The current Husky 650s have their roots in the BMW 650 GS. There are differences to be sure but the GS is no doubt the parent bike so if a sreet fighter were the goal I don't see any reason that they couldn't take a 1000/1300 and after some mechanical massageing and a cosmetic face lift call it a Husky. Lots of manufactures use a single platform for several different types of vehicles, it just makes good business sense.
We are getting a little side tracked here so I guess I should just go ahead and say that I happen to like the overall styling of the Baja. Just a matter of taste I suppose.
Hi Coffee and thanks for the reply. To clarify - I like retro bikes! I own a Kawasaki TR250 retro enduro bike and I'd love Husky to have my money. But this thing is just a shambles. I have to admit that I was disappointed by the Nuda's looks, but performance wise it's a cracking bike. It's actually a bit less ugly in real life too! The Terra / Strada are monstrously (and seemingly deliberately) plain, but are great utility bikes so I'll forgive the laziness of detail design and general worst-of-the-80's vibe. But the Baha is aimed at the aspirational niche, so the "we got some guys in China to design it for cheap" ambience is unforgiveable. Making something look right needn't cost the earth. I need a lie down...
totally agree, I think it is one of the ugliest bikes i have ever seen and said so since the second I laid eyes on it a year ago. BUT, it has been well received by many and BMW thinks it will sell well. I'm cool with that. The TR650 motor is VERY good so this platform is worth building off of in different directions. The bike has been out for a while now and seems to have gained some supporters and they are going to build it.
Most people here think my 511 is cool and the 125/165 is obviously a cool bike. Other than the 449/511 everything dirt wise is just as it was (but improved) from the Italian days. Are those guys on KTMs or Bergs, just tell them what a POS Indian bike they have. It is a global world, we had better get used to this. As much as people talk about I want it built in Italy or whatever would you still be cool with it if they were $2000 more? I floated the idea of a completely made in the USA dirt bike to some friends with big money to invest and they said can't be done. Sure we could build really cool 450 whatever off road bike but it would be 14K and no one would buy it. I'm really hoping someone is going to buy up some of those highland motors and have a go at it.
My friends call "chinabike" simply because that's what the new Husky roadbikes look like to them. They're just ragging me of course, but it's getting old, especially as I have to agree with them! They all know that their bikes are mongrels made from parts sourced from the four corners of the globe, but Husky have had a run of spectacularly ugly bikes and no-one's gonna let that pass... Regarding the 449 / 511: the only thing "wrong" with them (aside from the obvious and IMO unfortunate change in corporate styling) is the conservative nature of the market. We'll see if Husky persists with the concentric drive thing (it does seem to work very well for enduro and us real world riders), or whether they revert to a more traditional bike. It's hard, especially as sales of big bore thumpers are pretty dismal over here in Europe right now. Either way, I hope that they take a look at the later Cagiva bikes and realise how graceful, functional and iconic they look. Yeah, it was good to hear some news recently from US Highland.
I can understand not liking a bike for whatever a persons reasons might be ... But I can't imagine who would actually make that "middle-aged men who can't quite afford a BMW" remark... Certainly not a dirt bike rider ...
Orange doesn't suit my complexion. Anyway, rather than me having to go buy a different brand of bike wouldn't it be better if Husky just tried to make roadbikes that weren't quite so deliberately butt-ugly? Or would that be a bad thing? I trust the judgement of my mates - they're not kids. In fact we're all middle-aged and we've all been into bikes since we were kids. I expect that, like me, they're sad that tough economic times and a wicked stepmother who smells faintly of Bavarian sausage are perpetating crimes against aesthetics.
The only ugly road bikes I've seen with a Husky logo are concept bikes. I like the Nuda and Terra/Strada. The new Baja is WAY better looking than the concept version, which was fugly.
GOOD LORD that's erotic !!! ...and as for what our designers came out with..... ...I liked the Baja concept headlight better, too bad they had to ditch it... The double exhaust is a bit much too....
I think it would look nice next to my 73 Husqvarna 360 RT. I been with Husky since the Swedish days any new product is a good thing. Yes I agree that some gunsite logos on the motor would look nice. But lets face it Husqvarna since 1966 here in the USA has been off road. I think BMW understands that bikes like the 310 are going to be the bread and butter bikes. But have a bike like the Baja in the show room window and I can tell you anyone who had a Husky from 66-87 will come and take a look at it and bring their sons and daughters in that dealership just to take a look. If that is the spark it takes to get Husky back where they once were I say go for it!
Good, constructive discussion. From the pictures, the Baja doesn't look that bad. I personally cant see where the market niche is for a bike like that. Those tires are awfully knobby for pavement duty and the size looks to be too heavy for dirt purposes. Not sure where this bike fits other than a styling exercise. I will have to agree that BMW has taken the pizzaz away from Husky since the take over. No more factory race teams. BMW needs to hit up the youth market if they want to sell lots of bikes, they need to compete against the japanese and KTM actively. The US is a HUGE market (Canada not so much lol), and attention should be given there.
BMW took on Husqvarna to get the flair of Italian bike design. Even here in Germany, Beemers are generally referred to as "rubber cows" (GummikÜhe). And now the Bratwurst taste has spread out all over the spaghetti. Hope the toy retro Baja stays as a concept.
there's an easy fix fot that: http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/10/lsl-neuters-the-husqvarna-nuda/ r
For me -- I think its kinda cool. Problem is, not sure what I would use it for. For $7000ish [which is what I would expect this to cost] -- not sure I could justify it as a playbike. But I do think it would be fun to have this to poke around on though. I think the Terra is a better commuter and the 511 is a better dual sport bike. Just not sure where this fits in. On the other side, if you could only have one bike for everything -- maybe this would be cool.
I haven't seen all the specs on the bike but if I understand correctly it is basically a restyled TR650 with a few modification so really the off road performance is probably not substantially different. I see it as a casual adventure bike that is maybe a little tamer and more comfortable.
