Two ways to tackle a tough test route Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen tries to outgun Yamaha’s XSR700
Is Husky’s high-priced Vitpilen 701 worth splashing the cash on over Yamaha’s more budget-conscious XSR700?
It looks like a student’s design project that’s been let off the leash, and not entirely in a bad way.” Fellow rider Paul Berryman’s initial reaction to the Vitpilen 701 isn’t unusual. Husqvarna designed their new urban bike to be aesthetically challenging and they’ve certainly succeeded. It’s a unique-looking machine and guarantees a crowd wherever it’s parked. In comparison, the XSR700 with its rather safe neo-retro look fades into the background. Even more
so when the Husky fires into life… To me the Husky’s big, single cylinder motor sounds at tickover like a bag of spanners being shaken vigorously, but to others this mechanical noise will be appealing as it adds character. Whatever your point of view, there is no denying that it’s more memorable than the XSR’s parallel twin which by comparison is a mere whisper of a motor. And it’s this raw nature verses silky refinement that is reflected in how the bikes ride. Taking the lead on the XSR, as soon as we start the MCN250 I feel at home. Yamaha’s MT-07-derived retro roadster is one of the friendliest bikes on the market and with its high bars and decently-padded seat, you can’t fail to feel assured. There’s no fuss, no effort required and very little to cause any upset aside from a slight tingle through the bars. Having described the Vitpilen’s wide and low bars as “like holding either end of a broom” following our run through Northampton, Paul is surprisingly in less pain than either of us expected. Thanks to the Husky’s canted-forward riding position and oddly low pegs, once you are moving the wind pressure takes some of your weight, reducing wrist strain. However, oddly, it’s the muscles on his inner arms that are aching by the time we stop at the Super Sausage for a break, not to mention his bum. “That seat is rock hard,” is his first comment. “Does Vitpilen mean ‘quick piles’ in Swedish?” Quickly followed by a complaint about the bike’s attitude at low speed.
Side-on the Vitpilen looks like a long bike, but its wheelbase of 1434mm is actually shorter than that of the KTM Duke 690 (a bike with which the Vitpilen shares many components as Husqvaena is now owned by KTM) and it has a sharper steering head angle, too. However, despite this aggressive geometry, the Vitpilen isn’t agile at low speed and is reluctant to turn into roundabouts. “It’s such a light bike that it should drop on its side, but it requires a lot of rider input which isn’t pleasant,” says Paul. It’s something you instantly notice about the Husqvarna and when I had my turn I found it disconcerting, ruining the enjoyment of the ride when you just want to roll through bends rather than aggressively throw it in. Its suspension isn’t