OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => Other Makes (CanAms, Coopers, etc) => Topic started by: Rookie#1 on May 17, 2013, 12:10:27 am
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Husqvarna and Husaberg are to re-unite under the Husky logo after 25 years of ‘separation’. Following two months of uncertainty about what would become of the Husqvarna brand after it was sold by BMW to Stefan Pierer of KTM, both companies (Husaberg & Husqvarna) have announced that they are to merge to form a single brand under the famous Husqvarna name with manufacturing located at the KTM factory in Mattighofen, Austria.
In a joint press release both companies confirmed the merge and revealed that they are working on new models in the enduro, MX and supermoto segments. The move brings to an end the existence of the Swedish Husaberg brand which was created by a group of disgruntled Husqvarna employees, upset at the famous Swedish marque being sold to the Italians back in the late 1980s.
They decided to launch and manufacture their own brand of motorcyle – Husaberg – which despite its relative lack of racing pedigree, went on to have more than its fair share of world championship success in MX, enduro and supermoto. Though ironically when the brand faltered a few years ago, it was purchased by KTM in Austria.
This move brings the story full circle and re-unites the brands once more – albeit, now based in Austria (rather than Sweden, Italy, Germany or potentially India). Interestingly the press release reveals that Husqvarna will be allowed to develop its own separate products with its own ‘exclusive design’ (although this doesn’t rule out the continuing use of KTM engines). Also in the press release is the pledge to honour all parts/warranty work etc for ‘all Husqvarna models up to and including model year 2013 [which are] guaranteed for the years to come and will remain at the current business location in Biandronno, Italy’.
So there it is, the short but acomplished life of the Husaberg brand seems all but over. As they did achieve some success across diciplines it's quite likely some models will now become collectable in 10-20 years time, after only 3 years of manufacture I guess it'll make the 2t Bergs a rather rare thing down the track. Is hard to beleive they were in business for around 25 years, albeit with ownership and management shuffles.
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KTM bought Berg in 95? to steal there engine technology to build there 400/520 engine that appeared in 2000....they also stole there number 1 rider in Joel Smetts to win the world 500cc title. At least Husaberg won a shitload of world championships in MX, Enduro and Supermotard and I'm sure there legacy will live for a long long time.
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Thinking about this a little more there is few positives to come out of it, first is that a brand like Husaberg will go out at a time when they're closer to the top of their game than ever. Better this than in some sort of disgrace, second i guess is that it will mean that Husqvarna will likely no longer be the outdated, poor cousin of the modern dirt bike world. It will surely soon become again a sort after, exotic brand with the technology and engineering now at the disposal of the new owners. I'm actually quite exited to see what Husqvarna look like in the next few years, maybe just maybe then return of autos???
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I reckon that's great news, the Husaberg engineers (if there are any left) will be back with the brand they came from and with KTM's influence we should see some decent Husqvarnas again instead of the shite box's the Italians and Germans have been feeding us in recent years...
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Why would anybody think that KTM will look after Husqvarna any better than they did Husaberg? Probably just make red and white KTM's.
I don't think there would be any original Husky/Berg engineers left within the company now Johnny.
This all very disappointing. A short while ago we had 3 great individual European manufacturers, now we have one.
Cheers, Grahame.
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Why would anybody think that KTM will look after Husqvarna any better than they did Husaberg? Probably just make red and white KTM's.
I don't think there would be any original Husky/Berg engineers left within the company now Johnny.
This all very disappointing. A short while ago we had 3 great individual European manufacturers, now we have one.
Cheers, Grahame.
Next owner some one in China . but i believe a company in India own half of
K.T.M anyhow..
The Stig
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KTM didn't buy Husqvarna, the CEO of KTM bought it. As the Indian company has bought more than 50% of KTM and as he may lose control of it, his personal company bought out Husqvarna. So as I understand it, Pierer the CEO of KTM owns Husqvarna but not KTM.
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Why would anybody think that KTM will look after Husqvarna any better than they did Husaberg? Probably just make red and white KTM's.
I don't think there would be any original Husky/Berg engineers left within the company now Johnny.
This all very disappointing. A short while ago we had 3 great individual European manufacturers, now we have one.
Cheers, Grahame.
KTM turned Husaberg into a better bike than they were.. It's only the last couple of years they've become blue KTM's.
Hopefully the CEO of KTM can do a better job with Husqvarna than the Germans did!
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I just wish the scandos would get back to making the engines they are good at........big 4stroke singles and big 2stroke twins.
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(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r259/vmx247/131820_499308513481946_323084655_o_zps6ee87a43.png) (http://s146.photobucket.com/user/vmx247/media/131820_499308513481946_323084655_o_zps6ee87a43.png.html)
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The key to understanding the varied responses is when people picked up on the Husaberg idea...
If you're honest, the Swedish never built good mainstream bikes, just like Saab never built good mainstream cars. The bikes they built were often brilliant but always too flawed to have mainstream appeal.
As Saab has shown, such manufacturers cannot survive in the new millennia.
Personally, I like the Swedish Huskies, but I'm far more likely to buy/own/love an Italian one. Ze Chermans clearly didn't get it at all, with the 449/511 being miles off target, despite being quite a good bike.
I agree with Pierer's move to bring Husqvarna and Husaberg back together. If he allows the New Husqvarna to be as innovative as Swedish Husqvarna/Husaberg was, with Japanese-style quality control, then they could be a real winner.
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All I was doing was updating the brand name sticker on the missus's 1970's era Husqvarna (removing the Husaberg and KTM ones I had thoughtfully slapped on) and home demon starts screaming at me to leave it alone!
Replied " haven't tinkered with any of the running gear sweetheart, still runs like a quality sewing machine it is...)
Always in the shit, just the depth that varies.... :(
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There is some good buys for the now defunct brand.
For a start it's a 98 model, more than likely 600cc. It's definitely a FC and has some goodies such as an Ohlins rear shock and a SPES exhaust system. I'd like to see some more pics as it could be a limited release model with those parts.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/baulkham-hills/motorcycles/husaberg-600cc-4-stroke-moto-x-brembo-excel-not-yamaha-suzuk/1032469871 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/baulkham-hills/motorcycles/husaberg-600cc-4-stroke-moto-x-brembo-excel-not-yamaha-suzuk/1032469871)
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Sold
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Fark, I've been looking for one of those......bummer.....awesome bike, Joel Smets hardly lost a race that year on one of those.
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Fark, I've been looking for one of those......bummer.....awesome bike, Joel Smets hardly lost a race that year on one of those.
Didn't something very similar to that bike attempt to push your legs into your armpits?
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Don't think it's a limited bike.
Should've had different graphics, gold inner forklegs, and a WP shock, in addition to that SPES exhaust....
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Ola that's because they were removed
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Ahh, ok, cool.
My brother had a -99 Smetsreplica.
I've worked for Husaberg for 20 years this year, had and raced about 20 bikes. Have kept a few...
Got offered a -99 Enforcer the other week, not many of those around... I think he wants a bit too much for it though...
Do you guys think that would be worth keeping/collecting? (not a ATV guy myself...)
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There is some good buys for the now defunct brand.
For a start it's a 98 model, more than likely 600cc. It's definitely a FC and has some goodies such as an Ohlins rear shock and a SPES exhaust system. I'd like to see some more pics as it could be a limited release model with those parts.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/baulkham-hills/motorcycles/husaberg-600cc-4-stroke-moto-x-brembo-excel-not-yamaha-suzuk/1032469871 (http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/baulkham-hills/motorcycles/husaberg-600cc-4-stroke-moto-x-brembo-excel-not-yamaha-suzuk/1032469871)
Fark I was only just looking at that bike last nite, thinking will I or wont I .... :o
U gotta be quick around here...
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Don't think it's a limited bike. Should've had different graphics, gold inner forklegs, and a WP shock, in addition to that SPES exhaust....
My 98 has the gold forks, the SPES exhaust and an Ohlins shock. All the pic's I have of the 98 Smetts/Limited version don't show the rear shock so I've just assumed that the WP was swapped out for an Ohlins. Any graphics are long gone, in fact the bike has FE graphics. They never kept reference numbers to match a given bike so there is no way to prove/disprove the origins of a bike other than the model and year of manufacture.
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Sold
Gone full circle and back to where it all began? ;)
I noticed the swing are graphics, hence why I posted the link.
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Ahh, ok, cool.
My brother had a -99 Smetsreplica.
I've worked for Husaberg for 20 years this year, had and raced about 20 bikes. Have kept a few...
Got offered a -99 Enforcer the other week, not many of those around... I think he wants a bit too much for it though...
Do you guys think that would be worth keeping/collecting? (not a ATV guy myself...)
Most, if not all of the enforcers were 600cc. The engines, particularly the bottom end didn't cope well and it was not unusual for cranks and cases to be rooted in the quads.
Getting conrods and rotating parts for the pre 2000 model 600's is near impossible, the 501 even worse. If people out there say it's no drama getting parts then it's either a case that they have hoarded parts from back in the day (or) they haven't seriously started searching for parts. I have contacted nearly every Husaberg dealer in North America and Europe searching for conrods, rocker components etc and bought what I can which is 3 fifths of nothing. Sometimes you can be lucky, 6 months ago I got onto a guy who had some spares from a bike he had back in 99/00. I ended up picking up a brand new set of wheels (complete with brand new 13 year old tyres, disc's and a sprocket) a complete set of good plastics and few other assorted parts for $300. On the flip side I found only 2 brand new NOS rear rear guards in Husaberg dealers in Australia and has to pay $160 a piece.
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Sold
Gone full circle and back to where it all began? ;)
I noticed the swing are graphics, hence why I posted the link.
Thank you back in my shed where it belongs
Big story and a waste of 22 hours