I bought a thing!

"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
10/18/2018 at 12:50 • Filed to: not decay's beaters, husqvarna, Motorcycle, two wheels fancy

But before saying exactly what, I’d like to take a look at this photo from almost three years ago.

At the time, I was pretty sure this was the perfect two motorcycle collection. The SV for sport bike stuff and longer trips, the DR-Z with supermoto wheels for ripping the tight local canyons. Well, I was partially right... (Ignore the deconstructed miata)

Meet the new sled! A 2018 Husqvarna 701 Supermoto

I’ve been totally in love with the idea of this bike ever !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! But I couldn’t ever find a place that would allow test rides (for good reason on a bike like this... given the general usage), and felt like it was a lot of money for a single cylinder bike. Aside from that, I was a little nervous about the 690 motor being able to keep up north of (speed omitted) on rides.

This past weekend, I went on a ride with a 690 and was pretty impressed with how hard it pulled coming out of corners. Slower than the triple, but not as much as I expected.

I started looking at dealer inventories later that night and sent out a few emails. A few days of phone calls and I found one at a deal I could handle, I picked it up yesterday morning.

This was my first new vehicle purchase, when I took the keys it had zero miles. I’d been looking a while for a used one, but in a year and a half of having an IFTTT recipe scanning classifieds, only one popped up (and it was a 2016 with the old, less smooth 690 motor). Now I know why, it’s perfect for 95% of Pacific Northwest backroads. The 2017+ motor is a masterpiece, really revvy, power everywhere, great sound, and (somehow) much smoother than a lot of twin cylinders *cough, VTX1800* **cough, Monster 1200**. No joke, for a huge single this thing just does not vibrate. The chassis is fantastic, but I need to spend a little time getting to know it.

I’ll do a longer review once I get some miles on it, but for now I’m just going to ride the hell out of it until the lovely northwest weather turns for the season.

DISCUSSION (46)

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 12:53

You lucky bastard. I am in no toys unless I can justify them for the farm financial land :p

benjrblant > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 12:56

Niiiiiiiiice.

Decay buys too many beaters > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
10/18/2018 at 13:01

*instantly becomes a 3 year old*
But you get to play with tractors!!

fintail > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:02

Don’t think I’ve seen one of those on the road yet in my neighborhood.

Now tail chop, stat.

Decay buys too many beaters > fintail
10/18/2018 at 13:03

There’s another parked where I work that’s been taunting me for about a year.
And yeah, that’s nex t up :p

vondon302 > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:10

These are making me looking at bikes again. Still haven’t seen one on the road yet. Looking forward to hearing more.

I'm a little jealous. Enjoy!

Tekamul > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:13

I’ve heard those are HOT HOT HOT. Same thing around here (well, one state over since there are no dealers here) you can’t even touch one without a pocket full of cash.

Congrats!

slipperysallylikespenguins > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:14

I’ve wanted one since they came out too! Except I am more interested in the Enduro to start with.

Decay buys too many beaters > vondon302
10/18/2018 at 13:15

They certainly made me take notice. Never thought I’d willingly go in and buy a brand new bike.

fintail > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:16

I seldom see supermoto type stuff in my immediate neighborhood , usually just mild sportbikes and cruisers with a diehard commuter on an adventure bike here and there.

I’d like to get back on, but every day traffic becomes stupider and more dense (in multiple ways), I’m more leery as I age.

Decay buys too many beaters > Tekamul
10/18/2018 at 13:17

Thanks! And yeah, they do seem to dissap pear from dealers as soon as they appear. I was lucky enough to find a dealer who had just got a shipment.

Decay buys too many beaters > slipperysallylikespenguins
10/18/2018 at 13:21

I thought about doing an enduro then buying the SM wheels separate. But then I came to my senses and realized I personally would never be able to take something so nice into the woods :p

Decay buys too many beaters > fintail
10/18/2018 at 13:23

Supermotos are the perfect tool for dodging cell phone addicted cagers

But yeah, I agree, been riding regularly over the past 10 years and have seen the rapid decline of driving skills/attention spans. Automation cannot come soon enough.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:32

That first scratch would be a heart breaker but I can’t think of a better ADV bike. Light weight with enough power to ride interstates.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:38

My fastest tractor tops out at 32 kph, and you have to bounce it off the rev- limit to get there.

Decay buys too many beaters > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
10/18/2018 at 13:41

You need to build a Volvo turbo swapped tractor... you know... for the farm.

bob and john > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:50

okay, booking my ticket to come visit you now.

Decay buys too many beaters > bob and john
10/18/2018 at 13:53

You keep on saying that :p

bob and john > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 13:57

I know, but its cold season here in toronto now. I’m assuming its not much better there.

also, id love to come and bring my own bike. but I dont thi nk I will be able to find the time to ride out and then dick around for the week.

Decay buys too many beaters > bob and john
10/18/2018 at 13:59

It’s 72 and sunny all week here. We are actually getting a fall for once!

bob and john > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 14:02

lucky.....one week it was like 90f, next week it was low 60s, this weeks its 30s and 40s. its bullshit

Decay buys too many beaters > bob and john
10/18/2018 at 14:04

Benefit of living near the ocean. Not a lot of temperature change, all year mostly stays between 40 and 90.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 14:22

Ah yes, ye olde Terror Tractor...

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 16:36

adopt me please

also i have the same mirrors on my SV

Decay buys too many beaters > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
10/18/2018 at 16:46

I loved how aggressive the SV ends up looking with a really low front

Kinja'd!!!

And the mirrors fit the rest of the body lines just right!

thejustache > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 17:02

Dang, that thing looks sweet. And here I’d still be happy with a DR-Z... or any bike that was running for that matter. My KZ750 suddenly didn’t start one morning before work and I honestly haven’t had a chance to investigate so it’s been sitting. I t’s probably time to get it going again just in time to winterize it and wait for next year :/

Decay buys too many beaters > thejustache
10/18/2018 at 17:12

Lame :( I’m slowly trying to migrate away from carbs for that reason. The whole “maybe it will start today” game wears thin when it’s your daily transport. (And I’m going on about 13 months since I’ve had a 4 wheeled daily driver)

The bike is super neat, amazing what 20 years of engineering can do between when the DRZ was made and the 701. I found myself in a position where I could afford afford to splurge a little, and decided to jump on it.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 17:22

I am jealous, but I much more want a newer Street Triple . hhhnnngggg

Decay buys too many beaters > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/18/2018 at 17:29

I test rode one of them too, along with the new S peedy . But the difference from my 675 wasn’t huge. now the difference between the DR-Z and the 701 on the other hand...

CaptDale - is secretly British > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 17:33

Yeah it isn’t a huge difference between the street and the speed, but the speed just hits the rights spot for me. Always had. I wish I had gotten one of those instead of my stupid lovely Aprilia that you need in your garage.

Decay buys too many beaters > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/18/2018 at 17:46

Oh for sure, the speed is art. Every detail on it is pretty, while the street is more a case of form following function (which still ends up looking bad ass)

And here we are back on that prille r again. Well... with the purchase of a certain stupid S weedish dirt bike I’m a little tapped out for a while. Where are you at again though? I actually have a masochistic friend with 3 other A prilias in his garage, who might be interested :p

CaptDale - is secretly British > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 17:50

Central CA, so not too far away

Variance > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 20:50

Is that the MaxJax, or a different model of Danmar lift? How do you like it? I’ve been toying with the idea of installing a 2-post in my garage.

Decay buys too many beaters > Variance
10/18/2018 at 20:53

Yep, it’s a maxjax

I love it. Doesn’t lift high enough to stand under, but my ceiling doesn’t support that anyway. Makes dropping motors and subframes a piece of cake.

Manny05x > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 21:09

Holy shit thats baller. I love that bike you have 2 really good bikes. I dream of one day owning a tuono and a 701.

Decay buys too many beaters > Manny05x
10/18/2018 at 21:11

Funny, I was going to get a Tuono before I bought the T riple. But the section of the maintenance manual on valves gave me night terrors :p

Variance > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 22:01

Yeah, I think I would have a similar issue with ceiling height, which is why I was considering one of these lower-rise models. Does it lift high enough to sit under the car on one of those short rolling stools?

My only worry is that getting a lift will remove the only excuse I had for not buying an F355 years ago: the engine-out services.

Variance > Decay buys too many beaters
10/18/2018 at 22:01

My only worry is that getting a lift will remove the only excuse I had for not buying an F355 years ago: the engine-out services.

Decay buys too many beaters > Variance
10/18/2018 at 22:04

Yes 100%

A little over 4 feet max height

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Decay buys too many beaters
10/19/2018 at 14:15

Hey now, I need the monster to vibrate, otherwise how will I know it’s still running when I have ear plugs in!?

Decay buys too many beaters > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/19/2018 at 15:45

Obviously that means you need an exhaust... I didn’t even run the 701 without one :p

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Decay buys too many beaters
10/19/2018 at 16:00

Maybe I'll just take the exhaust off. Not just the muffler. The whole system.

Decay buys too many beaters > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/19/2018 at 16:08

I see nothing wrong with this. #weightReductionBro

Manny05x > Decay buys too many beaters
10/20/2018 at 10:00

Yeah the valves i hear can be very expensive. How is the reliability on the tripple?

Decay buys too many beaters > Manny05x
10/20/2018 at 10:55

So far great. A couple annoying but easy to fix oil leaks, but nothing that left me stranded. Most people view triumph as the European Honda in terms of reliability.

Manny05x > Decay buys too many beaters
10/21/2018 at 19:48

Thats really good to hear i love the tripple.