True, but until now Husaberg always differentiated (& innovated) when it came to the 4-strokes... Hope this doesn't mean that they become KTMs with yellow & blue graphics
if they do ,at least they will be on the road to success ,just gotta get the colour changed to orange !!!
<TABLE style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px" class=tborder border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=4 width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR title="Post 17866954" vAlign=top><TD class=alt2 width=125 align=middle>rallye</TD><TD class=alt1>Quote: if they do ,at least they will be on the road to success ,just gotta get the colour changed to orange !!! </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> While there might be a smidgin of tongue in cheek irony to what rallye wrote... you gotta ask the question; "why did they buy the Husaberg trademark (and technical R&D) if they were just going to turn the Bergs into blue and yellow plastic covered oranges?" When KTM first acquired Husaberg, the blue and yellow crew were under a lot of pressure from Mattighofen to get their act together (production effectiveness and production numbers) up to scratch. This I know because I was personally involved (in my day job) when the engineering company I then worked for (2001- 2004), was approached by Husaberg management (the plant was then still located at Rofors in Sweden) to offer and be involved in a project to look at improving the production line logistics and productivity. In those days, the model range was still soley fourestrokes - the second generation 4t engine 450/550/650 enduro, MX and SM models. By investing in better more effective line/assembly equipment and improving the assemby workstations etc. it was hoped they would attain the productivity/economy that the bosses in Austria decreed the brand needed to meet, and to that end; keep production in Sweden. But it was too little too late and ultimately the orange bean counters gave the order to close up shop, and Husaberg production was moved to Austria. While a Scandinavian sales and marketing office was established in Örebro, as well as the R & D dept. (for Husaberg)... the folks responsible for what (ultimately) we came to know as the FE 70 degree "sloper" motors. Now the 450/570 FE and the later introduced 390 FE fourstroke engined Husabergs have - since their introduction in 2009 - met with critical acclaim... for their ingenuity, performance (two things Husaberg has always strived for) and of late - a reputation for build quality and reliability (not always things immediately associated with the early generation Bergs) that saw them gain a great deal of popularity, among the Husaberg faithfull AND riders of other makes (who crossed to the blue yellow camp). It seemed that the Husaberg brains trust in Örebro had come upon a winner!? The about a year or so ago... Husaberg got the two stroke TE models to compliment their 4 stroke sibblings... Hey, hang on a minute...? :huh These are just EXC's with the orange plastic replaced, and a set of the *Berg spec' twin chamber USD fork up the front...? What gives (I thought at the time). While I could have understood, had the Husaberg differed somewhat from the KTM offering from a technical (or capacity class) aspect... this was clearly just a plastics colour change. Okay... so Husa doesn't HAVE a two stroke range to offer (maybe they were going to put the new prototype slant twostrokes into production... and this was a way to "start" the blue two stroke revolution at 'Berg...? I reasoned?) Then during 2011 came the whispers that the 70 degree engined FE's were getting the "knock on the head" from 2013 onwards... that even the 4 stroke Husabergs would be "blue/yellow" plastic EXC's in the future? WTF...? :huh Are the Mattighofen bigwigs really going to maintain the two brand competition by offering the SAME bikes in two different colour schemes (I always thought that was the job of companies like ACERBIS, UFO, Polysport etc.) Why I wonder...?
Say it ain't so... that would, to me, spell the blue & yellow bikes demise... Do you think that KTM is guiding Husaberg to the chopping block to focus on Moto3 and their (increasingly fugly) road sector? What a shame
I´m little dissapointed aboat the rumour. I will build a new Dakarbike based on our exsperiance from this Dakarrally and race it 2013 despite any change in modelprogram. I will make a 3 liter + tank and move in the fuel system in the tank to get it cooler in those ...... hot days. Every thing was new on the bike and it was just this small detail that gave me problems. Other problems is the driver and mechanic responsible to: Clutchline cut off when barkbuster rotated in small crash. No clutch in 150 km dunes:huh Clutch lever came lose and piston disapeared. No clutch 270 km:huh (SS277 km) Vacum line jamed. No fuel to the EFIpump:huh Tryed to refuel i from extra 1 liter bottle when the SS was 280 km long without refuling in a 90km/h speed zone.Lost the fuelcap and a lots off places when it wasnt found that easely. Tryed to pass a watercrossing without getting of the bike. Spotted in Eurosport Oring jamed in injector body and sprayed lots of fuel over the engine in Liason unattended. :eek1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPZDn69MWSg If you intrested in fuel tanks: thomas@berglundracing.com
Lol, I read a bunch of your past ride reports and you remind me of the typical newb credit card rider..too funny
All of his posts seem to be shit stirring. Might have to get rid of a few of them (and this post) from the racing section...
2009 or 200.9 seconds ago... doesn't matter. The guy takes/took nice pics but in the end he's still a newb rider (nothing wrong with that) and fits the typical CREDIT CARD profile. sorry if it hurts but its true.
What do you care? The guy was making a supportive comment on someone else's post, why would you bother posting that negative crap here?
Man, I dunno if you meant me, since you quoted me in your original post; but let me tell ya pal ... YOU NAILED IT ... I've been a newb for about 10 years now ... and boy I still ride that CREDIT CARD TRAIN ... hey, why spend my money while having fun, much rather spend yours ... ... Plastic Rules lol ... ... Just got back from phenomenal, credit card financed; trip to the Alabama hills, had the best time ever ... it felt GOOD spending someone else's money ... enjoy more pics: The kids, on the hunt for yet another credit card ... the credit card financed campsite: Heading towards the Alabama Hills and the Eastern Sierras from a credit card financed trip to Death Valley, on hwy 136: Not to mention all the credit card financed other hobbies that I have, like hunting, shooting, guns etc... etc ... I love the free market & capitalism .... You know any good BK lawyer? .....
To get back on topic . Just finished the Libya Rally Marocco edition. Video of day 1 is finished: http://youtu.be/82_rvofLhiQ Husaberg berformed flawlessly, max speed 163km/h but still had some throttle. Had a crash at the end of day 4. Skipped day 5 because of ribs and cocussion. Had my revenge on day 6 and 7 (3rd and 1st place).
Hi GezwindeSpoed, I just bought a 2010 FE 450, and what to make a light rally bike with it. Did you fil yours with the 70 degree tank + the 10L back tank? I think these 70 degree tanks are not available anymore. What is your fuel capacity and autonomy? From the picture it seems you put the navigation tower on the handlebars, not too heavy when you drive? Did you fit your bike with a steering damper? What other mods did you do?
