I just read in my motormagazine: Het Chinese Shineray, producent van onder andere off- en onroad motoren, quads, scooters en motoren onder de 125 cc, heeft de Husqvarna-fabriek in het Italiaanse Varese overgenomen. Onder de merknaam SWM Motorcycles wil Shineray hier in de toekomst motoren gaan produceren, in eerste instantie voornamelijk de eencilindermodellen, die Husqvarna er produceerde vóór de overname door BMW in 2007. In 2013 heeft BMW het Husqvarna-stokje aan KTM overgedragen, dat niet lang na de overname de productiefaciliteit in Varese sloot en Husqvarna-productie overhevelde naar haar thuisbasis in Mattighofen. Sinds de verhuizing stond het fabriekscomplex leeg, een kans die Ampelio Macchi, eerder directeur techniek bij onder meer Cagiva, Aprillia én Husqvarna, met beide handen aangreep. In Shineray vond hij de grote investeerder die nodig was om het roemruchte merk SWM, dat in 1984 de deuren moest sluiten, nieuw leven in te blazen. De eerste modellen zijn zoals gezegd uitgerust met ‘oude’ Husvarna eencilinderblokken, maar SWM is al druk bezig met de ontwikkeling van een volledig nieuwe lijn eigen motorblokken. Een 125 en 350 eencilinder viertakt zijn het productiestadium zelfs al dicht genaderd. Wanneer de eerste motorfietsen van de band zullen rollen, is nog niet bekend. Info: www.swm-motorcycles.it The chinese Shineray, producer of off and on raod motorbikes, quads and scooters and bikes under 125 cc has taken over the production facility in Varese Italy. Under the brand SWM motorcycles they want to produce bikes in here, first the mono cilinder types that Husqvarna produced before BMW took over in 2007.In 2013 BMW sold it to KTM that closed the production facility shortly after and moved the production to Mattighofen. Since then the facility is empty, a chance that Ampello Macchi, formet director of Cagiva Aprilia and Husqvarna grap with both hands. In Sheneray he found a big investor needed for a restart of the SWM brand that closed doors in 1984. De first models as said will be the "old" Husqvarna monocilinderblocks, but SWM is busy to develop a complete new line of their own motorblocks. A 125 and a 350 monocilinder 4 stroke are close to the production stage. When the first bikes are going to be produced is not yet announced. info www.swm-motorcycles.it Well that is great news and I looked already at the site. It looks like Huskies and especially the turismo / superdual 650 looks a little bit like the TR650. The engine is different but the looks a bit familiar with the 2 exhausts. Anyway I am very very curious how this will go. The models look fresh and quite exciting, much better then I expected for a chinese brand. Let us keep an eye on this new brand in that "old" Varese factory. It would absolutely not surprize me when SWM took over the BMW developed TR650 and Nuda models because they also use a Chinese base Loncin engine from KTM. So BMW - > KTM -> SWM what will be the next
This is all interesting and cool. If it ends up being built in italy by italians with chinese backing that might work. This global thing is the new norm. Indian KTMs, etc. Its freaking everywhere.
At least we have American Indians We could use a good dirt bike brand as well. Polaris should yank a lung off the v-twin and make a cool single Indian.
Interesting that the Chinese are learning to master capitalism as the western world is trying to master socialism
Simple, in China they already have their population under control. Generations of socialism have them "trained" to look to the govt. for everything, and fear said govt. at the same time. However socialism only works as long as the provider govt. has enough of other people's money to spend. China has allowed a little bit of capitalism to enter the picture so that those companies that are hugely profitable can in turn be taxed and keep the socialist power structure in place. I think however, they may be surprised that a thriving middle class has blossomed over there. We have become addicted to Chinese products that are actually pretty darned good now and come at low prices. Here in the west, it's the younger generations that are being "educated" to look to the govt. to provide everything for them because they can't possibly do anything for themselves. The process has been taking place in Europe for some time as well which explains their willingness to allow socialism into their lives. So while the process is slow, and there's still lots of REAL Americans that actually don't want it to happen that are slowing it down, I'm pretty sure that the America we know and love(d) will be just a footnote in history. Add this common core crap that is teaching kids that our founding fathers were evil, horrible people and it's just a matter of time. Sorry couldn't help it guys.
BRAVO HuskyN, Well written! P.s. Motorcycles rule. No, dual sports rule, no motorcycles sold inAlabama rule, no just the ones made in Milwuakee rule, no only Italian ones rule. No just German ones, those Austrian ones suck and on and on
It is and as mentioned there is a globalization occurring in nearly every business, which in a roundabout way led to mention of a Husky engine being produced in China. Elsewhere in CH motorcycle forum are discussions of a Husky former manufacturing facility in Italy having even been bought by a company from the Orient. Numerous discussions of the various Euro countries owning the Husky brand as well. :-)
The TR's and 449/511's are the unwanted BMW bikes in this deal. I have heard that parts for these bikes take longer to get as KTM has to buy them from BMW. Funny how stuff works. CCM and Speedbrain build bikes around the 449/511 mill so BMW makes money off the engines and then money off parts to KTM. A SWM 350 x-lite 4 stroke sure sounds awesome.
Said I was sorry and couldn't help it. Go ahead and report it if you want. Just exercising my freedom of speech before it's taken away.
I love statements like this because they are timeless. Every generation believes that they are the same as all of the generations before them and that it is the "younger" generation who are different and are doing things wrongly, or are lazy etc etc.
Yeah, well it's literally being shoved down our kids throats. They are re-writing the history books to skew the way our country was founded so they will eventually think it was done for all the wrong reasons. How'd you feel if they did that in Australia? I know plenty of Aussies who are damn proud of their country and how it was founded.
Yeah, well them Aussies were all Transported there from England, bunch of criminals..... They had done awful things like steal a loaf of bread from some aristocrat or fail to pay a schilling tax or such.....
