Wally I agree. I was just thinking, seeing Juhas last WEC bike of 2009 and I bet if one was to "Superimpose" it over a production 09 Beemer, It would look different by far. It will take a while to get where they want to go and I am sure it would be cool......look at the new 250 bike/motor.........from those that got it....it was worth the wait.......kinda like prom night with the whole cheerleading squad.
Myself, I was really happy to hear a big euro company took over at Husky because what else could be better short of Husky taking back over for its self? The down side, and it is the same with any company take over, is that the parent company may push its sibling company in a direction that was contrary to the latter's original plan ESP if the sibling company seemed to have a plan that might be bearing fruit. Changing directions can be good or bad...In these cases, only one side plays out so we get what is served and only speculate on the other direction. This half-half bike that is being talked about so heavily seems to indicate a heavy hand by the parent ...Maybe, maybe not but it appears to have scared many... And the boss will always impose his will, correct? It is just one aspect of the Husky line-up and with all the good that is pointed out by the 08 - 010 models, I can't see how this can be ignored or dis-continued.
Maybe we should have Scott Summer come back into the mix to ensure stuff is "sorted" out right ..............Hmmnnnnn
I wouldnt get too worked up about the new bike just yet. Scot Harden rode it a few weeks ago in Italy, and I didnt hear it directly from him, I have heard that the bike is awesome.
"The decision was made to solve the problems both riders have had with the German bike which has failed to live upp to it's full potential. " Post #34 http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9084182#post9084182 So it seems one of two things is happening here. They really like the motor or BMW has to have the motor in the Husky frame to say they are still racing a BMW? Otherwise they could just race the TXC. Hope the motor is very good.
There is a guy on KTM TALK who is Juha's webmaster and he has ridden the bike. He said it makes the new Bergs feel like pigs. He said it truly feels like a 250 2T.
I hope this is true and I really had no doubt that Husky would produce the same kind of results in its new big bore thumpers as it has with the 250. To do anything else just doesn't make good business, sales, or brand reputation sense. Walt
Warning: Rant ON: Image is everything. That seems lost in this discussion. Doesnt matter if this bike works well. Its already a big uphill battle, cause the image is already really really really bad in terms of the motors past performance. The image is confused in terms of 'where is Husky now going'. Are we now a bigger Beta? A german italian hybrid? On our way to being all german? A one off deal and the italians will take care of everything in the future? who knows. But the water sure gets cloudy fast, just when Husky was getting sorted out to the rest of the off road world. If Ford bought Ferrari, and then handed them a weird motor, that failed for a couple years, and sourced if from Taiwan, would it still be a Ferrari, just cause it said so on the side of the car? Yeah a few folks would still buy it, and Ferrari could pay a top racer to promote it, but it would only cheapen the brand, and in the end hurt the company. This is exactly what happened to Jaguar. Thats why Ferrari would NEVER use a Ford designed motor, sourced in Taiwan or anywhere else. Guys who buy Huskys do so as an emotional response. Husky has moxie. It has an edge. It has passion. Its an identification with something special and different. Its for some a connection with their youth. But its not a logical choice when looking for a dirt bike. Logic says dont buy a dirt bike, its dangerous. What worries me about this bike is the lack of identity, lack of passion-identification. At the end of the day its an asian built motor that failed as a BMW and is being shoved down the throats of the Italians. Why would i want to support that? It took 20 years to accept Italian built Huskys. Why throw that away? That identity IS Husky, at least to everyone but Dick Burleson (jk). BMW should look to KTM/Husaberg. Leave the Italians alone !Let the Italians do their job. Dont screw it up. The new facotry, the financing package, the parts distribution center, all great touches. But stop right there. Who cares if Scott Hardin thinks its a great ride? Of course he's gonna say that. Who cares if Juha wins on it. Im not so stupid. Im not the product of a clever corporate marketing campaign. Im not a sheeple on a Honda! You cant just buy my loyalty with gobs of corporate cash. You gotta earn it. Its winning races on a Husky that matters. A real Husky. Its Nick Burson screaming accross the desert on a TXC510. Its Zip Ty at Glen Helen on a WR300. I really dont give a rats ass what Juha does on a factory bike over in Finland-if he's on an asian built, german designed, force fed, throw money at it afterthought of a bike. I guess my cool aid wore off. It will take many many many years to re-brand Husky as a german-italian hybrid-if thats the plan-is there a plan(?). And thats not the way to sell more bikes than KTM. You guys are missing the forest while looking at the trees. This new bike is not a sexy little Italian hottie. Thats the point. Rant OFF. man i feel better...
Hey Mike, nice rant. I am just wondering if anyone actually knows that they are putting the bmw motor in the new husky big bores? Or is all this just speculation because BMW has thrown in the towel on their own 450 except for the motor? I just can't get worked up about a corporate faux pau until I see it in print from the factory. Plenty of time to go sideways later when you know you have a reason. Because whatever the decision is it was made long before now. JMO, Walt
IF the bike rules and feels 250 2st light I'll ride it. I love huskys as much as the next guy and have faith they will build a great bike regardless of how they ended up there. Parts for our huskys are built all over the place now, it's a global economy / parts source, thats the way it is now, deal with it i guess. The new husky platform rules, if they think the BMW motor is a good fit I'll trust they are right and wait and see whats up. I like the fact that it has been flogged at the highest level for a while now and lots has been learned. I just ask that there is a frame under the motor. BMW owns Husky now, it's theres. They could have fired everyone and built bikes in Germany and rode the Husky name right into the ground. They did not and still are allowing Italian huskys to still move forward. Time will tell but i think we are OK.
with everything but the under frame requirement. The G450X has made it through Erzberg 2 years running and won Romanics where it made plenty of contact with obstacles. Only fatality on record is a broken off footpeg which I've done myself on a Husky. I think the under frame is not a necesity what so ever. As long as the skid plate is designed properly with a damper device you'll save weight and gain a good bit of ground clearance as a result. I'm pretty sure the test mule WEC bikes with "Husqvarna frames" do not have lower frame rails, but indeed we'll see and if we give HSQ some room I think they'll come up with a winner.
I personally would GREATLY prefer a frame under the motor and might not consider buying one that does not. Maybe it is all perception but the idea never made sense to me. I cringe to even ride a bike off road here without a skid plate. Buddy of mine popped a KXF250 case with a fist sized hole and that was with a frame rail AND skid plate. My new 2010 TXC250 with the narrow frame and exposed motor scared the crap out of me and i mangled an old skid plate on there. About a week later i hit a rock so hard it smashed the frame in right under the footpeg and might have lost a good chunk of the motor in that one as it dented the THICK skid plate pretty good. The whole idea just scares the crap out of me.
This bike could be an option for bmw ''haters'' with short legs like me [YOUTUBE] <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nI8Fg9zZVXE&hl=fr_FR&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nI8Fg9zZVXE&hl=fr_FR&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> [/YOUTUBE]
With all this suspense on what Husky is going to be offering for a new big bore, I hope it lives up to our expectations. Yep that Beta is a nice looking bike. Personally I just wish Husky would give us a clue when they will be up dating the 250/300 2t. If it is 2011 then I will buy one if there is no indication then I will go with the TXC 250 and be very happy. Walt
