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Husqvarna Introduces Production SVARTPILEN 701 and VITPILEN 701 AERO Concept (with video)

INFO SECTION VITPILEN 701 AERO Concept:

VITPILEN 701 AERO CONCEPT:

One sentence:

The VITPILEN 701 AERO is a progressive new motorcycle concept with a powerful, modern, single-cylinder engine contrasted with a simple, classic, faired-racer design – fulfilling the paradox that defines Husqvarna Motorcycles’ street range.

Short version:

The VITPILEN 701 AERO is a progressive new motorcycle concept that pays respect to an era that changed the way people thought about motorcycling. Underneath its unique bodywork, and in contrast to its classic style, is a progressive motorcycle with modern electronics and a powerful, single-cylinder motor. The distinctive mix of appealing design and exhilarating performance delivers an experience that recaptures the pure and simple thrill of riding a motorcycle.

Long version:

The VITPILEN 701 AERO concept is a modern faired sport bike with an innovative design approach that pays respect to the past in a uniquely progressive way. Its sporty look hints at the potential for a more performance-oriented future for the Husqvarna Motorcycles street range. By taking a closer look at the fairing, you can see how the design elements of every aspect of this bike have been thoroughly thought out and well executed, even the unseen details of the fairing have an air of elegance to them. Although the fairing structure is purely technical, all the parts speak the same design language, including the unique, round TFT display. The paint job for this bike is something special, but underneath the coat of blue and white is a powerful single-cylinder engine with modern electronics. The windshield completely changes the position of the cockpit, encouraging a lower, more locked-in position, for a fully immersive riding experience.

TFT display

Unique to the VITPILEN 701 AERO is a component that highlights the ongoing evolution of the design synergy between simple form and progressive function. Mounted at the heart of the cockpit, is an immaculately constructed round, full color TFT display, shaped to perfectly match the design language of the motorcycle. Its simple form and typically reduced Husqvarna Motorcycles style should not be mistaken for basic function, as this display version highlights the option to change several interface elements. The VITPILEN 701 AERO concept was the perfect platform to showcase this new component and to further emphasise Husqvarna Motorcycles’ intention to continue to pioneer new territory.


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51 Comments

  1. Road Toad says:

    Are you F-ing kidding me? Better go find those guys you fired who designed the Nuda.

  2. todd says:

    I don’t get how the Svartpilen 401 is so much better looking than the Svartpilen 701. And half the price to boot!

  3. Don M. says:

    OMG, is this a joke? Ugliest bike EVERRRRRRRRR!

  4. Anonymous says:

    This article is like those stories you see all the time trying to convince us that Sweden is The Best Country To Live In in the world. Uhm, nope…

  5. mongrel says:

    It’s like looking at a locomotive, not a pretty one either. Sorry to all of you locomotive fans out there.

  6. Privateer says:

    Look at the Benelli above this one. ‘Nuf said…

  7. Anonymous says:

    It looks like the love child of an SRX400 and a V-max. But not in a good way.

    • richard says:

      i sell them..they are all young buyers….its the cutting edge style…comments from older guys is typical..they are not the buyers

      • Dino says:

        I worry for the future. This old guy thinks the design committee should have at least talked about what they wanted to design, before they shipped the plans off to the factory to build this Frankenbike.

  8. TimC says:

    Styling by East Germany

  9. Tim says:

    Wow, who are the people who hire the bike designers at Husqvarna? It’s time to completely clean house, starting with the people who hired them in the first place.

  10. Neil says:

    I’m just a motorcycle fan. I like the fact that you’re not going to go anywhere on these things and not have a crowd around you and who doesn’t want to steal a ride on one? The point IS to be different, to be that mechanical kind of “ugliness” that is what the others are not. The KTM Duke 790 is not exactly a looker. Why not just make it look like the old 1970’s Husqvarna dirt bikes then? That raw elemental design is the point.

  11. MGNorge says:

    From looks alone it leaves me thinking it was designed from puzzle pieces put together from various bikes of all kinds. There is a purposefulness to its design but it’s not fluid, not beautiful. It’s new, it’s old, it’s… what is it?

  12. Grover says:

    It’s funny how manufacturers write pages of ad copy when all the rider wants to know is: price, weight and horsepower (usually the three items they leave out.)

  13. John F says:

    Remember when Gold Wings were naked, then Vetter made fairings and saddle bags and turned them into touring motorcycles? Honda saw what people were doing and the Aspencade was born. A Gold Wing Touring bike with factory fairing and luggage.
    Husqvarna sees what Hipsters are doing to motorcycles and have following what Honda did by providing those with limited mechanical abilities a factory Hipster look. An ugly bike from the factory.

    I am a new owner of a 2018 Husqvarna 701SM and it’s a gorgeous machine with the same engine. Although with a narrow seat at at 36″ in height, not for everyone.

  14. John says:

    How many different sequestered design teams were involved in this? The tail section is right out of the 70s.

  15. Jabe says:

    When I look at this bike I think back to that ugly chick I took to the prom.

  16. WSHart says:

    The Yoko Ono of the motorcycling world. How did Yoko get her last name?

    When John Lennon saw her naked for the first time. This thing is Yoko Ono hideous.

  17. My2cents says:

    Phyllis Diller of motorcycles, I try to find a way to like any motorcycle, this is among a few that simply are an unwanted orphan from a hideous one night stand.

  18. RonH says:

    … and as usual a stupid video not highlighting the motorcycle, only flashes of the bike and describing the thrill of riding. Like all other intro videos.

  19. RonH says:

    Definitely ugly. Back to a single front disk? Nice. To bad KTM killed off Husaberg and kept Husky.

    • SausageCreature says:

      Well, you could peel off the Husqvarna stickers and replace them Husaberg stickers you find online or whatever. I’m sure that’s the only practical difference there would be.

      They’d still be building what KTM tells them to build, using parts supplied by KTM or some third party. And they’d still probably name the bike something that at first glance makes you think “shart” except with more old-world sophistication because it’s like the Swedish version of “shart” or something.

      • RonH says:

        Yeah, you’re right. I guess it would have been best if KTM didn’t buy out either Husky or Husaberg.

  20. austin zzr 1200 says:

    I think IRL this thing would look pretty cool. Unfortunately, it lost a lot between prototype to production model

  21. Wendy says:

    Wow, what an ugly bike. I usually like radical styling but these arrows miss the mark.

  22. MacSpoone says:

    Nope.
    This thing is ugly.
    I don’t care *how* good it is.
    It’s fuggin’ ugly.

  23. clasqm says:

    People, don’t be so unkind! Can’t you see this poor bike has advanced cancer of the sidepanel?

  24. Spiderwatts says:

    I’m putting this comment here to cover all the new bikes motorcycle daily showed us over the last couple days. It is amazing! We are living in the greatest time! What a great selection of bikes. Something for everyone! How people can nitpick any tiny little thing no matter what it concerns is flabbergasting. I can imagine Jesus returning to Earth again and there would still be people complaining and crucifying him again.
    Relish the huge selection of these marvels of engineering and manufacture.
    It’s kind of humorous. If most people learned about engines, internal combustion, and the manufacturing process they would think it was voodoo.
    It will be exciting to hear how these bikes ride and perform. Pity the nitpickers and whining non riders who are missing out.

    • bmbktmracer says:

      Maybe negative opinions keep us from spending every last dime on motorcycles. Hah, can’t buy the GS because of the beak. Ooops, sorry KTM, the mattle black plastic doesn’t work for me. Otherwise, we’d all have motorcycles and no wife, house, or savings account.

  25. Gham says:

    This is really one of the only new bikes I’ve ever seen that I took one look and just skipped to the comments,it is that unappealing to me.

  26. mickey says:

    Makes the new neo retro Honda 1000 look attractive

  27. WSHart says:

    Stupid fugly in the same way the AMC Pacer was stupid fugly. Were she alive today, Helen Keller could’ve done a better design. Apparently the “bare essence of what a motorcycle should be” is Dorian Gray FUGLY.

    Question: What were they thinking?

    Answer: They weren’t.

    And here I thought Mole Rats were the fugliest things on the planet…FTN.

  28. tyg says:

    Looks like someone took the back end off with a chain saw… or maybe it got tagged in the back by a lifted truck and the rear subframe was crammed under the seat?

    • Bart says:

      I had similar chainsaw massacre thoughts. Only thing they left out was spray painting the whole bike with RrihnoLiner.

  29. blitz11 says:

    WAY prefer my Duke 690. To me, this Husky is really unattractive.

  30. CrazyJoe says:

    I’ve been saying the fairing on sports bike more and more forward eventually covering the front wheel. But looking at the Aero it suddenly hit me why the backend has disappeared from most modern bikes. You see everything is moving forward on motorcycles. Soon the seat will be in front of the handle bars along with the gas tank. These Scandanavians are brilliant.

  31. tuskerdu says:

    72′ AMC Gremlin.

  32. joe b says:

    I usually dont just comment how I dont like how something looks, but this bike just looks terrible. its not the tank seams or a beak front fender, or “an empty space where the shocks should be”, it just has no STYLE. Neither does it look utilitarian. I wont call it ugly, too many other bikes are that, this one is just disjointed, boxy, I’m at a lost to describe it.

  33. Jeremy in TX says:

    I know these designs are polarizing, but I think they are fantastic.

    • Zuki says:

      I like them as well, although the Svartpilen’s left side does look a bit better than the right without that filler piece. At first glance the ducktail sorta reminded me of the original Kawasaki H2’s, which was somewhat polarizing as well back in the day.

  34. Miles Rydden says:

    Those are very interesting names to pronounce. Most already shorten the brand name to “Husky” to avoid that one. The back end is totally lost. They shortened the rear yet added the big black side panels under the sub frame that break up the whole minimalist look. Incredibly boxy design. They are one-upping the Japanese street bikes’ Transformer-look which is a bad thing.And who thought the Harley rear fender was a good idea?

  35. pete boyd says:

    I wouldn’t want to have to pronounce those names when saying what I ride. Even the brand name is relegated to “Husky” most of the time. And yes, the rear end is lost. Why crop it off just to ruin the lines with the big black thing below the sub-frame. I thought Japanese street bikes were getting weird. Now it appears to be a global effort.

  36. Uncle Stashu says:

    Whiskey Tango Foxtrot????

  37. Dave says:

    I’m a KTM guy, have been for many years. These Huskies are just disgusting to look at. I wish them the best though.
    Yuck!
    If you want a great single get the 690 Duke.

  38. Orgi says:

    I know looks aren’t everything, but come on!

  39. Mark says:

    Where’d the back end of the bike go?
    No thanks.

  40. Tommy D says:

    Wow that Aero would make a great spec class racer. Hmmmmm Super Singles anyone?

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