KTM/Husqvarna... now how will this play out?

[Coffee]

Ray, your last comment really isn't adding to the discussion in a positive way.

Please.

 

[ray_ray]

I'm still trying to understand the 'corporate' reasoning.

And you never will understand it unless you are sitting at the meetings, sleeping with the right\wrong person, or just lucky with your guessing ... These companies\peoples history can shed some light on their past behaviors maybe help on the future, but we won't really know till another business decision is made ...

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SP does sound like a ~straight shooter to some degree ... Go back and read all his articles a few more times and some sense of a plan might might come forth ...

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The previous owners plan is out in the open now ... Try to remember all that was said about them when they took over in 2007 and apply some of that wisdom to the current owner and comments ... Some old guy 2 yrs ago on this site said 'there will not be enough meat on the bone for bmw' and they would drop Husky just as they just did ...

 

[ray_ray]

Ray, your last comment really isn't adding to the discussion in a positive way.

Please.

Ok ... I'll rephase the answer ... "All these companies work together to some degree" ...

 

[Coffee]

Ok ... I'll rephase the answer ... "All these companies work together to some degree" ...

Feel free to edit/re-word the post I was referring to, that was the reason I did not quote it.

EDIT: Ray deleted the post I was referring to...

 

[Planepower]

And you never will understand it unless you are sitting at the meetings, sleeping with the right\wrong person, or just lucky with your guessing ... These companies\peoples history can shed some light on their past behaviors maybe help on the future, but we won't really know till another business decision is made ..

Exactly my point. WE are just ordinary citizens with desires other than reporting to shareholders about profit increases. I do say its going to be interesting how this all unfolds. I'm not sure how many of us Husky affictionato will be future consumers. And it's unit sales that corporate wants.

 

[ray_ray]

Exactly my point. WE are just ordinary citizens with desires other than reporting to shareholders about profit increases. I do say its going to be interesting how this all unfolds. I'm not sure how many of us Husky affictionato will be future consumers. And it's unit sales that corporate wants.

Yep, I hope we get a few yrs racing at least and maybe the numbers will look good enough to keep ... And maybe Husky can even sell the bajaj/ktm brand bikes at the Husqvarna shops ... BMP excluded of course...

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Unit sales just screams 1BIL and counting Indians to go after...

 

[Motosportz]

Dear Everyone,

I think everyone should take a deep breath and think of only positive outcomes. This could be a very good thing for the Husqvarna brand. BMW was not in a position to sustain the mounting losses and did the marque a great service by selling it to someone who really knows and understands how to build great offroad motorcycles. Pierer as much as stated that with BMW that Husqvarna had lost its way. Now its time to get back to the roots. Without this move BMW would have closed it down at some point as their losses started to approach almost $1Billion, yes with a "B". Everything will work out. My only hope is that the US team in Corona is not affected by this and that they continue on with the brand. Kris Odwarka and the team were really starting to get somewhere. I hope this does not impact them. In any case, Husky has life and a chance to really become itself again. This is a very good moment in the history of the company. Mr. Pierer doesn't suffer long for fools. He will whip the brand into shape. Wait and see!!

Scot Harden

Thanks for chiming in Scott. Good to hear someone in the know with an opinion. Sure makes me feel better about this transaction. Also good to hear your thoughts on "the US team in Corona" being good and in a stride. Seemed to me they were working their asses off and I have never seen so much husky press int he mags and everywhere. Crossing my fingers this will be a really good thing and you chiming in thinking it will be is comforting. Thanks.

 

[Grandia]

You have to remember, Bajaj and SP are corporate individuals and profits are they're only goal. To them it doesn't matter if its red, blue, yellow or green. Their largest investment on 2 wheels is orange. That's where profits must increase. How our beloved husky fits in I can't imagine. I'm guessing its trying to steal market share from the Japanese brands. How that will happen without loss to KTM is what SP has to figure out. Perhaps the VW/ Audi statement refers to a similar role within KTM/ Husaberg/ Husqvarna. Now which is the R8, and which is the Golf from the 3 motorcycle groups is unknown. I'd hate to see husky be 'entry level', just as much as it would suck if it were to become the elite brand (higher $$).

I liked the idea of sending SP a letter from us consumers. Perhaps with enough input from all countries he can see what type of owners we are. This is all about profits and emotional decisions play no part in that.

Call me romantic, but I don't think it's all about the money for Pierer. He has a net worth a a few hundred million U$, so he doesn't really need any more. However, he's also very competetive. KTM just trumped BMW as the biggest European motorcycle producer (in 2012), so he now sets himself a new target (Japan). He also has a love for MX and off-roading, being a rider himself. That's one thing that sets him apart from the Bajaj-family and hopefully prevents a profit only attitude.

Obviously, he expects to make money out of this, that's for sure.

 

[LandofMotards]

Save your 449, 511, and Terra's. they may be worth a lot of money someday to a museum

 

[photoguy_43420]

You know Husky was orange first, will they be orange again?

 

[dratharr]

Also the press release from the BMW communications mgr that everyone was reading into with the phrase "cease to supply engine and parts" means exactly that. When the EU anti-trust approves the deal, BMW will cease to be involved in any distribution. HSQ NA is a subsidary of BMW NA, everyone of the employees has a BMW car or motorcycle as their company perk. So when BMW "ceases distribution" that means all BMW held distributorships will no longer be involved is my speculation,...this is in press release and what I'm hearing from the other side of the deal. BMW will not be involved in any fashion once the deal is approved, until then it's business as usual with a big cloud looming overhead, particularly here in the states. Now in other countries where BMW does not handle distribution, there may be very little ripple effect and it will also depend on those country's laws.

I really hope my dealer hangs on to the brand, I highly doubt they will though, they are a long standing BMW dealer, and they just took on the Husky brand last year. My bike required a lot of tweaking early on, replacement of all the starting hardware, flywheel, act... so I hope they dont just abandon it, if so I am sure if I have any future problems I will be on my own. I have had the bike 8 months anyways so i guess I am kind of on my own anyway!

 

[ScottyR]

There sure seems to be a lot of emotional statements, good and bad. I'm still trying to understand the 'corporate' reasoning. I'm guessing for the short term (next 9 months) we will notice no changes. I really wish we had fantastic dealers that you have described in numerous threads (along Cali, Oregon & WA). That's where the rest of us feel the misdirection of the brand. (We had Ross Rocher Sales up here and sadly Scotty is missed). I will add, that at my local shop, the young guy I've been speaking with also loves the brand. I just don't feel he has enough clout to promote husky any better than he is currently doing.

You have to remember, Bajaj and SP are corporate individuals and profits are they're only goal. To them it doesn't matter if its red, blue, yellow or green. Their largest investment on 2 wheels is orange. That's where profits must increase. How our beloved husky fits in I can't imagine. I'm guessing its trying to steal market share from the Japanese brands. How that will happen without loss to KTM is what SP has to figure out. Perhaps the VW/ Audi statement refers to a similar role within KTM/ Husaberg/ Husqvarna. Now which is the R8, and which is the Golf from the 3 motorcycle groups is unknown. I'd hate to see husky be 'entry level', just as much as it would suck if it were to become the elite brand (higher $$).

I liked the idea of sending SP a letter from us consumers. Perhaps with enough input from all countries he can see what type of owners we are. This is all about profits and emotional decisions play no part in that.

With KTM running/owning Husqvarna, I could see myself returning to the Husky fold. I just wasnt prepared to sink my lifes savings (and then some) into dealing with BMW after seeing their lack of direction with Husqvarna. I have already been in contact with KTM on a very informal level. We will see where it goes in the next few months.

 

[Huskynoobee]

I will say this, the dealer I got my TE449 from seeks Huskies, Katoom, and Berg. I'll bet Malcolm has seen this game play out plenty of times. If he's not sweating it then no reason to worry.

Besides, there is a simple philosophy I have adopted since the company I work for has sold its lot, moved to a new place, then merged with a basically unheard of small entity.

The corporate big wigs are not at all concerned with my opinion or how I feel, otherwise, they would have asked me before they made their decision. Whether I agree or not is completely immaterial to them.

 

[Norman Foley]

Also the press release from the BMW communications mgr that everyone was reading into with the phrase "cease to supply engine and parts" means exactly that. When the EU anti-trust approves the deal, BMW will cease to be involved in any distribution. HSQ NA is a subsidary of BMW NA, everyone of the employees has a BMW car or motorcycle as their company perk. So when BMW "ceases distribution" that means all BMW held distributorships will no longer be involved is my speculation,...this is in press release and what I'm hearing from the other side of the deal. BMW will not be involved in any fashion once the deal is approved, until then it's business as usual with a big cloud looming overhead, particularly here in the states. Now in other countries where BMW does not handle distribution, there may be very little ripple effect and it will also depend on those country's laws.

No parts and engines for new production, but BMW will have to provide spares of BMW sourced parts to Husky for 10 years from production date. I imagine SP will have to start paying the bills at Husky NA in Corona and take over the parts distribution from BMW Motorrad USA. I have a hard time believing that Corona, will continue just as it is through this. Canada will need a new distributor, as BMW Motorrad Canada took it over from the bankrupt Barrett Group and there's no reason for them to continue. The rest of the world will pretty much, just write the checks for bikes and parts to the new company.... as they did when BMW bought it from MV Agusta/Cagiva.

 

[wait4me]

I have already registered the domain name "Huskavatooma" (pronounced who-ska-va-TOOM-a)

 

[ScottyR]

I have a hard time believing that Corona, will continue just as it is through this. Canada will need a new distributor, as BMW Motorrad Canada took it over from the bankrupt Barrett Group and there's no reason for them to continue. The rest of the world will pretty much, just write the checks for bikes and parts to the new company.... as they did when BMW bought it from MV Agusta/Cagiva.

It will be interesting to see how it unfolds up here as Husqvarna was run out of BMW Canadas head office in Toronto with 2 employees. BMW Canada will want to sever all ties immediately. I would assume that KTM NA will be taking over distribution of the brand for all of NA.

 

[Gotlabs]

Ill be curious as to how contingency unfolds and if the financing portion will be effected.

 

[guscycle]

...here,in a nutshell is what I would like to see happen....Mr. Stefan Pierer walk away "completely" from KTM/Husaberg and build Husqvarna into the dominating marque that it so rightly deserves after all these years.Anything less from Mr. Pierer ,is "not" acceptable ..."I" do not want Husqvarna to be tagged as entry level brand.I paid a little more for my Husky's(up until recently anyways...and I'm talking owning Husqvarna's since the 70's)and I'll gladly pay for quality as needed...
To this,I'm putting this issue to rest until more concrete news comes about and I'm going to spend all the quality time I can with my 2010 TC250 and my 2007 WR125...starting now!
HAPPY TRAILS
Guscycle

 

[Norman Foley]

Ill be curious as to how contingency unfolds and if the financing portion will be effected.

I financed a Dodge Sprinter through Chrysler Business Financial, during Daimler-Chrysler days and when Mercedes sold Chrysler, my loan was sold to another Auto Loan group. I imagine all the Husky loans will be similar.

 

[pinocono]

You know, you guys that keep parroting the line that BMW must provide parts for 10 years may be barking up the wrong tree. I spent quite a bit of time searching for PROOF that an automobile manufacturer, let alone a motorcycle manufacturer, must provide parts for 10 years past the models lifespan.

Couldn't find a darn thing other than the same thing being repeated over and over until it became gospel. Hey, if it's on the internet, it must be true, right? I think Abe Lincoln said that. To the contrary, I did find a law site where a lawyer said he could find no such law.

If someone can post a link, showing me that this 10 year requirement is indeed a law, I will eat crow. Otherwise we should quit repeating what I believe to be false.