Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/972780
and going super-hot into a turn after the coffee stint, I could feel the system kick in. That area of the road was a bit slick, and with the tires being cold, the Vitpilen prob- ably kept me from having to test out my new Arai. I didn't exactly like how the brakes felt in that moment, as I'm used to doing the sav- ing myself, but having ABS is a neat feature and is ideal for a street rider. It's something I could get used to. One thing that had Justin and myself talking was the quick transitions the Vitpilen offered. It took a little getting used to as at first it seemed a tad abrupt, but when you settle in, it really moves well with you through the cor- ners. I found riding with a more forward position suited me best on this bike—elbows up seemed to make it happy. Something I didn't particu- larly love were the mirrors as they were quite jittery when riding at a good pace and difficult to make out what was going on behind me. At slower speeds they seemed better, but I'd like to see upgrades for those. At one of our photo breaks at the end of the day, Paulo Carrubba, head of media and public relations at Husqvarna, saw the massive grin on my face and asked, "did you think this bike would be so good?" I looked at him and said "Honestly, I expected a more rigid motorcycle by the pic- tures, I didn't think it would be so much fun and handle so well, but now I don't want to get off the bike!" The Vitpilen 701 was a to- tal surprise. Each time I rode the motorcycle, the white arrow felt better. It handled city streets beautifully, was comfortable over a full day's riding, and has absolutely stunning looks. It's a bike that wants to please. It wants to have fun, which, for me, is what riding is all about. CN 2018 HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 701 FIRST TEST P106 (L-R) Little things like the engraved gas cap are nice touches. The WP fork is missing preload, something bikes that cost far less than the Vitpilen come with. 2018 HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 701 ($11,999) ENGINE: ......... Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder DISPLACEMENT: .........................692cc BORE X STROKE: .............105 x 80mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ................ 12.8:1 POWER: ............. 73.8 hp @ 8500 rpm TORQUE: .......... 53.1 lb-ft. @ 6750 rpm CLUTCH: .......................Wet multi-plate TRANSMISSION: ...................... 6-speed CHASSIS: ..Chrome-moly trellis frame, powder-coated FRONT SUSPENSION: ......... 43mm WP inverted fork REAR SUSPENSION: .. WP Monoshock FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ..............5.3 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ................5.3 in. FRONT BRAKE: .. Radial-mount Brembo four-piston caliper, 320mm disc, ABS REAR BRAKE: .... Brembo single-piston caliper, 240mm disc, ABS FRONT TIRE: ...................... 120/70 R17 REAR TIRE: .........................160/60 R17 STEERING HEAD ANGLE: ................ 65° WHEELBASE: ............................ 56.5 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ........................... 32.7 in. FUEL CAPACITY: .......................3.2 gal. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED): ... 346 lbs. S P E C I F I C A T I O N S City life is where the Vitpilen truly excels, even if you happen to be caught on the set of what looks like a Stanley Kubrick film like this.