Cycle News

YAMAHA TENERE 700 VS. HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO LR C O M PA R I S O N P76 JESSE'S TAKE I almost hate to make some comparisons in the motorcycle world. They have consequence! Not for any- thing incredibly important but there are people who have fallen in love with some machines and it's hard to tell them their baby is ugly. To me, that baby is the Husqvarna 701 LR, but it's not ugly in a visual sense to me (maybe it is to some). No, I kind of like the bulbous tank out front—re- minds me of my old Honda XR650R and a five-gallon Acerbis tank. I loved that bike. But it wasn't better at being an ADV bike as the Yamaha Tenere 700. And it wasn't as good of a dual sport/trail bike as a modern KTM 500 EXC is. I can admit that. But I still like to think my XR650R was the super awesome- est. And it is when I factor nostalgia and coolness, for sure. I can't pretend I'm Johnny Campbell on a KTM EXC or Tenere 700. And this is where my KTM 690/Husqvarna 701 platform dilemma rises and gets ugly. This bike has been a swiss army knife of a bike that has tools in it I don't really need. It's the master of nothing, to me. But it works so well at the fringe, it has hooked many into its gaze. My favorite bikes I've ever tested in this family have been heavily modified to basically be rally bikes with big fuel tanks up front and a rally screen for wind protection. Essentially, these bikes are turned into single-cylinder Yamaha Tenere 700s with the rally good looks and comfort to match thanks to a seat upgrade. But if stock, even with the extra range of that new tank, the Husqvarna 701 LR still doesn't have a solid home going long. It's a great bike to sit and spin on dirt roads, and it can handle more tech- nical off-road just fine with a smooth motor and relatively narrow chassis, but it is a compromise in most directions if you only own one bike. Zero wind protection limits it to fun on shorter stints only. To me, this single belongs in a lightweight ADV chassis similar to the Tenere 700 with a few more electronic benefits. Then, we have a competitor that I can get behind and be excited about. As it sits as a big dirt bike, I'm still all—meh. On the other hand, the more I ride and test and live with the Yamaha Tenere 700, the more I see it as one of the best ADV bikes released this decade. It has comfort across the board and motor magic for beginners and advanced riders alike. It has a nearly perfect power delivery for all terrain I like to ride with torque and fun on tap. Plus, it rides smaller than it is and feels great—only get- ting heavy with a full tank of fuel and a tip-over or moving it around obstacles on my toes. It has ample suspension until pushed deep into the stroke, and it has zero electronic hiccups possible. I think it's limited in fuel range a bit and, add- ing a bigger tank (please don't, Yamaha) will only make the handling signifi- cantly worse. So, Yamaha, leave this bike alone for a while, please. Jesse Ziegler it wasn't comfortable to stand for long periods of time. We attribute this to the nar- row width handlebars mounted lower overall, which results in a shorter gap between the seat and the pegs. For a machine with 1.5-inches more front wheel travel and two inches more at the rear than the Yamaha, it feels rather odd. The Yamaha, despite having less ground clearance and skin- nier, softer-sprung forks (43mm to the Husqvarna's chunky 48mm legs), is far more comfortable for longer periods in the saddle thanks to the Yamaha's wider stance bars and a seat that's is more comfortable. And with a decent length to the pegs, this helps the rider stretch out more and give tired muscles a needed break. The big elephant in the room is the near 120 pounds the Yamaha carries over the Husqvarna in wet weight. You'd think this would be the death knell of the Yamaha, and for a portion of riders con- sidering either of these bikes it would be. However, the Yamaha holds its weight so well and is so

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