Looks like some of our expectations are coming true. BMW appears to be parading the new Huskys around the same way the Japanese mfg's do. MXA, long time anti Husky crusaders have already tested the '09 huskys. What's more impressive is that Husky flew them out Italy to do the testing. I know they aren't going to declare it the best bike ever, but hopefully they will give it a fair shake this time around. Cool pic too! http://motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/d...0&tier=3&nid=FECA90C3AAD84A559B80997174393AFE
I called back east and it looks like only Gen Manager Rob Kieth made the transition from PA to NJ with Husky parts. Everyone else appears to have stayed with Cagiva by choice or not in PA.
That's "Former General Manager" now. I'm curious to see how it pans out. Last time I talked to Rob was at Curly Fern Enduro we were both riding in South Jersey in the early Spring. Norman
Your correct, former GM. None of the Parts guys went out wit the move I heard. It takes years to build up a good parts staff that knows the parts without having to read all the small print serial numbers on each box. I hope with BMW's help, they can build up a good, long term, parts staff like Husky enjoyed in the late 60s to mid 80s at Husky West and Husky East back then. Bill Halbert ran the parts department at Husky West thru the 70s and into the 80s until Cagiva took over. All you had to do, was call over for a part and he would walk to the box. He would say, there is no need to use the part numbers if you took the time to memorize the parts.
Yeah back in the day's when they had 5-8 models to look after,...now there are twice that and changes are made yearly. Hard to keep up that kind of know how on a wholesale parts warehouse. All we can hope for is much better parst documentation then I've seen from the Cagiva era and a better system of ordering and tracking the parts which seems to be in development and roll out now.
I would expect a company with the resources of BMW would implement a modern computerized parts stock and retrieval system, think robotic arms, conveyors, bar codes and RFID, taking most of the human error out of the equation. Time will tell.
It appears that might entail moving to MI, uprooting families, etc. Big changes in peoples lives if that is the case.
I'm afraid the "Brave New World" of Husky parts involves a "Logistics Company" that has little to do with knowing what the part is, other than the correct number. Your Husky part is next to furnace parts. Blip Blip assures me that this is the correct, 21st century, efficient, business model. As a person who is firmly rooted in the last century and works in an Iron Age based craft, I have my doubts. I'm not sure what BMW Atlanta is talking about, but my dealer and I always found Cagiva USA to be pretty efficient in the parts dept. BMW/Husqvarna USA is taking way too long to re-invent the wheel. Norman
Norm, I agree, Cagiva USA had a pretty efficient parts distribution system and yes it was well stocked, the only problem was Cagiva Italy and their on going financial issues which now seem to be resolved with Harley Davidson's recent purchase of MV Agusta: http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/...ess_release.hdnews&newsYear=2007&history=news Anyway the new system that BMW/Husqvarna is using is built on the SAP enterprise software management platform and is light years ahead of what Cagiva USA used. So be patient, because the new system should be fully opperationally and as I said parts are going to be a lot easier to get than the old way and the old way was pretty good. Just Saying. BlipBlip
with our several months of servicing and dealing with Husky parts, I'll say the parts look up and overall detail is less detailed compared to many other manufacturers. I came into a couple of situations where there was no documentation for a given part or even an existing part number. Other things like having to buy a whole stator with flywheel instead of independantly was a bummer too. They were great folks to deal with at Cagiva/Ferracci, but lack of proper technical documentation for current product or even past posed some obstacles. I am looking forward to better technical resources and support in greater detail,......that's what I am saying.
It will take time and it WILL be better. At all levels of the purchasing/distribution chain. Already is in Italy with the installation of BMW's German supply-chain purchasing Guru. He was actually the only BMW management guy sent to Italy and has made a difference immediately.
Totally agree with you Norman. BMW/Husky are using General to act as the distribution company. They warehouse, track, send, and deal with payments, etc. with the dealers. I have a distribution company at my company--they take 26% off the top! So i had to lower my prices to them, and they raised prices a bit to my customers. Curiously many distributors set the prices....but what terms, and how much they decide to warehouse (if its their decision, might not be), etc. remains to be seen. I dont know how much this distribution company is taking, but its a middle man. No idea if they set the costs of parts, or not. But somehow i dont think parts costs will be same--of course thats pure speculation on my part, and we will have to wait and see. And wait and see, and wait and see, and wait some more.... I thought the Cagiva system was great, and i had the best experience with parts ive ever had from any bike company. Parts came fast, where not expensive (at all!), and parts where almost always readily available. Given the BMW/GNCC race team screw up, the late arrival of '08 models, and this ongoing parts warehouse crap, well the growing pains are getting to be a bit much.
