So last year I said that the Vippillen 701 was my favourite bike of 2019 and funnily enough an exactly a year later we got another one alone. So the question that I've got is a year later do I still feel the same way about this bike? There is something pretty special about the Vippillen. It's futuristic cafe race aligns, a gorgeous paint scheme, spoked wheels, the new 2020 model just looks awesome but you'd be wrong to write it off as a bike that is all show and no go. The Vippillen 701 absolutely rocks. The combination of the 75 horsepower single cylinder lump with 158 kilos dry weight make for a really fast and usable road going motorcycle. What I mean by that is that the majority of the action is sub 100 miles an hour, the feeling, the power, the torque, all the oomph can be experienced at realistic legal speeds with mid-range punch being its forte and it makes for super easy overtaking. Hanging on to gears up to the red line and banging up the quick shifter is a real joy. As a pure entertainment package and if you like doing wheelies the odd burn out or stoppy there aren't many bikes out there that deliver like this does. We clock the Vippillen at 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds and 0 to 100 miles an hour in 8.4 seconds. Just for fun we also pitched it against my own GSXR 750 and up to around the legal 70 miles an hour speed limit amazingly the Vippillen had been in the lead and was way ahead up to around 50 miles an hour. The Vippillen is much easier to launch consistently fast off the line in comparison to the GSXR's inline form motor where all the power is up the higher RPMs. In the rare occasion that we had the traction control turned on the anti-wheeling on the Vippillen proved fantastic enabling us to put all of that power down onto the tarmac. Of course it goes without saying that the GSXR killed it in the highest speeds. It is true that a perfect launch on a Pk750 is a bit of an art form but we weren't holding back. During the run we're looking at right now we hit a 0 to 100 miles an hour time in 5.7 and 0 to 140 in 10 seconds flat. But unlike my GSXR which will do 120 miles an hour in second gear the Vippillen delivers similar fun you'll just retain your license at the end of it and it is the perfect tool at shoving you corner to corner on twisty and scenic roads. The electronics package is pretty straightforward it's got good traction control anti-wheeling and ABS is automatically applied when you turn the bike on and this keeps the punch and wheeling nature of the bike nicely in control and then you can simply turn it off by pressing and holding a few buttons. The dash is pretty simple too but it tells you what you need to know and matches the styling of the bike. The handling of the Vippillen is fantastic I actually raised one at Lidon Hill last year and for short tracks it's hard to think of a bike that would be more satisfying to ride. Yes on longer tracks you are going to get monster on the straights but the Vippillen still delivers a massive grin. The way that Husqvarna have set this bike up for the road is just fantastic. In our 7-0 1 in Joro the gearing is much shorter and the bike overall is much more vibey. The Vippillen on the other hand is as smooth as a big single can be. The gearing is a lot longer and 70 miles an hour in 6th gear is genuinely all day comfortable. Now unlike a lot of middle weights out there the Vippillen is made from really high quality components. Case in point the WPAPEC suspension provides a really well damped and comfortable ride on the road yet sporty enough as well to provide great handling. It's also adjustable too in the compression and rebound so you can really tweak that to get it right for you without getting too overwhelmed. At first glance the brake set up looks a bit lacking with a one-disc affair up the front but it doesn't take you long to work out. Actually the setup is pretty fantastic. You've got braided lines, you've got a brembo master cylinder and caliper and that combines with the lightweight to make a really fantastic setup. Complementing the handling package are a set of Bridgestone S21 tires a really nice and sporty tire with very good performance in the cold and wet and really match the performance here. The riding position is also fantastic. The Vippillen feels like it's relatively short and compact like most KTM naked bikes do but it's engaging and you feel connected to the road. The rear seat is quite high which may put shorter riders off a little but once on the go it creates a really nicely poised position. No the Vippillen isn't perfect, goes without saying the bike isn't the roomiest. There's very little in terms of weather protection, you can't take a pillion with this bike and also the seat is absolutely rock hard and unfortunately the rear fender ends up looking like your Granddad's wife fronts. We've skid marks included. The Viby single cylinder characteristics aren't entirely hidden. Case in point the view in the rear view mirror is a total mushy out-of-focus mess and that is unless you physically grab and hold that mirror in place. And nor do I imagine this bike to be on the wish list of older generations who may want a more relaxed ride offered by a bike like a GS for example but those things aside for a second as a road going riders bike all of these ingredients combine to make what is in my opinion one of the finest road going and legally fun bikes on the market. You see in order to get the most out of the roads that we have you really don't need 200 horsepower or tire shredding torque. You don't need a bike that's going to do 120 in second gear. In fact I'd go as far to say that on the Vibpillen I would keep up with any sports bike or super naked on the road assuming that both riders were being at least vaguely aware of speed limits. At the end of the day on the road you don't need the latest electronics or technology you probably don't need the best brembo brakes either the stickiest tires or the raciest suspension. And ultimately that is why the Vibpillen is so good it has all of the right ingredients in exactly the right quantities for a fantastic ride on the road it waste nothing in its delivery and it's served in a package that just looks fantastic and that for me at least is why the Vibpillen is absolutely awesome.