Husqvarna 701 Supermoto Archy

Built for a London client who rides his bike every day, the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto “Archy” had to be a city commuter, a weekend adventure bike and comfortable enough for a pillion, grab handles included. The client summed up his wishes on a single page, among them a tubular rear frame, an aluminium tank and an Alcantara seat. The 2014 701 arrived at the workshop practically stock, apart from a Dynojet Power Commander. ASE replaced the 701's plastic rear section, which doubles as the fuel tank on the stock bike, with a steel tubular subframe in the style of the trellis frame up front. Because an aluminium tank in that space holds less fuel, the stock airbox above the engine had to go; a DNA pod filter frees up room there for the battery, fuses and relays. The tank itself is made from around 20 individually shaped aluminium pieces, fitted section by section under the new frame and mostly ground smooth. It sits on isolating mounts, looks as if it were floating and holds only about 1.5 litres less than the original. Radiator cowls and tail section were shaped from aluminium on an English wheel, and the covers and heat shield are carbon fibre. The seat got new, more comfortable foam with a small hump for support under acceleration and a charcoal Alcantara cover with yellow contrast stitching. The livery in black, brushed aluminium and fluorescent yellow quotes the Husqvarna scramblers of the 1970s with their bare aluminium “window” in the tank. With the pod filter and a new tune, the workshop estimates the power gain at 25 to 30 percent. 240 hours were billed. Archy was shown at the 2022 Bike Shed Show in London and featured by Pipeburn and Bikebound; the owner named it after the character in Guy Ritchie's film “RocknRolla”.