Poll - BMW / Husky

[Motosportz]

Im not happy with it. I have owned 2 BMW's and 3 Husky's over the last 10 years. I still have a BMW street bike and a Husky in the garage.

My BMW is made in Germany and my Husky made in Italy. I dont like the whole chinese made engine and outsourcing thing.

I belive if your paying a premium price you should get a premium product.

the global market means everything is built somewhere. I think the days of something built in one place is gone. These bikes are already littered with japanese or other electronics, suspension, tires, tanks, plastic, bearings, i think you would be surprised how much "Italian" built bikes are built form foreign sourced parts. Just like cars, it is a global world now. To me the key is that these manufactures only work with suppliers.

 

[Suamico SD]

Yep, I get that. Im Just saying don't give me the old german engineering sales pitch and make the thing in china. Tell it like it is.

 

[krieg]

Love it. Except for their attitude on 2 strokes. We may be back on a KTM 250 SX next race season to race in the 450 class. Still on the fence about getting a '13 TC 250R and staying in the 250 class. One thing's for sure, I have my eye on our '11 CR 150 as my "re-entry" into the woods bike this Spring. If I do start riding the woods again... my ass will be staying on MY bike and it'll be a Husky!

 

[Husky449]

I currently have a 2009 WR250 and 2011 TE449. I still prefer the WR in the tight stuff and have been a 2 stroke man for 25yrs but the 449 is so easy to ride when the trail is open and flowing. I see a few people complaining about the weight of the 449/511 but they are as light as most of the other bikes and the new Yamaha 450 is actually heavier. I do think that Husky need to update the 2 stroke range and bring the TE310 up to 350 size. Glen Kearny's race bike has a in house built 350 motor so I would like to think that Husky are listening to the customers. I just hope that BMW don't forget where the brand originally came from in the first place. They really need to get some motocross teams around the world as the exposure would be great for the brand.

 

[water racer]

Love it. Except for their attitude on 2 strokes. We may be back on a KTM 250 SX next race season to race in the 450 class. Still on the fence about getting a '13 TC 250R and staying in the 250 class. One thing's for sure, I have my eye on our '11 CR 150 as my "re-entry" into the woods bike this Spring. If I do start riding the woods again... my ass will be staying on MY bike and it'll be a Husky!

Off the subject, but glad you are planning on venturing back out and there is no better bike than a 125/150 to do it on.

 

[Jeremy Howe]

Im not happy with it. I have owned 2 BMW's and 3 Husky's over the last 10 years. I still have a BMW street bike and a Husky in the garage.

My BMW is made in Germany and my Husky made in Italy. I dont like the whole chinese made engine and outsourcing thing.

I belive if your paying a premium price you should get a premium product.

How exactly are you paying a premium price for a Husky?

Yamaha YZ450F $8490
Kawasaki KX450 $8699
Honda CRF450 $8440
Husqvarna TC449 $7999

Looks to me as if the prices are extremely reasonable.

 

[Suamico SD]

Been to a BMW dealer lately?

 

[Jeremy Howe]

OK, on BMW maybe. Sorry, I thought you were referring to the Husky line up.

 

[krieg]

Been to a BMW dealer lately?

This is a Husky forum. Shame on anyone for assuming you were talking about Husky prices eh?

 

[Tinken]

I like the new ktm 350. Puts out the same hp as a husky 449, revs to 12k rpm and only weights 241lbs. $9700 dollars though, yikes.

 

[krieg]

In the last 5 years, KTM prices have gone from "bend over here it comes again ridiculous" to: "holy $hit there's an orange sidewinder missile headed straight for my a$$ ridiculous". It's ridiculous.

 

[fletchman45]

I'm skipping reading any one's comments so I can voice my own opinion without seeing anyone else's. This was brought on all by the Italians and pretty much there own fault. Years ago when they bought out the Sweedish name they should have hired someone with a brain to do many different things as fas as PR goes. The old WR 250/300 is long outdated and if BMW gave a crap this would have been retooled to some scale. The mini's are not here but you can put your son on and Orange POS 50 65 or what ever you want. As a model the Italians should look at what KTM did in order to get where they are at today, considering in around 1991 they were close to dead. This whole thing is a very sore subject to me because had Husqvarna had any brains at all they would not have needed the funding in order to avoid going bankrupt. Most of staying in business is comman sense. provide a competitive product at a competitive price, continue to update the product with the times, provide parts at affordable pricing and readily available, make aftermarket clothing and items to promote your product. Send ringer bikes to the magizines kiss their ass and write checks to them (AKA KTM), adjust your product as needed even if different for different countries. IE 6 speed and big tank etc.. 200 CC engine etc.... None of this is rocket science and unfortunatly Husqvarna at one time or another has failed to do all of this. Without BMW they would be DONE......... Some stuff sppears to be going in the right direction for sure. But I'm still scared. A smart business man once told me NEVER have a partner. For this year I'm sad but believe I will ride a devil bike (Gas Gas) For a number of reasons. It has Zokes Ohlins and a hydro clutch etc.... If Husqvarna comes out with a 2014 new school 250-300 and God allows mw to grace this planet I will try to buy one for sure. My heart has been with this brand strong enough to run over KTM riders and fight in a bar if necessary. I knew they had a great product years ago and remember taking the 1993 brochure to my banker and telling him I needed money for a new 250 Husky. We will see where this marrige of sorts goes.............. One thing is for certain. One out of 2 marriges end in divorce. We shall see.... Give us a new 250=300 two stroke or I'm done..........................................

 

[fletchman45]

I like the new ktm 350. Puts out the same hp as a husky 449, revs to 12k rpm and only weights 241lbs. $9700 dollars though, yikes.

I guess that orange plastic is expensive. BMW should let the italions do ALL their own engines. You must admit the Husky is very attractive in pricing!!

 

[fletchman45]

I voted for the top notch although would put my feelings somewhere between 1 and 2. I think together they are doing good things but it is a little too soon to see where they will wind up. I like all the new models and I realize they were a few laps down so to speak and you can not make that up in a year or two. I know people are frustrated with the 250/300 2t, but if they spend their time and money on band aids it will only delay or compromise an all new design.
One thing I would like to see is to clean up their reputation on how they have dealt with dealers and racers. I would have to believe the problems have come from a transitioning management. Surely BMW does everything by the book.

Sorry but they are way to late for even a bandaid. They should have thrown the old enfine with the 6 speed reinstalled in the new 150 frame at a minimum. While they are sleeping on duty for the last umteen years many have jumped ship and headed to orange (Jason) slush land or jumped on a devil bike... They needed a band aid while still working on a new design.

 

[LandofMotards]

Yeah it would be nice to see a basic kids line of bikes too. My son still thinks I'm cool so I need to get him on a husky ASAP lol but there's nothing out there

 

[fletchman45]

I didn't own a husky when there was issue getting parts, but from what I hear, they have fixed this issue for the most part. That coupled with Bill's right down the road, It has been VERY VERY easy to get parts up to this point. I also like the Husky Contingency program (even tho I don't race), and they seem to be doing a good job of marketing.

That contingency program is great and is working!!! Yes BMW is doing a good job and all the morons that worked for Husky in the nineties pretty much did them in.

 

[PALMER84ONE]

How about not wild about it but still on the fence? I really like the fact that the BMW is a strong company, but the Husky brand is second to the BMW. If they would have kept the R&D in Italy and continued with the 450/510/449/511 as they did with the 250/310 style it would have been better. When you change models every year or two it makes it harder to keep supply of parts. How many extra this and that do you provide for support? The fact that they dropped the ball on the 2T is another factor. When you want a piece of the market, you need to stick with something more than a year or two. I also have heard that the 449/511 will be dropped soon. That will make them the bastard child also. I love my 08, and will rebuild it as many times as I can and parts are available.

 

[pat ohara]

Not on the fence unless i wrecked and ended up impaled. If a person does not like the current models and feel that it holding them back, buy something else. Simple; i'm sticking with Husqvarna. BMW and Husky will move along as matters dictate or not at all whichever, look at the WEC success and MPS in Great Britain . ..

 

[boisedave]

Here's my $0.02...

I'm on the fence still, but cautiously optimistic -- here's why:

The "marriage" has only produced one (1) bike that is a true BMW/Husky product IMHO -- that is the new 650. One could even argue that this is merely a way to use BMW engines, [like the 449/511], but I would disagree as I think the 650 will last forever and the 449/511 are going the way of the dodo. The 449/511 might be a great mount [I haven't ridden one -- but I trust the folks who have and they love it], but its not a conceived from the ground up bike. The motor was used, as near as I can tell, to fulfill the contract requirements for Kymco -- BMW/Husky needed a platform for the remaining engines -- Bingo. The remaining bikes -- 2-strokes [both the small bore and the big bore] are Italian and not a result of the marriage. The x-lites are itallian as well. So -- from where I sit -- I don't see anything "new" from the BMW/Husky marriage. So, I think its too early to tell what the relationship will do in the end.

What I do see are the "influences" of the marriage. The 449/511 is a perfect example. The red head too. The improved fit and finish and quality. These are all great signs.

BMW/Husky has taken a really smart approach -- take what is there and make cost effective improvements to bridge the gap until ALL bikes in the range are exactly what BMW/Husky would produce if they had started from scratch. What I am driving at is if BMW/Husky could map out a product line from scratch and be building the exact bikes they wanted to build, I believe [just my opinion] the only bike they would want to build is the 650. Everything else is a placeholder.

I see evidence of this happening -- Look at the photos of the new 4-stroke engine posted awhile back. Rumors are its the new x-lite 450 [may even be a 250 or 350 as well]. Look at all of the secret press about the FI or DI 2-stroke and all the mags saying they have heard about it [but have yet to see it]. Additionally, there have been a couple of press reports from BMW/Husky execs which said they are moving to new all new models which will be the best in class. In the end, I think BMW/Husky will gradually replace all of these existing models with something conceived from the ground up -- this I am excited to see. I think the 650 is just the first example. Reports are a bit early, but that bike promises to be the bomb for its intended use.

Before I make up my mind, I want to see BMW/Husky "make [i.e. design and build] a real dirtbike -- something fresh. Honda replaces the CRF every 4 years or so. KTM took several years to get to FI. What will Husky do? Lastly, since I am a 2-stroke guy -- I would really like to see one of those. Once I see the first realy dirtbike produced from the marriage -- I will have a better idea. For now -- thinks are undeniably better.

 

[Jeremy Howe]

boisedave....great analysis.