Given the photos of the bikes at http://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com (showing linkages on both 4 and 2 stroke models), I'd say they do.
The only PDS Husky, is the TC85. Test of FE350... http://www.enduro21.com/index.php/component/k2/item/1371-tested-2014-husqvarna-fe-350
Maybe in time they will but for now Why cant we just let Husky direct all there time ,money and resources into doing just one thing Building the best dirt bike out there. Some times it is about more then just making money These new guys have the desire to be number 1 again A world title or even a National title is priceless You can almost feel the passion as these guys talk of the future Something I never saw in any BMW ad
Dont fool yourself, they are in business to make money. Dualsports are wildly popular. You almost can't own and racebike without a plate on the east coast. Husky sold piles of race bikes with plates because of the plate. Don't understand why you think less choices and cutting a whole segment out is good. What is the up side? Its not like you cant still buy the race only version just like the CR and TXC models now (SX, SXF, XC, XCW). I know scads of people who will not buy one if you cant get the plate. I dont think you realize the scope, size and ability KTM has. They build and sell many more complex and expensive 15K plus multi cylinder adventure bikes, street bikes, single sylinder street bikes in 390 to 125 ranges and field multi million dollar street race teams. Taking 10 seconds to add plated versions takes about zero cycle time for a company like this with its massive resources plus they already have all that done.
They already got the motors through EPA & CARB under KTM logo. It takes nothing to bottle up the enduro model to pass cert now. They only need to file the paperwork... submit the bikes for testing under the Husky brand. There is very little time or resources needed to offer the plated bike. It takes nothing away from anyone seeking dirt only bikes. Everyone should lobby for what they want... but never get in another man's way for nothing. The greenies do enough of that. IMHO
It costs more for the plate and they charge more. I don't get not having it either. It's easy in CO to add a plate but even here a lot of people would rather save the trouble and already have the plate. Even if they only did one or two plated models it'd sell. I get that racing sells bikes but it really sells them to performance dual sport crowd. As a racer can't say I care to much if Delong won a championship. It's a bike that matches me and they have a great contingency.
The USA distributions of TE models are or were PDS, these are what the race teams got and we were not allowed moto versions. Hopefully that will change.
Yep... The exotics will pick up some sales now Husky has gone to Austria and Husaberg has dissolved. Now, where's my closest Sherco dealer
man I cant believe the difference between the x-lite & old school 300 frames. talk about chalk & cheese. 300 much more planted but the 125 turns like a mountain bike, maybe even too quick!
'the new bikes with linkage have less steering angle and ride higher in the rear' I know PDS is very sensitive to sag I think you run more sag with linkage which would level out the steering angle - right?
It may be unwise to read too much into this other than what is already the case. My guess is that it simply means there are no plans for Husky versions of the X-Bow, RC8, 1190 Adventure, SM-T, or the multitude of Dukes. "Road legal" means different things in different countries. I expect going through the hoops to provide a road legal version of an offroad competition motorcycle will be a matter of balancing the cost for government approval versus the percieved demand for plated dirt bikes or supermotos.
If you want a "road legal" homologated super moto in future, it won´t be a Husky. Plenty of other good bikes to choose from without having to even look at orange.
as for "road-legal" supermoto bikes for everyday riding, i currently see only only 2 options: g450x/449 engine (homologated with 40+ hp), and lc4 engine (not really lightweight, but still). all other engines/bikes suffer from horrible homologated power numbers (10 hp or so), and depending on your location the cops are trained and eager to mess with supermoto drivers. in my area, cops don't care, so there's no problems to ride my 250-2t supermoto, apart from a weird conversation every now and then. r
