Husqvarna 401s

[Easy-X]

I don't know why but I'm still drawn to the whole Duke 390 / Svartpilen / Vitpilen platform. Would it replace my XSR or complement it? Don't know but my father-in-law has offered to store any spare bike(s) in his garage which is my main impediment to multi-bike ownership

Anyhoo, there seem to be a few pre-2020 bikes floating about pretty cheap but the quirk I found in the market is unsold Vitpilens (café racer clip-ons) for around the same money as second hand Svarpilens (faux-scrambler.) A kit to convert one handlebar type to the other is around £300 and easy work so really it boils down to the following changes with the post-2020 models:

Adjustable suspension, quickshifter, longer subframe (panels aren't interchangeable with pre-2020 models) hex-head nuts instead of torx, steel fuel tank (previously plastic) and Euro5 replacing Euro4 emissions control. Oh and pre-2020 the bikes were assembled in Austria but now they're wholly made in India.

There's about £1000~£1500 between the low end of the second-hand market and discounted new bikes so the question is are the aforementioned features worth more than a grand
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[to v or not to v]

dont think my feet would reach the ground on one of them
seem to be a lot of build quality/reliability issues with them too.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

only ever hear bad things about the 390
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[grr666]

I like them too.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Easy-X]

[P.]

Get a duke 690 instead.

[grr666]

Or the 701 variant which is more or less the same thing.

[A100man]

I prefer the Huskys to the KTM cool looking tank etc..
..BUT I can't get used to the current fad of the truncated rear.

Heaven forbid you ever want to carry any luggage or a pillion, and don't get me started on the selfie-stick number plates, wtf is wrong with a rear mudguard?
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Easy-X]

If/when I get one the general plan would be to reduce weight wherever possible, that tyre-hugger number plate thing would be the first on the list to go and probably a single pipe exhaust system after that. One of those gamer min-max themes

Something like the DRZ400SM is comparable weight/size/power but the seat height would be way too much for me. As for the 701 and Duke 690/790 pretty much the same class of bike as my XSR, not much of a contrast.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[A100man]

[P.]

The Duke 690 and an XSR are incredibly different

Cc does not a bike make. I've had probably 50 bikes now, the KTM is probably up there with my Street Triple in terms of incredible bikes.

The XSR I rode was shite in comparison. Go try one for sure, but don't think it's too similar to yours, no way