Jeff Pamer: Recently, I made a decision that I needed a new bike. So, on the web I went, but let’s face it, I was probably there already. What do we do when we’re up to date on all the things the internet has to offer in motorcycling? Well, you reach out to the other people you know that are even more up to date on all things motorcycling. You go out, get beer, and you start to discuss. I happen to be lucky enough to have one Abhi Eswarappa at my disposal, so there we went. One of the first bikes that Abhi suggested to me was one of the new Husqvarna’s. I had to admit, I was well aware of them, but didn’t know enough to have a really strong opinion about the brand. Lucky for me, there was a lot of history to unpack.
Reminiscent of BSA, Husqvarna started out making guns. Muskets, more specifically, because they were founded in 1689, long before anything we recognize as a gun was even invented. If you’ll indulge another comparison, the Husqvarna logo is reminiscent of Yamaha’s. Yamaha’s logo is three tuning forks calling back to the piano’s they produced before motorcycles, and Husqvarna’s logo is to represent the view you would have looking down the sights of a rifle. In 1903 the Swedish company, lucky for us, moved from making bicycles, to motorcycles. Husqvarna has had not only a rich racing history on the track, but also in the dirt making them well known for their dirt and enduro bikes. They have also, like any long-standing motorbike company worth their salt have been owned by a number of companies. Husqvarna most notably has been owned by BMW and most recently in 2013 was purchased by KTM. In 2014 Husqvarna launched its re-entry into the street bike market with the 401 Vipilen and Svartpilen.
The Vitpilen 701 was first teased at the 2015 EICMA, and in 28 months they had the bike on the showroom floors. The frame is taken from the KTM Duke 690, but I wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at it. It is powered by a 692.7cc single cylinder engine producing 75 horsepower and 53 ft-lbs of torque. Ari Henning did a full write up on the 701 for Cycle World that details the bike better that I could. What I can say? It’s one of the most striking bikes on the market today.
This 2019 Vitpilen is actually prettier than the one out of the showroom. The owner has done a remarkably good job taking a beautiful bike and making it better with a mix of Husqvarna factory option spoked wheels, a Leo Vance Mid Pipe silencer, NGR tail tidy, and a number of other upgrades detailed in the posting. I really don’t know if there’s too many other bikes in showrooms currently that are so beautiful.
Find this Vitpilen for sale in Laguna Hills, California for $8,750 here on Craigslist.
Editor’s Note: The MSRP of the 2019 Vitpilen was $11,999, which makes this asking price seem like a reasonable discount. However, the seller’s biggest problem is the 2020 Vitpilen, as Husky has dropped the price down to $9,499 (plus $550 freight). I don’t know if I care for the blue/white paint job of the new bike, but let us know what you prefer…
