Husqvarna 701 Enduro LR

This entry is part 5 of 21 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #42

Dear Lord, if, when our time comes we’re shown the pearly gates, can we please ride through on a Husky 701 Enduro LR so we can truly enjoy eternal bliss.

It may not be the perfect bike for every-one, but we refuse to believe anyone who knows anything about motorcycles could ride this bike and not walk away going, “Wow. Amazing.”

Too good

We’ve been frothing for the Husqvarna 701 Enduro since the model was first released. In our view it was a perfor-mance-oriented dualsporter of the very highest calibre. We rode it all over the place, including from the NSW coast out to Birdsville, into the Simpson Desert and back to the coast again, and found our-selves deeply smitten. On or off the road, the performance of the Husky 701 was a real eye-opener. Naturally, it was off-road where it really shone.

It wasn’t as comfortable as distance bikes like the BMWs, Triumphs and big KTMs, and it wasn’t as aggressive as a 450 enduro bike, but in the hands of a capable rider it could compete with all those other bikes on their home ground. Mechanically it was excellent and, allowing a very dirtbike-type feel, it was quite comfortable.

Now Husqvarna has upped the ante, because the LR version comes with 25-litre fuel capacity, a couple of ignition maps, a superb, smooth, stonking motor and a sweet nature that should have even the hardest-hearted rider smiling.

Feeling a bit saucy and want to get aggressive? Bring it on! The 701LR will love it.

Nitty-gritty

The 2020 LR is a 692.7cc, liquid-cooled single that, like so many of the current-model singles, is all but vibration-free.

Power delivery is strong and, depending on the selected ignition map, distributed nicely throughout the rev range and delivered to the rear wheel via an hydraulically activated slipper clutch, six-speed box with quick-shift, and an X-ring chain.

It won’t surprise anyone that WP suspension does the job front and rear, and that both ends are fully adjustable.

The fork springs are one size heavier than the standard 701 Enduro to help with the extra weight of the front tank when it’s full, and we’re still a little stunned at how good the suspension was on the LR. With both tanks chock-a-block, several kilos of tools strapped to the grab bars over the rear guard, and some bits and pieces of camera gear in the panniers, the LR floated over rough ground, resisted bottoming on all but the most ridiculous landings, and gave a trouble-free and comfortable ride on the asphalt.

Just as happy puttering around taking in the scenery as it is shredding the place.

Fuel capacity will be on the minds of people interested in this bike, and front and rear tanks combined hold 25 litres, give or take, and on a bike like this one, that’s a substantial load that needs to be considered. Our mixed riding continually turned in consumption of just a smidge under 20km per litre, so 500km is the range.

Braking is as good as would be expected from Brembos, and the cream on the cake for us was Husky setting up our test LR with optional pannier racks and panniers.

It was a complete adventure package which looked to have been put together with Australia in mind.

The look of the front tank is sure to divide opinion, but the fuel load is kept low and the tank doesn’t interfere with rider movement.

Not just a bike

Not only did Husqvarna supply an adventure-ready bike, it also supplied a feisty rider with a ready laugh and a huge sense of fun. Lewie Landrigan, race tech for the Husky off-road team, was ready to send the bike, at speed, into situations where even photographer Wilko and editor TF were looking a little doubtful – and those two love to send riders into huge piles of poo and sit back for a quiet giggle.

The LR coped with it all, and, even considering the ability of the rider, seemed to do it without any fuss or bother.

There’s no doubt the bike’s well capable of handling enduro-standard trails and terrain, and it looked pretty happy when things went a bit motocrossy as well. Lewie found he couldn’t get the handlebar to touch the ground in a rutted turn, so he decided to go for what he called a ‘bag drag’, meaning getting the pannier on the deck instead.

It was a very impressive performance from both bike and rider.

Reality

Away from the spectacular world inhabited by riders with far higher levels of skill than Adventure Rider Magazine’s staff, the Husqvarna was fired up and set out on the more mundane donkey work demanded by the more mundane donkeys of the real world, and having seen the bike perform so well during the photo session it was a little disheartening to think how little the bike was actually going to be ‘tested’. Nothing we could ask of it would even come close.

But ask we did.

The first step was to fill both tanks to the brim, strap on our regular tool pack with spare tubes, beadbreaker and all the other crap we have to carry these days, chuck some camera gear in the panniers and hit our regular suspension track.

The result was still an eye-opener.

The LR suspension is really exceptional, but even more so is the way bike felt so well balanced between front and rear. As we hammered it across the rounded, chunky gibbers sticking up through the red clay, it stayed straight and steered well. While so many riders judge suspension on how it reacts landing from jumps, for us, how a loaded bike tracks over this type of terrain is the ultimate indicator of how well the suspension is doing its job.

Husqvarna’s 701 Enduro LR is an absolute joy to ride anywhere, anytime.

Crap suspension will have the bike crossed up and the rider in all kinds of trouble within a few metres. The fully loaded 701 scooted through the lengthy section as well as any bike we’ve ever taken through there. Later on with the front tank empty it jittered a little, but it straightened up when ridden harder.

Both front and rear are adjustable.

There’s a clicker for compression on the left fork leg and rebound on the right, and three or four clicks in either direction made a noticeable difference. The shock was the same. A few clicks either way had the bike feeling different.

Had we not ridden the KTM 690 Enduro a few months ago we wouldn’t have believed stock suspension could be this good.

Gotta love a tight, tidy rear end.
A great motor, and almost vibration-free.

Pushing the curve

The motor and drive train are smooth and a joy to use.

We’re not huge fans of lots of rider modes, and even the two ignition maps available on this bike made us roll our eyes a bit, but it’s impossible to deny they’re both very different and both very usable.

Selection is just a matter of a press of the button on the left switchblock.

Push the button, flick the clutch, and the change is done. Map 1 gives a grunty, tame drive ideal for wet or slippery conditions, and map 2 is for humbling sportsbike riders and pulling glorious, controlled monos – or spinning up the TKC80 on the rear – on the bitumen. We actually liked map 2 on the dirt in the dry as well. With the traction-control off, map 2 made for the kind of throttle response and rider challenge we all dream of, but very few can truly use to advantage. We couldn’t push the limits of map 2 either, but far out, we had a ball trying. It was awesome fun.

Simple switching. Awesome. The innermost red rocker switch is to choose between front and rear fuel tanks.
Airfilter access is unchanged. The tank hinges up out of the way, and the supplied foam filter is the go.

Brake down

Braking was incredible, as it is on most modern bikes, especially performance bikes, and especially with Brembos. The ABS has the big yellow button next to the speedo we’ve seen on KTMs and Huskies for a while now, and it’s dead easy to mash down on it with a thumb until the ABS is turned off. Perhaps it’s a symptom of our age, but we’re leaving the ABS active on just about all bikes all the time now. It’s developed to where there’s no need to turn it off except for when confronted with a steep downhill, and that’s what we found with the Husky. We left the ABS on for our entire time with the bike, and happily left traction control on for all bitumen riding – except for the wheelies and when we discovered we could light up the rear wheel.

That was an exciting session. Yeah!

Packing it

We weren’t rapt in the quickshifter, but we’re not convinced quick-shifters offer much advantage outside of a road-race situation. It’s nice to have the option to be lazy and ignore the clutch, but the hydraulic clutch on this bike was a pleasure to use. If we went for a lazy change from fifth to sixth, we’d often end up in a neutral. If we made a strong definite change, no problem. The quickshifter encouraged us to be a little lazy, so it was half a trap.

Handling wasn’t as razor-edged or as precise as a 450, either. That might seem a strange comment, because no 700 single is going compete with a 450 in handling, but everything else about the bike is so good it came as a small surprise. Handling and steering are good, and the turning circle, like a lot of KTMs and Huskies, isn’t as tight as it might be. The bike’s easy to manhandle though, and we didn’t have any problems manoeuvring in tight places or around the shed. It just seems to hit the steering stops a fraction earlier than we expected.

The optional panniers and racks were a nice addition. The racks are strong and the panniers clip on and off which makes for super-easy packing and unpacking. Just spin the key in the lock, bump the soft-shell pannier up off the rack and head for the motel room. Both the locking mechanisms and the zips on the panniers became a little cantankerous after they’d been dragged through the wet sand, but a clean and some silicon spray soon had them working well again, and the supplied dry bags inside the well-designed panniers themselves kept all our gear in good shape. Capacity’s not huge, but we felt they were a very good option for the bits and pieces we wanted to get at quickly. They’re light and strong, and a roll-top dry bag across the rear guard could hold spare clothing and so forth.

Fork springs are heavier than on the standard 701 Enduro and worked a treat. The plastic bashplate held a lot of mud but was easy to remove and clean.

Husqvarna 701 Enduro LR

Web: www.husqvarnamotorcycles.com
Rec retail: $18,345 + ORC

Engine: Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled four-stroke
Capacity: 692.7cc
Power: 55kW Bore x stroke: 105mm x 840mm
EMS: Keihin EMS with RBW, twin ignition
Starter: Electric
Lubrication: Forced lubrication with two oil pumps
Transmission: Six-speed
Clutch: APTC slipper clutch, hydraulically operated
Frame: Chromium-molybdenum-steel trellis frame, powder coated
Front suspension: WP-USD XPLOR 48
Rear suspension: WP XPLOR with Pro-Lever linkage
Front brake: Brembo twin-piston, floating-caliper, brake disc 300mm
Rear brake: Brembo single piston, floating caliper, brake disc 240mm
Suspension travel front/rear: 250mm/250mm
Seat height: 925mm
Ground clearance: 270mm
Fuel capacity: Approximately 25 litres
Weight without fuel: 155kg

Still in love

There’s nothing we didn’t like about the Husqvarna 701 Enduro LR as far as riding and performance was concerned. More than that, we felt it’s a truly exceptional bike in just about every way.

The idea of a dirtbike-feeling single won’t appeal to everyone, especially the long-distance brigade, but the crisp, sharp performance of the bike in all conditions, and its clear love of an off-road challenge, will have it winning the hearts of many.

It certainly won ours.

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