RideFast July 2020 2

and pull some lekker big wheelies.
I was quickly brought back down
to earth as my first attempt
nearly went tits up – literally! This
thing has some serious power low
down and as I gave it some with
the clutch the front wheel burst
into the air – luckily my rear foot
is always on standby on the back
brake when attempting wheelies,
so I managed to save what would
have been a very embarrassing
moment. Needless to say, I did a
few more, got the pic, and quickly
re-activated the TC.
The 701 Enduro is even
equipped with riding modes, which
is very easy to operate using the
handlebar switch on the left -
simply press, hold until your level
is activated – same process to
switch off. Mode 1 offers a sporty
throttle response and cornering
sensitive traction control, limiting
wheel slip and wheelies to a
minimum for optimal street riding
performance. Mode 2 provides
a smooth throttle response with
off-road traction control, allowing
wheel slip and lifting of the front
wheel for off-road usage without
restricting the performance. Mode
1 for me all the way thanks.
A Bosch ABS system combined,
with proper Brembo brakes
makes stopping an absolute
breeze, while the WP suspension
works like a charm on the black
and brown stuff. As did the
knobbly tyres, which surprised me
on the tar with the amount of grip
and feel.
All this goodness combined
made this road test very exciting.
Pavement hopping and gravel
paths were a must, not only to
test the bikes capabilities, but
also to make things a bit more
exciting, and better yet, and most
importantly, avoid that horrible,
time wasting thing called traffic.
As you can see by the pics, I
did not burn any time sitting in
pointless traffic, I simply pointed
the 701 in the direction I wanted
and it took me there, no fuss at all.
Verdict
I’ll be the first one to admit I’m a
pure sportsbike lover at heart,
and do sometimes frown at the
thought of riding anything other
than a sporty superbike, especially
the ones with big power figures,
those are my favorite.
I am very much a modern-day
rider, I only want to ride the latest
bikes with all the latest bells and
whistles - as I said, very stubborn.
Sportbikes just make so much
sense in everyday to me, and I
just love them. Ok, maybe I am
being a little naive by thinking they
make sense in everyday, but still, I
love my sportbikes and will defend
them to the end of the earth.
Having said that, I must
apologize to the Husqvarna 701
Enduro - I made the classic old
mistake of judging a book by its
cover. I thought it was merley a
silly offroad bike, when in reality,
it’s the perfect modern-day bike.
It’s got all the bells and whistles
you actually need and can use, it
goes anywhere and everywhere,
fears nothing, and can be used in
every form of riding.
It will help you find different,
more exciting, less stressfull ways
to get home every day from work,
while also being able to explore
more on weekend rides without
being intimidated by the big/heavy
adventure bikes all your mates
own who never take them offroad.
The Husqvarna 701 Enduro
makes the impossible seem
possible. The only limitation is your
mind, the Husqvarna 701 Enduro
will take you wherever you will
want to go.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m
not saying it will replace your
sportsbike, and yes, I loved it,
and it makes so much sense in
so many ways, but it still won’t
replace your sportsbike. But what
I am saying is that it’s a great
option to have parked next to
your sportsbike in the garage, to
make your daily commute a bit
more comfortable, a bit more
enjoyable, and it won’t break
No more having
to sit in pointless,
stressful, time
wasting traffic - just
pick a different path!
The 701 Enduro
loves doing this.
the bank as much, priced at only
R169,699, plus it won’t cost you
a small fortune in fuel, the engine,
albeit nice and powerful, does not
guzzle fuel.
Proper fun, but we don’t always
buy bikes because of the fun
factor, they need to make more
sense, and cents, than anything
else, and the Husqvarna 701
Enduro make plenty of both!
LONG RANGE OPTION
NOW ALSO AVAILABLE
Combined with the 13 litre self-supporting rear
subframe fuel tank, the perfectly integrated
front tank offers an additional fuel capacity
of 12 litres giving the 701 ENDURO LR an
effective range of +- 500 km for long range
off-road riding. The single-piece construction is
made from an impact resistant high strength
polyamide. The fuel supply can be easily
selected while riding with a handlebar mounted
switch as each tank has a separate fuel pump.
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