Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 Review
"A flawed but genuinely exciting single that rewards committed riders."
Used Buyer Review
The Svartpilen 701 is one of those bikes that rewards riders who actually know what they're getting into. Powered by the same KTM 690 Duke engine, it pulls hard from low rpm and sounds genuinely aggressive through a quality aftermarket exhaust. The scrambler-ish styling is legitimately cool rather than costume-party pastiche, and the WP suspension handles mixed surfaces better than you'd expect for a road-biased machine. Just know what you're signing up for. Used examples need careful inspection around the fuel pump and throttle body — early units had gremlins there. The 4.5-litre tank is genuinely painful for touring, and service intervals sneak up fast on hard-ridden examples. Always ask for service history because the trellis frame hides stress points that an untrained eye misses. Inspect the swingarm pivot area specifically. Buy one in good shape and you've got something genuinely special — a single-cylinder that actually pulls its weight at speed without feeling like punishment. Terrible choice for commuting daily. Perfect choice for everything else.
Pros
Cons
You need daily commuter reliability without compromise
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