to achieve the 20,000/yr sales which he stated as a goal in a few years. Unless they have plenty of spare capacity in Austria just wasting cash currently...
Maybe on that Casseli angle .. It will take something like that to help the general public accept this change or least some company (as ktm did with the pds system) must commit to the risk of this design ... Or maybe if Juhn had not crashed and broke his ankle (?) back there the last yr he raced the 449(?) ... Please correct me if wrong, but the bike went on to win 1 race that yr with another rider on board... A mud race ... That was enough proof for me that the bike gets more traction ... Then the 449\511 went on the win a SM championship in EU ...More proof that the cts worked or at least was not a hindrance. Then bmw sold out .. What a wacky world. -- Cts and traction and 2t bikes .. Maybe that's the ticket to add fire to the 2t machines ... 2t efi seems too advanced or something keeps it from coming to the show rooms ... So I give up on that angle till it is real.
...next time you or someone close to you gets blindsided and lied to then lose your job,you tell me if it was a dick move (unless you're cut from the same moral fibre as S.F./bmw)...bmw made the mistake of venturing away from Husky's roots(although their original plan may not have included this...it was a BAD time for any business to spend the money they did..that factory did not come cheap I'm sure).bmw needed to bail quick,the vulture (Stefan) swooped in,neither party giving any early notice to the employees. I am waiting to see how Pierer ,who is being targeted for "incorrectly " handling of the purchase (just a note from an insider)handles this. You know I can ramble on and on siting words from him like ,Husqvarna will be back "home" were it rightfully belongs...mentioning Sweden then several paragraphs mentions incorporating the Husky into the Austrian factory..there is so much double talk out his mouth ,he must be a politician. No one here can tell me that IF a Husky logo appears on any Husaberg/KTM model that it is a Husqvarna..using a ktm motor in a so-called Husky model is outright blasphemy.UNTIL I see some noteworthy production models based on the Husqvarna and not just a clone to get thru until the 2015 models and beyond my 2007 WR125,2010 TC250,2013 CR125 AND 2013 TXC250-both 13's in crates will hold me over until hell freezes over. have a good day
Gus... we've been through this before! In still know guys who say using a Cagiva motor in a Husky is blasphemy and their '87 250WR and 510TE's have held them over until Hell freezes! Ride what you want and have fun!
Not looking to inflame anyone, but it seems to me the "dick move" was the Italians selling to the Germans. If the Italians were concerned about Italian jobs, why did they do that? It was Castiglioni dumping an unprofitable product line, just like Electrolux did before him and the Germans did after him. I suppose in fairness you ought to add him to your "moral fibre" hit list.
Claudio loved motorcycles. And, hel loved Italy. I think if he had a crystal ball, he still would have sold Husqvarna to BMW in 2007—they were bleeding money. He did buy back MV Agusta before he passed away, and maybe he would have bought back Husqvarna given the chance. Regardless of Italian/Austrian/German blood, the aquisition of Husqvarna by S.E. is big business. Unfortunately, big business doesn't care about the little guy. The Italian Workers in the "Varese" Factory are collateral damage. I will start an investment company to buy the Varese Factory. How much money does everyone have to invest in this endeavor—We will all own a motorcycle manufacturing company!
Some Claudio Castiglioni history: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/b...ioni-motorbike-executive-dies-at-64.html?_r=0
very quickly (well actually long winded as usual for me) and as an American of 50/50 Anglo-Italiano descent, I speak in a sort of defense of Italian moto passion, because alot of T Talk and little here (we are much more together and logical) kind of make fun of Italian workers/engineering/industry labor etc. The Italians are the only--maybe Japan is somewhere in the same ballpark, small country that has the highest pure motorcycle passion for everything moto. (focus is on motos here, but look at Italian cars, boats, textiles etc. as well) The word passion needs to included in all their pursuits, my 2nd half England (UK) had it in a different more stoic manner in the moto industry, but in my opinion became the same as us in that regard (we had 100s of moto manufacturers back in the day) and just faded. Even as the Varese Husky days end, Beta throws out a gauntlet of passion fueled motos, competition models being the heart of this endeavor, HM Honda and Valenti Suzuki building full on "factory OEM" Japanese enduro bikes, TM Racing has been a self imposed small cottage artisan shop, that could grow but stays in their niche, Fantic owned by a coffee company executive (that loves motos-moto passion) is stepping up their game into full sized machines. Italian moto passion companies like Domino, Surflex, Adige, FrenTubo, Braking (now owned by Japans Sunstar), Brembo all those helmet builders from AGV to AIROH to VEMAR and many more etc etc all build and supply these Italian cottage moto passion companies. Oh yea and these guys, Bucci Racing, for now minis and super high quality competition pitbikes. Personally all the bickering over the Varese sale/closure.....I was hoping another Italian industrialist with a moto passion would step in and restoke and fire off the factory with a reborn brand like Aspes or Ancilotti, SWM, CAGIVA! etc etc its all ready built just needs a cast of people (which are all ready there) and a solid $$$ investment of cash (much more than most of us could come up with).
As some would say, the thing to have is.... Italian styling, German engineering, Japanese manufacturing ...The 449/511 came dang close on that. I love to see the creativity from small scale niche producers, but I lean towards a more robust enterprise when complex mechanical and electrical devices are the output...but most of my ancestors are Irish and Scottish so might be more interested in fighting you over it then having a beer or 3 while writing a novel or epic poem.
I don't care about who is on what race team, clearly there will be design changes and all the other things mentioned in the article I quoted. And it seems quite obvious to me that the Corona facility will shut down after visiting it on a late Friday afternoon earlier in July 2013. What I want to know is: what about the TR650 efi support? Currently there are a tiny number of Husqvarna dealers with a MOSS tool. Will that tool continue to function? Will there be some other tool that does not need to communicate with the BMW computers? At least one person has a TR650 that is completely useless because of a engine immobilizer fault, and it is my understanding that 'check engine' lights will probably be turning on when the bikes reach a certain milage. Add to that the TR650s seriously need a MOSS update to perform reasonably. It has been over 6 months since the buyout has been announced. Now would be the time to at least mention plans for efi support for the TR650s, especially if there will be some remaining stock of those being sold by Husqvarna dealers as 2014s. Send me a post card, send me an email, or tell the typical suspects in the industry about some plans for the MOSS or MOSS substitute. Come on guys, we can work together and increase Husqvarna sales, or not. Your choice.
..the fact still remains that the Italian effort(Cagiva) wanted to save Husqvarna(motherland was giving up on them)...and although my love for Husqvarna grew from me racing/riding the Swedish ,it almost came to a halt because of the new owners...BIGGEST differance here is that ktm IS Husky's #1 competitor and Husky will become a partner in ranks with them,and "I" personally do not want to be involved with a company who is likely going to shove their crap on a model and call it a Husky(I will make every attempt not to buy oem parts for my Huskys but I know the time will come I will have to). Claudio (Cagiva)was very passionate about motorcycles and when he bought Husky at least he offered many of the factory workers jobs...probably knowing not many would make the move but there were a few that not only were factory workers but helped in R&D) ..Mr. Pierer (and I use that term loosely ) just went in and cleaned house and did so cowardly ...not a good way to buy trust from owners of the brand..like me.At least the Swedes had some prior notice and a chance of employment . Cagiva,although small in comparison,had a few great bikes that were winning,but were still not considered to be Husky's #1 competitor ,not by a long shot but because back then I knew (even before there was internet) Claudio's vision and compassion would ease the minds of those who were die hard Husqvarna owners(not all of course).Like I said before,Claudio took Husqvarna to the next level,killing off his own brand(Cagiva mx/enduro)....will pierer do this,nope,he'd be stupid to,and that there lies within the 1 problem of many.Claudio loved motorcyces,that for sure,but some of his other "passions" got in the way...that's it,I'm done..thank God I'm old ,I'm sure my 4 pre-ktm Husky's will keep me happy so I won't have to buy another bike...but I'll pray that "some day" there won't be a Husky ktm clone..........
