Agree and disagree. the WR250/300 have never been big sellers for some reason. When I got my 99 WR250 brand new from Bills I was for sure the only one around with one. I felt like I was on some extreme exotic bike for years. Then got an 02 (which was revamped and upgraded with new plastic and bunch of changes and PS pipe and muffler kits... they were trying to get it out there) and was almost the same but a few other people got them after trying mine. They just never seemed to gain market share and they were sexy and new back then. Mags would not test them etc. I believe even if they came out with an all new on ion 09 with the new 125 they would have been slow sellers and the mags would continue to ignore husky. BMW did a great job of getting the husky in the main stream mags, on TV, in new cycles. They had good momentum, the 449/511 sells well and uses an existing engine with is the hard / expensive part so that was not a flop IMHO. Its not a race bike but many love it and it seems to sell well. The TR650 is a huge success / hit. They did do continuous upgrades to the x-lights, all new head, much better EFI etc. the 125 also got nice upgrades to stay current which is all it needed. They may or may not have been working on DFI 2 strokes and that would have been the next part to the puzzle they needed but... ...I think this is the big picture. They bit off a big chunk, the economy collapsed, they struggled and went F-this, we need to get back to our roots and stop playing with dirt bikes that are a very soft market.
I'd appreciate it if things did not get personal (referring to the last few comments about me and someone else). And no, I am not in 'the catbird seat', I am toiling away deep within the server, more like a dungeon...
There's a crowded market for European two strokes. In addition to Ktm/Husaberg; GasGas, Sherco, Beta, TM and now Ossa all have all have two stroke offerings, all of whom have garnered excellent reviews. Stir in the Japanese makers, and you've got a lot of competition in a thin market segment. Puts a strain on profits. It would make more sense for KTM to become the "Shimano" of two strokes, selling components to virtually all manufacturers thereby assuring it's return on investment and limiting everyone's downside risk as regulations continue to tighten around two strokes. Long term, all two strokes are doomed anyway assuming the enviro-nazi's have there way, and in the US, it looks like they will. On the other hand, the number of manufactures who make street legal 4strokes that are 450+cc's can be counted on one hand. They command hefty prices at healthy margins and are often the manufacturers best selling models needing none of the discounts typically applied to track only bikes. Yet that segment gets little attention from manufacturers. Makes me want to scream. Lets hope this Pierer guy gets it.
Did not mean to mis-represent, just acknowledging that you have labored to build the best and most advanced forum that I know of, and with the new Husqvarna CH should become even more popular. I realize it is more a labor of love than anything. This all reminds me I need to look for the part of the forum where I can donate money to help keep this thing going!!
What on earth is going on? Now Depres is out of KTM....Maybe Depres will go to BMW? No wait, they just sold their 450...or maybe the G450X will make a comeback? Doh! “I have spent a large part of my career to date with KTM, so as you can imagine it wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly. They were great years, very fruitful, both professionally and personally, and I owe much to everyone at KTM , especially the ‘boss’ Stefan Pierer, whose enthusiasm for the sport of rally-raid matches my own. I would also like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Heinz Kinigadner and Head of Motorsport Pit Beirer and everyone in the rally department. When I arrived it was run by the much missed Hans Trunkenpolz, who taught me how to develop a rally bike, and whose work is now being very ably continued by Stefan Huber. Finally, I say a very fond farewell to my factory mechanic throughout all that time, Roland Bruckner, and my support rider during the last four Dakars, Ruben Faria, who I wish all the best for the future. Although I say goodbye to all these people, I am sure I will be seeing many of them again very soon, as, with the continued support of my long-time partner Redbull, I will most definitely be staying in the sport. It is a little too early to give any more details, suffice to say I am extremely motivated by the new challenge I am about to embark on and look forward to giving you further details in the very near future." All the best Cyril
You know, everyone's scared of whats going to happen. I don't see why, and here's why. You will still have that husky that's sitting in your garage, shed, storage area, whatever it be. And that is still a Husky and they can't take it away from you. Now, this company has changed hands many times it seems, and yetttt you still like it don't you? So why go and assume all these bad things, and turn into a pompis ass and bash ktm? For one KTM did not buy Husqvarna, their CEO did. And last time I checked, that's still different than KTM buying it. KTM is a nitche brand, and a very good one at that. They make good bikes. And lets face it people, the husqvarna's are due for an over haul and I don't feel their's anyone better for the job than KTM. Look at what they did to their bikes in just 2 short years!?!? They made HUGE strides and things like that would have taken BMW and Husqvarna much more than 2 years at the pace they were going. Yea we got the red head, and slowly adopted to the KYB suspension, but ktm practically built an entirely new 450 motocross machine in a few months! Not only that, it was light years ahead of the 2012 version! I am personally excited to see what their CEO does with HUsqvarna, because in the end, I don't see them drop kicking us by the way side, and if they make changes that we don't like, and we voice our opinion over it, they seem to listen pretty well to what their buyers want anyways? So either way, I see good things happening in the near future (and by near I mean 2014). Now that BMW has no more say in the company, KTM's CEO will have to do something to the bikes for 2014, if nothing else it is a marketing statement to say "Hey we're in charge and we are going to steer these bikes in the right direction". I see changes to the bikes coming by next year, but I don't see major changes to the bikes until 2015.
I believe the purchase going through Stefan's Pierer Industrie AG was simply done to speed up the transaction and avoid red tape. It is the same as KTM buying Husky.
how about husqvarna? it somehow got lost between the "swedish roots" and the "austrian purchase" that there's actually a bunch of people in italy who built great bikes for a few decades, winning many championship titles. r
Cagiva Huskys are a better bike than their Swedish forbear. I always felt my last Swedish, single shock bikes were not that good overall, but Husky then was like KTM today.... The powerhouse of the off road market, so whatever they built was gold. The odd men out rode Cagivas or KTM's back then. Cagiva could never be doubted for design and passion for bikes and sport, but always struggled for cash. BMW's lack of a clear vision put Husky in this position, because they surely didn't lack for financial resources. God bless the people at the Husqvarna factory for all they have done for 25 years.....
Good! He's scum! After what he did to Goncalves in 2012, I have nothing but disdain for the French bastage! Huck... ptoeey!
Really lost respect for him after that little deal. Going to JCR Honda.... I thought Johnny Campbell might teach him something about sportmanship, but then remembered JC got caught redhanded cheating at the Baja 1000, in Dust For Glory!
...maybe someone should find his email (Mr. Peirer)and tell him he needs to sign up on "CH" and open his eyes and his ears!!! He is A business man,first and foremost, who picks stuff up for cheap,hacks away people then rebuilds...it was his sudden passion for motorcycles after the KTM buy(from what little I have read about the guy) that probably pushed him to keep trying to improve the KTM platform..it cost more then a few Mom and Pop shops dearly,tho. I was a small Husqvarna dealer for several years and I know how much time,effort,blood,sweat and tears it takes to keep your head above water ,so I not only feel bad if he drops the ball on all those Italian workers but also for those smaller Husky dealers who may be pushed to the wayside.
