Kit Palmer | February 10, 2016
Life really doesn’t get much better than this when you think about it: one day you’re whipping the handlebars from one turn to the other on a twisty back road on a sunny but cool afternoon in Southern California aboard what I think is the ultimate kind of street bike when it comes to just plain ol’ having fun on the pavement—supermoto—and the next day you’ve got the throttle pinned in fourth gear down a high-speed sand wash in the middle of the desert on another really fun kind of motorcycle—enduro. Yes, life was really, really good those two days, thanks to the folks at Husqvarna and its two new models—the 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro.
You can read the original magazine story by clicking HERE.
In reality, the 701s are not exactly new, but they are new to Husqvarna. They share the same platform as two bikes already in KTM’s lineup—the 690 SMC (Supermoto, which is not sold in the U.S.) and Enduro. This has been the norm with all of the Husqvarna off-road models ever since KTM and Husqvarna tied the knot in 2013.
The Husqvarna 701 Supermoto (left) and 701 Enduro in all their glory.
TRELLIS FRAME
Like the 690s, the 701s are built around an 18-pound chrome-moly-steel trellis frame. The subframe is unique to the Husky, as it is constructed out of molded polyamide (aka plastic) and features an integrated 3.4-gallon fuel tank. (The filler cap is integrated into the rear fender.) Husky says that the subframe was built strong enough to carry a passenger, and side bags and a larger fuel tank, which Husky will soon offer for both bikes as accessories. The frame allows for a front-mounted airbox, which is easily accessible from under the seat.
WP SUSPENSION
Both the Supermoto and Enduro feature fully adjustable WP-made suspension systems. Up front, you will find WP’s latest 4CS four-chamber separate-function fork. Separate-function means that compression damping is handled in one leg (left) and rebound in the other. Easy-to-operate adjustment knobs are conveniently located at the top of the fork tubes. Don’t worry, these are spring forks, not complicated air forks, so they are relatively easy to adjust, maintain and monitor. You know how it goes, just set it and forget it. Just how I like it. Essentially, these are the same forks that come on Husky’s off-road and motocross bikes; they’re just tuned differently for their specific use.
Both the Supermoto and Enduro feature the same WP 4CS forks that are found on all of Husky’s dirt bikes.
Out back is a single, fully adjustable gas-charged WP shock that rides on Husky’s Pro-Lever linkages. The shock features rebound and high/low-speed compression damping adjustability. The Enduro version has slightly more wheel travel at both ends than the Supermoto.
You could say that Husqvarna has the supermoto market cornered in the U.S.
DISENGAGABLE ABS BRAKES
Both 701’s are fitted with sophisticated Bosch 9M+Two Channel ABS braking systems. Thanks to a plug-in dongle switch that Husqvarna sells separately, you have the ability to disengage ABS all-together or just the rear ABS, which is great for sliding the back end around on the dirt, or even on the pavement for that matter. Without the dongle switch, you’re stuck with full-time ABS at both ends. ABS is set up specifically for each bike, too. The Enduro’s ABS is tuned more for riding in the dirt and the Supermoto’s, of course, for the pavement, so they act differently.
Brembo supplies braking power; there is a single 320mm disc with a four-piston, radially bolted caliper up front, and a single 240mm disc with a single-piston floating caliper in the back.
WHEELS
The Supermoto is fitted with 17-inch spoked wheels with black-colored tubeless D.I.D rims, while the Enduro comes fitted with 21- and 18-inch wheels (rims are also black) and on/off-road Continental TKC80 tires. Continental ContiAttack tires come on the Supermoto.
ENGINE
Both 701’s are powered by a SOHC, four-valve, 690cc single-cylinder engine that Husky claims produces 67 peak horsepower at 7,500 rpm, and 49 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,000 rpm, which is delivered to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox and a slipper clutch.
The 701s are the first Husqvarna motorcycles to feature ride-by-wire technology, which is something KTM has had for a while. Engine management is taken care of via a 46mm Keihin throttle body and there are three ride modes to choose from: Advanced, Soft and Standard. There is even a “bad fuel map” for when you’re forced to run low-quality fuel. The mapping switch is located under the seat, but Husky offers for purchase a handlebar switch that’ll make your life a little easier while living with either 701.
*****
SUPERMOTO
Fun. That truly is what these bikes are about, especially the Supermoto. And that’s a good thing because anyone who is seriously thinking about buying a supermoto-style bike isn’t really thinking about conveniences, commuting or practibility, they’re thinking about F-U-N. And, yes, this is what the 701 Supermoto is all about.
My first day was spent entirely on the Supermoto and I was perhaps most surprised by how easily it was to ride and how comfortable it was. After a 120-plus-mile day on what is essentially a dirt bike with street tires, I was remarkably fresh and pain free, and probably could’ve piled on another 50 miles. This has a lot to do with the 701’s comfortable and relaxed ergos, super-smooth motor, and rubber-mounted handlebars that do a great job of squelching the vibes, which is usually a nasty side effect with big four-stroke singles. The seat, however, is a little firm, at least that was what I first thought before I logged my first mile on it, but I never really thought about the padding again for the rest of the day, so I guess it was comfortable, too. I did notice, however, how long and smooth it was, making for easy fore/aft transitions.
The 701 Supermoto has fun written all over it. And it is!
I was super impressed with the 701’s engine. Compared to many big-bore single-cylinder engines that can be somewhat explosive or have narrow powerbands, the 701 delivered its power in a very smooth and linear manner. It doesn’t have the kind of hit that rips the handlebars out of your hands or makes the front end reach for the sky every time you grab a handful; instead, it responds quickly enough when you first crack the throttle then accelerates with authority, not to mention smoothly and controllably, as you continue to twist the right grip. Throttle response is instantaneous and crisp from bottom to top. I basically felt I could confidently grab a handful of throttle out of the turns without worrying about the back end getting away from me or the front end getting too light while still leaned over exiting turns.
Again, vibration, or the lack of it, was impressive through the gears and when holding a steady rpm at highway speeds, which the Husky does surprisingly well. The bike cruised along nicely at an indicated 70 mph, and I saw 100 mph on the digital speedometer once on a long but somewhat downhill stretch of road. The bike seemed to be geared well for both the tight and twisty roads and for those wide-open sections.
Thankfully, the 701 has super-strong brakes that are not grabby whatsoever, and the slipper clutch does its job superbly. You can’t get the back end to chatter on downshifts or on the rear brake even if you try, at least I couldn’t, so this makes it fairly easy to get the back end to slide with confidence as you enter a turn, Supermoto-style; that is, of course, with the rear ABS turned off. Both the Supermoto and Enduro models I rode were fitted with the dongle switch and set with the rear ABS turned off. I never missed the rear ABS, nor did I ever felt the front ABS kick into action without trying to do so on purpose. Luckily, it was a nice, dry and sunny day on this ride and the front ABS had it easy, but it was reassuring to know that the front ABS—the important one—was always there if needed. Sandy patches often have a way of popping up where you don’t want them.
It’s so comfortable that you can play all day long on the Supermoto without feeling beat afterward.
The Supermoto feels light and agile, even though it’s not a feather on the scale at a claimed 330 pounds dry. Figure it weighs approximately 350 pounds with a full tank of fuel. But with the tank positioned where it is, aft and somewhat low, the 701 has a very balanced feel with light steering. Again, the Supermoto’s ergos are neutral and should fit a wide range of bodies, as it did my 6’1” frame. I had no issues with the Supermoto’s 35-inch seat height, which is just under an inch lower than the Enduro’s.
Hand guards are a nice touch on the Supermoto but a very much-welcomed necessity on the Enduro model. And speaking of guards, both bike have plastic, though seemingly strong, skid plates.
Overall, I found the Supermoto to be easy to ride and very unintimidating thanks to its linear powerband, relaxed riding position and powerful and ABS-fitted brakes.
A skid plate is found on both bikes.
ENDURO
Day two was the 701 Enduro’s turn. The Enduro and Supermoto are essentially the same bike but with different wheels and tires, gearing, suspension and ABS settings. Different triple clamps result in a slight geometry difference up front. The steering-head angle is 45° for the Supermoto and 44° for the Enduro, and offset is 35mm for the Supermoto and 33mm for the Enduro; trail is the same for both bikes at 112mm. The Enduro has a slightly longer wheelbase.
We wasted no time getting dirty on the 701 Enduro. Within a mile of departure, we were already pounding the sand in the Southern California desert and I was again surprised by how well this rather large motorcycle easily handled the loose stuff. Sure, there was the momentary loss of front-end traction and corresponding panic attacks every now and then (well, more now than then), but that was to be expected for such a large motorcycle fitted with semi-knobby tires, that’s just the nature of the beat. But, really, the 701 behaved remarkably well in the deep sand. I thought I would be fighting the bike a lot more than I was. The bike’s powerful engine probably had a lot to do with that; you could easily pull yourself out of trouble with a slight twist of the right wrist.
It might be a 690cc, but the 701 Enduro feels remarkably agile on the dirt.
The Husky’s smooth power delivery made it fun to slide through the turns, too, much like you would do on a much lighter off-road bike. The rear tire hooked up remarkably well and would launch the bike quickly down the next straight when you opened ‘er up.
At speed, the bike felt very stable on the dirt, and the suspension soaked up the rocks, ditches and unseen whatever’s quite well. The back end would usually kick straight up, not out to the sides.
Like the Supermoto, the Enduro is very comfortable in the seat; in fact, the two bikes feel nearly identical ergo wise, except for the Enduro feeling a tick taller. Again, I liked the longs seat for moving around on, which is something you tend to do more of when riding on the dirt.
I absolutely loved the ABS-only front brake on the Enduro. ABS makes no sense on the back brake of a dirt bike but makes plenty of sense up front, at least on a big heavy machine like the 701 that is going to see more open trails than tight single track. On our ride, I especially liked the front ABS on one particular dirt road that was extremely hard-packed and slick; throw in many rain ruts, off-cambers and blind rises, not to mention a semi-knobby front tire, and you had a recipe for disaster. But none was to be had, which I give a lot of credit to the front-only ABS. I purposefully grabbed a handful of front brake on the Enduro a couple of times and the ABS would jump right in and do its thing, preventing a sure washout. I was impressed. Still, common sense needs to be used when applying the front brake on the Husky in the dirt. I still rode the Enduro as though ABS wasn’t there.
The Enduro is geared well for all occasions.
On the pavement, the Enduro performs nearly as good as the Supermoto. The big-block knobby tires don’t offer the stability or as planted feel as the wider street tires of the Supermoto, but the Enduro still feels great on the pavement. You pretty much get the same thrills in the twisties as you do on the Supermoto, and it still feels pretty stable down the high-speed straights.
Again, vibration really isn’t an issue with either bike.
SUPERMOTO OR ENDURO?
After all was ridden and done, I felt that both bikes are really, really good! I really don’t know any other way to say it. If you have no interest in riding in the dirt, then the Supermoto is obviously the way to go. Even though the pickings are slim when it comes to Supermoto-style street bikes, you’ll be happy with the Husky without question. Whether you’re a novice or expert, you’ll love it. It’s kick-in-the-butt fun, you can ride it all day, and it would make a pretty good around-town bike, too.
The 701 Enduro shares the same platform as the KTM 690 Enduro.
The Enduro would be my pick, though, because I enjoy doing both kinds of riding and the 701 Enduro does both very well, and, with very little work, the 701 would make an awesome adventure bike. Husqvarna will soon offer side bags and a larger fuel tank for the Enduro, which Husky says will give it a range of approximately 250 miles. Right now, it’s already pretty good. Husky estimates the stock 701 Enduro will get about 150 miles to a tank, and that’s plenty for one sitting for me.
Photography by Kevin Wing
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SPECIFICATIONS
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2016 Husqvarna 701 Enduro / 701 Supermoto
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ENGINE TYPE:
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Liquid-cooled, SOHC, 4-valve, 4-stroke, single
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DISPLACEMENT:
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690cc
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BORE X STROKE:
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102/84.5mm
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HORSEPOWER
(claimed):
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67 hp @ 7,500 rpm
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TORQUE (claimed):
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68 lb.-ft. @ 6,000 rpm
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COMPRESSION RATIO:
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12.6:1
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STARTING SYSTEM:
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Electric
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TRANSMISSION:
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6-speed
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FUEL SYSTEM:
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Keihin EFI, 46mm throttle body
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PRIMARY DRIVE:
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36:79
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FINAL DRIVE:
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15:45 (Enduro)/16/42 (Supermoto)
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CLUTCH:
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APTC slipper, hydraulically operated
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ENGINE MANAGEMENT:
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Keihin EMS w/RideByWire, double ignition
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FRAME:
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Chrome-Molybdenum-steel trellis frame
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SUBFRAME:
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Self-supporting polyamide tank
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HANDLEBAR:
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Tapered aluminum
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FRONT SUSPENSION:
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WP-USD 4CS 48mm fork, fully adjustable
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REAR SUSPENSION:
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WP, single shock, w/Pro-Lever linkages
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FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL:
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10.8 in. (Enduro) / 8.46 in. (Supermoto)
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REAR WHEEL TRAVEL:
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10.8 in. (Enduro) / 9.84 in. (Supermoto)
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FRONT BRAKE:
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Brembo, 300mm single disc, two-piston caliper, ABS
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REAR BRAKE:
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Brembo, 240mm single disc, single-piston caliper, ABS
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ABS:
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Bosch 9M+ Two Channel (disengageable, off-road mode)
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FRONT WHEEL:
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1.85 x 21 in. (Enduro) / 3.50 x 17 in. (Supermoto)
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REAR WHEEL:
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2.50 x 18 in. (Enduro) / 3.50 x 17 in. (Supermoto)
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FRONT TIRE:
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90/90 x 21 in. (Enduro) / 120/70 ZR x 17 in. (Supermoto)
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REAR TIRE:
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140/80 x 18 in. (Enduro) / 160/60 x 17 in. (Supermoto)
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CHAIN:
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X-Ring 5/8 x 1/14 in.
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STEERING HEAD ANGLE:
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44° (Enduro) / 45° (Supermoto)
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TRIPLE CLAMP OFFSET:
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1.26 in. /1.18 in. (Enduro) / 1.38 in./1.30 in. (Supermoto)
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TRAIL:
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112mm
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WHEELBASE:
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59.2 in. (Enduro) / 55.4 in. (Supermoto)
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GROUND CLEARANCE:
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11.0 in. (Enduro) / 10.6 in. (Supermoto)
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SEAT HEIGHT:
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35.8 in. (Enduro) / 35.0 in. (Supermoto)
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FUEL CAPACITY:
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3.7 gal.
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CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT:
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319 lbs. (dry)
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MSRP:
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$TBA (Enduro) / $TBA (Supermoto)
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You can read the original magazine story by clicking HERE.
For more Cycle News Dual Sport motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
For more Cycle News Off-Road motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
For more Husqvarna motorcycle reviews, click HERE.
