It was the end of February and we decided to take the Husqvarna Norden 901 up to Wales to see what all the hype was about. There are an increasing number of reviews out there on YouTube which praise this bike on how it looks as well as rides so we set off from Sussex on what turns out to be a near perfect adventure motorcycle.
I won’t go on and on about how comfortable the Norden 901 was on the M4, but in short, you do not get a more comfortable bike than this. The wind protection, the seat and the adjustable seat height make for a effortless ride with no aches, pains or fatigue. The cruise control is a bonus as well.
Ok, now on to Wales. If you have not explored Wales, it is possibly one of the top places to ride in the world. It has a mix of sweeping, twisty back country roads, mountain passes through to some of the best off road trails the UK has to offer. It is truly motorcycle heaven and the perfect place to test out the 901’s capabilities.
The off road trails in Wales are not the usual 100 yard graded byways you get in the south east and other parts of the UK. Wales offers miles of sweeping rocky, sometimes very technical trails with views to die for. Featuring great names like Bastard Lane, Splashy lane and Happy Valley, they all test you and your bike to their limits.
If you want to ride in Wales, you cannot go wrong with just sticking to the roads. Avoid the motorways to the South and every road is a superb riding road that will lead to adventure and some of the best scenery available in the UK. If you want to add in some off road, then you either need to know or pay a local guide, learn how to read an OS map or alternatively follow the UK Trans Euro Trail which covers some of the best trails in Wales including, Strata Florida, Bastard Lane, Nant-Y-Moch, and Panorama. Whilst the Trans Euro Trail only includes a small portion of what is available there, it is a great introduction to what Wales has to offer so we stuck to that.
Our journey led us from Llandovery in Mid Wales and then all the way up to Dolgellau in Snowdonia, hitting some of the best roads, passes and off road trails Wales has to offer. We we very lucky with the weather and we were treated to an introduction to Spring with blue skies and the heat of the sun. We had an absolute blast.
The reason for taking the Norden 901 to Wales was to test it in all the situations you might come across if you were planning to buy one and go on a adventure. We need to believe in them to sell them (we are a bike dealer after all) and after this trip, we can confidently say that this bike is everything Husqvarna promises. You will want for nothing else if you are after an adventure motorcycle.
I found the Husqvarna Norden 901a pleasure to ride, it handles the twisty roads with ease and where it really shines is off road. I have ridden various big bikes off road and whilst there are some very close competitors, the Norden 901 handles all situations really well and looks cool with it. Nothing is 100% perfect but if you want a bike that covers all bases very well and is great to ride off road, then you cannot go wrong with the 901.
What did I love?
The handling, the comfort and the confidence that the low centre of gravity gives. It will take you up any trail you chose to conquer with the superb engine and balance. Even with the Stock Scorpion Rally (70/30) tyres, it was a pleasure to ride and it took on everything with ease.
What did I hate?
I am struggling with this question as there really is nothing to hate. At a push, I would probably avoid the official GPS mount accessory as it pretty much fell apart off road. I would also replace the bash plate if you are going to do a lot of off road, but other than that there really is nothing to complain about.
Is the Husqvarna Norden 901 an Adventure Ready Motorcycle?
In one word. Yes!. Go for it.
