Husqvarna took a while to share this news at EICMA, but it’s just developed a long range version of the 701 Enduro.
The standard Enduro has its fuel stored towards the rear of the bike, for mass centralization; the “gas tank” area over the engine has the airbox and other stuff. Basically, you’re sitting right over the engine anyway, thanks to the modern seating position and aggressive design.
Thanks to this design, the 701 Enduro has limited range when compared to other long-distance dual sports like the KLR650. For some customers, this isn’t a problem. For others, it’s a major bugbear, and owners have to either bring along Rotopax cans or plumb in an aftermarket tank system. Neither solution is ideal; the aftermarket tanks aren’t bad, but many owners don’t want to tinker with their bike to that extent.
Husqvarna has apparently heard the grumbling, and now it’s announced the 701 Enduro LR. Along with the standard 13-litre tank in the rear subframe, there’s now a 12-litre tank up front. According to Husky’s website, “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.”
Husqvarna claims this secondary tank increases the 701’s range to as much as 500 km, putting it in the territory of the KLR650, and well past the DR650 and XR650L. A 500-km range would also be on par, or better than, the range of many bigger adventure bikes—just the thing for all those European riders who want to travel hundreds of miles between gas stops in the Sahara, or for Canadians who want to make it from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Port Hope Simpson without hauling a jerry can.
We haven’t seen Canadian pricing for the 701 Enduro LR yet, or availability. Presumably it’ll end up here someday, priced at least $500 more than the current model’s $13,199 MSRP.
[…] 701 Enduro LR (introduced last November) is basically the same as the standard 701 Enduro (a hot-rod single-cylinder street-and-trail bike, […]
Very interesting. Wonder what took them so long. I think the bike actually looks better in this iteration – better balanced, visually. Rider won’t be able to move around as much with the seat shape, but I’m guessing most riders didn’t ride this thing like a true hard enduro bike anyway. So long as the 701 E remains available, the rider can choose which 701 suits him.