Okay, so I finally got my hands on a Husqvarna 701 Enduro. I’ve been eyeing this thing for ages, and let me tell you, the hype is real. But it wasn’t just a “buy it and ride it” kind of deal. There were a few things I wanted to do to make it truly mine.
Getting Started
First thing’s first, I picked up the bike from the dealership. The feeling of rolling it out, all shiny and new, was awesome. I spent the first few days just getting used to the feel of it. The power is…intense. It’s a big single-cylinder engine, so it’s got a ton of torque, which took some getting used to. No smooth, gentle acceleration here – it’s all raw power!
The Modifications Begin
After the initial excitement wore off, I started thinking about what I wanted to change. The stock exhaust, while functional, was a bit too quiet for my taste. I wanted something with a bit more growl. So, I ordered an aftermarket slip-on exhaust. I am not good at all the assembling stuff, but I tried.
- Unbolted the stock exhaust. This was surprisingly easy, just a few bolts and it came right off.
- Struggled a bit with fitting the new slip-on. The instructions weren’t super clear, but after some fiddling (and a few curse words), I managed to get it on.
- Tightened everything up, making sure it was all secure.
The sound difference was immediately noticeable. Much deeper, much throatier. Exactly what I was looking for!
Protection is Key
Next up, I knew I needed some better protection. I plan on taking this bike off-road, and the stock plastic skid plate wasn’t going to cut it. I went with a heavy-duty aluminum skid plate that covers more of the engine.
Installing it was pretty straightforward. I just had to remove the old one and bolt on the new one. The only tricky part was lining up all the bolt holes, but with a little patience, I got it done.
More to Come
This is just the beginning, of course. I’ve got a whole list of other things I want to do: handguards, maybe some different tires, and definitely some better lighting. It’s a work in progress, but that’s half the fun, right? Turning a great bike into my perfect bike. I’m really looking forward to getting it out on some trails and seeing what it can really do!
