Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128227
~~WBikes 1 • 2004 Husqvarnas name seems nothing more than a figment of our imaginations. The Husqvarna team semi disappeared from the Supercross and National paddocks, and you might have noticed that Husqvarna didn't produce motorcycles for 2003. It was like Husqvarna just dropped off the face of the earth. Poof! Gone. Why? To make a long story short, a proposed merger with an Italian company, Piaggio (which manufactures scooters), and MV By KIT PALMER PHOTOS BY ALESSIO BARBANTI ne hundred years ago, Husqvarna built its first motorcycle; 99 years later, it nearly built its last, and that's not exactly how Husky intended to celebrate its 100th birthday. But Husqvarna, which originally built firearms (explaining Husqvarna's gun-sight logo), is celebrating, but it's celebrating its rebirth, not its demise that seemed so imminent just a few months ago. Like many people, you're probably wondering what happened to Husqvarna. After all, it wasn't all that long ago that Husqvarna was making big waves. Now owned by the Italian company MV Agusta Motorcycles (as is Cagiva), Husqvarna won its first AMA Supercross race in the 125cc class at the hands of Travis Preston in 2001, beating KTM to the punch. And Paul Carpenter was putting in some good finishes aboard a Husqvarna as well, as was Chris Gosselaar. In Europe, Alessio Chiodi was tearing up the GP scene, winning three titles in a row in the 125cc class from 1997 to 1999 (though his first title came on a Yamaha before switching over to the Husky brand). Back in the United States, things were continuing to look promising for Husqvarna after signing a big-name rider - Steve Lamson - in 2001. Suddenly, it's 2003, and the Husqvarna O 14 AUGUST 13, 2003' cue I e Agusta went sour, leaving Husqvarna's parent company holding the bag without any money in it and on the verge of colIapse. As a result, Husqvarna's production plant ceased producing, so its motocross and off-road teams had no bikes to race. In a lastditch effort to save the company, MV Agusta's owner, Claudio CastigUoni, was forced to apply for "amministrazione control lata, " the Italian equivalent of U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Husqvarna got a second chance. "MV Agusta Motorcycles SpA has been restructured financially under the supervision and with the support of Banca Intesa, which has also brought in extremely significant outside investors of good standing in the Italian business community, whom they have recommended to become involved in relaunching the company," Castiglioni said in a recent interview for Cycle News. Husqvarna actually got its jumpstart in time to fire up the '03 assembly line had it wanted to, but the company chose not to do so, knowing that by the time the '03s reached the stores, the '04s would be available just a few months later, which it felt would not be fair to its customers. And by holding out on the '03s, this gave Husky a chance to get a head start on the '04s that are being pumped out as you read this. While the company's executives were in their offices crunching numbers and phoning their lawyers during this rocky time, Husqvarna technicians and designers were still doing their thing in the shop, continuing to improve upon the '03 Husqvarnas that no one got to ride. And to prove that they've been keeping up with the times, Husqvarna invited Cycle News and a few other U.S. moto publications to Malpensa, near Varese (where the Husqvarnas are built), to ride its '04 motocross and off-road bikes, including the new TC250 fourstroke MXer.