This morning Husqvarna's employees (or soon to be ex-employees) were featured on national television during a politics related talk show called Agorà. Here you can see the people that during the past years have contributed to build the bikes you are riding or wish to buy. If you go past 1 hour and 14 min you can see their faces. I know most of them, I worked with them, I know their story. I know how passionate they are about their work, they all loved Husqvarna maybe too much, because they never left the sinking boats even during the toughest time, even when the money wasn't enough to pay extra time salaries etc. At 1:38 there's Eng. Giovanni Bezzolato. "Bezz" was project leader of the SM/TE 610 at the time they introduced the injection system. To make sure his work was successful he decided to ride the first bike's prototype to Portugal and back by himself. Now you see him crying on TV because he does not know how he will take care of his kids. Those people were the soul of Husqvarna, which has been stepped on by those who came just for the profit, for the cars, the big houses with pools, the private schools for their kids, and did not care less if they ruined the whole thing in the process. This Husqvarna, you won't see anymore. So when you read on blogs and mags that Husqvarna is dead. Yes, it is true. So, if you want to finally meet these people, here's the link: http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-849f01c2-b112-4eba-9bcb-4dceaa993c33.html#p=
HuskyFede. I see passion and soul every time I look at my Husky's. They have a story behind them and I feel privileged to own and ride these bikes. I hope the employees get through this tough time and get back to what they love doing. Thanks.
That is sad indeed. However, KTM is not doing this to them. BMW did this. For something to be sold, it has to be put up for sale. At least KTM knows what a dirt bike is, and hopefully will take the brand back to its enduro and motocross roots. The average kid today gets interested in dirt bikes by watching Supercross on Sunday afternoons. Enduro and GNCC do not get enough airplay, so even though Husky is doing very well there, it does not do much with regard to promoting the brand. Hopefully KTM will get Husqvarna on the Supercross track so we can see them out there competing head to head with the KTMs and the Jap bikes. I pray that the Lord will provide for those in Italy who lost their jobs. Hopefully KTM will be a socially responsible buyer and do the right thing by them.
No excuses! BMW AND KTM will NEVER make ANYTHING that I will ever buy. I never have ... and never will do.
Sad story indeed. For ktm to trash these guys along with the factory and everything that goes with it shows no respect for the brand or its innovation and technical merits and most importantly its loyal customer base. Obviously ktm see no value in any of it - weird.
Loyalty aside, the customer base was not adequate to support the business. Husky in its recent iteration was going to die anyway. BMW ran it into the ground.
I hear what you are saying, but it didn't have to go the way it did. They should have consolidated to minimise their costs and ride out the economic downturn. Sales are there, just look at ktm & bmw motorad had their biggest years in 2012. I am no fan of bmw, but i think they were on the right track, just needed to stay the course and reign in some of the costs blowouts.
What happened in Italy is an interesting case study in what happens when there is a power imbalance between labor and management. Too much in favor of management and there is employee abuse. Too much in favor of labor, and it creates an untenable business environment. Either way, the endeavor eventually fails.
I think it has more to do with a dying industry as a whole. Husky was always a smaller manufacturer especially in comparison to BMW and KTM. KTM itself could not even sustain profits a decade ago and had to sell off to the indian company to survive. As several have suggested buying or building a dirt bike company makes little sense profit wise as this segment is dead. Race teams quitting all together (Kawasaki's huge off road effort, done), Japanese selling BNG for the last 6 years plus, dirt bike sales at an all time low, ride areas being closed. Not sure what AG has in mind but does not seem like a good move to try and make money in this industry. It is very unfortunate but true. Now we are seeing companies die or get handed around like candy as they die. Very sad.
Beta is a small, is making money, is family owned, introduced two new bikes this year and is not for sale. I will say it again greed and mismanagement are to blame plain and simple. If you want the truth about something just follow the money and all will become clear.
Everybody places blame on BMW, lets not forget it was for sale when they bought it. It has not been a company for its customers for years and years, it is a business and is treated as such. Seems like most of us here don't get it, Husky wasn't making bikes for us, they were doing it to make money. Cannot blame BMW, what they did makes business sense, like it or not. The business is alive, the brand died years ago.
Well said and should be said often, follow the money. Let's not forget that these workers in Italy they really are the losers in this slight of hand, we can always buy a different brand but they are on the street unemployed, not to mention the USA dealers who will be hurt. Only one winner in this game and none of us are it.........
Or rather bad business decisions, labor comes before capital always. Only in a rents seeking society does it not. Market manipulation does not require labor, so with that Italian artisans are persona-nongrada..................I wonder if i'll like my new TM?
True but I think it is somewhat EZer to be a small independant company, or a big huge company, its the middle ground size thats tough. Trying to be big and act big on a small budget is hard. If you know your small like Beta you run it efficient and clean. If your big you have money and momentum and support. Beta does well. BMW does well. Trying to be a big dirtbike company is the hard part, I just don't think there is the customers and industry to support it so we end up with one big manufacturer (KTM) and a bunch of small ones. There is no doubt that the industry is shrinking fast. Look at bike sales 10 and 20 years ago, crush the sales numbers now and there is a lot more people now. Land closures and kids wanting iPads instead of dirt bikes is to blame. I have heard GG and Beta and several other companies are also subsidised by their government so they survive. Not sure if this is true but know GG has been bailed out some. Also both those companies are trials bike manufactures first and foremost and that's their industry.
I agree 100% about the problem of being an "in the middle" sized company and I think that Norman said the same thing hereabouts a little while back. Too big to be "niche" and responsive to your core market, too small to benefit from those economies of scale. A cynic might say that all businesses are more or less government (taxpayer) subsidised - but the biggest (and most able to pay their own way) usually seem to get the biggest breaks! The problem of a shriking market is a tough one. here in the UK it just seems to be down to the phenomenon of motorcycling in general turning into a leisure pastime over the last couple of decades, rather than being the way of life that it once was. Kids just don't ride bikes any more, but the wider industry doesn't seem to care - it just keeps churning out the same old product to a dwindling (and ageing) demographic. I guess that the fact that the Japanese have pretty much bailed from all offroad bar short circuit racing doesn't help the profile of offroad riding either. Land access issues have always been a problem over here (it's not a big country!), but it's a chicken and egg situation - without an active community (with industry backing) access will dry up further. Grass roots and all that. Heh, the guy with the WR125 has just brapped past my flat on the back wheel. At least he's still living the dream!
Here's a thought, if you know these people personally, would there be a way you could make a tribute page on some social network, where US proud husky owners could publically thank them for all the hard work and dedication and wish them all the best. I love my 250/ 450/ 530 and can't see myself selling either of them.
I like it, someone make this happen. A "we thank you for these cool bikes" page might if nothing else, let them know we appreciate there love and fire for the brand.
We all still need to remember one thing. No one really knows whats going on. I am not so sure Husky's will not be made in Italy. Does anyone really know?? There are lots of big statements being made that I am not so sure are accurate. I'm hoping the factory shutdown is a temporary one. While SP and KTM sort out the BMW mess and dare i say slight cover up. And of course like everyone pay the workers less. Who really knows. Husaberg was basically created by some upset people. Who's to say if this thing blows up someone in Italy (AKA Cagiva for example) don't get going again??? To much and I mean way to much drama. God forbid this becomes and end to and era I never thought would end it will be one sad day. Bet your I will not even ask my wife for permission and I will grab a new Husky while I can!
