Sorta agree with you, but 20 years ago there was not the power of the internet.... there are definitely things that can be done 'almost free' now IMHO. Tons of people with big hearts that own Huskys that are willing to help.
Dean, If the internet existed 20 years ago, you might not be able to buy a Husky in the US today! Look at the size of KTM Talk today, that's what a Husky bb would have looked like then. Concentrate all the animous, that happened in the wake of the Cagiva takeover into the internet and you wouldn't believe what the result would have been. Norman
I'm confused Norm, are you saying they would be really successful or really unsuccessful? I don't go to ktm talk often but my impression was it is a internet forum that is doing quite well and helping the ktm corporation. Are you saying the Cagiva change of 20 years ago would have killed the Husqvarna brand if the details had more exposure? Or they would be more successful?
When I was talking to my local BMW/Ducati/Triumph newly Husky dealer about getting an 08 WR250 brought in for me they they not only offered up two different demo Huskys to me for the day at a track they also went out of their way to make sure I was happy with the whole deal. In fact I was in the process of planning a Moab trip while waiting for my WR to show up, and after wainting 3 months longer than it was supposed to have taken to get the bike the dealership offered to let me take a demo TC510 out to Moab for a week. Between the way the dealership treated me and how much I love my WR I'm sold, and will probably be buying another Husky within the next 6 months. Dealers treating customers like this will do alot more for Husky sales than anything else in my opinion. Brad.
Man, in my simple way of thinking I think Husky needs more bikes in big races with big name riders beating orange, red, blue and yellow bikes with more aggressive advertising to match. I know that costs money, but that's an investment isn't it? The bikes are solid. The company has to display some WILL to get the name out there, or it will always remain on the fringes of the exotic bike scene in the U.S. Jeez, even I remember Malcom Smith rode Huskies to make history. Need more of that!
Dean, What I was trying to say was this..... If the internet was widely availible back then and all the people who were mad at Cagiva/Husky twenty years ago, got on a BB as big as KTM Talk. The effect of all the bad feelings and mis-information would be devasting for the future of the brand in the US market. A little background....... 20 years ago KTM and Husky's situations were just about exactly reversed. KTM was the fringe brand, with long time loyal supporters from the Penton days and new converts. Husky was the steam roller..... Big sales, big teams in all off road racing, if you rode an event it was 75% Huskys. Huge aftermarket support, Husky Products catalog chuck full of parts (KTM just copied all this stuff). The Cagiva takeover was seen as a disaster by many dealers and enthusiasts, people left Husky in droves. I know dealers and riders who to this day still get red in the face when Cagiva is mentioned and it has been twenty years! This and other Husky forums are a small group of dedicated enthusiasts who can help the brand, but we and our brand are pretty small in the scheme of things right now. This is no reason not to be a big part of spreading the word. Norman
You know what it's going to take? Some new young blood riders excited about something that can persuade them from going with the Big 5! I don't know anything about the "insider" corporate BS, but I've noticed that a lot (most) of the Husky riders aren't youngsters! Myself included. I bought mine because it was street legal, fuel injected, not a 250 or 650 pig and not Japanese. Speaking for myself, but I know that's what's attracted many folks to the 450-510 TE's. I don't know if any of this makes sense, trying to speak as a consumer.
I think it might depend on several factors...today. I think things could be typed on the internet right now that...... would not help the situation. But for the most part the less than positive things are not accentuated. Back to the topic at hand - parts availability & paying the contingency $ owed the riders for 2008 would be a couple of really good things to do.
The single biggest thing is having close to all the next year models at the dealers in September. That's traditionally when riders buy new bikes nationally. The big 5 all deliver their product around that time and there is a reason for it. If Husky wants to sell bikes that's when they need to hit the show room. Not December, January, February or March. JustSaying
The other big thing is people in the United States buy bikes based on what the magazines say. ALL THE AMERICAN MAGS are Southern Calif and having TY and Scot out there kissing A$$ will make a world of a difference. Hire Danny LaPorte to do face to face PR and Scott Cox who did KTMs advertising would make a huge difference.... magazine icons or editors love to suck up to stars! JustSaying
I agree that a timely annual new-model roll-out and availability are key to improving the sales figures for Husky. A logistical task really. Which is why the only Munich exec. sent to Italy following the BMW purchase was their supply-chain and logistics guru. To fix the ususal and classic Italian ineptitude in this area. So far, the results have been mixed, but the economic melt-down isn't helping, that's for sure.
UHHH didn't both LaPorte and Harden ride Huskys back in the day and that did not last or break them out ahead of the fold.........you guys appear to think there is a "Silver Bullet" answer/solution. There kind of is............good managment and marketing! No more Ernesto daze.........no more Ferracci days.........nothing Italian other than the bikes! (no prejudice here........just saw the "laid back" attitude take its toll) Concentrate on off road first..........then if sucessful........then MX then SX. Keep up with the Supermoto domination..........push the hell out of the already great contingency and allow each dealer a # of local support rides proportionate to their sales of units. 50 local guys results and representation is as good if not better than 1 factory guy and at much less the cost. Going with the what wins on Sunday sells on Monday (actually probably more Tuesdays!) would be just as effective with a greater number of local guys than 1 pro. Face it........not many of us could ride Juhas bike let alone win on it and he could win races that we compete in if he was riding a motorized shopping cart! Husky has had good people in the past with good ideas for the brand but when it came time for the guy to write the check......instead of signing it........the check writer just stabbed the idea guy in the eye with the pen. getting the bike in September has been a problem with Italy as the month of August has always been Spring break for their national Industry. Maybe get them here in July. If the cut 1 month or 2 each year in the R&D process, wqe coul see Dec timeframe become July delivery in 2 to 3 years. Joe
Yep. I found a 1984 District 14 newspaper I had saved in the attic recently. The results from every enduro listed in that issue: Husky, Husky, Husky, Husky...... Nearly every top ten spot. I was in the the local Ducati/Triumph dealer a few days ago getting a property tax 'reevaluation' on my TE (Yeah, they tax ALL your motor vehicles here) and was urging the dealer to take on Husky's (again). The response I received was surprising. Norm's description of red faced employees was spot-on. This guy still has very hard feelings toward Cagiva and pointed out that "they're still distributed by Cagiva USA [Is he correct on that?] ,and nothing's changed". He also complained that you have to buy all the models, even if you can't sell certain models. [Is he correct on that.? Bobby?] He only wanted TE's and SMR's *if* he were to take on Husky's again. Bottom line, he still *perceives* that Husky is bad for his business. KTM didn't become the dominator of the NA market overnight. They slowly took over after Husky and it's dealers left a huge void behind when they 'left' NA, so Husky has a long way to go to try to get back that market share. It's not going to happen overnight. Are Husky's displayed at the IMS shows touring the country? If not, they need to be with a giant sign that says "All TE 4-strokes 50 state street-legal". Whenever someone asks me "how do you like your Husky?" I tell them "it's the best kept secret in all of off-roading". Sad but true. Put cafehusky.com in your sig file on TT, ADVrider, etc. Hey, it can't hurt...
Huskys are no longer distributed by Cagiva USA. They are now distributed in the the US by Husqvarna-Motorcycle USA, a division of BMW Motorrad USA. In the past, dealers usually have to take some of each line (Enduro, Cross, Cross Country, Dual Sport), with adjustments in numbers for the local market. No Husky for the IMS shows. Norman
Please don't. Feel free to pass links of interest on, but I would be 'uncomfortable' putting Cafe Husky in sig lines on other forums.
Current day HSQ dealers can take on whatever models they like which are available. We do very well with SM's and TE's and trying our best to grow the offroad sector of the model range. Consequently we ordered for 09 accordingly.
You guys prove my point that he still perceives Husky as bad for his business. His info is outdated/inacurate. Coffee: I've had ridehsta and dixiedualsport in my sigs on the other forums I use for ages. You really think it's a problem for an individual (me) to promote another (your) site? I'll remove it if you want, but I don't see how it hurts... What am I missing?
