Actual news on the KTM purchase of Husqvarna

[john01]

Yep enjoy what you have. I am surprised "the bike of the year" didn't win you over though . I guess thats why they make more than one bike.

 

[rasputin]

And if there was a way to preorder and Italian 2014 Husky I would do it I

i don't know whether it's possible, but it's well worth a try. imagine a couple hundred people pre-ordering, but subject to a condition.
(i happen to be from a nation whose people peacefully wrecked a socialist regime... so yes, "the people" have the power to shape the world they live in)

r

 

[silverpilen]

This is an interesting read....

We have no plans for Cagiva at the moment, because MV Agusta comes first. We have limited resources, not only in terms of cash but also in personnel, to get this project done right. When the company is breaking even with MV, maybe we can think about restarting Cagiva. But right now it makes no sense to go in two directions at once.

Read more:http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/newsandupdates/motorcycle_news/122_1106_5_questions_with_mv_agusta_ceo_giovanni_castiglioni/#ixzz2Rw9kFThl

This is old news now, but I think things may have changed. I reckon I could put Giovanni onto a few expert resources that are becoming freed up and even a spare factory complete with a ready made workforce. I bet that is going through his mind right now as well. However, if given how shrewd SP is, I bet he would wreck the factory and tie things up to prevent Cagiva from becoming a competitor again. All Cagiva need is cash - a not insignificant problem since nobody in Europe has any right, especially the banks.

I kind of wish they would build a really cool well priced MV-Augusta or Cagiva adventure tourer, similar to the Terra. That is a great market segment.

 

[Norman Foley]

Yep enjoy what you have. I am surprised "the bike of the year" didn't win you over though . I guess thats why they make more than one bike.

It doesn't handle like a Husky..... My Berg didn't either and I spent 6 months tweaking it to handle like a one. Very raked out feeling to me and I couldn't trust the front end, same with the Beta. When I tried the Beta, I rode the Berg first to learn the loop, then we swapped. When we stopped after swapping, the dealer said that the front wheel was right under you on the Berg and it really turned. I purposely rode the Beta after a big rain, in the worst conditions, so I could see what it really did. Nice motor, great electric start, super slim and lower than a stock KTM, Husky or '12+ Gas Gas, but no cigar. Sorry for the hijack, but it's all sort of related to KTM/Husky!

 

[silverpilen]

Interesting factoid: BMW motorad posted record sales 2012, 106,358 motorcycles and maxi scooter sales, increase of 2% over 2011, r1200gs top selling model, obviously not too many husky"s in that number -go figure?

 

[giantjoe]

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/is-husqvarna-dying-58696.html

Bad news from Husqvarna, as GPOne and A&R report: the Husqvarna operations in Varese, Italy have been brought to a halt, after major problems have been discovered.

Husqvarna has recently changed hands from BMW to Pierer Industries AG, the company owned by KTM CEO Stephan Pierer. Pierer Industries has announced that the factory will be closed as of April 22nd, but gave no info on whether and when will things be running once more. All 211 workers employed by Husqvarna have been laid off, and only some 30 people in the marketing and sales departments have been kept in their positions.

A very big problem is represented by the +11k bikes which are currently in stock and have rather small prospects for reaching the customers' garages any time soon. To this huge number of bikes, we should add the already 3-4,000 units already manufactured this year.

Pierer Industries publicly stated that Husqvarna is still selling and offering service for the whole range of bikes, including the three recent ones: Terra, Strada 650 and Nuda 900 ABS. It seems like dark times are about to come if the actual owners of the brand can't find viable solutions.

After 5 weeks of assessing the real situation at Husqvarna, Pierer Industries officials claim things are far worse than BMW described, but no official action (other than closing down the plant for now) was mentioned.

We can only wait and hope things will be better, though without customers spending money and actually buying large quantities of the stocked bikes, good times are really far.

Some speculate that KTM CEO just wanted Husqvarna out of the way, and using whatever technologies are fit for further development in KTM bikes then letting the brand die was the initial plan, altogether.

 

[organ donor]

One thing´s CERTAIN. I´ll never get myself an orange bike.

 

[dcg141]

I was at the National Enduro this weekend and got to meet someone from the Sherco factory. He was here with the importer and we spoke at length. The subject of Husqvarna came up and the word going around in Europe was that things had gotten very bad for BMW with regards to Husqvarna. So much so that they all but gave Husqvarna to Pierer and KTM. All that unsold inventory is a major deal. There would be no way to keep the factory running with all those bikes. Money, especially investment capital is very tight in Europe right now and BMW had to stop the bleeding. I have no doubt now that what happens with Husqvarna is going to require some drastic measures. My concern now becomes that this does not end up costing KTM a lot of time, energy and money.

 

[Blazes]

I think WE -- The --Lost Tribe may need to send some mails to the -- NEW - Management / owners of Husqvarna and kindly request some more info regarding what is happening to Husqvarna -- Do we wait to see what happens or do we start buying up spares or bikes that we like -or do we just sit and do nothing while we let them just walk over us -- is it not through us that the brand has been kept alive --Roade my Eddie Seel 634SMR on Saturday-- maybe i should offer it to SP to ride and he can feel --what a real bike feels like to ride

I seriously for one doubt that the brand will be knifed -- think we are going to see some great things still come from SP --- He has done what he set out to do with KTM -- His work has been done -- maybe he wants to cash in on the last 12 years he spent bringing the brand to where it is today and maybe -- just maybe he needs a NEW challenge that he can mange alone --

 

[dcg141]

I think WE -- The --Lost Tribe may need to send some mails to the -- NEW - Management / owners of Husqvarna and kindly request some more info regarding what is happening to Husqvarna -- Do we wait to see what happens or do we start buying up spares or bikes that we like -or do we just sit and do nothing while we let them just walk over us -- is it not through us that the brand has been kept alive --Roade my Eddie Seel 634SMR on Saturday-- maybe i should offer it to SP to ride and he can feel --what a real bike feels like to ride

I seriously for one doubt that the brand will be knifed -- think we are going to see some great things still come from SP --- He has done what he set out to do with KTM -- His work has been done -- maybe he wants to cash in on the last 12 years he spent bringing the brand to where it is today and maybe -- just maybe he needs a NEW challenge that he can mange alone --

Honestly it sounds like that is just not in the cards. First there is little capital available to restart any venture that big and second if they close the factory in Italy where would Pierer build the motorcycles? Sounds more like BMW tired to slip KTM a poison pill. It seems more and more like KTM's options are few. The reality of what they would like to do and what is actually feasible are 2 different things. At the end of the day you have to make money and you can't kill the golden goose that's paying the bills. Personally from the information I have gathered it sounds like their only option is to close and sell the factory and keep whatever tooling and development would benefit KTM. Short term it seems the only way to keep Husqvarna alive as a brand is to simply rebrand KTM's. This just the cards that KTM has been dealt. If you want lay blame you need to look at BMW's disastrous handling of Husqvarna. Had they gone headfirst into developing a new 2 stroke and a raceable 450 then this whole deal might have had a different ending. I am not here to upset anyone but this is just what I think will happen.

 

[Blazes]

Honestly it sounds like that is just not in the cards. First there is little capital available to restart any venture that big and second if they close the factory in Italy where would Pierer build the motorcycles? Sounds more like BMW tired to slip KTM a poison pill. It seems more and more like KTM's options are few. The reality of what they would like to do and what is actually feasible are 2 different things. At the end of the day you have to make money and you can't kill the golden goose that's paying the bills. Personally from the information I have gathered it sounds like their only option is to close and sell the factory and keep whatever tooling and development would benefit KTM. Short term it seems the only way to keep Husqvarna alive as a brand is to simply rebrand KTM's. This just the cards that KTM has been dealt. If you want lay blame you need to look at BMW's disastrous handling of Husqvarna. Had they gone headfirst into developing a new 2 stroke and a raceable 450 then this whole deal might have had a different ending. I am not here to upset anyone but this is just what I think will happen.

Could well be what you saying and by the signs of things -- it looks that way --

I on the other hand am a bit of a optimist --- i remember when Husqvarna was sold to Cagiva --i thought that was the end of Husqvarna-- but hoped and things turned out pretty ok --

Time will tell -- i just dont see SP buying Husqvarna if there was no money in it for him --when he took over KTM they were on the verge of bancruptcy. He must have done his home work or he would not of bought Husqvarna --- heres --HOPING

 

[Joe Chod]

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/is-husqvarna-dying-58696.html

Bad news from Husqvarna, as GPOne and A&R report: the Husqvarna operations in Varese, Italy have been brought to a halt, after major problems have been discovered.

A very big problem is represented by the +11k bikes which are currently in stock and have rather small prospects for reaching the customers' garages any time soon. To this huge number of bikes, we should add the already 3-4,000 units already manufactured this year.

Uhh.....I am just a dumb Army Ranger but how can you have "+11k bikes currently in stock" if you if you only have "3-4,000 units already manufactured this year".?

 

[Motosportz]

Not sure what to think...

 

[Blazes]

Maybe they will strip those bikes and have spares for quite some time and show a tidy profit from them --- Just to honour the agreement --

 

[Howard V]

Uhh.....I am just a dumb Army Ranger but how can you have "+11k bikes currently in stock" if you if you only have "3-4,000 units already manufactured this year".?

BMW was was building and storing mores bike than the buyers wanted, for the last few years. I guess they were counting on a big turn around in the economy, wishful thinking is bad for a business.

 

[dcg141]

Maybe they will strip those bikes and have spares for quite some time and show a tidy profit from them --- Just to honour the agreement --

Blazes I think you are correct. If I had to guess given what KTM has done in the past I would say that they will go to current KTM dealers with the option of becoming a Husqvarna dealer and they will have possibly something new to offer that will be Husqvarna only. My guess would be a street legal 450. KTM has a 500 and 350 but not a 450 EXC. To get that bike you will have to take some dated inventory. Some could be sold that way and the others broken down for spare parts. This again is just speculation on my part but is based on my past experience as a KTM/Husaberg dealer. Personally as a dealer what I would like to see happen is that Husaberg is allowed to be replaced by Husqvarna.

 

[dcg141]

I am going to the dealer meeting in Austria and we are scheduled to meet SP. I would imagine Husqvarna will be a hot topic at that meeting.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

I am going to the dealer meeting in Austria and we are scheduled to meet SP. I would imagine Husqvarna will be a hot topic at that meeting.

Please fill us in on your return****************************************

 

[rasputin]

Money, especially investment capital is very tight in Europe right now

errrr.... europe is not one little spot where everybody's facing the same situation.
my hometown, for example, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%. the local car company just recently bought an italian motorcycle manufacturer for ~1 billion us-dollars.

r

 

[Coffee]

I am going to the dealer meeting in Austria and we are scheduled to meet SP. I would imagine Husqvarna will be a hot topic at that meeting.

What bikes do you now sell? Are you a Husqvarna dealer? Importer for another brand?

...the local car company just recently bought an italian motorcycle manufacturer for ~1 billion us-dollars.

???