VOL. 51 ISSUE 46 NOVEMBER 18, 2014 P41
SUPERMOTO
H
usqvarna Motorcycles recently re-
vealed an all-new 701 Supermoto
concept, and in doing so, pointed
to the future direction of the brand:
street. Husky has its eyes set on enter-
ing into the street segment, and the 701
Supermoto signals the Austrian-based
manufacturer's first major step. Though it
is still considered a concept at this point,
the 701 is likely to reach production in
late summer 2015, and is expected to be
introduced in the U.S. as a 2016 model.
Based on the popular KTM 690, the
Husqvarna 701 is built around the same
690.7cc single-cylinder DOHC motor
with 102mm bore and short 84.5mm
stroke. The Husky-badged powerplant
features a double-sparkplug layout for
smooth delivery of its 67 ponies, and
offers three different engine maps (four
if you count the "bad fuel" map de-
signed to work with low octane pump
gas). The 701 also employs a ride-by-
wire throttle and the latest ABS and
APTC (Adler Power Torque Control) slip-
per clutch, which promises to keep the
rear end from hopping around under
hard braking and downshifting.
Suspension is, of course, handled
by WP with closed-chamber telescopic
fork up front and link-mounted shock
out back. The 701's exterior is unique
to Husqvarna, with slim bodywork and
a long seat that features "functional
ribbing to improve grip," and extends
to reach over the radiator shrouds. The
bodywork also brings the 701's size up
a little beyond its 690 counterpart, with
a slightly longer wheelbase and higher
seat height.
All in all, the Husqvarna 701 weighs in
at a moderate 320 pounds. MSRP has
not yet been announced by Husqvarna.
