Commercially, the idea of taking over highly
capable development teams in stagnant
corporations has been a way forward for
clever organisations since time immemorial.
Using that formula, in 2016 Husqvarna
delivered a road ready, futuristic machine
utilising their single-cylinder technology and
IP forged over decades, and turned it into
eye-catching, stylish modern bikes called the
Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401. (White
and Black Arrow). These designs electrified
the brand, and at EICMA in 2017 the
prototype for the new 693cc single called the
701 Vitpilen was unveiled.
I had known of Husqvarna for decades,
but knew very little about them. They had
a reputation as being unreliable, hard to
fix, or impossible to get parts for... all the
usual totally ignorant malarkey. Of course,
I believed what I heard; listened when told
they were “orphan” bikes. In the days of
my brainless youth I was more than a little
one-eyed about bike marques which didn’t
fit the mould. To my mind the only good
things North of Birmingham were chainsaws,
reindeer, speedway riders, and insane rally
nuts who raced on ice with sharpened bolts
in their tyres. Oh, and promiscuous, blonde
46 KIWI RIDER
supermodels, who skied... of course.
As I say, dumber than a bag of hammers.
And, unfortunately, those rigid old ideas were
still buried in my head way down deep. Until
Friday July 20, 2018.
That afternoon Publisher Vege sent me a
text. “Hello. I have a Husqvarna Vitpilen 701
in my shed if you fancy a fang.” Smiley face,
sunglasses, emoji.
I turned up on a very nice bike.
What the HELL is that!? “That, my boy is a
Husqvarna Vitpilen, I think it means white
arrow.”
Does it indeed.. Hell. It’s sort of… it’s sort of..
well it’s… Christ it’s HOT! I actually love the
look of this thing. What is it? “693cc single.
Take it, and tell me what you think of it, I’ll
drop the other bike back to you tomorrow.”
I instantly forgot the great ride I’d had to
get there, and found my eye undressing this
thing, every inch. Front end... 320mm single
Brembo, hmm, just the one? Mags, black and
spare, okay. Flat bars, original configuration,
nice clean single clock, fantastic thin front
light, like an edge-on saucer, and then to that
silver tank, with wide square shoulders cut
back with a flat plane housing just the model
number.