Large single-cylinder engines have not disappeared from off-road motorcycles approved for the road. In fact, KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas They continue to bet on an architecture that combines high displacement, low weight and power that not so many years ago seemed reserved for engines with 2 or more cylinders.
And there is one fact that perfectly summarizes how far this technology has come: the LC4 692.7 cc used by KTM and Husqvarna currently reaches 79 hp with 73 Nm of torque. Furthermore, in the case of the 701 Enduro 2026, Husqvarna It also declares a weight of 152 kg without fuel and 13.5 liters of tank.
The LC4 continues to be the benchmark
The absolute protagonist of this story is the well-known LC4 of KTM. The 692.7 cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled single-cylinder remains one of the highest-performance engines among road-approved enduro motorcycles. The Austrian brand thus continues to offer a mechanics that can perform on the road and, at the same time, maintain a configuration clearly oriented towards off-road use.
Of course, in all of them, the cycle part is on par with the engine figures, with suspensions WP XPLOR21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel, as well as a seat height that reaches 935 mm. It is a combination that makes it clear that we are not dealing with machines designed only to circulate on simple tracks.
KTM 690 Enduro R: 79 HP and 73 Nm
The 690 Enduro R is probably the most direct expression of this philosophy. His LC4 693 cc delivery 79 hp and 73 Nm, while the chassis uses a fork WP XPLOR 48 mm and 265 mm travel and a rear system with 250 mm travel. One of its most particular elements is the integration of the fuel tank in the rear, a solution that keeps the front area clear and helps to centralize the mass of the assembly.
With 12,249 euros base price in Spain for 2026, continues to be one of the most special proposals on the market for those looking for a motorcycle capable of combining asphalt and off-road driving without resorting to a twin-cylinder.
Husqvarna 701 Enduro: same recipe, different character
The other main protagonist is the Husqvarna 701 Enduro. Mechanically it shares the base LC4 with the KTM and achieves exactly the same 79 hp and 73 Nm. The 701 Enduro 2026 It declares 152 kg without fuel, 13.5 liters of capacity and 935 mm of seat height. It also maintains the suspensions WP XPLORwith 265 mm of travel at the front and 250 mm at the rear.
Its base price in Spain currently starts from 12,249 eurosso the differences with respect to the KTM They are mainly in the design, tuning and personality of each brand, rather than in the mechanical architecture.
GasGas ES 700: 74 HP for a more accessible recipe
The third member of this family is GasGas ES 700. Its 692.7 cc single-cylinder engine develops 74 hp at 8,000 rpm and 73.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The brand also maintains a clearly dual approach, with a cycle part prepared to alternate road and trails. The ES 700 use suspensions W.P. and 21 and 18 inch wheels, while the engine maintains maintenance intervals of 10,000 km.
It is a slightly less radical formula than that of its sisters. KTM and Husqvarnabut it continues to demonstrate how far a single cylinder can go when a displacement close to 700 cc is combined with modern electronics and engineering. Its price, 11,449 euros.
But, the 77.5 HP Ducati appears
There is an exception that deserves to appear on any list of powerful single cylinders, even if its natural setting is not enduro: Ducati. The Hypermotard 698 Mono use a Superquadro Mono of 659 cc that develops 77.5 hp at 9,750 rpm and 63 Nm at 8,000 rpm. That is, it remains just 1.5 hp below the KTM and Husqvarna 693 cc.
Besides, Ducati maintains this engine as a true piece of high technology: desmodromic distribution, 4 valves and 2 counter-rotating shafts to reduce the vibrations typical of a single-cylinder with such performance. The range has even been expanded in 2026 with the Hypermotard 698 Mono Nerawhich preserves the 77.5 hp and reaches the European market from 13,990 euros.
Kove 450 Rally: less power, more adventurous orientation
Below the large European single cylinders, a proposal appears with a different approach: the Kove 450 Rally. Its interest is not in trying to match the almost 80 hp of the KTMbut to offer a lightweight motorcycle focused on long-distance trips on complicated tracks and terrain. The 450 Rally It has also gained an image especially linked to the Dakar and the competition.
In the Spanish market you can currently find new units announced since 7,990 eurosalthough the published power figures vary depending on the version and market, so it is advisable to check the specific data sheet of the unit before comparing its performance directly with the KTM, Husqvarna either GasGas.
A cylinder that refuses to disappear
The rise of twin-cylinder trail bikes might make you think that the days of large single-cylinder bikes are numbered, but these bikes prove just the opposite. KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas They continue to bet on an architecture that offers a very specific combination: relatively compact mechanics, low weight and strong power delivery.
And the data of 79 hp It has even more merit when you remember that we are talking about a single piston. The KTM 690 Enduro R and the Husqvarna 701 Enduro They show that the modern single-cylinder can still compete in power figures with much more complex engines. And, let’s hope that for many years…
