Husqvarna Nuda 900 & Nuda 900R International Press Launch in Sardinia

Husqvarna Nuda 900 & Nuda 900R

Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to unveil the first of a new generation of motorcycles: Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R. These exhilarating new models are the first to combine the history and race pedigree of Husqvarna with the technological innovations and engineering prowess of the BMW Group, and the flair of Italian styling. The results speak for themselves – the Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R – two motorcycles built with soul and passion that is backed up by high performance developed through years of competition experience. The first page in the story of the new Husqvarnas has been turned…

Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R – a taste of things to come

Developed as a crossover model between a supermoto and a naked bike, Husqvarna doesn’t feel the Nuda can be shoehorned into any specific category. It delivers a sporty, dynamic ride where agility is balanced perfectly with performance in a bike with a bold and fresh look. Is it a supermoto? Is it a naked bike? The Nuda is whatever you want it to be, but above all it’s a Husqvarna.

Styling

With the factory situated to the north-west of Milan, Husqvarna’s team of designers draw inspiration from the passion and flair that encapsulates this area of Italy. Inside the ‘Centrostile’ a specially selected group of talented young designers work tirelessly to create the look that is unique to every Husqvarna, whether it be an on or off-road model.

Despite being minimalist in its design, every panel on the Nuda helps define its athletic body, giving it a sense of dynamic tension that flows the length of the bike and finishes on the tapered tail that mimics the aerodynamics of a sports bike. The exposed trellis frame, high level exhaust and red rocker cover hint at the performance that lies behind the curvy body, while the bike’s unique headlight – its face on the road – glowers intent. Sporty yet elegant, sleek yet purposeful, the Nuda is bold Italian styling at its very finest.

The Nuda 900R proudly displays the company’s distinctive red and white competition colours, made famous through race success, while the Nuda 900 has a more subtle black paint scheme.

Engine

Husqvarna understands that the heart and soul of a motorcycle comes from its engine and so choosing the right motor formed a crucial part of the Nuda project. A joint decision was made with BMW’s engine development team in Munich to use the highly reliable and technologically advanced F 800 R motor as a basis for both the Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R – however it would then be adapted to meet Husqvarna’s specific needs and demands.

Husqvarna has increased the capacity of the liquid-cooled parallel twin engine from 798cc to 989cc through 2mm larger 84mm bore and increased the stroke to 81mm, up by 5.4mm on the standard engine. The compression ratio has been raised to 13.0:1 with the use of a new three-layer cylinder head gasket and the camshafts, pistons and con rods altered to accommodate a new design of crankshaft.

To give the Nuda a unique Husqvarna character, the F 800 R’s 0-degree crank offset angle has been altered to 315-degrees, creating a dynamic new engine with a character and feel like no other. Designed to reflect Husqvarna’s sporting pedigree, this new configuration not only delivers a more aggressive racing feel and sound at maximum performance, it also vastly improves the power and torque characteristics of the engine. Through the new design of motor with 1mm larger 33mm intake and 28.5mm exhaust valves, Husqvarna has increased the power to 105 horsepower and torque to 100Nm while managing to retain the linear, fluid nature of the power delivery at small throttle openings and low revs.

To damp the engine’s vibrations, Husqvarna has altered BMW’s unique compensation balance rod mechanism to suit the new design of crankshaft while retaining the dry-sump lubrication system and 30-degree tilted forward cylinder layout.

Despite the boost in both power and torque, the highly advanced intake manifold fuel injection system with BMW-KP engine management and two 46mm throttle valves means the Nuda delivers very low fuel consumption figures. Despite its sporty 13-litre fuel tank, the Nuda allows for distances of over 260km between stops.

Finally, to add the Husqvarna stamp to the engine, the rocker box cover is painted red – a feature common to all Husqvarna motorcycles.

Chassis

With its vast racing experience, Husqvarna knows which components to turn to for the ultimate performance and how to extract the maximum from a chassis. Taking the F 800 GS steel trellis chassis as a starting point, Husqvarna has reduced its length by 50mm then added a stiffer 80mm steering head tube and decreased the steering head angle to give the Nuda greater agility at low speed. These modifications make the Nuda perfect for the urban environment, delivering a rapid turning response in confined spaces.

To further increase prestige of the Nuda 900R, Husqvarna has equipped its chassis with the very highest specification of components. The 48mm Sachs forks are fully adjustable and the Öhlins shock comes with compression, rebound and spring preload adjustment as well as a ride height adjustor. The Nuda 900R’s suspension is designed to raise the bike’s centre of gravity compared to the Nuda 900, increasing ground clearance and improving the handling to deliver a thrilling and responsive ride.

To create a motorcycle more suited to urban life or touring, the Nuda 900 comes with preload adjustable 48mm Sachs forks and a fully adjustable Sachs monoshock. The suspension is set-up to deliver a smoother ride and make the bike more relaxed and user-friendly while the seat has a double level to provide greater pillion comfort and a lower 875mm height compared to the Nuda 900R’s 890mm.

Husqvarna has made the ergonomics and handling a priority on both models of Nuda and as a result the bike’s fuel tank is located under the seat to allow the weight distribution to be as close to the centre of delivers a safe and comforting ride whatever the conditions.

This, along with the relaxed and natural riding position, is certain to be appreciated and exploited in full by both beginner and expert riders alike.

While both models have radial brake calipers, in order to further enhance its sporty appeal, the Nuda 900R comes with Brembo monobloc racing brakes with 320mm discs. Constructed out of a single piece of aluminium for maximum feel and power with minimal flex, these twin four-piston radial calipers give the Nuda 900R superior braking power on both the road and track. The Nuda 900 also features Brembo four-piston radial calipers and 320mm discs with sintered pads, delivering powerful, accurate and smooth braking feel whatever the conditions. Both models use the same 265mm disc and two piston caliper rear brake.

Weight is crucial in making a motorcycle agile and Husqvarna has managed to keep the mass of the Nuda 900R to less than 174kg, partly thanks to the use of carbon fibre details and a lightweight sports exhaust system. Both models of Nuda come with a stainless steel exhaust muffler, however the 900R has a carbon fibre clamp, end cap and heat shield.

Accessories

Should owners of the Nuda 900 or Nuda 900R wish to take full advantage of the motorcycle’s all-round ability, or simply want to personalize their machine, Husqvarna has developed a full range of accessories.

Those wishing to take their Nuda touring, either solo or with a pillion, can enhance the experience with a high windshield kit and a range of either soft or hard luggage.

An optional flat or two-level seat is also available.