2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 launch review

Husqvarna Motorcycles claims its all-new Vitpilen 701 is an antidote to the increasing complexity and excess of modern life. Unveiled to the world's motorcycle press recently in Barcelona, Spain, the KTM-owned brand has applied the tag of 'Simple. Progressive.' to the Vitpilen 701 and, while on face value that appears thoroughly accurate, it doesn't convey the full story.

The human propensity to make sense of the world through categorisation might lead us to apply labels like 'roadster', 'retro' or even 'classic' to the Vitpilen 701, but Husqvarna says its objective here was to build a bike for all riders, and not one that caters for a particular biking stereotype.

"The Vitpilen 701 opens up a new space within motorcycle culture," says Husqvarna Motorcycles global Media and PR Manager, Paulo Carrubba.

"This is made for any kind of rider who wants an authentic riding experience."

Austrian juggernaut
Swedish for 'white arrow' and produced at Husqvarna/KTM headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria, the Vitpilen 701 is the flagship of Husky's new road-bike range, and it follows hot on the heels of the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen ('black arrow') models already on sale in Europe.

I should come as no surprise that Husqvarna is expanding its focus; certainly KTM has enjoyed massive success with its road and adventure-based models in recent years, and here it's merely guiding Husky down a similar path.

Indeed, it was only one year after KTM purchased Husqvarna from then owner BMW Motorrad in late 2013 that the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 first broke cover in concept form at Italy's EICMA show, the Vitpilen 701 concept bike also appearing in Milan 12 months after that.

All three concept bikes are road-going realities, while – impressively – the production versions have remained remarkably faithful to the original designs.

It's a new direction for the previously dirt-oriented brand, and a shift in focus that shows every chance of hanging in for the long haul – unlike the Nuda 900 and Nuda 900R, which launched in 2012 under BWM ownership, only to be terminated with the changing of the guard.

Incidentally, Husqvarna says it doesn't see the Vitpilen 701 as a direct challenger for KTM's 690 Duke or 690 Duke R. It says the KTM buyer is after an even sportier ride, while the Vitpilen 701 owner wants the unique look as much as the bike's performance. We'll see, but it will certainly be interesting to put the two head to head down the track.

Engine and running gear
That 'Simple. Progressive.' tagline is in fact something of a paradox, because while the Vitpilen 701 might offer a 'grassroots' riding experience, the model is anything but basic.

Husqvarna claims the Vitpilen 701's engine is the most advanced single-cylinder unit available on the road-bike market. You'll find the same powerplant in the brand's 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro models, the liquid-cooled and fuel-injected donk boasting features like twin counterbalancers, twin-spark ignition and a ride-by-wire throttle.

Weighing in at a paltry 43kg, Husky says the engine is good for a claimed 75hp and 72Nm. Unremarkable by today's standards, but the claimed dry weight of just 157kg results in a compelling power-to-weight ratio and a thrilling, engaging ride.

Better still, Husqvarna is so confident in the engine's reliability that it's specified 10,000km service intervals for the Vitpilen 701, meaning less time off the road and more cash in owners' back pockets…

Also challenging the 'simple' theme – or underlining the 'progressive' ethos, depending on which way you prefer to look at it – is the Vitpilen's lengthy array of high-spec gear, including a slipper clutch, switchable traction control and ABS, a bi-directional quickshifter (as in, shifting is possible both up and down without the clutch), full LED lighting and comprehensive trip computer.

The chomoly steel trellis frame weighs just 11kg, while the suspension package – from KTM subsidiary WP – comprises an inverted 43mm cartridge fork with split damping (compression on one leg, rebound on the other) and a monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound.

The cast alloy wheels are shod with Bridgestone Battlax S21 rubber – spoked rims are also available, as are numerous other factory accessories including bar-end mirrors, soft luggage, tank protectors and more (along with the now-obligatory range of branded casual wear).

Styling and design
The Vitpilen 701 is an eye-catching machine that really does defy categorisation. Styled by Kiska Design, the Austrian design powerhouse responsible for the look of KTMs since the early 1990s, the Vitpilen 701 has a truly unique look with its flowing yet angular 12-litre tank, distinctive halo LED daytime running light, chopped sub-frame and minimalist design ethos.

It makes a statement, that's for sure, but I'll leave it up to you to determine what exactly that statement is. I have to say, I'm a fan – it's fresh and it's different, and there is no shortage of sweet styling cues such as the vertical fluoro yellow line through its midsection, the very stylish fuel filler cap, the embossed seat logo, the tastefully finished silencer, and the circular instrument pod.

Hopping aboard immediately reveals two aspects to the machine: it's quite a tall bike and the ride position is surprisingly aggressive. An 830mm seat height perhaps hints at Husqvarna's dirt-bike heritage, ditto the small, skinny and firm seat, but the aluminium clip-on handlebars inclide the rider forward and place a reasonable amount of weight on the wrists. It's very much an 'attack' stance that affords total control, and hammers home that this is far from a humble commuter.

On the road
The single fires up with a pleasingly raspy exhaust note, while the Magura clutch is quite light and the throttle responsive. The six-speed gearbox is precise and finding neutral at the lights poses no problem.

Our route took in nearly 200km of tight, mountain roads in Barcelona's hinterland, with a decent amount of motorway and arterial work thrown in for good measure. This is the Vitpilen 701's happy hunting grounds – city running through the week and scalping sportsbikes in the hills come the weekend.

Once underway, the Euro4-compliant single is a lusty, rorty affair with plenty of stomp to slingshot the bike from one corner apex to the next. There's not so much go that the front wheel is pawing the air on the exit of every corner but, when winding it on, you get the sense a wheelie is never far away – it's just good fun, without the tyre-frying seriousness of, say, a litre-class sportsbike, where a minor lapse in concentration can rapidly deliver a serious spanking…

The engine revs freely, however, the red shift light winking on in no time to signal the imminent rev-limiter, which kicks in around 9000rpm.

Gobs of grunt are available from around 4000rpm and the donk spins at this same relaxed figure at 100km/h in sixth gear. The gearing is tall, and over the day's ride I got the impression there was little need for sixth or even fifth as I spent most of my time aboard the bike in second, third or fourth.

The tall gearing was evident too when, on just the couple of occasions where we struck heavy traffic, the power delivery became a little ragged in first gear when dropping below 20km/h, requiring some feathering of the clutch.

I'll reserve final judgement until we give the bike a thorough test in local conditions, but this and the fact the 'bars are reasonably wide (despite being clip-ons) makes me think there's a limit on its prowess as a commuter, even though the steering range is surprisingly healthy.

Refinement and handling
Now singles are inherently vibey things but the tingles have been tamed nicely in the Vitpilen 701. Yes, the mirrors blur to the point of being near useless but the level of vibration present through the 'bars and footpegs is only sufficient to add character, and not annoy.

It adds to the Vitpilen 701's soul, and this really is a soulful machine – and quite a different beast to the twins, triples and fours also found in the naked roadster niche.

That soulful character comes to the fore when the corners are coming thick and fast, and the circuitous route devised by the Husky staff showcased the Vitpilen 701's raw ability well. This bike is just ridiculously light; throw in a compact 1434mm wheelbase and a skinny 160-section rear tyre and you can throw it around through the bends in a way that simply isn't possible on heavier machines.

Change lines mid apex? No problem – a minor shove of a clip-on and the bike immediately complies. Similarly, scything through chicanes is just brilliant – it's a butterfly knife, not an axe or even a machete, and with the WP springs having a firm, sporty bias, the Vitpilen 701 cuts through corners with laser precision.

I caught myself laughing out loud on several occasions aboard the Vitpilen 701, and for me that's as good a measure as any of how much fun is to be had. I didn't bother with dialling in the suspension as it was impressive from the get go, but all the adjustors are easy to access and I really like how adjustment for the fork's 'split damping' doesn't require tools – why didn't someone think of that years ago?

Braking and rider assistance
The Brembo braking package offers good power and feel. The single-disc, four-piston front stopper is well up to the job of washing off speed on a package this light, and the ABS system is the latest set-up from Bosch.

What's more, it's switchable – you can disable the ABS if you're a card-carrying member of the 'back it in' set, and that's refreshing flexibility in this day and age. There is also traction control, and both the TCS and ABS can be switched on or off independently of one another.

So, you can have traction on/ABS off, or vice versa – or both on or both off. The traction control is either on or off (there's no mid setting) and it can be changed on the fly, while the ABS can only be altered at a standstill. Key off the ignition and both systems revert to 'on' next time you fire the bike up.

The digi LCD instrumentation is comprehensive, to say the least. The trip meter has all the usual functions, including 'range to empty', but there's a lot crammed into the small circular display and I found it hard to read. Looks cool though, just perhaps a case of form over function.

After a fairly frenetic 180km ride, my bike was giving a fuel economy reading of 5.3lt/100km. That's pretty damn impressive given the 'spirited' nature of the run – we surely couldn't carry on like this here in camera-revenue-dependent Oz – but with a 12-litre tank you're still only looking at a safe range of just 200km.

In truth, that's not so bad because it doesn't take too long for the aches and pains to set in. The Vitpilen 701 is no tourer, that's for sure; there's good legroom, but that seat is anything but plush and I also found the tank splayed my legs a little – they certainly didn't sit flush with the tank's flanks.

Pillions? Probably not friends and partners you'd like to keep, due that firm, tiny seat and the lack of any grab rail. The accessories catalogue includes an exhaust hanger that does away with the pillion 'peg, which tells the real story here.

Summing up
The Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 should be arriving in Australian dealerships in late May to early June, and while official pricing will be announced closer to that arrival, Husky Oz says it's hoping for around $17,500 ride away, or thereabouts.

To a degree, that figure also challenges the 'simple' tag, but considering all the tech lying just beneath the surface, and the high build quality, it's not an outrageous ask for what's on offer. It is, however, getting up there for a bike with what is essentially a reasonably narrow focus.

With its limited fuel range, tall gearing and modest comfort the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 doesn't have as broad a skill set as many naked roadsters, but what it does do it does incredibly well – namely devour winding roads with gusto.

If the edgy styling appeals and the ticket price doesn't break the budget, you'll be rewarded with rollicking good ride that will leave many a far sportier multi-cylinder machine struggling to keep pace.

SPECS: HUSQVARNA VITPILEN 701
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, OHC, four-valve, twin-spark, four-stroke single-cylinder
Capacity: 693cc
Bore x stroke: 105mm x 80mm
Compression ratio: 12.8:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 75hp (55kW) at 8500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 72Nm at 67500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: CroMo-steel trellis
Front suspension: Inverted 43mm WP fork, adjustable for rebound and preload
Rear suspension: WP monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound
Front brake: Single 320mm disc with four-piston, radial-mount Brembo caliper, ABS equipped
Rear brake: Single 240mm disc with single-piston Brembo caliper, ABS equipped
Tyres: Bridgestone Battlax S21, 120/70-17 front, 160/60-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 157kg
Seat height: 830mm
Wheelbase: 1434mm
Fuel capacity: 12 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: TBA
Colours: Silver/black
Warranty: Two-year/unlimited kilometres
Bike supplied by: Husqvarna Motorcycles, husqvarnamotorcycles.com.au