Husqvarna updated its 701 SuperMoto for MY2021 with performance upgrades alongside a facelift in an all-around revision for its fantastic little hooligan bike. New digital instrumentation joins the reworked bodywork to add functionality to the package while new brake components increase control and safety. Naturally, the electronics and performance that made the previous version a hit make the jump to this newest model in a move that shows good continuity of design.

2022 Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto Performance and Capability

Typical of the brand, a thumper engine provides the power for this dual sporty model. The Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto produces 74 horsepower. The liquid-cooled lump is fairly oversquare with a 105 mm bore and short, 80 mm stroke, for a total displacement of 692.7 cc.

Electronic engine controls start with the signal from the ride-by-wire throttle grip and end at the Keihin EMS. The factory builds on that system with lean-sensitive traction control that calculates the available traction and modulates its interventions accordingly. Stock Ride Modes profiles let you switch between two different power-delivery personalities.

A slipper-type APTC clutch couples engine power to the six-speed transmixxer. This provides yet another layer of safety by preventing wheel-hop on hard downshifts and when employing engine-braking techniques.

For you lads in tiered-licensing areas, you can get the SuperMoto A2-compliant with a 30 kW engine map. For the rest of us, you can count on a 701 Husqvarna top speed around the 120 mph mark.

Engine & Drivetrain

Engine:

Liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-stroke

Displacement:

692.7 cc

Bore x Stroke:

105 mm x 80 mm

Power:

73.8 hp (55 kW)

Torque:

54 lb-ft (73.5 Nm} @ 6,500 rpm

Starter:

Electric starter

EMS:

Keihin EMS with RBW, twin ignition

Lubrication:

Forced oil lubrication with 2 oil pumps

Clutch:

APTC(TM) slipper clutch, hydraulically actuated

Transmission:

6-speed

Chain:

X-Ring 5/8 x 1/4"


Design

True to its roots, the Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto has a number of features with a direct connection to the off-road world. This is evident all the way down to the hoops, which of course have a blacktop bias.

Since the front mudguard mounts directly under the anodized, CNC-machined bottom triple tree, the factory added independent uprights to protect the swept area of the inverted fork tubes. Atop the fender, a newly-designed headlight housing carries a single projector below a rally-style flyscreen. It comes braced by short, standoff-style blinkers that are high, and well out of harm's way.

Around the backside of the headlight, can is the new liquid-crystal display that handles the usual instrumentation plus a tach and gear indicator. Additionally, it acts as the rider interface for higher electronic functions.

The 3.4-gallon fuel tank is part of the subframe structure to centralize weight Because of that, the flyline is rather flat across the long seat that extends forward almost to the steering head.

This leaves you with plenty of room for body English, which is a rather important quality for a bike in this genre whether you race it or do stunt-riding tricks. If you simply use it for basic, public-street riding, you won't ever be able to do it justice. However, the potential will always be there in case you ever decide to get a little jiggy with it.

Molded bodywork closes off the flanks, and out back, another dirtbike-like fender contains the spray from the rear wheel. It also doubles as a mount for the license plate.

Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto Specs

Seat Height:

35.0 inches (890 mm)

Ground Clearance:

9.4 inches (238 mm)

Tank Capacity (Approx.):

3.4 gallons (13 l)

Fuel Consumption:

58 mpg (4.05 l/100 km)

Dry Weight:

324 pounds (147 kg)


Chassis

Welded Chro-Moly steel members on the 701 SuperMoto make up the main structure while tough, lightweight polyamide makes up the subframe/tank section. An aluminum yoke finishes the structure with a Pro-Lever linkage and WP APEX monoshock. It comes with preload and rebound damping adjusters along with both high- and low-speed compression damping for excellent ride-quality control.

Up front, a set of adjustable WP APEX forks float the front end. The forks split the functions with compression damping on the left side and rebound damping on the right. Suspension travel measures at 9.8 inches on the piggyback monoshock, ahead of 8.4 inches at the front axle.

Ever the favorite of off-road riders, 17-inch laced wheels round out the rolling chassis. A set of ContiAttack Supermoto hoops from Continental make the connection to the tarmac in a 120/70 and 160/60 on the front and rear, respectively.

Beefed-up brakes count as one of the improvements. They roll with a new, four-bore Brembo Monobloc caliper that bites a 320 mm front disc. Out back, a single-pot anchor and 240 mm disc take care of business.

The ABS protection is extensive. At the baseline, it's a corner-sensitive anti-lock device. It comes with Supermoto and Off-road modes that let you dial in for your environment, but if you prefer more of a raw ride, such as a racer or trickster might, you can turn the thing off in its entirety.

Chassis & Suspension

Frame:

Chromium-Molybdenum steel trellis frame, powder coated

Front Suspension/ Travel:

Ø 48 mm, WP APEX 48/ 8.5 inches (215 mm)

Rear Suspension/ Travel:

WP APEX with Pro-Lever linkage/ 9.4 inches (240 mm)

Steering Head Angle:

63.6°

Front Brake:

320 mm Brembo four-piston radial fixed caliper

Rear Brake:

240 mm Brembo single-piston floating caliper

ABS:

Two-channel Bosch 9.1 MP ABS (incl. Cornering ABS and Supermoto mode Disengegable)


2022 Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto Price and Availability

The 2022 Husqvarna 701 SuperMoto costs $12,499. While the factory doesn't offer much in the way of optional equipment – I reckon it already carries everything but the kitchen sink as-is – it fills in with a full range of accessories and apparel.

Pricing

Color:

White

Price:

└ 2021:

$12,099

└ 2022:

$12,499


Competitors

The street-legal supermoto choices are fairly limited overall, but I think Aprilia may be a worthy opponent with its Dorsoduro 900.

Aprilia Dorsoduro 900

Right off the bat, we'll address the difference in engine size that favors the Dorsoduro. Naturally, at 896.1 cc versus 692.7 cc, it puts out a bit more juice with 95.2 horsepower against 74 from the Husky, but the trade-off comes in a hundred-pound offset at the scale. The Aprilia weighs 429 pounds dry while the Husky claims a lighter dry weight of 326 pounds, so the power-to-weight ratio is still fairly close at .22 and .20, respectively.

Lookswise, these two are clearly cut from the same cloth as the builders both colored inside the lines with their design. The Italian retains a more traditional fuel-tank arrangement, but the hump is minimal and rounded off to accept the long bench seat that's almost as far forward as the Swede.

Adjustable suspension is a constant across the board, but Aprilia falls behind in the electronics with its vanilla ABS and traction control features. There's a trade-off, too. The Dorsoduro rolls for $10,999 to leave a bit of cheddar on the table against the $12,499 tag on the Husky.

He Said

“Looks like a fun little bike. Relatively speaking, this is a “large displacement” engine from Husky, and it is large for a thumper even if it's middling at best against motorcycles in general. The electronics are top-notch and quite prolific for a bike this size and in this genre.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “This is the same engine as the KTM 690 Duke. Performance-wise, you know it's got the goods to deliver a fun ride.”

“The fuel tank mounted in the subframe keeps the mass low and increases maneuverability (read: fun). As expected, the saddle is hard and not very comfortable, but honestly, it's really not meant to be the kind of bike on which you sit for long periods. Stand up, throw it around, hang off one side or the other...yeah, that's the ticket. Who wants to sit on a bike like this?”

Husqvarna photographer credit: R. Schedl