6000 miles on my 2019 from new, original clutch slave, 3 new rear and 2 new front tyres, 8 track days, weekly supermarket runs with my 12yr old son on the back, frequent school runs,,,, and always fun. These make way more sense than most motorcyclist would ever believe.
Mine's a 2020 and I have just over 10K on her in just over a year. 3 rear tires, two fronts. Cluth slave failed at about 1700 miles. One hell of a bike though. Best bike I have ever owned.
Change the slave cylinder ASAP. 6K miles is nothing. It will fail and likely destroy the clutch. If that happens when the motor is running and you shift you will blow the motor almost immediately. Slave cylinder aside, amazing bike. My brother has one (with a changed slave cylinder) and it's almost as raw as my XR650R sumo, which has a kickstarter and weighs 40-pounds less. Cheers.
@@christiansievers4887 I believe it's the same machine as the 20, but I'm not certain. I would drop the cash on the slave cylinder on most modern KTMs to be on the safe side. It's a cheap, easy fix that fixes a potentially expensive problem. Cheers.
The clutch gods were good to you. I had to go 3rd party (slave cylinder drama, actual clutch is amazing). But I’m at nearly 6k on my 2020. I can’t understand why anyone would buy another bike.
15000 KM on my 2018 701SM without any problems at all. I even went from the Netherlands to south France for a week riding the hills of France, no problems at all. I have found the perfect bike for me 👌🏻❤️
What was the comfort like? I hear bad things about the seat. What mods did you make before that trip and how di dyou mount the luggage? Thinking of trading in my monster 1200R for one of these - simple, lightweight, fun.
@@AAKhanivore depends on your mentality I guess. I even thought my R6 was quite comfy haha. I heard people who thought the 701's seat was too stiff changed it for a Seat Concepts seat and say it completely turned it around. Seats aren't too expensive on these, so I wouldn't consider it an issue
@@AAKhanivore you can get a frame for the rear that will hold your luggage. I'm using soft bags (waterproof) on the side, and a waterproof bag and my tent goes on the top. The frame can be somewhat easily unmounted for daily drives. I just use it when ging on vacation with the bike :) For comfort, I just strip on a sheeps/lamb leather fur thingy and can go for 8 hours on the bike for days (on and off road), no problem. Just ignore the silly looks off others and enjoy the ride :D
I own a 2021 Husky 701 SM. When in " mode 1/ Street " the more balanced mode both front and back wheel ABS is activated. Turn to "mode 2/ Sport " and ABS is still enabled on the front but deactivated on the back wheel. This is called "supermoto mode" and is widely used in tracks or as a hooligan style to be able to slide etc :). You are also able to turn the ABS off completely! So it does got a few options here :)
Had mine since 2018 and love it,it commutes pretty much all year round and does 2 or 3 track-days a year,only let me down once( fuel pump failure)..the 701 reignited my love for motorcycles again after getting bored of feathering throttle on litre bikes on public roads for 15 years!everyone should try one at some point!
I'm a 2 years experienced rider and after a first year of learning on a Svartpilen 401 last year decided to go for this gem. One year later couldn't be happier, it rewards me with lot's of fun every single time I ride it. It still have some issues, the first is a well known in the Magura hidraulic clutch that failed me in the same day I bought it and it was replaced by the dealer. The other is, as mentioned in the vídeo, the rock hard seat, wich I solved sending the seat to a seat pads and cover factory nearby. Other issue I found is in the gearbox because it was hard finding neutral when I wanted and solved that with a Proshift Kit. Also put a full Leo Vince Lv One full system, a Rottweiler intake and a PC5. This motorcycle is pure joy! Congrats on the video, greetings from Portugal!
Good review thanx. I tend to agree. And guess what? The 701SM makes a great ADV bike! No kidding. If you want a genuine 50/50 all road bike, these things are brilliant. I thought a 19” front wheel ought to be the best compromise between 17 and 21” ala BMW GS1200. Well it works! I had a 19” built and only needed to purchase another abs rotor a standard disc rotor and standard disc spacer. The SM has the great brakes and less dive in the front end than the Enduro so is, as you know, great on the road but like a proper SM, it can handle low traction surfaces and jumps quite well. Tyre choice is the only compromise but I have found that the bike is so light that the % on/ off road bias of the tyres is less critical than on many other medium to large bikes used in this way. I’ve added a windshield, lower foot pegs, a GPR muffler ( much less heat build up in the exhaust now and it breathes better of course), a Seat Concepts seat for comfort and a Rade Garage 5litre Auxillary fuel tank kit( drops in between the top frame rails includes a much simpler, lighter air box that happens to up the torque a little). I’ve made a few other mods like a carbon fibre bash plate and best mod you can do to any bike, a very clever SMC steering damper( my second one and I wouldn’t be without one now). This damper makes the thing so confidence inspiring and sure footed on Any road or track or creek crossing it’s unbelievable, so the 701 is capable anywhere. The 17” front wheel can be swapped in in a few minutes since no modifications were needed to fit it to the SM whereas swapping wheels like this on the E model is much more involved. A few clicks on the forks and it’s back to full SM madness, simple. I’m finding that the bike is superior to the T700 ( I ride with several of them) in every way other than in highway cruising between anywhere there is a corner on or off road. The SM is not as smooth as the T700. The 701 easily out accelerates and out runs T700s! and of course is much better balanced and about 50kg lighter. Less so with KTM 890s but as the corners get closer together an or rougher, the SM walks over them too. Most other bikes with comparable performance and or price just can’t touch it. So there it is. Even better than we thought and getting around 80 hp is as easy as changing the air box and can. Without a doubt the most versatile bike of the 70 odd that I’ve owned, one of the most fun and one of the few I would buy again.
I have the old 2020 701sm. I love it. Of the four bikes I own, all ~700ccs, it is the only one I ride regularly. Basically every day. It’s like a BMX with rockets.
By a wide margin the most fun bike I own and my collection includes a 1290R and Tuono. Suspension eats up real world roads with their bumps and tar snakes. Only thing it doesn’t do well is highway, it’s a bit nervous in my opinion. Great review; this channel is always entertaining and informative!
2 things you need to do so your clutch doesn’t give out and no false neutrals,1:Oberon Clutch Slave Cylinder,2:Zeta Gear shift lever to eliminate the false neutrals when going fast on the Quickshifter (I want this bike lol, so did a little research aka i work at a Ktm dealer)
Sold my MV Agusta 800 Brutale (2014) for a 701 SM (2017). The 701 is insane and entertaining bike. It is pure and simple; a Korner Killer. Changed the seat the first week I got the bike.
I live in South Africa, Mpumalanga Swaziland Natal area, I've got my 2020 701 Enduro for two months now, had a drz 400sm for twelve years. The Enduro handles tight bends and bumps better than the Suzuki ever did, plus the mad amount of power just pull you through any sticky situation 👌 Great video, like always 😉
Great bike, I've got a 2018 model that I purchased from new. Sometimes I think about changing it, for something like a Ducati Hypermotard or the 1200 T scrambler, but there is just something about the look of the 701 that makes me keep it, even though sometimes I want a bigger bike. The only issue is the clutch which has failed twice now and although covered under warranty, I was pretty peeved when it failed after only about 1500 miles the first time and really peeved when it failed again. That said the bikes going back to the dealer this week, as I received a letter from Huskie recalling for a clutch upgrade, so hopefully they have fixed the problem. Enjoyed the video thanks.
have the 21 here, the footpegs for passager are bolted in the same place, no need for drilling or stuff like that, besides that you just witnessed a bit of the bike, the more you ride it the more impressed you get, this has been the most fun bike i even owned and one of the most capable (had more than 10+ bikes before)
I Seem to remember when I bought mine the pillion foot pegs were not an issue and I have them on my bike, added for free by the dealer, but there are pillion grab handles for the back that require drilling, so the dealer recommended we leave them off, which we did. (my bikes a 2018 model)
@@achilleas_christ9136 yeah but the 701 is 100lbs lighter, snappier, and more versatile. if you wanted to you could have an extra set of wheels fitted with knobbies and you'd have one hell of an adventure or trail bike. if you're into mx, you could probably even respring it and play around on a track too. but mt07 is a really good street bike fs
I paid 8.5K AUD for mine, was actually looking for an "E" model, which were all around 13K. Couldn't pass it up for 8.5K, and love it. It's a keeper. Same bike ATM here is 12.5K, checked yesterday
I have a 1290 super duke V3 which I totaly love but to compliment it I've ordered one of these. I had a Yamaha T7 as a second bike because I like to do a little off roading but my Ktm dealer lent me a 690 while my 1290 went in for a recall & I was immediately smitten. I live in a mountainous region in S/W france perfect for the 690 & faster than the 1290 on these roads & fun with a capital F. I often go into Spain to the Aragon region a bikers paradise & there are so many off road paths so I intend to fit some dual purpose tyres on the 701 & try a little off roading with it. Should get it in a couple of weeks.
An honest appraisal of this model. I’ve a 2019 701LR which I had Nomad ADV add a nav tower, windscreen, grip heaters and some extra bits to make it a touring bike. Like you, I live surrounded by wonderful twisting (Alpine) roads. The engine’s a dream for both on and off road and the standard seat is just ok for touring. Strangely enough, gel covers and padded cyclist pants make it more uncomfortable! It has some major points in its favour. 1. The engine’s a peach. And, 2. It makes me smile every time I ride it. The fact that it now looks even better after the additions is purely subjective. It carries a full set of soft (Mosko Moto) luggage after the addition of Nomad’s luggage racks. See you at the moto show at Barcelonette in September.
@@IgnitionBikeShow I bought a second set of wheels. One set is for clay mud (Michelin Trackers), the other set is for fast road and light offroad (Mitas E07).
I toured southern Europe from England four times on an XT500, so I reckon you could on this. The one type of riding you only mentioned in passing. It needs the simple dash from the KLX300SM. It has a rev counter. Looks great fun.
Speaking from personal experience, the bike's traction control handles the gravel/sandy spots like a pro! There's sandy patches in almost every corner here in California and the bike just gobbles them up and begs for more.
A connoisseur's bike I reckon; no good for pub bragging rights but if you love the sensation of riding and the feeling the road and the benefits of light weight... Just brilliant. And that engine, an amazing piece of engineering.
What a review. Trusted you on the R1250RS, and bought one. Exactly the same with this review. You are so passionate about bikes and riding, you are a real ambassador for every brand. And you shine a light on the not so positive aspects of the bike, instead of having a love/hate relationship with it. You sir, are a SIR. Kind regards from Belgium.
"Racing to the bathroom in the middle of the night" is hardly a horrible analogy to those of us of an advanced age...tonight as I skip to the loo at 2 AM I will think to myself "you know I wish the traction control on my prostate was more intrusive than the traction control on that Husqvarna 701 SM!"
your review is fantastic, the only thing that needs improving is the mic situation while riding, get a zoom mic and record the exhaust and a better clip on mic for your helmet and mix them both
This review hit the nail on the head 👍! I purchased a 2021 KTM 690 SMC-R as a “second bike” to take the place of a back road sport bike, because my aging body will no longer withstand the “ass first into a trash can” riding position of most sport bikes 😜.
Brilliant, would love to be able to do the same. Got a few years under your belt have you? Like me you love sport bikes but just can't deal with the pain of the riding position anymore. Your description of which by the way, is the best I've heard in a long time.
I looked at a ktm690 sm and the 690 enduro R before buying a F800gs . There both cheaper but the gs is more bike. I know they don't quite serve same purpose. But the overlap is fairly big off road vs on road.
Top review of a top bike. Indeed you don't need a superbike to make you smile. The 701 and 690 smcr which I do own are ABSOLUTE hooooligan bikes. Sorry but they do turn you into a HOOOLIGAN. And as for a commuter. You ain't gonna get a better bike. I define any bike rider not to grin when riding one. I'd never be without an SM . And these unlike the converted enduro don't need an oil change after a trip to the shops
Yes indeed it is, and as you can see it's the mode I have engaged but I seem to have had an early onset of dementia moment when talking about it. My apologies.
brilliant!! bravo Matt et "merci beaucoup" for this well done video, informative, enthusiastic and almost "French like".... what or where is the beautiful old chateau ruin?... I am sure the the Husky 701 is a great weapon for your roads an twisties in the Massif Central from what you project to us in the vid, but I am wondering if I should perhaps trade my 2021 S1000 XR for the 701 SM, here in Stilbaai, not far from similar twisties like yours in Brioude??....have fun, et a bientot! keep them coming!...will you ever come back to SA?...
Top reviews as usual. This is a great commuter but basically for someone who wants the look of an enduro it’s great. I would save all my cash and take a ktm adventure 390 and still be able to do some off-roading 🤓👌.
Think you're missing the point the 701 is almost half the weight and half the the price of those two. Has half the amount of cylinders. And is less than half the Hp
Sheesh. Tomthe poster comparing a Ducati Hyper to these: Here in USA a Duke 890R is like $4000 cheaper than Hyper 950 SP (lining them up by suspension quality), with more power, less weight and beats that Hyper to death anywhere on any road you can line them up. No matter--I opted for BOTH the KTM SMC 690R and Duke 890R and I think I would keep the SMC if I had to get rid of one. The SMC is so different than anything else.
I feel like a 1290 smr would be Overkill. If they brought back the 990 smr and smt as 1090's with the 1050cm3 LC8 I would have a heart attack. You make a good point about hypermotard, it's hard to justify buying the 701 or 690 when you can get so much more bike for the same money or a bit more.
Mostly because a lot of us want a supermoto, that we can use as a actual motorcycle. Why would I want one of those when I want a supermoto? I don’t understand the comparison, these are not the same kind of bike by any means. Those are street bikes, these are very fat dirt bikes.
Good video :) I got a euro 5 (2021 EU model) and the engine is meh.. Waiting to get the ecu flashed or something.. Gearbox is meeeh.. And it is really expensive here in Denmark! 20k euro here, and you need to reflash ecu and get various upgrades.. Handling is fun though.. Btw the ABS has a supermoto mode (no abs on the backbrake).
Thank you for uploading. I have watched your very good review of the KTM 890 Duke R. May I ask does the 701 handle as well as the Scalpel. I am considering the 890 against the 690. I ride a KTM 390 Duke at the moment. Here in SW France test rides are not easy to find.
i own both those bikes and i find the 890's handling more intuitive than the 701 but it's close and the actual road makes a difference, too. The 890R suspension is well damped, plush even, whereas the 701 feels more firmly sprung but you can't beat the extra travel on really rough surfaces. They both have exciting engines; 890's obviously more powerful yet you can play w the gearing on the 701 and turn it into a burly blast and crazy wheelie machine. Btw, i own a 390 Duke as well and its extremely short wheelbase makes it the king of corner speed, imho
hipsabad Thanks for your reply. I am enjoying the KTM 390 2021 but the On Off throttle response in the lower gears is annoying. I am wondering if the throttle response on the 701/ KTM 690 and the 890 is better? Ride Safe!
@@wakajawaka44 a PCV will completely remove that On/Off throttle response in lower gears! I installed one. Easy peasy. Plus a full exhaust and Öhlins shock and Andreanni fork internals. Better tires and you're off to the races
When I can travel and know that I can return again without this end throwing an impromptu hissy fit at South Africa's numbers or variants and suspending flights again I'll be back to my usual 'commute'. I'd like to be in a position to work here for a couple of months, then spend a month there and so on and on... But for the last year or so it hasn't been possible, unfortunately.
I 'm trying to say that the lazy way to review this bike is to stereotype it as a single-minded hooligan tool, when in fact it's quite adept at roles you might assume would leave it floundering.
It is a super moto , but has this guy ever driven a trial with it , you can offroad a supesport if you really wanted to , and just driving a dirt road does not really serve that much of a purpose as a supermoto . All the gravel roads are supersport drivable and super motos are a really rare exeption . I feel like biker bikes are more suited for people who might ride trough dirt roads , as bikers seem the type to enjoy that type of driving as they spend most of the time on asphalt .
the in helmet audio is unacceptable. either sort it out, or over dub it in post. I want to like this video as the presenter seems authentic, but the poor audio literally woke my cat from a nap, at which point he shot a look of disgust at the screen and then left the room. I never finished the video.
Would love to, and am normally happy to do so as you can check in older vids. However I have been in France for 2 and 1/2 years, paying my taxes, being a stand-up citizen so that in another couple of years I can get full citizenship and that oh so useful European (French) passport. Filming my own incriminating video of reckless driving would be too dumb for words, and could get my attempted residency rights binned. Not a smart thing to do, so the wheelies will have to wait for the track, or when I can eventually travel back to South Africa again!
Yeah, I know. The French who are normally so vocal (gilets jaunes, anyone?) about any infringement of their civil liberties let this kind of arse decision stand. It bewilders me, it really does. But, remember they also allowed themselves for many years to be restricted to 100hp bikes while their rich urban elite fellow citizens continued hooning around in their 600hp supercars.
6000 miles on my 2019 from new, original clutch slave, 3 new rear and 2 new front tyres, 8 track days, weekly supermarket runs with my 12yr old son on the back, frequent school runs,,,, and always fun. These make way more sense than most motorcyclist would ever believe.
Mine's a 2020 and I have just over 10K on her in just over a year. 3 rear tires, two fronts. Cluth slave failed at about 1700 miles. One hell of a bike though. Best bike I have ever owned.
Change the slave cylinder ASAP. 6K miles is nothing. It will fail and likely destroy the clutch. If that happens when the motor is running and you shift you will blow the motor almost immediately. Slave cylinder aside, amazing bike. My brother has one (with a changed slave cylinder) and it's almost as raw as my XR650R sumo, which has a kickstarter and weighs 40-pounds less. Cheers.
@@thepassionofthegoose5472 Does the 2021 have this issue as well?
@@christiansievers4887 I believe it's the same machine as the 20, but I'm not certain. I would drop the cash on the slave cylinder on most modern KTMs to be on the safe side. It's a cheap, easy fix that fixes a potentially expensive problem. Cheers.
The clutch gods were good to you. I had to go 3rd party (slave cylinder drama, actual clutch is amazing). But I’m at nearly 6k on my 2020. I can’t understand why anyone would buy another bike.
15000 KM on my 2018 701SM without any problems at all. I even went from the Netherlands to south France for a week riding the hills of France, no problems at all. I have found the perfect bike for me 👌🏻❤️
Ik zit te denken om mijn z900 in te ruilen voor zo 1.
What was the comfort like? I hear bad things about the seat. What mods did you make before that trip and how di dyou mount the luggage? Thinking of trading in my monster 1200R for one of these - simple, lightweight, fun.
@@AAKhanivore depends on your mentality I guess. I even thought my R6 was quite comfy haha. I heard people who thought the 701's seat was too stiff changed it for a Seat Concepts seat and say it completely turned it around. Seats aren't too expensive on these, so I wouldn't consider it an issue
@@AAKhanivore you can get a frame for the rear that will hold your luggage.
I'm using soft bags (waterproof) on the side, and a waterproof bag and my tent goes on the top.
The frame can be somewhat easily unmounted for daily drives. I just use it when ging on vacation with the bike :)
For comfort, I just strip on a sheeps/lamb leather fur thingy and can go for 8 hours on the bike for days (on and off road), no problem. Just ignore the silly looks off others and enjoy the ride :D
bought this as my first bike at 34 and let me tell you thats the best move ive made in my life. I plan to keep it forever.
Planning to do exactly the same thing, also at 34.
I own a 2021 Husky 701 SM. When in " mode 1/ Street " the more balanced mode both front and back wheel ABS is activated. Turn to "mode 2/ Sport " and ABS is still enabled on the front but deactivated on the back wheel. This is called "supermoto mode" and is widely used in tracks or as a hooligan style to be able to slide etc :). You are also able to turn the ABS off completely! So it does got a few options here :)
Ive just kinda written what you have! I have a 2021 euro5
hey i have a 2021 701 as well, how do you deactivate the abs completely?
Does the front abs do stunt brake with rear wheel on the air?,im curious.
@@roastedblueberry4579 for stoppies? you'd prolly have to deactivate abs completely
Do you find that the front wheel still lifts on mode one, I thought there was meant to be anti wheelie on it
Had mine since 2018 and love it,it commutes pretty much all year round and does 2 or 3 track-days a year,only let me down once( fuel pump failure)..the 701 reignited my love for motorcycles again after getting bored of feathering throttle on litre bikes on public roads for 15 years!everyone should try one at some point!
Getting a litre bike sounds so boring to me….
I'm a 2 years experienced rider and after a first year of learning on a Svartpilen 401 last year decided to go for this gem. One year later couldn't be happier, it rewards me with lot's of fun every single time I ride it. It still have some issues, the first is a well known in the Magura hidraulic clutch that failed me in the same day I bought it and it was replaced by the dealer. The other is, as mentioned in the vídeo, the rock hard seat, wich I solved sending the seat to a seat pads and cover factory nearby. Other issue I found is in the gearbox because it was hard finding neutral when I wanted and solved that with a Proshift Kit. Also put a full Leo Vince Lv One full system, a Rottweiler intake and a PC5. This motorcycle is pure joy!
Congrats on the video, greetings from Portugal!
Good to hear about your improvements, thanks for sharing.
Good review thanx. I tend to agree. And guess what? The 701SM makes a great ADV bike! No kidding.
If you want a genuine 50/50 all road bike, these things are brilliant. I thought a 19” front wheel ought to be the best compromise between 17 and 21” ala BMW GS1200. Well it works! I had a 19” built and only needed to purchase another abs rotor a standard disc rotor and standard disc spacer. The SM has the great brakes and less dive in the front end than the Enduro so is, as you know, great on the road but like a proper SM, it can handle low traction surfaces and jumps quite well. Tyre choice is the only compromise but I have found that the bike is so light that the % on/ off road bias of the tyres is less critical than on many other medium to large bikes used in this way.
I’ve added a windshield, lower foot pegs, a GPR muffler ( much less heat build up in the exhaust now and it breathes better of course), a Seat Concepts seat for comfort and a Rade Garage 5litre Auxillary fuel tank kit( drops in between the top frame rails includes a much simpler, lighter air box that happens to up the torque a little).
I’ve made a few other mods like a carbon fibre bash plate and best mod you can do to any bike, a very clever SMC steering damper( my second one and I wouldn’t be without one now). This damper makes the thing so confidence inspiring and sure footed on Any road or track or creek crossing it’s unbelievable, so the 701 is capable anywhere.
The 17” front wheel can be swapped in in a few minutes since no modifications were needed to fit it to the SM whereas swapping wheels like this on the E model is much more involved. A few clicks on the forks and it’s back to full SM madness, simple.
I’m finding that the bike is superior to the T700 ( I ride with several of them) in every way other than in highway cruising between anywhere there is a corner on or off road. The SM is not as smooth as the T700. The 701 easily out accelerates and out runs T700s! and of course is much better balanced and about 50kg lighter. Less so with KTM 890s but as the corners get closer together an or rougher, the SM walks over them too. Most other bikes with comparable performance and or price just can’t touch it.
So there it is. Even better than we thought and getting around 80 hp is as easy as changing the air box and can.
Without a doubt the most versatile bike of the 70 odd that I’ve owned, one of the most fun and one of the few I would buy again.
I have the old 2020 701sm. I love it. Of the four bikes I own, all ~700ccs, it is the only one I ride regularly. Basically every day. It’s like a BMX with rockets.
For a third world country people like me, this bike is a luxury, and I hope to own one in the future..
By a wide margin the most fun bike I own and my collection includes a 1290R and Tuono. Suspension eats up real world roads with their bumps and tar snakes. Only thing it doesn’t do well is highway, it’s a bit nervous in my opinion. Great review; this channel is always entertaining and informative!
Cheers, and I'm envious. Deeply envious, what a great collection for a garage!
What do you mean by nervous?
I actually just bought a 2021 model off the showroom floor in the USA. And of all the sms I've ridden. This one has taken then cake. I love it
2 things you need to do so your clutch doesn’t give out and no false neutrals,1:Oberon Clutch Slave Cylinder,2:Zeta Gear shift lever to eliminate the false neutrals when going fast on the Quickshifter (I want this bike lol, so did a little research aka i work at a Ktm dealer)
Sold my MV Agusta 800 Brutale (2014) for a 701 SM (2017). The 701 is insane and entertaining bike. It is pure and simple; a Korner Killer.
Changed the seat the first week I got the bike.
It will in time be a collectors bike in my view.I have the 2020 690 R.Can't not love it.Thanks.
I live in South Africa, Mpumalanga Swaziland Natal area, I've got my 2020 701 Enduro for two months now, had a drz 400sm for twelve years. The Enduro handles tight bends and bumps better than the Suzuki ever did, plus the mad amount of power just pull you through any sticky situation 👌 Great video, like always 😉
Great bike, I've got a 2018 model that I purchased from new. Sometimes I think about changing it, for something like a Ducati Hypermotard or the 1200 T scrambler, but there is just something about the look of the 701 that makes me keep it, even though sometimes I want a bigger bike. The only issue is the clutch which has failed twice now and although covered under warranty, I was pretty peeved when it failed after only about 1500 miles the first time and really peeved when it failed again. That said the bikes going back to the dealer this week, as I received a letter from Huskie recalling for a clutch upgrade, so hopefully they have fixed the problem.
Enjoyed the video thanks.
have the 21 here, the footpegs for passager are bolted in the same place, no need for drilling or stuff like that, besides that you just witnessed a bit of the bike, the more you ride it the more impressed you get, this has been the most fun bike i even owned and one of the most capable (had more than 10+ bikes before)
I Seem to remember when I bought mine the pillion foot pegs were not an issue and I have them on my bike, added for free by the dealer, but there are pillion grab handles for the back that require drilling, so the dealer recommended we leave them off, which we did. (my bikes a 2018 model)
@@becktheangelo9713 yea looks crap with the grab handles
I’ve got a 2017 husky, that alone is mad fun. Couldn’t imagine riding anything else for a long time.
I've got 33k on mine and still love riding it
If it wasn't so freaking expensive I'd buy it or the KTM.
Yeah you can get like 2 new mt 07 for that price
@@achilleas_christ9136 yeah but the 701 is 100lbs lighter, snappier, and more versatile. if you wanted to you could have an extra set of wheels fitted with knobbies and you'd have one hell of an adventure or trail bike. if you're into mx, you could probably even respring it and play around on a track too. but mt07 is a really good street bike fs
I paid 8.5K AUD for mine, was actually looking for an "E" model, which were all around 13K. Couldn't pass it up for 8.5K, and love it. It's a keeper.
Same bike ATM here is 12.5K, checked yesterday
I have a 1290 super duke V3 which I totaly love but to compliment it I've ordered one of these. I had a Yamaha T7 as a second bike because I like to do a little off roading but my Ktm dealer lent me a 690 while my 1290 went in for a recall & I was immediately smitten. I live in a mountainous region in S/W france perfect for the 690 & faster than the 1290 on these roads & fun with a capital F. I often go into Spain to the Aragon region a bikers paradise & there are so many off road paths so I intend to fit some dual purpose tyres on the 701 & try a little off roading with it.
Should get it in a couple of weeks.
Just watching this again. Might get one for the Algarve, where I live for three or four months a year. It would be perfect.
An honest appraisal of this model. I’ve a 2019 701LR which I had Nomad ADV add a nav tower, windscreen, grip heaters and some extra bits to make it a touring bike. Like you, I live surrounded by wonderful twisting (Alpine) roads. The engine’s a dream for both on and off road and the standard seat is just ok for touring. Strangely enough, gel covers and padded cyclist pants make it more uncomfortable!
It has some major points in its favour. 1. The engine’s a peach. And, 2. It makes me smile every time I ride it. The fact that it now looks even better after the additions is purely subjective. It carries a full set of soft (Mosko Moto) luggage after the addition of Nomad’s luggage racks.
See you at the moto show at Barcelonette in September.
I have the Duke 690 and I love it! That engine! The handling! The sound!
I have the 2020 KTM 690 Enduro R, basically the same bike with larger wheels, and also an absolute hoot on the road.
Agreed, and then you can also go and have even more fun down your local green lanes.
@@IgnitionBikeShow I bought a second set of wheels. One set is for clay mud (Michelin Trackers), the other set is for fast road and light offroad (Mitas E07).
Same here ... superb bike!!
yep, love my 2019 enduro r
I toured southern Europe from England four times on an XT500, so I reckon you could on this. The one type of riding you only mentioned in passing.
It needs the simple dash from the KLX300SM. It has a rev counter. Looks great fun.
Yup, but you'd have to change the seat first, or get a job lot on some morphine for yer arse.
You're a brave man to ride like this on the French roads known for lots af gravel in all the wrong places.
Speaking from personal experience, the bike's traction control handles the gravel/sandy spots like a pro! There's sandy patches in almost every corner here in California and the bike just gobbles them up and begs for more.
Yes, in the box with the bike. I 😮see mine with my son on the back plenty of times and it was fine.
Most fun bike ive ever owned. Sold it over my zx10r to pay for an adventure bike for a europe trip. I regret not selling the sportsbike instead
I really fancy one of these. Much as I like supernakeds and sportbikes these sms are more fun and faster point to point on twisty back road.
A connoisseur's bike I reckon; no good for pub bragging rights but if you love the sensation of riding and the feeling the road and the benefits of light weight... Just brilliant. And that engine, an amazing piece of engineering.
What a review. Trusted you on the R1250RS, and bought one. Exactly the same with this review. You are so passionate about bikes and riding, you are a real ambassador for every brand. And you shine a light on the not so positive aspects of the bike, instead of having a love/hate relationship with it. You sir, are a SIR. Kind regards from Belgium.
Thanks for the video, not much out here on this bike, I will be racing mine
As Long as the fueling and gear box are good it sounds fantastic!
It also has a quick shifter 👌
This is my dreambike
"Racing to the bathroom in the middle of the night" is hardly a horrible analogy to those of us of an advanced age...tonight as I skip to the loo at 2 AM I will think to myself "you know I wish the traction control on my prostate was more intrusive than the traction control on that Husqvarna 701 SM!"
🤣🤣🤣
The foot pegs take 2 mins to fit. Simple bolt on. The come with the bike
That French ban has stopped and its ok to filter again
Phenomenal video
and They're only getting more and more reliable every year.
What ? A vid with husqy riding in HauteLoire ?
Thank you very much !
your review is fantastic, the only thing that needs improving is the mic situation while riding, get a zoom mic and record the exhaust and a better clip on mic for your helmet and mix them both
J'adore 701!!!
This review hit the nail on the head 👍! I purchased a 2021 KTM 690 SMC-R as a “second bike” to take the place of a back road sport bike, because my aging body will no longer withstand the “ass first into a trash can” riding position of most sport bikes 😜.
Brilliant, would love to be able to do the same. Got a few years under your belt have you? Like me you love sport bikes but just can't deal with the pain of the riding position anymore. Your description of which by the way, is the best I've heard in a long time.
You can order it with a more comfortable seat and bigger tank. And if you want, a windshield.
I looked at a ktm690 sm and the 690 enduro R before buying a F800gs . There both cheaper but the gs is more bike. I know they don't quite serve same purpose. But the overlap is fairly big off road vs on road.
145+ on 10 litres, 13 litre tank. Plenty big enough!
Top review of a top bike. Indeed you don't need a superbike to make you smile. The 701 and 690 smcr which I do own are ABSOLUTE hooooligan bikes. Sorry but they do turn you into a HOOOLIGAN. And as for a commuter. You ain't gonna get a better bike. I define any bike rider not to grin when riding one. I'd never be without an SM . And these unlike the converted enduro don't need an oil change after a trip to the shops
As for range, i can attest to it getting 253km on one tank (basically only riding 5th, 6th gear on sweeping roads with no sporty riding involved)
Isnt “the mode 2” the sharper one?
Yes indeed it is, and as you can see it's the mode I have engaged but I seem to have had an early onset of dementia moment when talking about it. My apologies.
@@IgnitionBikeShow Also mode 2 turns off the rear abs. Only front stays on.
Background seen is Really attractive I love it and husqi 701❤️💙💛💚🧡♥️🍀🤞
you need an aftermarket clutch slave and front Break Disc to get around with no problems. Love my 2020 one 👍🏻🦾❤️
brilliant!! bravo Matt et "merci beaucoup" for this well done video, informative, enthusiastic and almost "French like".... what or where is the beautiful old chateau ruin?... I am sure the the Husky 701 is a great weapon for your roads an twisties in the Massif Central from what you project to us in the vid, but I am wondering if I should perhaps trade my 2021 S1000 XR for the 701 SM, here in Stilbaai, not far from similar twisties like yours in Brioude??....have fun, et a bientot! keep them coming!...will you ever come back to SA?...
thats quite odd that your 701 is snappy in mode 1, when 2 is sport mode and 1 is street :O
How reliable is it? For real? It is a handsome machine.
Top reviews as usual. This is a great commuter but basically for someone who wants the look of an enduro it’s great. I would save all my cash and take a ktm adventure 390 and still be able to do some off-roading 🤓👌.
There's only two problems: (1) the Hypermotard 950 is just a tiny bit more, and (2) there isn't a KTM 1290 SMR.
But you can’t turn off tc and abs on the Hypermotard🥲, and the 1290 in general makes no sense for everyday riding
Think you're missing the point the 701 is almost half the weight and half the the price of those two. Has half the amount of cylinders. And is less than half the Hp
Sheesh. Tomthe poster comparing a Ducati Hyper to these: Here in USA a Duke 890R is like $4000 cheaper than Hyper 950 SP (lining them up by suspension quality), with more power, less weight and beats that Hyper to death anywhere on any road you can line them up. No matter--I opted for BOTH the KTM SMC 690R and Duke 890R and I think I would keep the SMC if I had to get rid of one. The SMC is so different than anything else.
I feel like a 1290 smr would be Overkill. If they brought back the 990 smr and smt as 1090's with the 1050cm3 LC8 I would have a heart attack. You make a good point about hypermotard, it's hard to justify buying the 701 or 690 when you can get so much more bike for the same money or a bit more.
Mostly because a lot of us want a supermoto, that we can use as a actual motorcycle. Why would I want one of those when I want a supermoto? I don’t understand the comparison, these are not the same kind of bike by any means. Those are street bikes, these are very fat dirt bikes.
Good video :) I got a euro 5 (2021 EU model) and the engine is meh.. Waiting to get the ecu flashed or something.. Gearbox is meeeh.. And it is really expensive here in Denmark! 20k euro here, and you need to reflash ecu and get various upgrades.. Handling is fun though.. Btw the ABS has a supermoto mode (no abs on the backbrake).
Pop a wheelie for me brother 🤪
Great review 😬, Shame most of you said about the electronics was completely wrong 🙄
Thank you for uploading. I have watched your very good review of the KTM 890 Duke R. May I ask does the 701 handle as well as the Scalpel. I am considering the 890 against the 690. I ride a KTM 390 Duke at the moment. Here in SW France test rides are not easy to find.
690 is eh… get the 890 Duke R
i own both those bikes and i find the 890's handling more intuitive than the 701 but it's close and the actual road makes a difference, too. The 890R suspension is well damped, plush even, whereas the 701 feels more firmly sprung but you can't beat the extra travel on really rough surfaces. They both have exciting engines; 890's obviously more powerful yet you can play w the gearing on the 701 and turn it into a burly blast and crazy wheelie machine. Btw, i own a 390 Duke as well and its extremely short wheelbase makes it the king of corner speed, imho
hipsabad Thanks for your reply. I am enjoying the KTM 390 2021 but the On Off throttle response in the lower gears is annoying. I am wondering if the throttle response on the 701/ KTM 690 and the 890 is better?
Ride Safe!
@@wakajawaka44 a PCV will completely remove that On/Off throttle response in lower gears! I installed one. Easy peasy. Plus a full exhaust and Öhlins shock and Andreanni fork internals. Better tires and you're off to the races
2019 701 husky sm w 16k miles of pure fun. I own other bikes but when I want to do it all, the husky comes out.😅
A leaning trike front end would make it perfect
does it vibrate a a lot?
Had one for a short time.
Great fun whilst riding but attracted the wrong sort of attention. And after two attempts to steal it, it had to go.
Makes me wish i was 20 years younger.
It's never too late.
What's the legality of signal lights? Is it required?
Wow! So tiny I missed them at first.
9000 rpm mindblowing? my single starts redline at 11000
Rider mode 2 is no rear abs and anti lift off.
What was the fuel consumption after lets say spirited ride?
Ride mine like i stole it still well over 50mpg and even riding half sensible 60mpg plus
Keep it in mode 1, rip it up and you’ll get almost 60
Im too shortarse to fit but I would love a Supermoto😓
Mat I know you were initially stuck in Europe because of COVID19, you still haven’t made it home to RSA or have you decided to stay in Europe?
When I can travel and know that I can return again without this end throwing an impromptu hissy fit at South Africa's numbers or variants and suspending flights again I'll be back to my usual 'commute'. I'd like to be in a position to work here for a couple of months, then spend a month there and so on and on... But for the last year or so it hasn't been possible, unfortunately.
great
How can you say this bike has a lazy stereotype?! It's a supermoto, literally the opposite of lazy.
I 'm trying to say that the lazy way to review this bike is to stereotype it as a single-minded hooligan tool, when in fact it's quite adept at roles you might assume would leave it floundering.
@@IgnitionBikeShow Whoops yep my bad.
Do I trade my 390 duke for the husky
i am considering the same upgrade. all signs seem to point YES!
very like, very need, but just my dream
because very high price😁🥺⛏⛏⛏
Laughed at the seat discription
It is a super moto , but has this guy ever driven a trial with it , you can offroad a supesport if you really wanted to , and just driving a dirt road does not really serve that much of a purpose as a supermoto . All the gravel roads are supersport drivable and super motos are a really rare exeption . I feel like biker bikes are more suited for people who might ride trough dirt roads , as bikers seem the type to enjoy that type of driving as they spend most of the time on asphalt .
Seriously you didn't take it off road, You drive a AWD to the mall and school and a Supermoto on the street.
No wheelie no test
Great looking machine. I would never buy one though. 😎
the in helmet audio is unacceptable. either sort it out, or over dub it in post. I want to like this video as the presenter seems authentic, but the poor audio literally woke my cat from a nap, at which point he shot a look of disgust at the screen and then left the room. I never finished the video.
Fabulous motorcycle totally overpriced for what it is.
Ur comment makes no sense.
No wheelies, what's wrong with you man? My one spends a lot of time on its rear wheel.
Would love to, and am normally happy to do so as you can check in older vids. However I have been in France for 2 and 1/2 years, paying my taxes, being a stand-up citizen so that in another couple of years I can get full citizenship and that oh so useful European (French) passport. Filming my own incriminating video of reckless driving would be too dumb for words, and could get my attempted residency rights binned. Not a smart thing to do, so the wheelies will have to wait for the track, or when I can eventually travel back to South Africa again!
Dude install a normal mic on the motorcycle… can t hear you clear now
No filtering in france ...ffs..🤡
Yeah, I know. The French who are normally so vocal (gilets jaunes, anyone?) about any infringement of their civil liberties let this kind of arse decision stand. It bewilders me, it really does. But, remember they also allowed themselves for many years to be restricted to 100hp bikes while their rich urban elite fellow citizens continued hooning around in their 600hp supercars.
1st
Really good review but I think he wears adult diapers