At the beginning of the 20th century, there were
literally hundreds of companies around the world building motor-cycles, all
vying to capitalize on the burgeoning new industry of powered, two-wheel
transportation. Unfor-tunately, despite intense passion and wild seeds of
invention, manufacturing proved to be an ephemeral pursuit for most—the list of
still-active brands that can boast a 100-year anniversary is excruciatingly
short.
 RIDING STYLE
Helmet: Dainese Contender
Goggles: Scott NoSweat
Leathers: Alpinestars GPU
Gloves: Alpinestars GP
Boots: Alpinestars
Tech 6. (Click image to enlarge)
Sharing the mantle with Harley-Davidson in this rare
milestone is Husqvarna. Founded in Sweden in 1689 as a weapons forge
specializing in muskets, Husqvarna built its first motorcycle in 1903—the same
year the Wright brothers took to the air at Kitty Hawk. Devoted to the
importance of racing in the development of its machines, the company won
numerous off-road world championships as well as national titles around the
world in everything from Swedish motocross to American desert racing. However,
serious opposition from the Japanese and a shift in corp-orate focus in the
1980s Husqvarna had remained a widely diversified company with a range of
products from sewing machines to chainsaws—caused Husqvarna motorcycles to find
itself on the brink of succumbing to the same fate of many of those other
erstwhile machines.
Enter Italian-based Cagiva, the company that later
resurrected the vaunted MV Agusta marque. In 1987, Cagiva purchased Husqvarna
and set out to revitalize the legendary brand. The rapidly growing supermoto
market segment is the platform for Cagiva’s latest attempt to restore the
Husqvarna name to its former greatness. (Click images to enlarge)
The Husqvarna SM 610 is a
street-legal supermoto-based motorcycle intended for daily commutes and light
transportation, as well as a fun weekend canyon-carving tool. If you have ever
ridden a motocross bike, you can imagine the end result of combining
feather-light weight, sharp handling and explosive motor response with tires
designed for on-pavement stickiness.
The razor-thin Husqvarna feels alien to
what most of us have come to expect from a road-going motorcycle. The slim
profile, wide motocross handlebars and agile handling makes riding
the Husqvarna on tight canyon roads akin to slalom skiing, as it is capable
of producing an engaging rhythm—flicking the machine back and forth through
corners in a kind of sinuous ballet. In fact, in the case of the SM 610, you
will find yourself seeking out those tight canyon roads you may have
traditionally avoided in the past, on a slower turning, less maneuverable sport
machine. As the SM is based on an off-road machine with long-travel suspension,
it is open to exploring roads with less than stellar surfaces, though you must
remain aware of the pure-street tire selection.
A 576cc liquid-cooled single
cylinder four-stroke engine with the expected double overhead cams and
four-valve head powers the SM 610. The engine pumps out 53 hp at 7,000 rpm,
which may not sound like much, but you have to consider it is only pushing 312
pounds of motorcycle. Also benefiting from the low weight, the single 320mm
front brake disc and Brembo caliper is more than adequate to get the 610 stopped
in a hurry.
In keeping with its heritage, Husqvarna uses the finest
components and craftsmanship throughout. Hefty 43mm Marzocchi inverted
forks handle the suspension on the front with a progressive-linkage Sachs shock
at the rear.
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