Only because you drank the orange kool aid. Didn't you get the memo, despite KTMs being sold in many multiples of anything Husky has done in the past 20 years, KTM is incapable of making a good bike. Makes sense right? Just picked up a KDX220 to play with until I see if Husky comes out with a 200. Sure the KTM makes my Kawi feel like a complete pig but I love that engine size. Still excited at what the future holds for our favorite Swedish, Italian, Austrian, who knows what's next motorcycle.
It's time for us all to start learning as much as we can about KTM. The new Husqvarna's will have a lot of interchangeable parts with them. KTM guys will know more about our bikes than we do. So, I say if you don't know KTM engines and suspension you might want to get started reading up on there tech. Why fight it? We are all one big family now.... Husky,Bergs,and Katooms
...I repair alot of KTM's(no pun intended,just have a few loyal customers that still seek my services ) and I can say that they are alot more labor intensive then Husky...take a look at KTM 200 powervalve assembly sometime ..of course the Husky 2 t's haven't change much the last umteen years...and then there's the Husky's 4t's,'04 and up are so freaking easy to work on ,there is no comparison! Even the old school 350/410/570/610 motors are simplistic compared to any offerings from KTM during that era..By the way,when these KTM's are in my garage they "mysteriously" fall over during the night!...I'm thinking my 3 Husky's don't like sharing
For the record. Take over is and expression. Of course they were bought legitimately. Think I am serious? You guys are also to serious. I may be the only guy that expresses it out loud. But I guarantee that I am not the only guy that feels this way. Yes they are all dirt bikes with 2 wheels. But just like your old dog is, well your old dog. Can you really replace him??? If it turns out to be a KTM copy and you buy it. Your a fool. But yes do what you want with your money. I'm bored with this crap and give up. If you are stupid enough to think (if they do it) that a ktm with Husky plastic is a Husky. Then you are pretty stupid. For the record Motosportz. Not just signs of the economy. It is called not having a plan. I'm not worked up. Just out spoken. Yep anyone can roll over and ride it. Or they can switch brands or whatever. On the bright side. Maybe you will get your wish for 2014 and you can ride a Generic Husky 200. I certainly will not judge you for it. But do NOT judge me for stating my opinion, whether it be harsh or not. It will all fade away soon and be forgotten. When it is Husky's arch rival. It is a take over whether you like it or not or if it was bought legitimately. This is all getting old to me as well and boring to boot. With a plan a long time ago none of this would have ever even been possible or happening.
I ride a KTM and still hang around because this is my favorite forum Really I'm just ahead of the curve with my 1998 200exc lol. Still hoping to get a husky at the end of summer but I wanted to race now, I missed two wheels and would race a moped if I had to lol. In all seriousness, I'm excited about the deal at times but then also let down. I really like the Beta's though to and surprisingly, I have a dealer 10 minutes away. Now if only they would get some fuel injection. I hope this deal turns out to work for everyone but the truth is that it can't happen. Either way, you all are stuck with me even when I buy a hyosung lol
No they won't. They'll know more about the NEW bikes. The bike I have now will still be the same bike. My ONLY concern about it moving forward is parts availability. Beyond that... will my next bike be a Husky? We'll see. If they make one I like... sure. If it's a red and white KTM (or blue and yellow)... probably not unless there's a few key differences.
I think you should step back and see if you can see things my way. First off the dog analogy is all wrong. We are talking competition motorcycles aren't we so we should be talking competition dogs shouldn't we. A dog you put in a crate and get on an airplane to enter a schutzund competition somewhere I think would be more comparable than an old dog. Or should we just compare normal obedience competition at a high level of titling. That is where the mindset of the competitor is more on the order of someone coming to the starting line on a Sunday. Even those dogs you watch on TV at Westminster conformation dog show have sponsors that pay for the handler in most cases. You can put four names as owners on a dog or female which is a bitch. Rifle makers which went to motorcycles after WWII royal Enfield, Bsa, FN, Benelli, Husqvarna, probably a few others I can't recall or don't know. Of course it is not the same as the sweedish stuff, it is the steel or could be if that is what you like. Sweedish steel comes from a meteor or volcanic sources (at least that is what I believe) where the steel of most comes from sedimentary deposits laid down as the plant species created the oxygen in the atmosphere. Ktm seems to me to spell out their frame alloy better than the others as far as steel goes. Are they going to be using metallurgical grade coal from the USA to make these new huskies? The issue of patents hasn't hardly got any attention in these threads. Ever heard of a komatsavarna or something like that. It is kind of a tongue in cheek end user name not a factory one. That is husqvarna chainsaw division which has got separated from Electrolux by now buying the chain saw division of Komatsu. Probably for the patents of stratified charge as much as any other reason. As far as new two stroke bikes, and both the husky and ktm offerings in the two stroke segment many parts fit what 15 year old models? I think the Yamaha 125 has similar power valve design as the husky 125 and the 250 has similar non case reed. Was the husky two stroke research in house or subbed out? Seemed like it was subbed out from reading on here. Fran
No. Go forth and delete anything that is not actual news. Then leave another thread alive for the speculative boxing match.
Have received an invite to a local large BMW dealer to their "Start of Season" party. They´re the only people around here who are (were?) really good with Huskys. Didn´t really want to go but I `phoned them and they´ve got news of what seems to be happening. Hope something comes up and will report on Sunday.
Yes the dog comparison may be a little harsh. But I can assure you if it was and Artic Cat snowmobile with Ski doo stickers not only would it not even be close to being the same thing as a Ski Doo. I certainly would not ride it and would not be suckered into thinking it was a Ski Doo. In my opinion the Italian made Husqvarna's are superior in design and simplicity and easier to maintain, buy, own and enjoy i do then a KTM will ever be. For now I myself am sick of the drama and have better things to do. But thank you for your thoughts and insight. And yes the dog thing is sort of funny......Sorry for that. While some of you do not get it. I am sure there are those along the same lines of thinking as me, however just not as outspoken about it. Anyone here any news on the actual topic? Actual news on the KTM purchase of Husqvarna?
Well let me rephrase that then. I will wait and see what this new venture delivers, ride it and decide where to spend my money. Simple as that. Not going to hate something that I have not seen, let alone tried. Just like I did not, not buy the 511 because it was BMW, a company I never really gave a second thought. I simply looked at the offering and chose to buy one. As for KTM they have done many great things, have dominated most off road racing, have deep pockets and are quick to offer what people obviously want and will pay dearly for. Thier success is calculated and pretty amazing, I will give them that. I am not a KTM lover but we could be in FAR worse hands. We will have to see where this goes and decide where to put our money when the time comes. These are dirt bikes. The Italians showed us what great handing and stability are, lets hope the new owners realize this.
When BMW owned Husqvarna my hope was they would go all out continuing to improve the bikes and eventually put the hurt on KTM, and they were headed in that direction although slowly. On the other hand I was afraid they would look at the minuscule sales numbers and just delete the brand. So the alternative of being bought by KTM is not so bad. I am thinking they will try and do something different with Husqvarna than KTM if they want to grab more market share from the Japs, otherwise they would just do it with KTM. I am excited to see what they come up with and at that time I will decide if I want to buy one of the new bikes, stay with my Italian Huskies a while longer, or go TM or Beta. These are exciting times and there will be winners and losers. Some of the bitter old men will leave this forum, but many more enthusiastic ones will come. Coffee is in the catbird seat, although he may need to change the name to something younger like Husky Rips!! All the current Husqvarna race teams seem to be putting there best foot forward wanting to be first in line. Looking back it almost seems Zip Ty has been posturing themselves to get back in the fold like they knew something long before the rest of us. I know this is not actual news, but it is better than the bitter old men griping, and like I said these are exciting times! GP
With BMW it was timing and focus that ended the dream.... They got invovled in enduro bikes and then bought Husky, just as the world economy was going to go bust. I'm told that if they stuck with the initial management team they put in place at Husqvarna and the plan to develope what Husky had in the pipeline, things would have worked out better. The first BMW installed president was replaced for going "Native" and susequent leadership decided to BMWnize Husky with 4 stroke BMW engines and more street oriented models, at a time when the rank and file dirt rider was going back to the 2 stroke in droves. I don't think BMW's business model lets it react quickly to the market and they didn't really trust the Italians to do it with minimal supervision. As I've said many times before, if BMW/Husky put the energy and resources they put into the 449/511 into the 250/300.... this thread wouldnt exist. It looks like Beta is hitting it out of the park with their new 2 strokes. I'm starting a new thread, to just discuss the merging of Husky and Husaberg brands back together, as this seems to be a goal of SP.
