styling. The original Norden dropped the off-road bravado and dominance of the KTM-proven 48mm WP Xplor fork and Xplor shock setup for a mellower 43mm Apex-labeled, road-biased fork and similar shock. This fit the marketing angle and buyer profile of the original Norden well.

Built for touring instead of trampling off-road obstacles, the limited travel, bottoming resistance, and rowdiness of the original Norden 901 spec was acceptable. I, personally, pushed the Apex goods to their limit and rarely hated them. I knew what I was getting into, and the bike performed well for a world-tourer with the spec’d suspension. Could it be better? Yes. It could be a KTM with the best off-road manners in the class and settings so high-level they rarely could be seen as limited. You can read and watch all about this take in our 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901 review.

There’s nothing wrong with the original Norden 901. It rips, it’s comfortable, it’s fun and planted and looks cool. Which is why it’s still for sale, I imagine. But, with the upgraded Norden 901 Expedition you get quite a bit more for your money—if you want it.

There are a few key component and performance upgrades on the Norden 901 Expedition model.

First, no surprise, is suspension. With the WP Xplor 48mm fork and WP Xplor PDS rear shock, the Norden 901 Expedition is upgraded to 9.5 inches (240mm) of suspension travel front and rear. That’s an increase of about an inch on both ends, give-or-take five millimeters. Moreso than the increased travel, you get the elevated performance of the fully adjustable WP Xplor componentry complete with a wider range of adjustment and increased rigidity. This is the same exact design as the KTM 890 Adventure R and same family of suspension the Husqvarna, KTM and GasGas off-road bikes come set up with. Xplor is as proven as suspension comes and features adjustable preload (front and rear), compression and rebound clickers, and high-/low-speed compression adjustability on the shock. The next level up from here is big-wallet territory with Xplor Pro Components a’la the limited “Rally” versions of KTM’s 890.

We’ve complimented this Xplor suspension group for years with our only real complaints being the KTM 890 Adventure settings being too aggressive for more relaxed riding duty.

Husqvarna comes in with a unique setting here. With a lighter fork spring and with internal damping/valving approximately 20% “lighter” than the KTM 890 Adventure R, the Norden 901 Expedition sticks to its softer-edged roots while still providing a substantial suspension package and full-length ADV travel.

Upgrade number two is the factory installed 4mm thick aluminum skid-plate. This is a serious piece of protective equipment that is ready for idiotic punishment (ask me how I know). The raw-finish aluminum beauty covers all the sensitive bits of the Norden 901 underbelly, from fuel tanks and petcocks to the swingarm and everything in-between. It’s one of the only Adventure-class standard skid plates I’ve seen that is immune to upgrades. It’s legit.

The third upgrade is a group of additions. We’re talking comfort here and Husqvarna’s product team threw factory-installed wind protection and heated accessories at Norden 901 Expedition buyers to up the road-comfort ante and battle buffeting at speed. A very tall touring windscreen, heated grips, and a heated seat (cozy) all are standard fitments.

Next up is some tech. While the Norden 901 Expedition follows the original Norden and features the gamut of electronic rider aids on-board without need to upgrade (Explorer Mode, Easy Shift, etc.) the Expedition also includes the connectivity unit to link up your mobile device to the bike and a headset via Bluetooth if you choose.

Almost last on the goodies list is the included luggage carrier racking and soft-sided saddle bags—a nice inclusion for those looking to travel overnight with their ADV bike. The Husqvarna-branded soft bags are not the highest-spec cargo equipment in the market and showed some wear after a flock of journalists flogged them, but it’s addition still adds value, and the full tubular steel racking is a great platform for any luggage you desire later.

Finally, there’s also an included GPS mount in the headlight tower and a center stand is now standard for easy, wheel-lofted parking.

Add-ons aside, how does this new Norden perform? Well, we didn’t waste any time finding out across the fast-paced highways and plentiful two-track of South Africa’s Western Cape. From Cape Town inland, the testing terrain was ideal for an ADV ride. And we put every component of the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition to a two-day test.

Let’s start by saying the electronics suite of the Norden 901 Expedition is complete. You will want for naught here. The Norden 901 Expedition comes with it all: four ride modes with pre-selected engine output, traction control and ABS settings as well as Explorer Mode with ABS disconnection, selectable slip control, and adjustable throttle response. Cruise control is also locked-in standard. You will not be upgrading this system at the dealer. It is as upgraded as it gets from Austria.

The user interface of the ride modes selection, ABS switching, Explorer Mode slip control adjustment, heated accessories activation and basically all interaction with the robots inside the motorcycle (via the very nice TFT display) is top-notch.

Most of our testing/riding on Austrian ADV weapons is done in Explorer Mode just to keep things simple and fun. Sure, we went to Road mode for some highway stints but most of the time we keep it in Explorer mode and just adjust rear wheel slip and throttle response around to match the surface we’re riding on. This works as predicted and it’s great. Wheel-slip limitation is done so without jerking or hesitation and the nine levels of adjustment are just dandy.

The power output is identical to the past for all 890-based ADV machines from Austria. It’s nice for highway duty and manageable off-road. That’s thanks to the brilliant power balance out of the parallel twin. It is grunty, with torque on-tap but really has the heart of a high-revving superbike and loves to rip through the upper mid-range. If you catch the Easy Shift (factory installed quick-shifting) just right, you can rip MotoGP-style gear-ascensions on the regular. You can slightly short or over-shift the revs and enjoy a nice steady pull into the next gear. It’s not a picky motorcycle. Just give it the beans and crack through the gears at will. Likewise, the somewhat docile and smooth low-end means traction is plentiful in varied terrain.

Chassis balance on this platform is still very good thanks to the stiff trellis frame and low-slung fuel tanks holding the bike’s total weight very low. It has small-bike feel with big-bike attitude. And the final suspension spec/settings are considerably more comfortable for rough pavement and broken asphalt than any of the orange bikes. Most Adventure rides are done on mixed surface roads and, usually, sort of crappy roads. So, the increased comfort is very much welcomed at moderate pace and for cruising.

As the pace picks up some inconsistencies arise with front-end bobbles and headshake through road condition transitions. The Norden 901 Expedition and I had a few moments together as I approached irresponsible pace and bumps. This isn’t something KTM 890 Adventure Rs are immune to, either. But their stiffer spring rate and valving spec seems to keep the shakes away more consistently than I experienced on the Norden. Dropping the pace and not smashing through g-outs on backroads was the simple solution here, which puts the bike more in-line with its intended use. Ideally, I’d like a little more fork hold-up here, something between this and the KTM, maybe. Or I could just slow down and not pretend I’m racing everywhere, which is not what I did, at all.

On-road comfort is pretty good with the new mega deflector shield installed, but this bike will never be BMW GS wind-proof. Depending on your height and helmet style, you will still feel the wind on your head, despite the massive screen. The big shield is better than the tiny one on the standard Norden version but doesn’t look as cool. Visually, the screen isn’t terrible looking from most angles, but every now and then you catch it just right with your eye and think, “damn, that’s a huge windshield!” Also, it will be hard to see through off-road if you get into a mud party with your friends. It’s significant piece of real estate up front.

The only real disappointment from this test is the standard soft baggage durability. We were the second group to ride these bikes and we certainly didn’t over-load the bags. Still, the stitching was showing wear and the bags were a little floppy. I can see failure starting. So, this is probably the only part on this bike that will require some investment soon.

Adventure motorcycling isn’t about destinations, it’s about the points between starting and stopping. With the Norden 901 Expedition you can take those points further off the beaten path and with more confidence than before. This makes a standout package to consider if you’re in the buying mood. Unique (and great) looks (in my opinion), fantastic performance, and substantial upside performance potential is now part of the Husqvarna Norden family. CN