• 4 Stroke Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Austria - About 2014 & Newer
     FE = 4st Enduro & FC = 4st Cross

  • Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

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FE/FC KTM has nearly doubled the price of a Husky

ridemore

ridemore

Husqvarna
A Class
I've owned KTM's and I've owned Italian Huskys. For me, I liked the Italian Huskys better. Especially the price. KTM is an awesome bike, no doubt, but there's something about them. I just don't feel the rider / bike connection like I do with Husky. Ergonomics or "feel" on the bike? I think that's what I'm trying to say.
Anyway, I would really like to embrace the KTM / Husky merger but just can't bring myself to pay the incredible price they are charging now. I got my 08 TC 450 OTD for 5K and my 13 TC 250 R OTD for 4.3K. Love them both. But, The new KTM/Husky is what? close to 10K OTD? Why?
Would love to buy Husky again but the price, WOW! Can any new KTM / Husky owners give me their opinion and talk me into spending that much? Pros and cons to the bike? What makes them worth double the price? BTW, with my Italian Husky purchase price so low, I have about $3K of extra cash to put into top race quality upgrades I see fit. Take that into account as well.
Not talking smack, I just want to know if people who have ridden both honestly think it's worth the ton of extra $. It just seems to me that Husky is in limbo right now without a soul of its own. Just the step child of an overbearing step parent. I for one want something original and different and the hell what the corrupt magazines say. I just don't see anything original and "Husqvarna" about the new bikes. JMO.
 
I agree: ergonomics on the KTM's seem odd. I'm sure you could adjust over time, but the older design Husky fits- and handles great.

As for the price - no doubt the fire sale on the remaining Huskys was a great way to get one: or in your case two.
 
I don't know if any of the new bikes are worth what they ask for them?

For what it's worth - I bought my new FC250 for about $1000 less (OTD) then the Yamaha YZ250fx that I was originally wanting to buy...
 
ridemore here is my .02. I have owned a 2009 Husky TXC510, 2010 TC250, 2008 CR125/144/165, and got a new 2013 TC250 for my son. For me like you the ergo's on all those fit me better than the KTM's. I'm more comfortable on them and in return ride them better. I picked up a new 2015 KTM 350 XCF a couple of months back and love the power and e-start but not the ergo's or front suspension. I will say it is way better in the ergo department than my son's 08 SX KTM's he had but it still feels unsure of it's self to me. A definite disconnect with this rider and the KTM's I have ridden and now own. It may be all in the front end and my head. I guess I'll be sending my suspension out to Zip TY to see if they can help. I paid $8,500.00 OTD for this bike and paid $4,300.00 OTD for the 2013 TC250 shipped to VA. Is the KTM $4,200.00 better than the Husky? No, nor are they the same year, displacement, or conditions that played a huge roll in their prices so not much can be compared but cost alone when looking at the whole picture. I will say "if" KTM hadn't picked up Husky and they managed to stay in business I would have picked up a Husky TXC310 for I'm sure a lot less than a KTM and would most likely been happier.
 
I own a new fe350 and have owned 2 wr300's and a Cr/wb165, I agree with all thats been said about ergos and feel100% with ya.
Id look real hard at a Beta and a soft seat or a 14' Italian if your not afraid of any potential parts issues. Yamaha's both wr and yz250's have also been killing it in our series.
All these options are less than a new Husky and I I've ridden each of them and feel set up for me they would make me more comfortable than what I have.
Just sucks ending a love affair lol...
 
Motosportz said:
The old huskies were underpriced and they were loosing money giving them away. The 7-10K is standard for bikes these days.
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I dunno, the original price on my 449 was a little over 9k before freight, tax, etc in late 2011 when I got it for just under 7k as a year end closeout. I think the real deal was that dealers had much more room to work with prices on Huskies than they ever had with KTM. The "deals" on late year KTM's at the same dealer were not nearly as good. I'm pretty sure that a lot of that has to do with KTM dealer rules regarding pricing, and overall brand following that allows them to charge said price. Ya can't have one dealer blowing it for everyone else by asking a killer price. :naughty: Think Harley Davidson if you don't believe me, see much variation in pricing in those showrooms?

That being said, the prices on Betas are climbing a little as well from what I've noticed. I think it's about a 2k gap though still if you look at current model bikes. The real issue all around is the crappy value of our dollar in the international market. If our economy wasn't still being held back by lousy interest rates and artificial market stimulation the prices would easily drop below 10K for most all of the euro bikes.
 
Oh, and I'm with you ridemore. I'm not real fond of the stepchild marketing either. I think I'll enjoy mine for a few more years and see what happens and if Husky really does start to become a truly unique brand again.
 
Yeah i just stopped comparing all the other bikes to year end deals on huskies. Compare a ktm to a honda and the ktm looks like a deal when it comes to the clutch and brakes. Husky spoiled me with those features :). There are plenty of options out there if Husky isn't working for you. Even the almighty ktm has some sweet deals on leftovers if you don't mind picking up the leftover leftovers :)
 
Motosportz said:
The old huskies were underpriced and they were loosing money giving them away. The 7-10K is standard for bikes these days.
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That sounds about right. I heard that they did loose money on the remaining inventory. Problem now is, I'm spoiled by the awesome price the bikes used to be. I guess those days are over, at least for now. Just wish they would have their own bike, not taking parts from KTM and HB and making some hybrid. Maybe in the future.
 
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gBjYl6K6KA

I guess I'm just tired of KTM's ads like this one. That's what leaves a bad taste. Copy and paste in your browser. All was awesome until minute 2:30 in the video.
Are you kidding me? They reunited Husqvarna and Husaberg again? Let me see if I have this right. KTM frame (except for the plastic sub frame), KTM motor, KTM suspension, KTM electronics, KTM everything. There is nothing Husqvarna or Husaberg about it so quit trying to "work" the history of Husky angle. That That really pisses me off! Just say what it is, A KTM. I can accept that at least. It's a great bike. However, the Italians at least went their own way and where proud of it, even if they failed because of piss poor marketing and not properly bribing the press and energy drink companies. So tired of the Red bull, Monster energy and Rockstar drink BS. Pros never drink that poison. Corruption on a global level has entered even motocross. Here kid, have some High fructose corn syrup, Very sad it has come to this.
 
ridemore said:
I guess I'm just tired of KTM's ads like this one. That's what leaves a bad taste. Copy and paste in your browser. All was awesome until minute 2:30 in the video.
Are you kidding me? They reunited Husqvarna and Husaberg again? Let me see if I have this right. KTM frame (except for the plastic sub frame), KTM motor, KTM suspension, KTM electronics, KTM everything. There is nothing Husqvarna or Husaberg about it so quit trying to "work" the history of Husky angle. That That really pisses me off! Just say what it is, A KTM. I can accept that at least. It's a great bike. However, the Italians at least went their own way and where proud of it, even if they failed because of piss poor marketing and not properly bribing the press and energy drink companies. So tired of the Red bull, Monster energy and Rockstar drink BS. Pros never drink that poison. Corruption on a global level has entered even motocross. Here kid, have some High fructose corn syrup, Very sad it has come to this.
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And 20 plus years of Italian history deleted. :banghead:
 
Motosportz said:
And 20 plus years of Italian history deleted. :banghead:
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Amen. And all the workers shown the door at the Italian factory. A whole town thrown into unemployment. KTM I hope gave them a great going away support package, but I doubt it. The Italian engine designer, as far as I have heard, was an influence on Formula 1 race car engines. Can't just throw that kind of knowledge in the trash!!
 
ridemore said:
Amen. And all the workers shown the door at the Italian factory. A whole town thrown into unemployment. KTM I hope gave them a great going away support package, but I doubt it. The Italian engine designer, as far as I have heard, was an influence on Formula 1 race car engines. Can't just throw that kind of knowledge in the trash!!
Click to expand...
BTW, can anyone confirm for me that KTM is (for a major part) owned by a company out of India !!!????
 
ridemore said:
Can't just throw that kind of knowledge in the trash!!
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No but it seems you can sell it to a chinese company who can lease it back to the original factory and workers :eek:

All this said I don't fault KTM. They saw an opportunity and took it. Cagiva did the same thing, BMW... now KTM. when your a 112 year old company your bound to change hands.
 
ridemore said:
BTW, can anyone confirm for me that KTM is (for a major part) owned by a company out of India !!!????
Click to expand...


They are but i think it is just shy of controlling share but might have they wrong. like 49% All the new small 390 dukes and other models are built there.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTM

KTM-Sportmotorcycle AG is fully owned by KTM AG (formerly known as KTM Power Sports AG). In November 2007, Bajaj Auto Limited of India acquired 14.5% stake in KTM Power Sports AG and increased their shareholding to 47% by 2012.

At present KTM AG is 51% owned by CROSS KraftFahrZeug Holding GmbH, a subsidiary of CROSS Industries AG and 47% owned by Bajaj Auto. CROSS Industries is founded by KTM's current CEO Stefan Pierer.
 
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