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

[flyingbob]

To the victor go the spoils. The Italians made their bed, did it their way, and here we are. The "brand" is lucky to have Mr. KTM as a savior. The Italians, not so much. Sucks to be passionate about the Italian iteration!

 

[ridemore]

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.

Great info, Thanks so much!! Stefan Pierer, I remember that name. I e-mailed him one time after 3 months of not getting my replacement part for my 2013. I was VERY frustrated and pissed off (as usual ;-) I can be an ass sometimes. Wouldn't you know it, I had the part, free of charge in the mail the next day! I think this guy is ok but the rest of the KTM/Husky support team don't give two shi*$ about the bikes prior to KTM.

 

[ridemore]

To the victor go the spoils. The Italians made their bed, did it their way, and here we are. The "brand" is lucky to have Mr. KTM as a savior. The Italians, not so much. Sucks to be passionate about the Italian iteration!

Bob, it is unfortunate, BUT YES I agree with you. In the long run. Better to have the Husky name out there then not at all. Took me awhile to come to terms with this notion, but you have a very strong point.
I'll just have to get over it.

 

[Motosportz]

The "brand" is lucky to have Mr. KTM as a savior.

saved a logo.

 

[oregonsage]

saved a logo.

All thats left to do is buy the lawn and garden Husqvarnas and then they can run orange bikes with gunsight logos!!

 

[Huskynoobee]

Ve bought das schtikas, ya? I think the bummer is that they are trying as little as possible to support the Italian Huskys and treat dealers and other companies that try to support them in, shall we say an "akward" manner? Kind of a lousy position to put a dealer in regarding keeping their local customers happy. "well, that part you need has been on backorder for about 2 months, but...have you seen our new Husky's, hehe?

 

[flyingbob]

Bob, it is unfortunate, BUT YES I agree with you. In the long run. Better to have the Husky name out there then not at all. Took me awhile to come to terms with this notion, but you have a very strong point.
I'll just have to get over it.

I'm still not over it

 

[racemx904]

I too like the ergonomics of the red huskys but obviously not enough people did thats why you could buy them dirt cheap.... Hopefully after the newness of the white KTMs wears off then the prices will drop some.... probably not on the popular models (liek 300s) but at least some of them....

 

[Norman Foley]

The horse is more than dead in the street, it's rotting... don't get a maggot in the mouth, as you guys continue to beat it!

 

[Huskynoobee]

What do you suggest we beat then?

 

[Norman Foley]

What do you suggest we beat then?

The bike you own, would be my suggestion... on a trail near you! And if you want to bitch about something... Boycott Electrolux, they started the whole problem, by selling off the bike division, because it didn't fit their core product philosophy!

 

[ridemore]

What???? Who's bitching? People are just talking about what they think. No one is MF'ing anyone or trash talking. When I think a thread is dead, I stop reading it. FYI, I agree with you because I too think its dead, but not because someone told me it is. And if people want to calmly and respectfully keep talking about it, who cares? Not me, I just walk away from it when I've had enough. No need to tell people to basically shut up and go riding.
Now that you mention Electrolux, please share. This is something I was not aware of. I'd like to hear about it.

 

[fletchman45]

where did all this hoopla start????? Enough already. The Huskys we were all so happy to pay 1/2 price for are all part of the end of the Italian era. We contributed to it. With happy smiles. All competitive modern bikes are priced within a small amount of one another. And in being different euro bikes are typically equipped with nicer componets so we pay a tish more to be different. I have not even rode my new Husky/Ktm but here is what I know. We resist change. It is a normal human thing. So we complain about it. They all handle different but can all the fast guys who ride KTM's just be that talented that they can ride anything? I don't think so. All the recent KTM's I rode were fine in the handling department. Yea the new chassis is more nervous then and old school long wheelbase Husky. Understood. Add a steering dampner..... I'm told that then it is good. Forks. They all can be made to work....Forget the whining of Italian workers losing there jobs. This planet we live on has no remorse for the weak.. They had a good product but no vision.... possibly not enough passion.... They didn't send ringers (Like KTM) to the magizines. Get the check book out. advertise more. Make minis long ago. Hire a smart marketing analysis's to figure what they should or should not do. The fact is as much as it irritates me KTM did EVERYTHING a smart company could do to thrive and grow . It hurts me more then anyone will ever know. And years ago when some idiot (long before the buy out ) said oh I think KTM owns Husqvarna. I laughed at him and said yea you dumbass they own Husaberg and that will be the day that happens..... Well it happened!!! After a long sit down with Jay I came away with a different understanding. It is chapter three and there could be a chapter four. If the Italians gave a crap the government or something would have stepped in and not let it happen but the truth is they kind of deserved what they got. A day late and a dollar short does not cut it. Were all looking for smoking deals but didn't help. Do I like the marketing ploy of KTM? Nope but by god it is smart. Yea I have become so accustomed to the chain and sprocket being on the wrong side of the bike and the funky kick start lever that everyone whines about that everything else seems strange. I picked up my new Husky with a red husky hat on and a red t-shirt. I won't forget but in the memory of the Husqvarna marque I will still ride a Husky even if owned by KTM.............................I'm over it. Shit happens. We could go on and on. They killed a cub I have no reason to believe otherwise. A smart marketing person told them to do it now while it isi easy. And BMW whether they made some ok bikes or not didn't help. They wasted money and had a stupid misconception that they could work with the Italians. The Italians were just as stupid for believing this quick fix inject of money was going to give them unending survival...... Lets get over it. There all 8,000 and all must be customized to one level or another to be made custom tailored for the rider......Without KTM the name and crown may have just died who knows...... I'm going to enjoy this bike and I do not look at it like it is a KTM. It has different wheels, map switch its own plastic etc..... And it aint orange..............................

 

[Norman Foley]

What???? Who's bitching? People are just talking about what they think. No one is MF'ing anyone or trash talking. When I think a thread is dead, I stop reading it. FYI, I agree with you because I too think its dead, but not because someone told me it is. And if people want to calmly and respectfully keep talking about it, who cares? Not me, I just walk away from it when I've had enough. No need to tell people to basically shut up and go riding.
Now that you mention Electrolux, please share. This is something I was not aware of. I'd like to hear about it.

Sorry for being borish. Yes... If I don't want to read it, I shouldn't and probably shouldn't comment. This has been hashed over time and time again, in the nearly past 2 years and I'm sort of tired of it. It's just my opinion, as the initial post is yours.

That said... Retail price to retail price KTM, did not double the price of the bikes. I bought at least 3 Italian Huskys at fire sale prices over the years. My last one, was my '09 WR125, which I bought, not as a leftover, but a newly released bike. With Husky Hero rebate and dealer discount, the bike cost barely more than retail on a '92 Husky WXE125. I was pleased as punch, but could tell then, it wasn't going to end well for Husky and BMW. You just can't constantly have a fire sale, when costs back at the factory to build a bike are somewhat fixed.

We can't turn back the clock and jump start Italian Huskys, so.... we all just move on, in one way or another. I still ride Swedish and made the switch to Italian Huskys and have now made the switch to Austrian Huskys. Both transitions were traumatic. My incomplete '87 430WR still sits in my cellar in pieces, because of parts shortages and lack of support by Cagiva for Swedish 2 strokes, after the takeover. I got fed up and started parting it out back then.

Electrolux... Everyone blames Cagiva for destroying Husky, but it was Electrolux that owned and ran Husqvarna, in its group of companies. Household goods, appliances, etc. Husqvarna sewing machines, forestry, yard and garden tools were what they wanted. Motorcycles were dangerous toys and didn't fit the corporate image and philosophy. The motorcycles didn't have the amount of success in Europe (the home market), as they did in the US and OZ. So they started trying to find a buyer and Cagiva saw a great oppurtunity, to expand their off road market and get the big prize, of the US Husky Dealer Network. So Cagiva shut down the Husky Factory and moved it to Italy. A great plan, that went all to hell in the end.

Husqvarna AB was spun off, into a separate company again, but still a part of the Electrolux Group. They actually toyed with the idea of build bikes again, before BMW "rescued" Husky, but that withered away.

BMW was just really the wrong company, at the wrong time and was too proud to sell Husky back to MV/Cagiva....

Apologies again, for my rude interjection.

 

[ridemore]

I see some good points and respect most of it. But, there is sure a lot written there if it's "enough already".
Anyway, the simple fact is, from the beginning, I wanted to know, Quote " I just want to know if people who have ridden both honestly think it's worth the ton of extra $." Unquote. That's all I am really looking for. So, your ridiculous statement about Italians being stupid and there is no remorse for the weak in this world is a really stupid statement. So,,,,,, Stalin in Russia or Hitler in Germany killing millions of his own "weaker" people is OK? It is yes because there is according to you "no remorse for the weak in this world?" Your statement has no reason to be here!! I have plenty of remorse and you can KMA$$
You had some great points and had me totally agree with you,,, until that dumb move. They made some bad business moves obviously, but calling people stupid and weak just makes the person saying it sound stupid and weak.
I know KTM has done great business moves to get where they are, but how they got there matters to me and a lot of people, before I fork over the $$ to them I need to know more. Just a question. You say it's not a KTM because of wheels, map switch, plastic sub frame and plastics? Oh, and not orange. OOOOOOOOK. :-)

 

[ridemore]

Sorry for being borish. Yes... If I don't want to read it, I shouldn't and probably shouldn't comment. This has been hashed over time and time again, in the nearly past 2 years and I'm sort of tired of it. It's just my opinion, as the initial post is yours.

That said... Retail price to retail price KTM, did not double the price of the bikes. I bought at least 3 Italian Huskys at fire sale prices over the years. My last one, was my '09 WR125, which I bought, not as a leftover, but a newly released bike. With Husky Hero rebate and dealer discount, the bike cost barely more than retail on a '92 Husky WXE125. I was pleased as punch, but could tell then, it wasn't going to end well for Husky and BMW. You just can't constantly have a fire sale, when costs back at the factory to build a bike are somewhat fixed.

We can't turn back the clock and jump start Italian Huskys, so.... we all just move on, in one way or another. I still ride Swedish and made the switch to Italian Huskys and have now made the switch to Austrian Huskys. Both transitions were traumatic. My incomplete '87 430WR still sits in my cellar in pieces, because of parts shortages and lack of support by Cagiva for Swedish 2 strokes, after the takeover. I got fed up and started parting it out back then.

Electrolux... Everyone blames Cagiva for destroying Husky, but it was Electrolux that owned and ran Husqvarna, in its group of companies. Household goods, appliances, etc. Husqvarna sewing machines, forestry, yard and garden tools were what they wanted. Motorcycles were dangerous toys and didn't fit the corporate image and philosophy. The motorcycles didn't have the amount of success in Europe (the home market), as they did in the US and OZ. So they started trying to find a buyer and Cagiva saw a great oppurtunity, to expand their off road market and get the big prize, of the US Husky Dealer Network. So Cagiva shut down the Husky Factory and moved it to Italy. A great plan, that went all to hell in the end.

Husqvarna AB was spun off, into a separate company again, but still a part of the Electrolux Group. They actually toyed with the idea of build bikes again, before BMW "rescued" Husky, but that withered away.

BMW was just really the wrong company, at the wrong time and was too proud to sell Husky back to MV/Cagiva....

Apologies again, for my rude interjection.

that's some good info. Thank you. Did not mean to be rude before. I just wanted information and to vent a little.
We have one guy now (not you) starting to call the Italians names like stupid and weak. That has no place here and is pissing me off. And I'm not even Italian.

 

[fletchman45]

oh its good to vent (I have done plenty) Its all in fun. KTM or not. I still don't go to KTM dealers nor will I ever buy a Husky from a dealer that sells them both.......

 

[ridemore]

oh its good to vent (I have done plenty) Its all in fun. KTM or not. I still don't go to KTM dealers nor will I ever buy a Husky from a dealer that sells them both.......

Thank Fletch. I didn't know that this topic was debated so much. Haven't been online here for quite awhile. I can see now how people are tired of it. It is what it is and that's that. You're a good guy in my book to respond like a gentleman.
Now, if there was a way to just delete this thread to stop it going south fast. Other arguments starting to brew.

 

[Huskynoobee]

And I just want KTM to step up and get the replacement parts for our bikes rolling. Most people have been very patient and they are starting to get it together, but a big, successful, and well run outfit should have been able to get it together faster, I don't give a crappie about the excuses I've heard about why.

When you say you're going to do something, do it. Integrity is something that will make us Italian and Swedish faithful believe that their next bike might have a gunsight on it, even if it's only a sticker.

Merry fricken Christmas and Husky New Year!

Oh and Norm, I'm goin racing with my Italian stallion cause I know the right people who will keep me in parts and service despite whatever KTM does and won't allow themselves to be intimidated by childish actions of KTM/Husky powers that be.

 

[lankydoug]

Here's a bike that's twice the price of the old Husky. In this case I can see why producing one of these could cost more.

http://www.christini.com/bikes/christini-awd-300