I'm a KTM guy at heart - as if you couldn't have guessed by my avatar. I still hope that Husqvarna gets as much mechanical differentiation as possible. I really liked the Husaberg 4 stroke (FE390 especially) and was sad to see it go away. By the same token, the sales volume wasn't there to support the cost of an independent platform. Hopefully there will be enough sales and demand for the new combined Husqvarna brand to justify a more independent design in the future. Time will tell.
I cant see how a name change will drastically increase sales and allow husky to become unique but hope it does. - I am with you on the FE390, super fun / good bike IMHO.
I just had my hear broken. I love husky no matter who makes the bike. Each previous company has had great bikes but just discovered which shop in my area will be carrying them Worst shop in the Pacific North West in my opinion. So it looks like Beta is in my future.
We are still going to need a 200 in the US or things will still look like this in the young guns 200 line. Not everybody wants a 250 4 stroke off the 85!!
The bike is at Gateway BMW in Missouri...Im back in NY. SO kinda hard to get a better pic. The bike did look great.
Here is whats needs to happen - more Huskies on the starting line and winning. I started racing ATKs back in the mid 90s and won a lot of races. I had the odd-ball bike (ATK) and a lot of guys laughed. They didn't after I started winning! I was the only ATK rider in the state series the first year. The next year there were 4 (ATKs) racing. The year after that about 8. After that the ATK factory kinda went south. The Rotax motors went away and the Cannondale stuff appeared - they just would not make a race without "grenading". 94-96 406 2T & 350,605 4T were the best ATK bikes. Bottom line if the bikes are good and people win on them - in a few years you might see a "sea" of white, blue, and Yellow!
On a plus note, I can reprogram the ECU's with new custom maps, no add-on needed. Also, orange bikes will not be getting many of the new upgrades on the Huskys, like composite sub-frames.
Husaberg dropping out of the competition for sales may increase Husky's numbers a bit but the hope for an independent design is unfounded. SP frequently says his vision with Husky/KTM is following VW's Modularer Querbaukasten (MBQ) concept. That will lead to more modulization (sharing of engines/transmissions/frames/brakes/forks/shocks/wheels/etc.) across multiple brands/models, not more independent designs. I believe it is safe to say the differences will be in the details such as swing arm length or fork rake where changing only one or two parts makes a bike feel different. Killing the Husaberg 70 was just the first move in the game.
Yep, I expect a bit more differentiation in the plastics, etc but mechanicals will be shared/mixed&matched with those from the KTM parts bin. This can get you quite a ways, but unique engines are highly unlikely.
new pierer interview in the latest "motorrad" issue. no real news, but anyway: - even when the new husky models derive from the husabergs and ktms, the "look" will differ "remarkably", to create a distinctive "image". - the new models were styled by kiska design (they also do the styling of the ktms since the relaunch). - husqvarna is now a part of ktm (new "ktm ag" founded, sub-companies are "ktm sportmotorcycle ag" and "husqvarna gmbh"; see also here). - bajaj-imposed condition: no production in italy (seems like two of bajaj's suppliers had troubles after purchasing italian companies). - "it is nowadays impossible in italy to produce competitively for the global market". - factory in varese will be put "on hold", as a backup for the future. distribution and spare parts distribution will be in varese. 35 employees alltogether. - apart from "essential" offroad models, ktm will also focus on road-legal onroad vehicles. husky will be a "strong offroad competition brand". - ktm and husky are intended to compete against each other, "up to the management level". r
If bajaj is imposing conditions... then they have a stake in this venture... that is to say it isn't just JPs baby after all... as many have presumed.
Beta seems to be doing fairly well for one Italian moto company of many. PS to produce what competitively this is only related to motorcycles correct? Kite billet products are doing just fine, rich Indians are buying Ferraris, Lambos etc. Most of that stuff is just self preservation marketing speak if you ask me. From both the Austrians and their Indian partners. If those Varese folks would stop crying over spilled milk they could ramp up and start building Kato/Husky market matching/beating Italian brand bikes again, the talent for bike building is all there. However they need to get all over the market and especially in basic transport for the masses market, ie scooters and small displacement pizza delivery (example) type machines. I think Austria is just as expensive in overhead and operating costs as Italy (opinion not based on hard data). Anyway what ever. the new Huskys will be world class just like their KTM brothers right out of the gate.
"- apart from "essential" offroad models, ktm will also focus on road-legal vehicles. husky will be a "strong offroad competition brand"." If this means "we have no dual sport / street legal efforts planned for Husqvarna", then means the most expensive/profitable models are sold by KTM. That's a good sized market in a demographic that shouldn't be ignored. The same demographic that's older and may have the cash for the right bike. Older and wiser crowd too. Going to be wait and see for many. Glad I bought my TE310 since would be harder in '14 to find something comparable. On the purely dirt side no big deal but when you look at the pricing and what has been selling on the dual sport/street legal side it will be interresting in the coming year or two. Granted might be that dealers and Husky USA made no money anyway but highest priced models are gone. It will probably be made up for with higher retail prices in the dirt space but no offerings for buyers like myself needing more flexibility and choice in getting to the dirt.
...except that they also say that Husqvarna will have SM models, which sounds like there will be street-legal bikes in one segment....and it aint that hard to swap wheels.
