Husqvarna’s first motorcycle was unveiled in 1903 - a ‘motorised bicycle’. As the oldest motorcycle manufacturer with uninterrupted production, Husqvarna has thankfully learnt a thing or two over the course of 110-years of development.
In the 1933 and 1934 road race season Husqvarna’s made regular visits to the top step of the podium - a family tradition that has endured over the past 80 years of racing.
A new form of motorcycle sport became popular in post-war Europe - christened ‘Moto-cross’ in Belgium. By 1953 races were being organised across Europe, with the lightweight and easy-to-adapt single-cylinder Husqvarna road bikes fast becoming a popular choice for off-road use.
Meaning ‘silver arrow’ in Husqvarna’s native Swedish, it was a pioneering Husqvarna model, purpose-built for off-road use. Nimble and weighing just 75kg, the telescopic fork, hydraulic dampers and frame-mounted engine were revolutionary at the time.
Rolf Tibblin piloted his 250 cc Husqvarna to the 1959 Title. This began a long and prosperous Motocross racing career for both Tibblin and Husqvarna - as he racked up several more World Titles, ‘Motocross des Nations’ victories and even the Baja 1000 Title along the way
In 1960 Bill Nilsson clinched the first Husqvarna World Title in the 500 cc class. Husqvarna learned from Tibblin’s ’59 250 cc win, building a victorious premier-class bike for Nilsson and starting a dominant era in big-bore motocross for Husqvarna.
A golden-age dawned for Husqvarna just as off-road motorcycling was booming in growth and popularity. Consistently winning the biggest global races and championships, Husqvarna became the dominant force in World Motocross. By storming to 14 Motocross World Titles, 24 Enduro European Championships and 11 Baja 1000 victories - Husqvarna fast became the ultimate off-road motorcycle racing brand of the era.
Throughout the seventies, Husqvarna continues it's global off-road victory march - consistently adding Motocross and Enduro Titles in both the US and Europe to the ever-growing list of accolades
Husqvarna’s legend spread beyond the off-road scene - by the late 70‘s the once niche motorcycle manufacturer was suddenly in corporate demand. In 1977 one of Sweden’s largest corporations, Electrolux, bought Husqvarna Motorcycles.
When Husqvarna unveiled a new style 500 cc 4-stroke model in 1983, it set a new benchmark. The lightweight, easy-handling and air-cooled off-roader became the forerunner for a new generation of 4-stroke competition motorcycles.
In 1987, the Husqvarna motorcycle division was sold to Italian motorcycle manufacturer Cagiva and became part of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. The motorcycles, widely known as "Huskies / Husky", are from now on produced in Varese.
When Husqvarna motorcycles was bought by Cagiva MV Agusta in 1987 - plans were set to relocate to Italy by 1988. The core Husqvarna development team chose to rather remain in Sweden - breaking away and launching ‘Husaberg’ in 1988.
With ambitious plans to expand their off-road motorcycle range, BMW bought Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2007. Husqvarna’s long history and unmatched list of off-road accolades were an attractive proposition.
In 2013 Pierer Industries AG (Husaberg’s owner) bought Husqvarna Motorcycles - marking the reunion of two halves of the original Husqvarna brand of the 60’s and 70’s! For 2014 the ‘new’ Husqvarna Motorcycles brand returns to it’s glorious origins with state-of-the-art technology and the iconic Swedish blue, yellow and white colour-scheme. A brand new range of Enduro and Motocross motorcycles sees one of the oldest manufacturers return to the top of off-road motorcycle sport. In over 50 years of racing and with more than 82 world titles so far.... the legendary tale of Husqvarna continues!
2014 marked the first full business year of the ‘new-generation’ Husqvarna Motorcycles brand. With a return to the classic white, blue and yellow body work, the reception by motorcycle enthusiasts globally was exceptional - highlighted by record unit sales and annual turnover.
In 2015 Husqvarna Motorcycles made their future vision clear. The release of the production 2016 Husqvarna 701 SUPERMOTO model marks a return to their roots in single-cylinder street motorcycling. An approach made famous in the 1930’s by Folke Mannerstedt’s revolutionary high-powered yet compact 4-stroke engine design.
In 2016, Husqvarna Motorcycles continued to break new ground with record sales and growth. The VITPILEN 401 and SVARTPILEN 401 production models were presented to the world, while the VITPILEN 701 concept revealed in 2015 made significant strides towards a full production model - reaffirming Husqvarna Motorcycles' return to the street.
The brand's strong focus on innovation and progression leads to more significant milestones. At EICMA 2017, the VITPILEN 701 serial production model is revealed, while the unveiling of the SVARTPILEN 701 prototype, provides a unique look into how the Husqvarna Motorcycles street range could further evolve in the future.
