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

[ridemore]

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.

I agree. Have had problems with promises of parts availability also. Been PO'd more than once since the transfer of power.
But, Norms a good guy. He's a die hard Husky fan along with the rest of us. Thread is just getting a little heated, that's all.

 

[Huskynoobee]

Yep I like Norm too. That's why I kinda poked him, turns out he gave us all a good history lesson.

 

[ridemore]

I walked into that one ;-)

 

[Chums]

As said before, ive ridden both and If the Italian husky was at full retail price and was a stable company providing parts I would definitely buy it VS. my KTM husky. Hope that helps with your question. There are obviously current day variables you need to consider but this is how an owner of both feels.
Some reasons for liking the Italian vs KTM.
. I liked the feel and handling better
.I like the frill free construction/relatively simplicity
.I like the that parts were not crazy expensive
.I like connected feel I had
.I liked that it was different
.I liked even at normal otd price it was still less cost than most.

If nothing changes in the next couple years I'll be looking at Beta or Yamaha maybe gas gas if they keep progressing.

 

[Motosportz]

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..............................

Hillarious from a guy that used to totally BASH KTM just a few months ago and proclaimed loudly he would NEVER ride one. You were quite attimate about it and in many many threads. Will never buy from a dealer that carries them both? Why, if they are orange they are somehow totally different? Very confusing. All good, ride a motorcycle and enjoy.

 

[fletchman45]

Yea what do you do? The name lives on. And no I won't buy from a dealer that sells both product . There will be a chapter four.....

 

[McKay]

I haven't read the thread all the way but geez, get over it! I had a 449, loved it for the most part until the company sold and I ran suspecting parts would be an issue in the future. I went Beta, really love that bike and that company, especially love the fact that the dealers are small and most seem to provide awesome customer service, didnt think Id buy another bike once I had the Beta. Stupid me (or smart, yet to be determined) threw a leg over a Fe350S and my wallet promptly emptied! I like this bike better than shrimp! (to steal a line from Jim Tom) I couldnt care if its a KTM or a Husa or a Husky, its a phenomenal machine. Bickering over who did what and who bought who makes no difference in the end, less talk, more ride!

 

[reveille]

I'm sure I'll get hammered for this buuut, after I sold my 2012 TE310 and bought the 2014 FE501 I have zero regrets so far. I feel more connected to the 501 and am faster, smoother and it fits my overall style of riding better. The 501 handles better, turns better and the engine is flawless. Everything about this bike fits me as a rider better than the 310 ever did. That's my take and everyone's different. It sucks that it was almost 9k OTD but I don't regret buying it one bit, especially every time I take a wrench to it or perform maintenance and realize the top notch engineering. It's worth it, sadly...

 

[Motosportz]

I'm sure I'll get hammered for this buuut, after I sold my 2012 TE310 and bought the 2014 FE501 I have zero regrets so far. I feel more connected to the 501 and am faster, smoother and it fits my overall style of riding better. The 501 handles better, turns better and the engine is flawless. Everything about this bike fits me as a rider better than the 310 ever did. That's my take and everyone's different. It sucks that it was almost 9k OTD but I don't regret buying it one bit, especially every time I take a wrench to it or perform maintenance and realize the top notch engineering. It's worth it, sadly...

Not a darn thing wrong with that man. They are motorcycles built for enjoyment and thats what yours is providing.

 

[letitsnow]

Yea what do you do? The name lives on. And no I won't buy from a dealer that sells both product . There will be a chapter four.....

I've never understood how anybody can love/hate any brand so much? Every motorcycle I've owned has given me many smiles, and made me swear.

After owning GMC trucks for years I bought an F150 last year. One of my friends damn near started crying when I told him what I was gonna buy. After buying the F150, the guy hasn't really talked to me since. I learned two things... 1. The F150 was a good value. 2. The guy wasn't much of a friend.

How do we ever know if what we have is the best, if we never try new stuff?

 

[john01]

Very true letitsnow. Hey you did end up in the best truck .

 

[fletchman45]

All this is true and we can not be so narrowed minded that we won't try anything else. Not sure if I ever said I would not buy a Husky if KTM owned them. I more or less voiced strongly my dissatisfaction of the deal that went down. I went to a Husqvarna dealer that sells Husky's and Gas Gas. They do not sell KTM nor will they ever. When I look at my bike I see a quality machine that looks good. It is chapter three and it is not orange and once I peel the stupid (power corrupt) KTM decal off the rear fender I will still run anything orange that I see over........but in the end we will drink beers tell story's roost one another and have had a good time......Its all good!

 

[Motosportz]

I find this all very funny. Justifying the white plastic and plastic subframe like it is an all new bike and your still not riding orange. Why not just say hey, its time to try one and have at it. I mean you could have bought a blue berg too. They are all the same high quality machine underneath just like they were when you hated them. All good bikes, pick one and ride. I think you might like it just as you would had you tried the orange one. They have that lite feeling you seem to be after and strong motors. Should be a great race bike, just like it has been for all the top riders for years.

 

[Norman Foley]

I'll cut Fletch a little slack on this one... My aversion to Orange is almost as bad. I came close in '12 to buying a KTM 250XC-W, but just couldn't do it. I even priced white plastic.... The Husaberg TE250 gave me another option and I gladly took it. I was the target buyer, for the KTM/Husaberg marketing guys... strong Swedish Husky roots, looking for something different than BMW Husky had. I tried the Beta and Gas Gas, after I bought the TE250 and had no regrets, both great bikes though. I just bought the '15 TE125, but I probably could have bought a '15 KTM 150SX for less, but I wanted the Husky. Would I buy a Husky from a KTM Dealer? I did for years, at Bottone's. I bought my Husaberg, from a KTM Dealer. I'm sure this makes no sense at all to some people, but I'm happy. This all went down 25+ years ago, in a very similar way, so not so odd to me....

 

[fletchman45]

As humans we simply can justify things as we want to. Whether I like it or not it is what it is. There are differences between the bike if small or large. Keep in mind I have never bashed on the Husaberg not in any post. And would certainly have owned one of them before and orange bike. And there were differences between those bikes as well. I certainly do not have to defend myself from someone who promotes and talks highly of a little known bike that comes with a Chinese engine but just so happens to sell them. Times change. People change. I'm over it. Again when I look at my new bike I don't see a cloned premium KTM. I think back to when I was a kid down at the shop drooling over a Husqvarna 430. Or the time I went to the Black Hills with my 350 WXE. Or the sound of my 1991 WXE 260 cheater bike with uptite exhaust. Or the time I got lost for hours on my 85 Husky 125 and came out in a yard that had a zebra in it. (I am not kidding) Or the time people asked me you mean Husqvarna makes motorcycles...Or in Grand Juction Colorado with a guy a couple of hills down screaming at the top of his lungs Fu-- Fletcher Fu-- Fletcher he is and A rider and Im double D.....Anyways I could rant on a lot more.. but get the point.. I never had this fascination with any other brand. Be it the crown or whatever it is. I knew when I bought this bike I would catch a lot of flack from more then just a few folks on café Husky. I will give a detailed and I mean detailed ride report down the road. Good and bad whatever there is. Find it hilarious but I am riding a bike with a crown on it and sporting traditional colors for whatever reason the marketing team came up with. The orange thing goes back many many years and not just for me. Back in the day the KTM bikes of the era were in my opinion inferior to the Huskys that were available and it was a euro bike thing..... This isn't a secret and the two company's were rivals for years and years even if one sold more bikes then the other. It also comes down to being able to get parts service sales and technical support all of which I can get top notch. I won't discuss in detail the conversation I had with a diehard Husqvarna guy but I left with a different feeling.......................... Why would I not buy a Husky from a KTM dealer? Pretty simple I can spend my hard earned money wherever I want Keep in mind the rival thing I over played at times just for torture or entertaninment and I still borrowed fuel or water to a guy if he was on a orange bike. its like Chevy Ford or Dodge.....We all have to have something......The reality is I had just as much fun smoking my buddies on a 99 Suzuki RM 250(with no handguards) that I picked up at 10:00 on Saturday morning and was riding at 11:00. For $700.00!!

 

[fletchman45]

Huskynoobee. I fear parts may some day have to come from somewhere else. That same marketing guy that told them to buy out Husky also told them to trickle and phase out parts............. Just kidding but may not be far off.... I would think they would want to cater to the diehard Husky guy in order to sell bikes in the future but they may be gearing more for new younger riders and guys who just do not like the orange color of a KTM and want something a little different. Between the Gas Gas thing etc and swm etc.. I am hoping it all will pan out for everyone!

 

[racemx904]

I will ride any bike with 2 wheels and have.... I usually try to be different its just me..... I desert raced a Honda CR125.... Ive raced White huskys, yellow huskys and most likely white ones again..... I dont care that KTM owns Husky the same way I kinda care cagiva or bwm did.... but as they become main stream I will drift to gas gas beta sherco or something.... lol

 

[Motosportz]

I will ride any bike with 2 wheels and have.... I usually try to be different its just me..... I desert raced a Honda CR125.... Ive raced White huskys, yellow huskys and most likely white ones again..... I dont care that KTM owns Husky the same way I kinda care cagiva or bwm did.... but as they become main stream I will drift to gas gas beta sherco or something.... lol

Me too you should see my ever revolving eccentric hurd of odd ball bikes. Used to even be some ATKs in there!!!

 

[Motosportz]

Fletch, I'm not trying to be a dick, just find it hilarious the complete 180 and denial of what the bikes is. Like I said I believe you will love it. Light and fast and wins at the top levels all over the world.

Again when I look at my new bike I don't see a cloned premium KTM.

The mother ship advertises it as exactly that. It is a KTM just like the italian huskys were cagivas. And its all OK.

 

[racemx904]

i remember my first ATK experience.... I went to wheelie over a log and went into it twice as fast because of that crazy rear suspension.... lol

I'm kinda intrigued with the AJP thing.... I raced a CRF230 highly modfied.... so I like to experiment.... lol