Riding the Husqvarna 701 Enduro

Weighing 145kg, these aren’t the normal lightweight enduros. The sheer physical size and weight of the machine makes you question just how gifted such a machine could be on the dirt, but that baptism told me most of what I needed to know; in the right hands it was extremely capable. Aesthetically speaking, it looked like it should be, too.

The Enduro had big wide bars, substantial sized wheels and a stonkingly tall and wide seat. It looked every bit the off-roader, but proved well suited to the road as well. The model’s fitted with front and rear lights, plus LED indicators and a tiny speedo dash that you can toggle through for average speed and trip distances. There’s not much else to shout about, other than the ABS selection button. By holding it down you could disable the braking aid completely, but I never felt the need. Having ridden the best part of 40 miles on the road, in relative comfort and at a reasonable pace, we headed out into the hills of the Algarve.

The power delivery was smooth, predictable and much more docile than expected. Riding on a combination of mud, sand and rocky trails, traction was never hard to find and the wide-banded gears meant that I could get away with stretching my selection for long periods of time. This being the case, I soon learned that the motor was fond of revs and it struggled to pull the taller gears when the ride lacked pace.

The terrain we were riding varied massively and it was impressive to learn just how welcoming the Enduro was to whatever we threw at it. Our pace was quite fast and the 701 showed itself to be extremely agile, planted and informative. The downside to a bike of this size is that it can be harder to pull things back when they start going wrong. The odd areas of deep sand were a particular nightmare and once or twice I was convinced the front was ready to fold, as it squirmed around beneath me. You’d have got away with things much more on a lighter bike, but that shouldn’t be read as a negative comment. It’s more a case of highlighting that the Enduro was allowing us to take on challenges which I wouldn’t have expected it capable of. It really impressed me.

Engine: 690cc, single-cylinder, liquidcooled, sohc Peak power: 67bhp (49kW) @ 7500rpm Peak torque: 50ft-lb (68Nm) @ 6000rpm Transmission: 6-speed Frame: Steel trellis-type Tank capacity: 13 litres Wheelbase: 1504mm Suspension – Front:

Rear:

Brakes – Front: WP 4CS 48mm units with adjustable compression and rebound. 275mm of travel. Fully adjustable WP monoshock with 275mm of travel.

Brembo two-piston floating caliper, 300mm brake disc. Brembo single piston floating caliper and 240mm disc. Dry weight: 145kg Seat height: 910mm Price: £7999 Contact: www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

Rear: