Back To The Start: The Husqvarna Story

Nice promotional video with Torsten Hallman and Gunnar Lindstrom.

And congrats to Jason Anderson for making the podium on his FC450 at Hangtown this weekend.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaIuVxWHmKE

John did much for Husqvarna just in the time span he was the East Coast Distributor. Even while he was building Pentons, he was still riding Husqvarna in the national enduro series, gave them a championship, and gold medal at the ISDT

I'm aware of John Pentons contributions to Husqvarna as jimspac explains but other than that I have to admit I'm clueless. Motospotz, please share in more detail what you know. Thanks!

Yup I understand it's KTM not the Swedish husqvarna.
But I feel that the Swedish husqvarna was ahead of Penton. If we look at the early development years. The older husqvarna of the 60's and 70's was race ready out of the box. Wasn't this ahead of the KTM/Penton partnership? I could be wrong.
I'm swedish husqvarna bias.

But after a day of riding the BIG H from any year it's still a husqvarna I guess. My Italian husqvarnas weren't bad bikes.

I think what Kelly is making a reference to is the fact that the current Huskies are KTM's. John Penton's input and name was instrumental in transforming KTM from obscure bicycle/moped manufacturer into a viable brand name in the offroad world.

John Penton's influence with KTM came because he went to Husqvarna wanting them to build a small-bore eastern woods bike (less than 250cc). Husky was going the other way with bigger engines so John contracted with KTM using 100 and 125 Sachs engines. John says if Husky would have built that 125 for him in the late 60's then the Penton would have never been built. You can read all about it in the book "John Penton and the Off-Road Revolution". Fantastic read.

I vintage race a 74 Penton 250 and a 74 Penton 400. Each is competitive as a motocrosser but you can really see the woods rider influence of John Penton. The foot pegs set higher up and farther back than on similar era MX bikes. That helps keep the feet out of deep trail ruts and make it easier to loft the front wheel over logs and such but harder to keep a good weight forward position for MX. The first generation KTM engine in these bikes have cooling fins on the air cooled barrel twice as wide as any other machine of the era. Obviously designed by a guy who's had a bike seize on him after getting the fins clogged with mud in a mud hole 20 miles from nowhere. It is a weight penalty in the MX world though. The frames from 72-75 are called "high breather" frames because the top of the air box seals against a sheet metal chamber under the seat that ducts the air from holes in the spine of the frame under the tank. You can run those things in water up to the seat base and not drown them. It is a bit restrictive however if you're looking for max HP. So most MX guys open up the air box.

I dont wanna Jinx him, but if Max Nagl keeps his $hit together HUSQVARNA will have another World Championship under their belt. maybe even an Arenacross championship with Regal. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Swedish, Italian or Austrian they are still Huskys. And in my book thats all that matters.