Husqvarna 701 Super Moto and Enduro!

I've been lusting over this bike, but the rational part of me is keeping me from owning one. I've got zero dual sport experience, a few years of street experience, but want to pick one up. For context, no single track in the near future, just dirt roads, jeep roads, that kind of thing.

Part of me says get something like a DR650 and learn skills on that, but the price on those (and lots of used motorcycles, really) lately have been insane. The other part of me just wants to spend a few more grand on a 701 and have something I can keep indefinitely. I'm not worried about the height, as I'm pretty tall myself at 6'4". I'm not really worried about dropping it as a new off-road rider, because that's inevitable anyway. I'm mostly worried about not developing fundamental skills if I go right for this bike.

Should I stay rational, or just pull the trigger?

Buy it nice, or buy it twice. You pick.

I've had both and while the DR650 can be set up well, it just never makes a good dirt bike. We did the COBDR on it and it did fine. When we hit the hwy, it was pretty tough to keep up the 70-75 mph traffic (bike loaded and 2up). We did the AZBDR on the 701. The DR would have been a real handful on that one.

Spent the weekend on the Tour De Coalfields with my 701. 484 miles in 2 days of mixed asphalt, dirt, and rock gardens. I can't think of a better bike for what we did. I highly recommend this bike and route, just watch out for the slime monster.

Noting white goo in pic.....

Guy takes his 701 to the dealer for a slave cylinder failure. Mechanic tells him he will look at during lunch. Guy comes back and says to the mechanic "blown seal"? Mechanic wipes his lips and replies "Nah just a little too much mayo on my sandwich"

You fucked that up completely. It's an Eskimo that goes to town, drops off his sled, kills time by getting an ice cream cone, returns to mechanic who says "you've blown a seal". It's one of my top five favorite jokes. Even 90 year-old ladies laugh at it. It's a sacred joke and can't be messed with.

Ha!- I apologize to the gods of humor but want some credit for trying to keep it on topic. Tied to the whipping post now.

Haha. Or...

Is that grease or are you just excited to see me?

Guglatech air filter
I just turned over 10,000 miles and am getting ready for the IDBDR. I checked my Guglatech filter I cleaned at 5000 miles and even though it did not need to be cleaned I cleaned it any way to be ready for another 3000 mile trip. This filter has really worked out well for me. I ride by myself so maybe I don't get as much dust as others but to be able to go 5000 miles between cleanings while riding the BDRs is sure nice.

I went straight on to a 690 with very limited dirt experience and I have no regrets. These bikes are perfect for the riding you’re describing. Some things to be ready for:

• I’m 6’6” and it’s not fantastic over about 75mph or in a crosswind, but it works. I run the OEM touring windshield and a cheap spoiler from Amazon and it’s a huge improvement, but long freeway trips are still not ideal.
• The bike is tall but the distance from pegs to seat is not. I run Pivot Pegz in the low position with a tall Seat Concepts seat and my knee angle is still fairly steep but comfortable enough for me. Before those upgrades it was very cramped.
• 2” Rox risers were necessary for me. Before I got them I had a nagging shoulder pain after long days in the saddle and I couldn’t counterlean the bike far enough in turns.
• Depending on your shin length, gripping the bike with your knees when standing might be uncomfortable on the stock seat. When I pinch the bike my knees are above the stock seat, which puts my shin bones against the hard plastic corner just below the seat. It sucks. Dedicated knee armor and a taller seat helped, but Steg Pegz were the real fix.
• The suspension can’t be adjusted enough to accommodate heavy riders. I’m 240 pounds and had serious problems, especially with the forks. The money I spent on a full rebuild was the best I’ve spent on the bike. It’s like a different machine now.
• You will fall desperately in love with it and shower it with love and money. People will see you hugging it and think you’ve lost your marbles

Good luck in your choice and feel free to DM me if you have any questions!

Pull the trigger. I'm a dirt noob, 5'8" and a 30" inseam, and this is my first dirt bike. I did the IDBDR on it this summer, and a few days outside St. George in 2019 (Toroweep Overlook, etc.) and lived. I had ridden a KLX230 in a class once, but that was my sole prior dirt experience. Some friends have 701's, which helped inform my decision. A key requirement was the ability to pick it up solo when I dropped it, and I have certainly done that. It's tall initially, but it's much shorter when you get your weight on it and compress the suspension. It's fast, fun, and forgiving. If you're short and you put a duffel or something on the seat or tail rack, you'll have to learn to do rolling starts. It's a fine machine.

Honestly if you're newer I think you'd be happy with either.

I've owned a couple DRZs, on my 2nd 701, and also currently have a DR650 (which is for sale :)). I'm constantly on the fence, mostly from a cost/value perspective about which one I should keep for the long haul. 701 is winning, but really you can't go wrong with any of them functionally. Just boils down to what you like most in what each bike has to offer. Happy to offer any insight I can if you have more questions.

The best thing you can do if you're worried about skill development, is go take some classes from the pros. I waited way to long to do that and I suffered a lot from developing bad habits, as well as transferring a lot of street habits (that were also probably not properly developed) over to the dirt.

My experiemce w my 2018, most GOOD locksmiths will have q suitable blank and can cut the key in 5 min.

No [serious] complaints at all with my 701, which is my first off-road ride after riding street for a few decades. If I didn't have a 701, I'd only consider a plated KTM 500 or Husky 501 if you're doing off-road more than 80% of the time or well under 6' tall. Those smaller bikes are more capable off-road, lighter, plated for access to more land, and still are okay, but not as good, as a 701 on the street/highway.

I'm 6'2" and don't plan to leave my 701 anytime soon, while my shorter riding buddy had a 690, but is now much happier on a 500 EXC. But based on your type of riding, a 701 sounds like a better fit to me. I wouldn't want to speak to other brands, but if you can spend for the Husky, I doubt you'd regret it.

Buying tip if you're buying new: The Dealer activates the electronics in the bike after sale to the new owner. I purchased my 701 new, several states away, and had shipped to my door. Even with shipping, I saved thousands over the dealer prices in my state. You will still likely pay state tax; in fact, I paid state tax in the purchasing state, but the small difference in my state.

Other considerations with the 500 would be a shorter oil change interval and weaker stator. For ADV riding, I really like being able to charge my phone, run a GPS, and run aux lights and heated gear all at the same time if I need to.

Adam Riemann and RTW Paul have no trouble with global travel on these smaller 500cc bikes, so those considerations can be solved.

The power draw to charge cell phone and run a GPS is pretty small and should not be a problem. If the AUX light are LED then again there should not be too much of a concern especially if you replace the headlight with one of those aftermarket LED setups.

The big issues start to happen with you are trying to run heated grips, jacket, and pants... those things tend to need a lot of juice.

Before you buy a bike, take an OFF-ROAD motorcycle course. Raw-Hyde or something similar. Then, make a more informed decision regarding buying.

Here’s the math I did to be sure I knew the limits. All these are max draw (brights on, heated gear on full, etc).

3A cell phone holder
4A heated grips
2A Voyager Pro
8A jacket liner
3A heated gloves
1A USB port
5A headlight
7A aux lights

Total 33A = 396W

I don’t know why stator output stats are so hard to find, but Baja Designs lists max output for the 2017 EXC 500 at 195 watts. EDIT: the 2020 690 owner’s manual lists a capacity of 300W.

Anyway, I totally agree that the 500 is the right ADV bike for some folks. I just like the extra peace of mind and convenience of the bigger bike.

I guess I’m in the minority here, but I suggest that you start on a small light weight bike and work your way up.

I grew up riding crappy dirt bikes in orchards and hay fields. Got a street bike when I got out of the army and after a few years started getting back into dirt.

YZ125 to DR350 to XR650L to 690 to a 950 Super Enduro and now on a 701. No doubt, they’re great bikes. But there is a lot of value in riding smaller bikes on more difficult terrain and then working you way up in terms of horsepower and weight. You learn so much on small bikes that is very difficult to learn on bigger bikes.

I could hop logs on the 950 and ride more difficult trails and then when it comes to dirt roads you’re just in you comfort zone enjoying the flow. But those skills are best built on smaller bikes.

I’ve been riding a trials bike more than the 701 this year to focus on slow speed balance over rocks/obstacles and getting more clutch control for wheelies. Not because I enjoy the trials bike but because I want to be a better rider on the 701.

My 2 cents

sincerely,

Some random dude on the internet

You don't enjoy the trials bike??? I've had a blast on the trials motorcycles I got to ride. So much so, I bought a trials bicycle.