On The Pegs April 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 4 | Page 100

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On The Pegs
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
GOOD OLD TIMES BLOG
B y K enneth O lausson
P hotos : H usqvarna
After a 20-year absence, Husqvarna introduced their 4-stroke big-bore beast. In
1983, it tried establishing the brand as a top player on the bike market. Not only
was a new engine presented, but the Swedes also gave up the red/chrome tanks
in favour of new all-white machines. However, MX competition from Japan was
fierce and Husqvarna did not have the financial resources to keep up with their
opponents. Instead, the company looked towards enduro.
During the last three years of the 1970s Husqvarna had adopted a manufac-
turing level of around 10,000 yearly units. This production rate was maintained
during the early 1980s, before figures started sliding. At this stage, the interest
from the board members to invest was very limited. The frequent rumours that