Italian mag Motociclismo ,just printed interviews with heads of BMW and KTM. Husqvarna will develope a full line of dirt oriented bikes,from race bikes to dual sports including the 650.Also some sumo bikes, but no twins, so the Nuda dies. http://www.motociclismo.it/i-numeri-uno-di-bmw-e-ktm-svelano-tutta-la-verita-moto-54172 Sorry I do not know how to create a link or the translated page. Maybe someone more savy can do this. The TR650 sounds like it is a great bike and it would have been a crime to bury it. My money is waiting for a 400-500cc low maintainance adventure bike. I believe this will be built at about 150kg wet with a sister in sumo trim. At a price the same or lower than the TR650. Howard
Good find... INTERVIEW WITH STEPHAN SCHALLER, NUMBER ONE BMW MOTORRAD Mr. Shaller, how many bikes sold in 2012 Husqvarna? Altogether? 10,751. 9,656 private customers. As explained by the sale? bought Husqvarna When the market was in good health, was traveling at a high level of sales. With the onset of the crisis scenarios have changed, and sales dropped by up to 50%. Then to complicate matters came the crisis of the euro. Take, for example, Spain and Italy, the drop in sales for all it was vertical. Sell models has become very difficult. What has changed so much since 2007 in the market of off-road motorcycles to convince the sale? 's a matter of brands. The motorcycle world is evolving quickly. There are strategic reasons behind the sale and not just economic. The last few years we had to reposition the brand BMW Motorrad. It changed the market, the demographics of bikers, ecology with increasingly stringent regulations ... we must strengthen the offensive of urban mobility. Yet Husqvarna has established itself with models like the Nuda, the 650. Why the sudden transfer? market leaves little room to off-road pure, so we developed road models. But to be honest, in this segment we see a lot more potential hidden in the BMW brand. But BMW Motorrad will continue to supply engines for the Nuda 900 and 650 Strada? 's a question of product to which I can not answer time and applies to new owners. What can we expect in the coming years by BMW motorcycle? BMW Group The BMW wants to develop models to Mototrrad purely road. We want to develop tourer motorcycle, enduro travel, sports and roadster. Point. Already this year will see new models. Then we develop mobility. So we will focus sull'elettrico and hybrid engines. Interview with Stefan Pierer, OWNER HUSQVARNA What new products have in mind for Husqvarna? want to realize a full range of off-road racing models. Husqvarna has its roots deeply embedded in off-road, we will not revolutionize his DNA. All fans agree: the range is in urgent need of a refresh. You can transfer the know-how to KTM Husqvarna? Yeah, sure. Look at the automotive world. There are completely different models from outside such as line, design, interiors. Then lift the hood and see that they have the same engine, the same. This is what we imagine for Husqvarna. We could also imagine a greater sharing technique Husaberg (KTM-owned since 1995, ed) both have similar roots and origin in Sweden. Despite the market trend, Husqvarna still has a strong appeal among fans: I will respect the tradition? course. KTM has its roots in Motocross, or rather let me say that he almost invented, and not cannibalize shall understand this heritage with Husqvarna. How will you organize the sales force? Everything is on the table, final decisions have not been taken. But one thing I can assure you: we will not sell through dealers Husqvarna KTM. Husqvarna will have their points of sale. What will change in the range? I'd keep for good models 650 and Route. But Husqvarna also has a huge potential in the segment supermoto-Sport, I would see a good new model of this type. The Nuda 900 has not sold well, for me it is too far from the roots of the brand. He paid dearly for BMW super competence in the field of road. And with the experience of the KTM twins are convinced that a dealer would not be happy having to sell a similar model.
I am bilingual in Italian and it translated pretty good with a few exceptions. "I'd keep for good models 650 and Route" (meaning Strada here) Translated it means it looks good for both models Terra and Strada. The last sentence really translates to mean that there will be no merger of KTM/Husky at dealership level. They will remain stand alone dealerships as they are now.
There's no way they're going to ship a 450cc adv bike that weighs less than the Terra for less money. Not only is it a tough nut to crack (you need a beefy frame for ADV), but it would cannibalize Terra sales. A better bike at less cost?
Maybe the TR's will look the same but I would imagine they won't have "any" BMW parts on them...that needs the MDT. (Moss Diagnostic Tool)
Sweeeeeeeeet! Sure glad I snatched me a red-headed stranger. Ain't seen nothing in this range as smooth and nice as this current TR650 engine. It's in a league of its own. It will be interesting to see if they continue using the modified G650GS motor, or change to an orange-headed 690 of sorts, or build a new India version entirely. Man...am I ever glad I snatched one of these red-heads! HF
Personally....I woulda liked to have a Nuda in the U.S. as well :-(. I thought they looked kinda fun to ride.
So this means we'll never see the 900R in the US? Damnit, I was really starting to admire that bike. It seemed to me like it was a lightweight version of the SuperDukeR that I owned last year.
My bet is that we'll see the te630 from 2011 come back again, bored to 650cc and relabeled TR650 rather than TE650. I can't imagine any scenario where BMW would let them KTM either the 650 single or 800twin power plants and be responsible for creating their own competition...no way. I think I'm going to grab me up this years model with the Beemer plant I think both motors are great but the present power plant should go many thousands of miles without issue.
I keep seeing this kind of post and yet the engine is effectively 'Old technology' to BMW and only used in one model..Its made in China by a company that presumably now owns the rights to it and can sell it to whoever it wants...why BMW would want to stand in their way I cant understand.......
If the TR650 was a direct competitor to the G650GS BMW, it would never have been conceived. I think BMW could see a market for a cheaper version of one of their own bikes, but built to a price, rather than a quality, so with Husqvarna reputation at risk, and their own BMW badged GS models as the "gold standard".
I think you're exactly right Nev. Long as BMW had the Husky label in its portfolio it makes perfect sense to introduce a budget version of their g650gs, so to speak, and be able to do it under another brand. It all works when you own both companies, you cannibalize a few sales from the BMW side but make it up in volume with your other brand and in turn drive down manufacturing costs by the additional volume. I'd have to think Sertao sales are down with the TR650 being available. I'm the first to admit I have absolutely no inside knowledge on this at all but its fun to imagine what's in store for the 2014 TR. I was a real fan of the TE630 and now the TR650. Both are different bikes but I'm sure we'll not be disappointed with whatever comes about in 2014.
More details. Pierer prefers bikes that wont need BMW diagnostics for dealers. He already offered Nuda back to BMW after 2013 (rebadged). His view on other 'streetbikes' is based on new 650/690 model (derived from new supermoto, possibly based on 690 duke engine). Now, I'M WORRIED not only that its one-year wonder (as its OK) but who is going to service Terra ? Husky ? dealers clearly won't have access to BMW diagnostics (nor Pierer would want that). BMW ? It would always be 'rotten egg' from otside of BMW family. Makes it very tight for TR me thinks.
Moss Tool The Husky Shops that have the tool will keep them. And the rest of us will have to go and have a visit with our BMW brethrens.
Maybe I can take mine down to California for the Diagnostic..."Hey honey going to get some work done on the Terra be back in a week or two"....it could work! HaHa.
