HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 701
Price: £7,549) £8,899 (promotional price now
Engine: 693cc Liquid-cooled, single cylinder 4-stroke
Power: 74bhp/55kW @ 8500rpm
Torque: 53lb-ft/72Nm @ 6750rpm
Transmission: 6 gears, chain final drive
Frame: Steel trellis
Suspension: (F) WP fully adjustable 43mm forks, (R) WP fully adjustable single shock
Brakes: (F) 320mm disc with four-piston radial Brembo caliper. (R) 240mm rear disc with single-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Tyres: (F) 120/70 ZR17, (R) 160/60 ZR17
Seat height: 835mm
Fuel tank: 12 litres/2.64 gallons
Fuel economy: 80.7mpg (claimed)
Kerb weight: 158kg
Contact: www.husqvarnamotorcycles.com
POINT AND SHOOT
Now here’s a dichotomy. Whilst the seat height at 830mm is more dirt-bike, the actual seating position is far more aggressive, tipping the rider forward over the mid-section as one grabs hold of the clip-ons. Turning the key in the ignition, the message display pops up immediately on the single digital display, making everything clearly visible.
I then hit the starter and was struck immediately by the raspy tone of the engine. Everything about this bike would prove to be responsive, from the light slipper clutch to the six-speed box. Power comes via the ride-by-wire throttle, and that was when I discovered how good this engine truly was.
Get the revs wrong, however, and it quickly lets you know about it.
Taking it up to around 45mph at 5000rpm in third, and I felt a slight vibration through my hands… so I wound it on, and suddenly that engine noise turned into a growl as a secondary power band kicked in and fired me down the road. I was through the gears and heading towards the limiter. It was like a slam in the face, bringing a wide grin as opposed to a grimace. This was one mean, highly tuned machine, and any qualms I had of something lacking finesse were quickly binned. Light of weight, it was as agile as a ballet dancer and fantastic to punch out of sweeping corners. Point and shoot, point and shoot, tipping the bars left and right and the bike followed my line and never missed a beat.
This bike is style and substance rolled into one, and I was in a place where I felt securely planted. The up and down shifter and ABS enhanced the excellent rideability, and the handlebars were comfortably wide enough apart to offer good leverage. A quick check on the accessories part of Husqvarna’s website lists bar end mirrors to complete the café look, should you wish to.
As to taking a mate for a ride on an afternoon jaunt, the smaller they are the better because there’s no grab rail, so I doubt your pillion will thank you for the lift unless you are happy to have someone grabbing on for dear life to your leathers.
HIGH-END KICKS
What Vitpilen’s designers have done so well is to create a street bike for the 21st century ahead of their rivals, one with a unique look and a superb engine. Oh yes, they have thrown in a tank and a tail, and a seat of course, and said, ‘There you are, we said we could do it, now you go and ride it and prove us wrong’. Well I cannot, and I will not, because the 701 takes me back to what motorcycling used to be, when riding was for exhilaration and fun.
For over a century, Swedish design has permeated the world consciousness. It is where design is woven into the fabric of everyday life, recognised for its emphasis on functionality. Swedes like things to look good, but they also like to keep things simple. It is a part of the fabric of life. Husqvarna fits perfectly into the equation. Whether the 701 competes in the buying stakes with other naked roadsters still remains to be seen, as some may argue that the price tag doesn’t befit the simplistic styling, but let us not ignore the amount of high tech hidden away beneath the exterior.
There is a timeless, yet progressive energy to this streamlined bike and, yes, it is a multitude of likes once you are on the road. The 701 is made for high-end kicks, and if you want to scare yourself by prodding the hair trigger, it will do that, too. Without doubt this trendsetter wears its heart on its sleeve. It sits on an honest platform, and when potential buyers get their heads around that, we might start to see a few (more?) on the road. I can only hope so, because it deserves to be seen on the street. And if it is gimmicks you are after, then forget it and look elsewhere. No, you won’t be bamboozled by all the modern technology and gizmo aides found on so many other modern bikes, so fear not my friends, because what you get is what you see… classic Swedish simplicity at its finest.