Husqvarna 701 Supermoto Vs. FS 450: What's The Difference Between These Motorcycles?

While it might not be a household name in the United States, Husqvarna is a long-running motorcycle manufacturer. Its reputation has largely been made overseas, but you can pick up the motorcycles in the U.S., and there are plenty of picks to choose from. Two that might've caught your attention are the 701 Supermoto and FS 450. From a quick glance, the engine differences might have you thinking the two aren't all that alike, but the pair of bikes have quite a few similarities.

As the numbers in the names might suggest, the 701 Supermoto has a 693cc engine while the FS 450 has a much more modest 450cc motor. Keep in mind this isn't the be-all end-all for performance and power, but generally, it's a good indicator. Typically, new riders stick with the lower displacement engines to start, but that doesn't mean you can't jump straight to the bigger engine if you're willing to put in the time and effort to learn. That said, these bikes are tailored toward seasoned riders. Despite the engine differences, they are priced similarly, which could lead to comparisons. The FS 450's MSRP begins at $11,999 while the 701 Supermoto starts at $12,999. 

The Husqvarna FS 450 is a bike made with racers in mind. In fact, the FS 450 isn't street legal off the lot, so even if you hope to use this as something to zip around the city, it's not possible unless you want to start racking up fines. This isn't uncommon with bikes built for racetracks as the Kawasaki Ninja H2R suffered a similar fate.  While the lower displacement might have you thinking it's a good starter bike, that's not the case here. In a review of the 2019 model, Motorcycle pointed out its apparent right away that it's not for a beginner. There's no speedometer to know for certain, but it's estimated the bike can top out at about 90 mph.

Not being street legal cuts off a lot of would-be buyers, so this is something tailor made for enthusiasts. If racing on closed tracks is something you yearn for, then the FS 450 is made with you in mind. Lots of design decisions went into squeezing out the best performance possible ranging from a lightweight 59-pound engine to a hydraulic clutch that requires almost no maintenance. If you want something from Husqvarna that you can still ride to work with having to customize it after the purchase, the Supermoto 701 is more up your alley.

Like the FS 450, the Supermoto 701 is a bike that works well on the race track, but it's something that performs well on the city streets, too. If you're familiar with how the FS 450 works, there are a lot of similarities with the Supermoto 701, plus a key benefit. Unlike the 450, the 701 is street-legal upon purchase. It's certainly overkill for simply driving to work, so you'll want to make sure you have other plans for the bike outside of that.

The 701 is heavier at 324 pounds compared to the 450's much lighter weight of 237 pounds. Despite that, the 701 is better suited for street traveling thanks to its 6-speed transmission and different riding modes. The Supermoto 701 comes with two ride modes to pick between with one giving more optimized street riding while the other focuses on racing. The Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is available as well, but only for the front tire as Husqvarna leaves the rear wheel free for the rider to control. The Supermoto 702 can reach a top speed of over 120 mph.

Both Husqvarna bikes are made with thrill seekers in mind, but they do end up targeting different types of riders in the end. Riders who want a fun work commute with the option to race will gravitate toward the 701. Racers will get a kick out of the FS 450, and save about $1,000 in the process. The Supermoto 701 still isn't a great bike for touring as a 3.4 gallon gas tank isn't large and you have nowhere to store anything, but it fares better than the FS 450 and its 1.8 gallon tank.

With that said, you might find it underwhelming if you're making an upgrade from the FS 450 to the 701. The Cycle News review notes the good performance of the 450 made the 701 not feel like a gigantic leap forward. While the 701 might be faster, it comes at the cost of being much heavier. That's not inherently a bad thing, but nearly 100 pounds will be a noticeable difference if you're making an upgrade.