Top test: Husqvarna Nuda 900 – 900 R

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Top test: Husqvarna Nuda 900/900 R

The two-cylinder fun bike from Husqvarna

With the slim, compact two-cylinder fun bike Nuda 900, Husqvarna serves the finest food for bend and turn gourmets. But the feast also tastes good every day?

Where is the second cylinder? ”R1 driver Stephen from Paris, confused, circles the Husqvarna of the MOTORRAD test team parked in the parking lot at Col de lEspigoulier. For him it was actually clear: They had to be single-cylinder. Logical, after all, it says Husqvarna; And besides, the two Nuda machines are so narrow, so delicate, so crisp, where should the second cylinder be??

Stephen doesn’t really trust the explanations of the MOTORRAD testers, only a push of the button removes any remaining doubts: This is wonderful two-cylinder babbling with the irregular heartbeat of a Harley-Twin. Stephen, former owner of sound virtuosos like Ducati Monster and Aprilia RSV4 R, grins enthusiastically: “Wow, very nice”, just as beautiful as his R1 with open Akrapovic bags. The sound of the fun bike twin is world class, not too loud, but anything but quiet. A dry beat with addictive potential, whereby the sound comes across even better onboard than on the outside.

The secret behind the great acoustics: first of all, the crank pins, which are offset by 45 degrees, which turn the visually rather conservative parallel twin into a tingling 45 degree Vau, both tonally and emotionally. Second, the trick that is common today with the exhaust flap under the engine, which makes the filigree oval rear silencer possible in the first place.

AT.The test team is not here for the orchestra rehearsal, but to find out what the new Italo-Teuton mixture really has on the pan. So let’s take a closer look at the angular fun bike here in the parking lot.

Top test: Husqvarna Nuda 900/900 R

The two-cylinder fun bike from Husqvarna

Cockpit of the Husqvarna Nuda 900 R.

In terms of driving dynamics, however, the 900 does not have to hide from the Austrian muscle man. Although the drilled out F 800 engine with measured 107 HP at its peak cannot completely compete with the 116 HP 1000 V2, in practice the impressive torque curve of the Nuda inspires.

Almost 100 Nm at the top is already an extremely good value for 900 cm3, at least as impressive are the 80 Nm that the twin balances on the roller at 3000 rpm. The wide rev range promises extraordinary deeds on the road. Objectively, they manifest themselves in excellent driving performance. 3.3 seconds to 100 km / h and 5.5 to 140 – many one-liter naked bikes have to get dressed warmly. In the draft, the Nuda, for example, loosely depends on a Yamaha FZ1. Without a long run-up, the speedometer quickly shows 225 km / h at the top. In this type of vehicle, it is more of an academic value: Anyone who races unprotected hanging in the wind with a supermoto on the highway?

It is more fun to explore the potential of these engines on winding passes such as the Col de l‘Espigoulier. Here the Nuda offers just the right dose of power and thrust. Power that you can and may still enjoy to the full. Not only the elasticity is fantastic – if necessary, you can only get up the mountain in the third without tormenting the engine – but the surprising and outstanding smoothness of the pseudo-V-engine. The engine runs practically from idle speed without chopping or damaging the chain. Proper progress is already made from 3000 revs, from then on the speed doesn’t really matter. If the oats bite, you can also squeeze the twin in the upper third of the belt; despite the increased displacement, it breathes freely at the top and never seems strained even close to the limiter.

A fantastic engine, whose unique sound increases the value of the experience. And that is also surprising: the irregularly thundering twin vibrates – at least subjectively – less than the theoretically cheaper 800 series machine from BMW when it comes to mass balancing. Incidentally, both have the idiosyncratic compensating lever, which is linked by an auxiliary connecting rod. But the Husky pulsates differently, more pleasantly than the vibrating BMW, which can be quite annoying on top.

Yes, it’s Christmas already, is there really nothing to complain about with the drive? Okay, maybe bean counters could find a few bits and pieces. For example the gears that shift a bit bony every now and then. In return, the sports driver is happy about the extremely short shift travel. The annoying clutch, which can only be adjusted with a tool, could perhaps be a little easier to operate, but that too is whining on a high level. Likewise, the engine sometimes dies immediately after the first burst of gas when starting – free.

Otherwise, the tuning of the 900 twin is flawless. It hangs gently and finely dosed on the gas, the wheelie suitability was already praised in the driving report (MOTORRAD 23/2011). Whereby the test team used mapping I almost exclusively. Mode II makes the throttle response even smoother and reduces the power over the entire range linearly by two or three hp. What sense does that make? Hmm, probably to show what is possible with electronics today, the practical utility of this feature tends towards zero.

The Husqvarna Nuda 900 R.

The great engine exudes such a dominance that the subject of the chassis seems rather irrelevant. There are quite a few things to note in this regard. The chassis from the 800 GS appears stable even in the high-speed range. However, the natural frequency of the stiff chassis can be felt to some extent at high speed if you deliberately stimulate it to vibrate at the handlebar end. Nothing to worry about, but the drivers asked themselves whether driving conditions were conceivable that could upset the Husky, for example with a load or changed chassis settings. In any case, it is recommended not to open the rebound damping of the shock absorber too far. And it helps to sink the fork deeper into the bridges, i.e. to set the machine ten millimeters higher at the front compared to the standard setting. This has only a minor influence on handling and steering behavior. The Nuda looks light-footed, but it is not particularly handy. For quick changes of direction, the twin needs an energetic pull on the handlebars, especially at high speeds, a little physical effort through thigh pressure and weight shifting supports the turning. The fact that it is still easy to drive and does not look cumbersome is due to the good-natured steering behavior.

The long-stroke suspension also levels out the large waves well, but short bumps come through unfiltered. The response behavior on pitted terrain in an inclined position should be smoother. Only fighter pilots miss adjustment screws, otherwise the basic set-up fits well with normal driving style. Especially on good surfaces, the Nuda behaves piously and cooperatively.

An impression to which the first-class braking system makes a not inconsiderable contribution. The screwed-on Brembos of the basic version also pinch the windows with such vehemence that the Husky achieves absolute top decelerations in its vehicle class. Thanks to the excellent controllability, an experienced brakeman can always let the rear wheel tick over the entire braking distance, and fine-tune the front wheel’s grip limit at the rollover limit. However, the fact that no ABS is available at the start of series production could be a knockout criterion for some interested parties. The anti-lock device will only come in the next model year. Until then, the customer base is likely to be limited to the committed cross-drivers group, which rejects ABS as paternalism anyway.

Stephen, the French R1 pilot, is one of them and watches the testers at work for a while. He is enthusiastic about the great sound and the radical design of the Nuda. Would he buy one? "Maybe, because: Italian look, but not Italian engineering." Au ha, when they read that in Varese …

The R version

Husqvarna Nuda 900 R: When hanging-off with large feet, the passenger footrests are extremely annoying.

Basic machine or R version, the husky nudist has the choice. After all, around 1500 euros are between the two variants. For an extra charge, the R comes with exquisite monobloc brembos, a fine Ohlins shock absorber, an adjustable fork, a little carbon, a flatter seat and a shorter gear ratio, so chic things. For the freak, the matter is clear anyway: It has to be the R.

But what about when you approach the matter sensibly? The basic chassis is really more than decent, the slight criticism of the response also applies to the R. Of course, with hard driving it offers more reserves and more individual tuning options. Overall, the R is ten to 15 millimeters higher, depending on the suspension setting, which is clearly noticeable in the seat height, but is also expressed in greater freedom of leaning. Whereby the one on public roads is more than sufficient even with the standard machine.

Here are a few more setting tips for the R: At the front it is about an inch higher anyway because of the longer fork. At the rear, when the strut length is completely lowered, the level corresponds to that of the basic machine. MOTORRAD raised the rear by 15 millimeters at the length adjustment of the strut. In addition to the freedom from leaning, this improves cornering, puts more pressure on the front of the vehicle and thus provides more feeling for the front wheel. Incidentally, the testers drilled a hole in the side panel to make the rebound adjustment of the shock absorber that was hidden by it accessible.

The shorter translation makes the R seem more explosive. It does the pull-through measurements much faster. However, it already turns into the limiter at 215 km / h. One more tooth on the pinion makes the difference, which can be changed in no time if necessary. The higher speed level also means a minimal increase in consumption. The R-brake is extremely aggressive to work. That may be okay on the racetrack, but the initial bite on the country road is borderline. However, it is not the monobloc thongs that are responsible for this, but the sharper layers. The Husqvarna range of accessories offers alternatives.

Conclusion: The R version is “worth it” for people who enjoy pretty and image-enhancing goodies. And for those who prefer a really committed driving style. The rest is well served with the basic Nuda, which can also be pepped up technically or optically.

Noticed

The Husqvarna Nuda 900 R carries BMW tools with it.

more

  • BMW supplies the wheels, so the Husky also has the practical valves screwed into the spokes, which are very easily accessible at the front and rear
  • Also known is the swing arm from BMW with solid chain tensioners, a deflector as protection in front of the chainring might have been nice

minus

  • A hole where there is usually a rubber stopper: the hollow fork bridge shaft allows you to see the fender while driving. Okay – that’s not really tragic
  • In order to get to the tools, one would need tools to then realize that they are not included in the minimalist on-board tools. With the two Torx keys you could at least remove the fairing to adjust the shock absorber – no fun either. There is no storage compartment under the seat – you could only get there with tools
  • Series or outlier? Rust on the new test machines, for example on the spring of the brake pedal. Some screws were already corroded, including those on the adjustment of the clutch cable. The clutch pressure point can only be adjusted with a tool that – of course – is missing from the tool kit
  • The rear fairing is undoubtedly nicely styled, but also quite sensitive to dirt. It also leaves the driver unprotected in the rain. Let’s hope that the paint will prove to be resistant to the dirt that is thrown up in the long term

Nuda also allows extreme stunt performances.

engine
The 900 twin goes down, in the middle, up: there are plenty of points for acceleration and torque, as well as for the great engine characteristics. Slight triggers bring the noticeable, if not unpleasant vibrations as well as the somewhat bony circuit. And when starting the cold engine, the throttle response leaves a lot to be desired, sometimes it dies off again immediately after starting.

landing gear
The Husky is a very easy to control motorcycle that does not place high demands on the driver. Reductions in the criterion of handiness are due to the fact that some force is required to turn at higher speeds. The somewhat rude response leads to point deductions in chassis tuning and suspension comfort. Tea Nuda could be more stable on the motorway or in fast corners.

everyday life
There is still a lot to improve here: Ergonomically, the Nuda is successful, everything fits like a glove. If it weren’t for this bench that looks pretty hard in the long run. The small cockpit mask as a wind protection deserves a small point. The light is anything but outstanding, after all you can see something in the mirrors. Luggage rack or hook? Nothing. And it doesn’t look particularly generous with payload and range.

Husqvarna Nuda 900 R: With the front brake pressed into the fork, the drift works even without an anti-hopping clutch.

security
Wow, those are brakes: Such tall, light fun bikes are difficult to decelerate, the Husky does it in a sensational way. The stoppie tendency increases in pillion mode. If only an ABS were on board …

costs
Moderate consumption, warranty plus mobility guarantee, low inspection costs, normal maintenance costs – a decent assessment in the section on costs.

Value for money scores
A good total number of points at a price just below the 10,000 euro threshold – that results in a good price-performance rating

Max points Husqvarna Nuda 900 engine 250 180
landing gear 250 164
everyday life 250 126
security 150 98
costs 100 65
Overall rating 1000 633
Price-performance note 1.0 1.9

Conclusion

The first real street car from Husqvarna has become a great fun device with good all-round qualities, in which the exciting two-cylinder is the focus of the action. An engine without weaknesses with a huge rev range, sound and feeling. Small weaknesses in everyday suitability are easily forgiven this character actor.

Husqvarna Nuda 900 R wheelie.

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, dry sump lubrication, injection Ø 46 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 390 W alternator, 12 V / 14 Ah battery, mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O -Ring chain, secondary ratio 42:17.
Bore x stroke 84.0 x 81.0 mm
Cubic capacity 898 cm³
Compression ratio 13.0: 1
rated capacity 77.0 kW (105 PS) at 8500 rpm
Max. Torque 98 Nm at 7000 rpm

landing gear
Lattice frame made of steel, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 48 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed callipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 265 mm, single-piston Floating saddle.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17
Tires in the Metzeler Sportec M5 test

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1495 mm, steering head angle 65.5 degrees, caster 101 mm, spring travel f / h 210/180 mm, permissible total weight 391 kg, tank capacity / reserve 13.0 / 3.0 liters. Service data Service intervals 10,000 km
Oil and filter change every 10000 km 3.6 l
Engine oil API: SG and SH
Spark plugs NGK LMAR8C-9
Idle speed 1250 ± 100 / min
Tire pressure solo (with pillion passenger) front / rear 2.3 / 2.9 (2.3 / 2.9) bar
Two year guarantee
Mobility guarantee two years
Black and white colors
price 9,990 euros
Additional costs around 300 euros

Offers for the Husqvarna Nuda

Used Husqvarna Nuda 900 in Germany

The Husqvarna Nuda 900 fun bike with an even better price-performance ratio can be found on the used motorcycle market. There you can find Husqvarna Nuda 900 and Nuda 900 R in good condition and at low prices: Used Husqvarna Nuda 900 in Germany

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