KTM Buying Husky?

[FabOneUp]

I have been kind of just sitting on the sidelines on this subject and have come to the conclusion that no matter what happens here, I am ok with it. I am sure Husqvarna as a company is in safe hands now. He admires the brand and its roots as he has already stated. It is too bad that there was no mention of the adventure bike realm in the interview with SP. We as TR650 owners are hanging in the balance and again, I am ok with it.

I already have one discontinued bike (Buell Ulysses) and their entire company folded overnight. I will ride it until the wheels fall off! If the Terra is discontinued, I will do the same. It is kind of cool to to have a bike that was on a limited production run. If, worst case senario, they halt all production of the TR650 line and the parts well dries up...it's ok! We can put our heads together here and figure out how to keep these bikes on the road or dirt.

We've got each other man...it will all be ok!

 

[Coffee]

I really don't think the parts situation is that dire... and eventually the secondary market will take that on.

 

[mnb]

Especially since other bikes use the same engine. Husky did tweak it a bit, so it's not 100% BMW, but I don't think that will pose much of an issue.

My Terra is 4719, based on VIN, so they made and shipped about 5k units in less than half a year; I hear rumors that Husky sales were up 20+% in last quarter, due mostly to the Terra. I hear that January was even stronger--

Your Terra is probably #719. I SERIOUSLY doubt HALF the husky sales last year were Terras.

 

[Kenneth Webb]

Ryan, the tech at Big D Motorsports told me the Terra engine is made in Austria, if I recall correctly, and definitely not in China. Husky should remain able to source it there most likely. Ryan is just back from the Terra training and got his info there.

 

[mario33]

Your Terra is probably #719. I SERIOUSLY doubt HALF the husky sales last year were Terras.

Husky sold 1321 TR's in 2012. Or delivered to dealers for that matter. http://www.bimmerfile.com/2013/01/09/worldwide-bmw-motorrad-sales-up-43-4-in-december/

Assuming its been sold for 3 months in 2012, potential yearly sales well exceed 5k units. And assuming its just started, even more than that.

Well, if you consider their quarterly sales ~2500 units and TR was 1300, then its not unjustifiable to call it HALF (or even slightly more).

 

[Beemermcr]

Husky sold 1321 TR's in 2012. Or delivered to dealers for that matter. http://www.bimmerfile.com/2013/01/09/worldwide-bmw-motorrad-sales-up-43-4-in-december/

Assuming its been sold for 3 months in 2012, potential yearly sales well exceed 5k units. And assuming its just started, even more than that.

Well, if you consider their quarterly sales ~2500 units and TR was 1300, then its not unjustifiable to call it HALF (or even slightly more).

Good info - apparently, as an earlier poster said, the VIN is not an accurate count. Still believe Terra is too important to the new owners sales numbers.

 

[Beemermcr]

.Well, if you consider their quarterly sales ~2500 units and TR was 1300, then its not unjustifiable to call it HALF (or even slightly more).

Which also speaks to the weakness of the rest of the lineup, as stated by the new owner.

 

[nev..]

I think that the new owner will try and distance themself from BMW as quick as possible. I dont see the new owner selling any motorcycle with a BMW engine in it. I still think that the Terra and Strada are going to be 1 yr wonders.

BMW engine? It's a Rotax engine! and Rotax are owned by BRP which means the engine is either Canadian or Austrian, but not Barvarian. BMW don't make it. Never have. Never will. They've been buying this engine from Rotax for years. Aprilia used the same engine in their Pegaso bikes for a few years in the early 2000's as well. Rotax also make the engine for the Nuda, which is a 800cc in BMW guise or 900cc in Husqvarna guise. Likewise, made for BMW, but not made by BMW. IN fact it was probably a strategic step by BMW to use Rotax engines in the Husqvarna bikes so as not to tie the Husqvarna company too closely to BMW. I can't see BMW ever engine sharing their R (Boxer twin) or K (flat four) engines.

 

[mnb]

Rotax designed the 650 thumper and made it for BMW for a few years. BMW has made the engine in Germany for several years now after having it made in Asia for a couple years.

BMW designed the 800 twin engine in cooperation with Rotax. BMW has always manufactured that engine, in Germany. Unless that has changed very recently...

Husky got the BMW engines they did because those were the ones most suited to Husky. What else does BMW have to offer? A 1200cc Boxer, an 1100cc Transverse 4, a 1300cc transverse 4 and a 1600cc transverse 6. All of those are much too big for Huskies. The 800, 650 and 450 were much better choices for them.

 

[silverpilen]

Stranger things have happened in the past from the factory in Varese. There was a Cagiva Husky that had a yamaha 125 four stroke engine bolted into the WR frame - was sold only in the euro market. It was even marketed under the CH brand for a while - but was pure cagiva husky. The Cagiva Canyon 500cc and 600cc had a rotax engine, the Cagiva Gran Canyon had a ducati 900 motor. I have a Cagiva Navigator with a Suzuki TL1000 v-twin in it. Go figure?

 

[Coffee]

Husky sold 1321 TR's in 2012. Or delivered to dealers for that matter. http://www.bimmerfile.com/2013/01/09/worldwide-bmw-motorrad-sales-up-43-4-in-december/

Assuming its been sold for 3 months in 2012, potential yearly sales well exceed 5k units. And assuming its just started, even more than that.

Well, if you consider their quarterly sales ~2500 units and TR was 1300, then its not unjustifiable to call it HALF (or even slightly more).

Don't forget Hurricane Sandy. That delayed shipments out of the north east for a long time because they were stuck in customs.

More might have been sold if they were available.

 

[ray_ray]

Keep looking at those sales numbers and it will become apparent that if you remove the TR and maybe Nuda sales numbers for Husqvarna, and you'll find the previous owners lost dirt bikes sales in 2012 ...

 

[Toyboy]

I could be wrong but the engine as correctly stated is a ROTAX by design but is manufactured in China. Last euro ROTAX was in a BMW single was 2007, possibly 2008. For sure Kymco in 09. I actually spoke with a higher up at BMW about this very thing and was told that this was done as a result of BMW thinking it was dropping the single then mid stream did not. Rotax could not meet the numbers needed and the engine was farmed out to Kymco that had better or closer tolerances then Rotax did which impressed BMW. It was Kymco and now someone else there. I knew it but name but can't quite remember. .

 

[juicypips]

Personally i think its a good thing especially if they move production to the katoom area and ditch the itallian handi work, i think all the slip shod assembly work done by the pasta folk was all to sully the name of BMW, but thats another history lesson!

bring it on if the big name bikes are made by the same folk then its down to rider ability and not whos better, im sure it will still play a large part of it but husaberg, or hoosaberg (usa) have been back pedalling their porduction due to costs they ditched the 70 degree long stroke engine and shuved in a ktm engine in the conventional manor...sad times.

if husky are to be aimed at the base market with select pimped parts all the better.
but if they remain the same bikes an only have price hike to $200- $500 dollars of the ktm machines, shuv it. sales will decline and i feel peeps not loyal will look towards suzuki and yammaha.

 

[Tel]

My local dealer has TRs flying out his door. With a 2-3 week wait on ordering. I believe the new company owner will see the sales success and continue to sell and no doubt improve the bike. Why would a company discontinue its best performing product? (If that is the case)
I know I will purchase one, enjoy it and not give a rat's proverbial as I can obtain the accessories I want. My dealer has the diagnostic equipment and parts will be around for as long as I am ever going to need them.

 

[jakson]

It's mentioned here and elsewhere that the new owner has remarked on Husqvarna's sales performance or lack of... Does anyone have a web link to this referenced remark?

 

[FabOneUp]

So this motor has been thrown around quite a bit it seems, and now we are getting conflicting answers on the origin of our "Husky 650". It seems it is made in China by Loncin, but it would not surprise me that production may have been brought back to Austria and built by Rotax for this specialized motor. Can we get more people to ask their dealers for any info or hopefully BILLF will chime in.

Here is a good read; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_650_single

 

[Tinken]

I think that the new owner will try and distance themself from BMW as quick as possible. I dont see the new owner selling any motorcycle with a BMW engine in it. I still think that the Terra and Strada are going to be 1 yr wonders.

I think you're right. I think I am glad I own a 511, I'll be happy with it while everyone else is riding on PDS rear suspension and over heating like the typical KTM...

 

[Toyboy]

Personally i think its a good thing especially if they move production to the katoom area and ditch the itallian handi work, i think all the slip shod assembly work done by the pasta folk was all to sully the name of BMW, but thats another history lesson!

bring it on if the big name bikes are made by the same folk then its down to rider ability and not whos better, im sure it will still play a large part of it but husaberg, or hoosaberg (usa) have been back pedalling their porduction due to costs they ditched the 70 degree long stroke engine and shuved in a ktm engine in the conventional manor...sad times.

if husky are to be aimed at the base market with select pimped parts all the better.
but if they remain the same bikes an only have price hike to $200- $500 dollars of the ktm machines, shuv it. sales will decline and i fe

 

[EgliVincent]

Hey Guys, I'm a newbie to CH but have enjoyed my TE510 for the last seven years and couldn't be happier with the bike....just wish my riding skills were up to par with what its capable of! So I've been looking at getting a bigger dual sport / small adventure style bike and was getting ready to pull the trigger on a TE630 right when they discontinued them. Ive waited patiently for the TR and my local dealer finally got one in to look at. At first, I was a bit disappointed as it was nothing like the 630, So much more street oriented than I had expected. But then after thinking and reading all the positive posts (thanks all for the input), the bike seems to make sense all of a sudden.

Now I'm torn, do I pull the trigger on a TR or wait to see what KTM has in store for next year. If I were a betting man, Id say KTM will somewhat marginalize the brand as they've done with Husaberg, and keep focus on KTM. I think you're all correct in saying that a bike like the TR has great sales potential, but I'm sure BMW has locked down production rights on both their 800 twin and 650 single with whomever is involved in designing and manufacturing it. I'm thinking that it just makes sense that next years TR might very well revert back to the TE styling. They've got the motors...bore it from 630 to 650, and the rest of the bike is already engineered. I can't imagine they'd spend resources on shoehorning a Husky power plant into that Beemer frame. Reverting back to a TE630 platform would also support Pierer's statement about "focusing on offroad".

So not to ramble on, the TR drove me to look at other bikes including the Sertao, 690 Enduro, etc... and it now I keep coming back to it, thinking this TR might be the perfect bike with small mods. Perfect for daily commuting, some light offroad, and a little weekend touring. My biggest concern is that this bike might fall into 'No Man's Land' as far as technical and service support goes. Most Husky dealers aren't geared up to support it (Moss diagnostics), Bmw is washing their hands of it, does anyone know who is going to handle the TR customer. It seems that if this is a one year bike that BMW should take its warranty and long term customer support since they're the one with the parts bins and tool to support it. Do any TR owners have any insight? Im not worried about most of it, but the motor, FI system, etc. can be expensive....especially if the parts come from BMW.