Actual news on the KTM purchase of Husqvarna

[Motosportz]

Some people say that Mark Blackell's task was to take Husky USA and make it more profitable, as to make the whole Husky package more saleable. It's also said that the real prize Cagiva wanted from the Husky purchase, was the extensive Husky USA Dealer Network. They wanted this more than the brand itself, to expand the market for Cagiva and Ducati in the US. Cagiva shot themselves in the foot, by alienating most of the Husky dealers and ending up having to rebuild the dealer network from scratch.
Norman Foley, 18 minutes ago House Keeping

Amen to that brother !

Norm knows his stuff

 

[rancher1]

Some people say that Mark Blackell's task was to take Husky USA and make it more profitable, as to make the whole Husky package more saleable. It's also said that the real prize Cagiva wanted from the Husky purchase, was the extensive Husky USA Dealer Network. They wanted this more than the brand itself, to expand the market for Cagiva and Ducati in the US. Cagiva shot themselves in the foot, by alienating most of the Husky dealers and ending up having to rebuild the dealer network from scratch.

Norm, you are talking one word that can still make blood pressures rise "Ernesto"

 

[Mike-AK]

All I know is the shop I got my parts from when I was a kid, Wheelsports in Reynoldsburg, Ohio was one of the biggest Husky dealers in the state. Then the bikes turned white and next thing you know they are a KTM dealer with no Husky's in sight. The folks at The Motorcycle Shop in Alaska where I am now tell the same story. I guess the funny part is now ALL Husky dealers will be selling KTM's!

 

[Norman Foley]

Norm, you are talking one word that can still make blood pressures rise "Ernesto"

Alfa is coming back to the US....

 

[Picklito]

I was a purist, and did not care for the white bikes when they came out. To me it was the end of the Husqvarna era, bikes of gray frames and chrome panels on the tank. It felt like they were trying to be "like everybody else." Too bad everybody else wanted single shocks because, despite the color, the ITC suspension was very good. I own a white bike now, and I enjoy it, but I still prefer the gray and chrome.

 

[Zomby woof]

Husqvarna currently has an ancient produkt range

I keep reading that.
If that's true, then why is my Husky faster and better handling than my modern Japanese bike?

 

[Mike-AK]

I keep reading that.
If that's true, then why is my Husky faster and better handling than my modern Japanese bike?

'cause sometimes newer does not equal better.

 

[2premo]

I keep reading that.
If that's true, then why is my Husky faster and better handling than my modern Japanese bike?

that was my point for a bike with ancient "qualities" that works well
the lack of the magic button is killing them, and gives the antique argument

 

[guscycle]

..The '74 Mag 250 got my racing career going('75) in the right direction(I was racing a '69 nut- buster Husky CR 250 IN '74)..them Honda Elsinores were filling the gate with all their trickery,but that never stopped me from kickin' their ass...I saved that bike for 3 years until updating to a '78,another great bike.!I loved my '83 twin shocker especially when I started doing hare scrambles..great handlin' bike.I got into enduro's with my 86 wr 250 and it took 1 month just to find that one..Husky front fork update and carb & slide mod made for another great woods bike..went 3 years on top end/clutch!....to date, I'm past owning over 14 Husky's and my '86 was the ONLY one that left me stranded in a race with a fried moto- plat .Husky may have had some timely and not so timely innovations over the years,but for me, I ran what I could afford and still had no problem keeping up with all the other new and approved bike manufacturers over the years. 40+ years on the same make says somethin' to me ...SP don't "F" this up (which I am convinced ,to a point,that he already has ).I may leave my NEW 2013 TC 250 in the crate until I see where this may be going in the coming years....
..Have a Good day
Guscycle

 

[Tinken]

The coming Husky bikes are developed on a basis of the Husaberg Enduro bikess, which are state of the art.

The real question is whether or not my riding gear will match anymore.

 

[Xcuvator]

The real question is whether or not my riding gear will match anymore.

Don't you update your wardrobe at least once a year anyway?

 

[Tinken]

 

[silverpilen]

This is an interesting tid-bit.

http://www.motoblog.it/post/144967/...ffici-spunta-unofferta-rifiutata-di-mv-agusta

The google translation is below. The last paragraph is the smoking gun. By the sounds of it, BMW's preference was to sell back to Cagiva and were in serious negotiations but ran out of time and money and had to quit the scene in a hurray and basically throw they keys at SP as they bolted out the door. Which makes me wonder, just what the **** was going on with BMW? I can't wait for the real truth to unfold.


The thorny affair Husqvarna does not seem to be solved: the purchase by Pierer Industries AG (Austrian group headed by the CEO of KTM) and the subsequent request for cessation of extraordinary layoff of 212 workers at the plant of Cassinetta Biandronno (VA) has obviously sparked protests of the workers Varese, that were never contacted by the new owners about the fate of the employees.
The news this week about the unification of brands and Husaberg Husqvarna (under the control of another manufacturer KTM) into a single company called Husqvarna Sportmotorcyle GmbH based in Austria, in Mattighofen (where there is also the headquarters KTM) , now in the middle of the strike of the workers of Biandronno, has naturally provoked the immediate reaction of the latter, which they occupied in protest for about 45 minutes at the offices of executives KTM responsible for monitoring the dispute to the Austrian house.
Meanwhile, a delegation headed by the governor of Lombardy, Roberto Maroni and the Mayor of Biandronno Antonio Calabretta met the Swedish ambassador in Italy Ruth Jacoby to signal the liberal use of the Husqvarna brand (of Swedish origin) by KTM. The next important deadline in the way of this story will still be the meeting between the Parties under the Ministry of Economic Development on 22 of May.
The Province of Varese in the meantime has revealed an interesting background to the negotiations that eventually led to cede BMW Motorrad Husqvarna Pierer Industries AG: also MV Agusta - previous owner of the trademark until 2007 - it was actually in the running for the purchase of Husqvarna, with BMW then opted for the offer in Austria. The reasons for the choice he has explained them the same Giovanni Castiglioni, CEO of MV Agusta:
"Probably to stop the bleeding of accounts: BMW was in a hurry to conclude the sale and leave to others the task of closing the site Cassinetta. By now, however, there is little to do, the situation is very difficult. "

 

[Tinken]

truth to unfold

What major world wide event took place near the purchase of Husqvarna by BMW? And what do major corporations carry in case companies are claimed at a loss? Is it that difficult to see what really took place?

 

[rasputin]

Also, despite what SP says, wages and unions are not too different between Austria and Italy, this is a Euro thing not just unique to Italy. Cultural difference might have led to a productivity issues

wages are more or less the same in austria and italy, workers unions definitely aren't. compared to italian (and french) workers unions, all other european countries' unions are a petting zoo.
there's a reason why bmw fled the scene without even trying to take the valuable brand name with them. pierer is just about to find out.

r

 

[Boogie]

the reason why BMW were so eager to sell in a hurry, was probably .........

..... so they could focus on the deal with Indian motorcycle manufacturer TVS and get a share of the second biggest mc market in the world. This made Husqvarna redundant to BMW.

That is all.

 

[organ donor]

.. and not to forget that they sold the plant together with their large surplus load of Kymco scrap.

 

[Coffee]

.. and not to forget that they sold the plant together with their large surplus load of Kymco scrap.

I´ll try not to be "so negative or tiring all the time"....

Keep trying.

...but Pierer´s pronouncements... do seem to be a load of hot air...

I agree, and stated that months ago when all the interviews he was giving seemed to conflict with each other. Others posted that as well.

 

[MOTORHEAD]

The real question is whether or not my riding gear will match anymore.

True. I love the red, white and black theme of the current bikes.

BTW, I hate red and yellow together. And I'm not crazy about blue and yellow. Probable the reason I didn't buy a CR250 in 2002.

 

[Tinken]

Red and yellow reminds me of my old Maico.