Husqvarna enjoys a bet each way
YOU might not know i t b u t Husqvarna Motorcycles is an international manufacturer of off-road and on-road motorbikes.
It was originally founded in Sweden and has been part of the BMW Group since 2007.
Since then Husqvarna has been a beneficiary of BMW funding and technical knowhow.
Husky is based in Cassinetta di Biandronno in the northern Italian province of Varese and in 100 years of motorcycle making it has been able to achieve outstanding success in international off-road racing.
In road racing, Husqvarna was successful in the 1920s and 1930s, so it was a logical step to set about expanding today’s product range in the on-road arena once again.
Husqvarna re-entered the
road bike segment in 2011 with the presentation of the Husqvarna Nuda 900 and Husqvarna Nuda 900 R models developed in conjunction with BMW Motorrad.
Now there are more . . . the new Husqvarna TR 650 Strada and TR 650 Terra.
They are dual-purpose machines offering agility and a dynamic single-cylinder engine.
Naturally, this makes the twins slim and light with the ‘‘Terra’’ version for light terrain or the ‘‘Strada’’ version for asphalt-based motorcycling fun.
The liquid-cooled, twin cam, single-cylinder engine is from BMW and, as the name suggests, is a 652cc unit from the BMW GS650 Motorrad. It’s good for 43kW at 7250 rpm and 60Nm at 5750 rpm.
A reduced power version is available for L riders with 35kW/54Nm.
Electronic fuel-injection is used, along with performance-enhancing camshafts and a high compression ratio. The gearbox is a five-speeder. Both models use a split-backbone tubular steel frame with removable rear frame and front beam bolted to the engine.
Front suspension is by 46mm upside-down telescopic forks. The TR 650 Strada has cast aluminium wheels, while the TR 650 Terra uses spoke wheels. They weigh 168kg and 166kg respectively
The Australian version of the TR 650 Strada will come with ABS as standard – not available on the Terra. Both models are expected to arrive late-November or December.