From September 1st 2010 Klaus Allisat (41) takes over management of Husqvarna Motorcycles S.R.L. from Rainer Thoma (42).

Klaus Allisat has worked for the BMW Group since 2003. He has been Vice President Purchasing BMW Motorrad since 2008, in which function he has also been responsible for Husqvarna Motorcycles purchasing operations.

Before joining the BMW Group Allisat worked in various internationally oriented positions in corporate consulting with A.T.Kearney GmbH, Stuttgart and prior to this for Daimler Benz AG, Stuttgart.

After three years of managing Husqvarna Motorcycles, Rainer Thoma will now be taking up a new position at BMW Group headquarters in Munich.

Since the acquisition of Husqvarna MC by the BMW Group in 2007, the company has been separated from MV Agusta, a new R&D centre has been put into operation at the Husqvarna site Cassinetta, production and spare parts supply has been restructured and the company has pushed ahead with numerous developments for the Husqvarna Motorcycles product offensive now starting.

In spite of a difficult global market environment, Husqvarna MC was able to maintain a stable sales volume from 2008 to 2009 as compared to the competition. With a sales decrease of only around 3% in 2009, the brand recorded a lower decline than any of its competitors.

FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s podium streak has continued in Quebec’s hotly contested FMSQ series. Husqvarna Canada’s Guy Giroux and Karine Geoffrion each climbed the podium at both Round 6, held in Rockland on August 8th, and at Round 7 in Ormstown on August 22nd.

Giroux has put his Husqvarna on the podium in every FMSQ round he has raced in 2010. Karine Geoffrion’s consistent success battling the fierce competition in the ladies class leaves her sitting in a solid 2nd overall and only 6 points shy of taking over the lead in the Championship.

Prior to Round 6 in Rockland, Guy Giroux had spent some time riding Karine’s WR 125 two stroke in practice. He had so much fun that he decided to race one at the next round. Guy got a new WR 125 and installed the 144cc kit for the Rockland Race. Giroux hammered the little 144 through the Rockland course and fought his way into 2nd overall by the time the checkers flew.


GUY GIROUX

“I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision to race the 144 but I had so much fun on that bike that it was ridiculous. Getting a podium with it made it that much better. It might not have the power I’m used to but that little bike turned and handled perfect”.

Karine Geoffrion screamed her trusty WR 125 off the starting line at Rockland and grabbed the holeshot before dropping back to 3rd early in the race. Karine mounted a charge throughout the rest of the race that left her shy of catching the leader, but with a solid 2nd overall at the finish and several minutes of breathing room over 3rd position.

KARINE GEOFFRION

At Round 7, both Guy and Karine picked up where they left off at the previous race by once again fighting their way to podium positions at the Ormstown event. Guy Giroux opted to race the WR 144 for the second race in a row and was rewarded with another solid 2nd overall finish.

“I was stuck in about 5th place after the start and was getting roosted like crazy. By the time I was able to pull the trigger and get into 2nd, Jason (Thomas) was long gone. The laps were very long and Karine pulled me in for fuel on lap 3 and it gave 3rd place a chance to catch up. It was pouring rain and the track was crazy slippery, so I just concentrated on staying up and avoiding trouble until the end.”

Although Karine Geoffrion had some challenges with the mud and rocks of the Ormstown course, she was able to ride steady and strong on her WR 125 and successfully battled her way to the final podium position. Karine’s 3rd overall in Ormstown leaves her 2nd overall in the 2010 series and within striking distance of the Championship

We are very grateful to our many amazing sponsors. Without them, our team would not exist.

Husqvarna Canada Team Sponsor

Husqvarna Canada, Feeding Performance Inc., Motovan, Rekluse, Ogio, Dragon, Xtreme, TCX, Axis, Zox, Pro-Tech, Etnies, Throttle Entertainment, UNI Filter, DID, LeoVince, GPR Stabilizer, Motul, LimeNine, EC3D, Impact Canopies, GoPro, Enduro Engineering, Supersprox, SkyCap, Boyesen, E-line, IMS, Matrix Concepts, TM Designworks, Dunlop and Zip Ty Racing

Special thanks to the Husqvarna Canada dealers that provide extra assistance help ensure our race program is a success; Bow Ridge Sports in Cochrane, Echo Cycle in Edmonton and RiverCity Cycle in Kamloops.

The brand new WR250 and WR300 demonstrate Husqvarna’s ongoing commitment to two strokes. 

Latest Press Release from Husqvarna:

FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s Ryan Graffunder put his TXC 450 on the podium again at the Penticton, British Columbia rounds of the Canadian Enduro Championship. Graffunder fought his way to a 3rd place finish in the highly contested E2 Class at round three of the Canadian Enduro Championship (CEC). Rounds 3 and 4 of the CEC were held at the spectacular Apex Mountain ski resort.

While the rest of the team chased podiums in BC, Karine Geoffrion was once again holding down the fort at 5th round of Quebec’s FMSQ series. Karine romped her way through the Saint-Michel-des-Saints course on her WR 125 two stroke to snag her third win of the year.

Graffunder now sits in a solid 2nd position in the E2 class, and 3rd overall, after 4 rounds of the 8 round series. Geoffrion’s win streak has put her within a single point of taking over the lead in the Championship from Vanessa Marcoux as they cross the half way mark in the 10 round FMSQ series.

Graffunder pushed hard during round three of the CEC series to claim his third podium in a row and backed up the amazing results that the 19 year old earned at the opening rounds in Blairmore, Alberta.

Unfortunately, Ryan’s podium streak would come to an end the following day at Round 4 of the series. The young gun from Vavenby, BC would fight his way through some major issues only to get pushed off the podium as the result of mistakes in the day’s second Extreme test that cost enough time to drop him to 5th for the day. Graffunder still maintains 2nd position in the E2 Class after four rounds and 3rd position overall in the Pro Class.

“Round three was pretty good to me” said Graffunder. “It was a great race course and I was really confident through all my tests. I felt strong in the Cross test and the Enduro test and was definitely enjoying the challenges of the Extreme test that they built for us this year. It was great to get on the box again and I felt comfortable going into round four.

Things got crazy for me on Sunday and then I made some mistakes in the second Extreme test that left me sitting in 5th position for the day. I lost over 40 seconds on that test compared to my first lap and I only missed the podium by 35 seconds so that test pretty much ruined my day.

It was a tough day all around. I bent my front brake rotor badly when I nailed a rock or something during the Enduro test so Guy (Giroux) helped me straighten it the best we could on the trail. When I got back to the pits and we went over my bike we realized that I had punched a hole in my radiator. Everyone had to scramble to replace it before my start time.

It was nuts with three people working on the bike at the same time but the crew got it fixed and I was able to cross the start line without suffering a time penalty. We made it with only a few seconds to spare. To end my day, I managed to smoke a rock in the final Extreme test that destroyed my brake pedal. I rode the last sections of the test with no rear brakes but I’m definitely not using it as an excuse because I didn’t even notice that it was broken until after the test.

I had a bit of a tough time here last year as well so to get through this weekend, considering how Sunday went, and still be sitting 2nd in E2 and 3rd overall is pretty exciting. I’m really looking forward to the Eastern rounds”.

Graffunder was not the only one to have an up and down weekend as the rest of his Husqvarna Canada team mates suffered from a combination of bad luck and small mistakes that would keep them off the podium. After nailing podium positions at the first two rounds in Blairmore, Marty Halmazna from Cochrane, Alberta missed the E3 podium on his big TXC 510 by mere seconds on each day of the Penticton rounds.

“I had a decent run going on Day 1” said Halmazna “and was sitting in podium position after the first few tests. In the final lap of the day I could smell oil really bad. I looked down and realized that there was a big hole smashed through the engine case and that oil was spurting everywhere. I was able to nurse the bike to the start of the Extreme test. I used a rock to pound a stick into the hole in the case and was able to get some oil to fill it back up.

I went as easy as I could on the bike through the final test and got back to the pits. It was really frustrating to go through all that and then find out that I had missed the podium by only 7 seconds. We pulled the case off and repaired the bike after the race. Luckily the damage was not too severe and we were able to get it fixed so that I could go the start line again on Sunday.

Day two was going okay and the bike ran fine. I was feeling pretty good and thought I was in a podium position but I have to give credit to Geoff Nelson as well as Brent Kroeker, Kevin Pelletier and Ian Mckill. I only missed the podium by 4 seconds and I definitely made a couple of mistakes but those guys stepped it up and rode great. The racing is intense and I am fired up for the next rounds”.

Halmazna now sits tied for 3rd place in the E3 Class after four rounds with Ian McKill at 74 Championship points each.

Guy Giroux and Nick Graffunder both had a tough time in Penticton and will be out for redemption when the CEC heads East for the final four rounds. Although Giroux posted top 3 times in the Cross tests, he struggled with the steep down hills of Apex Mountain’s Enduro test and was unable to get the results that he wanted.

Giroux will be hoping for a repeat of last year’s CEC series where he struggled with the mountains in the Western rounds but was able to rebound in the slippery conditions of the Eastern rounds to secure podium positions and finish the year 2nd in the E2 Class and Top 5 overall.

In the E1 Class, Nick Graffunder continued to endure the streak of bad luck that has plagued him for much of the 2010 series. At round three, Nick managed to slam a big bolder in the nasty rock section of the Extreme test that left him with a destroyed rear sprocket on his TXC 250. Nick lost a massive amount of time as he struggled to drag his bike to the finish of the test.

Graffunder’s luck was not much better on Sunday but he was still able to close out the Western rounds with 6th position in E1 and having accumulated almost twice as many championship points so far in 2010 as he had gathered by the same time in the 2009 edition of the series.

“I know that my results have improved a lot over last year but that doesn’t hold much water for me right now. I know I can get on the podium and I won’t be happy until that happens. I’ll be training hard in the next little bit and I plan to come out swinging when we head East” said Graffunder.

In a repeat of the previous weekend, Karine Geoffrion hammered her way to another win in Quebec while the rest of the team chased podiums in British Columbia. Karine rode a solid race at the 5th round of the FMSQ series held in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, and finished the race more than a minute ahead of 2nd position.

After scoring her third win of the year, Karine now only trails Vanessa Marcoux by a single Championship point (116/115) as they head into the second half of the series.

With 5 Pro Class podiums in the opening rounds of the Canadian Enduro Championship and over a dozen podiums in Regional races across the country, the new Husqvarna Canada Team is off to a great start to the 2010 season.

The 250 cc 4-stroke motocross and enduro range from Husqvarna has seen major changes to both the design, chassis and engine, and is joined by the new TE310, fitted with a new "small" 250 cc increased  to 300 cc. displacement.

These models will be available from the end of July at Husqvarna dealer network.



TC250  

The improvements to the TC250 have been confirmed at the European MX2 championship now underway, with Andrea Cervellin and Jernej Irt first and second respectively in the championship after 5 rounds.

The most important changes are to the engine, now fitted with a Mikuni batteryless electronic fuel injection system and 45 mm diameter throttle body. The major changes to the engine are to the cylinder head, with a new profile that has enabled an increase in power throughout the curve. The camshaft fuel intake line and exhaust are new, as well as the intake phasing.

The engine crank-case has been reinforced and now has steel sockets on chassis connections. The Akrapovic exhaust pipe has been specially designed by the manufacturer in Slovenia for Husqvarna and has a steel manifold, titanium silencer and steel heat protection.

Concerning the chassis parts the frame area below the engine cradle and near the footrests has been completely redesigned, with side plates of forged steel to reduce lateral bulk and increase resistance to strain. This effectively creates a single plate covering the footrest and brake pedal connections. The cradle surface has been streamlined so as to reduce to a minimum any possible impact with the ground or other obstacles. The steering pipe area has also been improved and reinforced.
 
The engine guards are made of a new material, providing better protection against knocks.

The mirror-finish aluminium hubs are new, now with standard perforations.

The bodywork has new graphics on the tank area, with In Mould Plastic Decoration which is incorporated in the actual material, not applied afterwards.

TE250

Antoine Meo and Matti Seistola have tested and ridden to victory the TE250 in the first part of the world enduro championship . Now it is ready to meet the wider public in the showrooms and at enduro races throughout the world. The TE250 is without doubt the best performing and most wanted 250 cc four-stroke enduro of the moment.

For the enduro version the most important changes concern chassis parts , as  the 2010 version engine already had a Mikuni fuel injection system.

The chassis has been redesigned and reinforced at the specific request of the official Ch Racing team, with a streamlined area below the cradle preventing knocks from uneven surfaces. The area around the footrest connections and rear brake pump connections has been improved to reduce contact with the heel  and to facilitate movement by the rider on the pedals. A single plate covers the footrest and rear brake pump/pedal connections.

The suspension has been optimized, with a dedicated setting for enduro racing, both for the Kayaba forks and the Sachs shock absorber.

In order to better facing the longest and most extreme enduro trials the fuel tank capacity has been increased to 8.5 litres.

The tank has a new pump which enables 100% exploitation of fuel available.

The air box has been redesigned to better hold the filter sponge and improve resistance to water.

The engine guards are made of a new material, providing better protection against knocks.

The mirror-finish aluminium hubs are new, now with standard perforations.

The bodywork has new graphics on the tank side panels, with In Mould Plastic Decoration which is incorporated in the actual material, not applied afterwards.

The design and look of handguards included in the kit are also new.

The engine has been redesigned, improving power at low revs thanks to the ability to choose between 2 different CDI maps configuration through handlebar switch – for hard or soft ground, depending on the style of riding and condition of the track.

The layout of radiator hoses is new, as well as the position of the exhaust silencer now with new db killer and heat protection
  
TE310

The new TE310 boasts the lightest engine in the 250 cc 4-stroke category (22 kg), boosted to 302.44 cc, thanks to an increase in bore and stroke, now 82 X 57.3 mm.

The throttle body is the same as that on the TC250 - a Mikuni 45 mm diameter. The exhaust system is specially designed for the 310 model and as in the other models has a new heat protection on the silencer.

The bike is much lighter than the previous version (- 6 kg) and comes with significantly higher torque and power.

Otherwise the bike has the same features as the TE250, with the new reinforced chassis, new Grimeca hubs, Kayaba 48 mm front forks and Sachs shock absorber with new settings, 8.5 litre fuel tank, new handguards and new bodywork graphics.

 PRINCIPAL CHANGES TO TE250, TE310 AND TC250 MODELS

• NEW CHASSIS, REDESIGNED AND REINFORCED
• NEW HUBS
• NEW GRAPHICS
• NEW ENGINE GUARDS
• WATERPROOF SPARK PLUG COVER
• NEW EXHAUST PIPE HEAT PROTECTOR
• ENGINE CRANK-CASE WITH STEEL CHASSIS SOCKETS

   TC250 ONLY

• NEW FUEL INTAKE AND OUTLET LINES
• NEW CAMSHAFT INTAKE PHASING
• BATTERYLESS FUEL INJECTION
• AKRAPOVIC EXHAUST WITH TITANIUM SILENCER

TE250 ONLY  

• NEW SILENCER LAYOUT AND dB KILLER
• NEW   CDI  WITH 2 MAPS SELECTABLE FROM A SWITCH ON THE HANDLEBAR
• NEW AIR BOX
• NEW LAYOUT OF RADIATOR TUBES
• NEW HEADLIGHT SUPPORT
• NEW 8.5L TANK
• NEW FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION SETTING
• NEW HANDGUARDS

   TE310 ONLY (NEW BIKE)

• NEW ENGINE
• NEW FRAME ( AS TE250)
• NEW   CDI  WITH 2 MAPS SELECTABLE FROM A SWITCH ON THE HANDLEBAR
• KG.106 WITHOUT FUEL

FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s Ryan Graffunder hammered his way to the first Pro Class win of his promising career this past weekend in British Columbia. Husqvarna also kept its podium streak alive in Quebec where Guy Giroux nailed another 2nd place finish in the Pro class and Karine Geoffrion jumped on the podium for the second race in a row with her 2nd overall in the ladies class.

After an impressive 2009 season that saw Ryan post solid results in the Canadian Enduro Championship, including earning a top 5 overall in the E2 class and the Top Pro Junior Award for riders under 20 years old, Graffunder was finally able his to grab the first Pro Class win of his
career on his new Husqvarna TXC 450 at the Full Throttle Hare Scramble in Vernon, British Columbia.

Graffunder enjoyed another good start and ran in the top three for the opening laps. By the lap third lap, Ryan had worked his way into the lead and focused on trying to build a gap on the hungry pack that was hunting him which included 2009 CEC Champion, Bobby Prochnau. Graffunder was able to build and maintain his lead and would remain out front until the checkers.

“My start was good. Bobby took off out front and there was some good racing in the first few laps with Ryan Durkee and Dylan Bucknell. At end of the third lap I was able to get past Bobby when he ran out of fuel right before the gas check. Dylan got by me and then stopped for gas too. I kept going and pitted the next lap for fuel instead. Once I got out front I just tried to stay focused and run my own race. I was able to build a little bit of a cushion on the guys and stayed in first until the end. Bobby’s still coming back from his hand injury but I felt really solid and I was definitely pretty excited to get my first ever win in the Pro Class.”

Husqvarna CR and SM 50 - the new  Mini Cross and Motard from Husqvarna


The essence of a real dirt bike and supermotard in miniature. This is the nature of the new Husqvarna CR and SM 50, the “mini”  that have everything you need to make your debut as a real rider.


Liquid cooled two stroke engines, disc brakes, adjustable suspensions, steel chassis with the same shape as the Husqvarna racing bike, single cylinder engine with dual clutch transmission depending on the driver's expertise and competitiveness.


The essence of a real dirt bike and supermotard in miniature.This is the nature of the new Husqvarna CR and SM 50, the “mini”  that has everything you need to make your debut as a real rider.


Liquid cooled two stroke engines, disc brakes, adjustable suspensions, steel chassis with the same shape as the Husqvarna racing bike, single cylinder engine with dual clutch transmission depending on the driver's expertise and competitiveness.


The line is the same as the Husqvarna dirt bike and Supermotard; with the classic white/red colours for the CR version and white for the SM one, just like the bike that Antoine Meo rides in the Enduro world championship and Adrien Chareyre rides in Supermoto.


The framework is in CrMo steel tubes with rectangular, circular and oval section; the most visible section as it connects the upper beam to the hub.The rear frame is detachable.

FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s Guy Giroux battled his way to another podium finish last weekend during the second round of the FMSQ series in Beauce, Quebec.  Giroux picked up where he left off at the opening round in St-Alphonse de Granby by grinding out another solid 2nd overall at the bone dry and dusty Beauce event.

Giroux had some extra motivation as he headed to the start line after he had just finished watching his girlfriend, the smoking fast Karine Geoffrion, pound her way to a 1st place finish in the highly competitive ladies class on her Husqvarna WR 125 two stroke.

After a great a start that allowed her to move into first place before the end of the opening lap, Karine charged ahead and worked on building the gap between herself and second place finisher Vanessa Marcoux.

Geoffrion put consistent time on Marcoux and the pair would remain first and second for the entire race with Karine enjoying a comfortable lead at the end.  The Beauce event had another massive rider turn out with hundreds of entries including a huge number of women.

Giroux roared his way to a top three start and escaped some of the dust that wreaked havoc on the racers behind him as the pack charged its way through the opening lap on the extremely dry race course. Guy moved quickly into second and then focused on hunting KTM’s imported woods ace from the United Kingdom, Jason Thomas.

“I got in second not long after the start and set my sights on Thomas, who was running away pretty quickly” said Giroux. “I rode the first lap pretty well and he put 40 seconds on me, and I put 30 on 3rd place, everything was going good!”

Giroux indicated that he had backed his pace down some after the opening lap and tried to focus on being smooth and conserving energy but realized after a few laps that he was allowing Michel Metcalf in 3rd to close in on him.  “…after lap three I wasn’t putting time on third place anymore, so I put my head down and went faster”

Giroux would begin to increase the distance between third place and himself until a costly mistake with his pit stop would allow Metcalf to get by him and take over second.

In the final laps, a determined Giroux charged after Metcalf to regain the spot that he had just given up. “…time was running low, it was 2:08 hrs on my watch, so I needed to make a move quick. I caught him before the woods section, followed him, then put the pass on him when we jumped back onto the grass track and then for the next two laps I went as fast as I could. I got to the finish line with about 1:20 minute lead on Michel."



In a repeat of round one, Giroux would take home a well earned second with Jason Thomas out front with a comfortable lead in first. Metcalf had a solid hold on third with a healthy buffer between himself and fourth place. As further confirmation on how competitive the top ten Pros are in this year’s Quebec series, 5th through 9th positions all finished within a few seconds of each other!

Giroux, along with his Husqvarna Canada teammates, will be attending additional regional races in the coming weeks as they continue to prepare for the opening round of the 2010 Canadian Enduro Championship series that begins July 3rd and 4th in Blairmore, Alberta.

Team Sponsors: Husqvarna Canada, Feeding Performance Inc., Motovan, Rekluse, Ogio, Dragon, Xtreme, TCX, Axis, Zox, Pro-Tech, Etnies, Throttle Entertainment, UNI Filter, DID, LeoVince, GPR

Stabilizer, Motul, LimeNine, Impact Canopies, GoPro, Enduro Engineering, Supersprox, SkyCap, Boyesen, Dunlop and Zip Ty Racing.

Special thanks to the Husqvarna Canada dealers that provide extra assistance help ensure our race program is a success; Bow Ridge Sports in Cochrane, Echo Cycle in Edmonton and RiverCity Cycle in Kamloops.

The Husqvarna 630 Dual Sport motorcycles are en-route to Canada!


For the first time time since Husqvarna re-entered the Canadian market in 2004 their highly sought after dual sport models will finally be available on dealer's showroom floors.


When Barrett Marketing took over Canadian Distribution last fall their first priority was to get the street legal models homologated with Transport Canada. The competition ready TE and SMR units were the first to arrive and now the all new TE630 and SM630 are on their way from Italy as early release 2011 models.


TE 630 -

The Husqvarna TE 630 benefits from having many parts in common with other four-stroke racing Enduro Husqvarnas. The TE 630 will take you anywhere. With the TE 630, Husqvarna intends to widen its range to include Enduro enthusiasts who use their bikes every day and need more comfort and practicality but want to combine this with the thrill of owning a race bike. The Husqvarna TE 630 is perfect for those of you that want a bike with muscle and class. It is without any doubt the best example of how a racing off-roader can be transformed into a road-going machine. The Husqvarna TE happily took up the challenge of racing and in the last Italian Championship Motorally and Marathon Raid narrowly missed winning the Marathon class category for production bikes that it had claimed in 2008. 

The TE 630 combines strong looks and character with a frame built for daily off-road use thanks also to the superlative engine that is highly tractable even at low to medium revs. The main news item on the new TE 630 is the engine that has been bored out from 98 to 100 mm to give a capacity of 600cc The head now has a red rocker box like the race machines and houses DOHC valve gear from the racing 450/510 that provides 20% more power than the previous 570cc version. The TE 630 now has an electronic injection system that was developed in collaboration with Mikuni. The engine now features a 45 mm throttle body with the starter command on the handlebars and there is a 300 Kpa Mitsubishi “twin jet” fuel injector fitted to the throttle. The Kokusan 360W three-phase ignition flywheel is also new. The water temperature sensor has been positioned on the head. The cooling system has a new impeller and pump body. The clutch is hydraulically operated and the left cover plate has been redesigned. New components include the rugged 12 litre polyethylene fuel tank with a 40l/h pump; the non-return fuel circuit has quick-fit connections. Stainless steel heat protection has been added on the agressive looking exhaust system around the passenger footpegs. The suspension remains unchanged except for the Marzocchi forks that now have the same black sleeves as on the 450 and 510 models. The 2010 version of the TE 630 will have Tommaselli tapered handlebars with new steering head clamps and no cross bar.

SM 630 -

The big news on the new SM 630 is the engine that has been bored out from 98 to 100 mm to give a capacity of 600cc The head now has a red rocker box like the race machines and houses DOHC valve gear from the racing 450/510 that provides 20% more power than the previous 570cc version. The SM 610 i.e. now has an electronic injection system that was developed in collaboration with Mikuni. 

The engine now features a 45 mm throttle body with the starter command on the handlebars and there is a 300 Kpa Mitsubishi “twin jet” fuel injector fitted to the throttle. The pressure regulator (3 Bar) regulates any return of excess fuel to the tank and the MAQS (Modularised Air Quantity Sensor) consists of air temperature, mapping and TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) sensors. The Kokusan 360W three-phase ignition flywheel is also new. The water temperature sensor is positioned on the head. The injection ECU processes signals and governs the operation of the solenoid-operated valve fitted to the right hand side of the radiator. 

The cooling system has a new impeller and pump body. The clutch is hydraulically operated and the left cover plate has been redesigned. New components include the rugged 12 litre polyethylene petrol tank with a 40l/h pump; the non-return fuel circuit has quick-fit connections. Seat padding has been increased to make longer rides more comfortable. Stainless steel heat protection has been added on the exhaust system around the passenger footpegs. 

Braking system upgraded - the front now has a radial race-derived Brembo caliper acting on a floating 320 mm disc while the rear has a 220 mm Brembo disc with a single piston caliper. The suspension remains unchanged except for the Marzocchi forks that now have the same black sleeves as on the 450 and 510 models. The 2010 version of the SM 630 will have Tommaselli tapered handlebars with new steering head clamps and no cross bar. Dry weight is 158 Kg.

In Alberta, Husqvarna Canada’s Marty Halmazna competed in his first race on his 2010 TXC 510 by pounding his way to the finish of the Porcupine Cross Country.

Halmazna had a tough day that began with a dead last start. With just shy of 20 riders in the Pro class, Halmazna had his work cut out for him as he picked off riders and made his way forward. Towards the end of the first loop, Marty was able to fight his way into the top ten and was focused on hunting the leaders.

With less than 3 kms to the end of the first loop, and more importantly the gas check, Halmazna ran his big 510 out of fuel and lost an estimated 20 to 30 minutes getting to the check and fueling up. With any chance of a top result gone, Marty focused on finishing the event.

“It was a tough way to end my first race on the 510” indicates Marty. “My start sucked but the bike was working great and I was pretty comfortable as I worked my way past riders in the first loop. I had no idea what position I was in but knew that I had passed a bunch of guys and was hoping that I might catch the lead riders in the second loop.”

MARTY HALMAZNA

“When I finally got to the check, they told me I was probably in about 7th before I ran out of gas. I just put my head down in the second loop and tried to pick off as many riders as possible. I got a few and think that I had made it up to about 11th at the end. I’m definitely looking forward to the races in the next few weeks so I can get back out there and have another crack at a win.”

The podium at this year’s Porcupine Cross Country was occupied by three seasoned racers with well documented fast guy status in Western Canada. Honda Canada’s Jason Schrage took the top step followed by multi-time champion Jared Thomas in 2nd and the infamous Paul Petrin in 3rd.
Ryan, Nick and Marty along with Husqvarna Canada’s Guy Giroux, will be attending additional regional races in the coming weeks as they continue to prepare for the opening round of the 2010 Canadian Enduro Championship series that begins July 3rd and 4th in Blairmore, Alberta.

FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s Guy Giroux and Ryan Graffunder hammered their way to podium positions on the weekend while competing at regional races in their respective home turfs of British Columbia and Quebec. Giroux nailed 2nd place at the opening round of Quebec’s FMSQ series, held in St-Alphonse de Granby, while Graffunder backed up the podium he earned at his last race by delivering a 3rd overall at Rock Hound Hare Scramble in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

In Giroux’s first Canadian race on board his 2010 Husqvarna, the seasoned veteran from Quebec was able to pound his way through the slippery rocks and roots of the St-Alphonse course and secure his spot on the podium.

After a bad start that left him picking his way through the pack on his WR 250 two stroke, Guy battled with an inspired Scott Bowes for second position and then focused on hunting down the United Kingdom’s ultra-fast export, and current GNCC contender, Jason Thomas.

In the end, although Giroux was unable to close the significant gap that Thomas had stretched out, he was able to finish the day with a solid lock on second position.


In British Columbia, the 2010 installment of the Rock Hound Hare Scramble offered up a dust choked start that saw Ryan Graffunder on his TXC 450 shadowed by his brother, and Husqvarna Canada team-mate, Nick Graffunder, on his TXC 250 as they gobbled up riders in the opening lap.

Although Nick would run into problems early into the race that would prematurely end his day, Ryan was able to forge his way forward on the demanding race course that left many riders exhausted and nursing blistered hands.

Following some close bar to bar combat with notorious Alberta fast guy, Paul Petrin, Graffunder was able to break away and went after the leaders.  At the finish of the grueling five lap event, Ryan’s efforts were rewarded when he snagged third overall and the final spot on the podium spot.

Guy, Ryan and Nick, along with Husqvarna Canada’s Marty Halmazna, will be hitting additional regional races in the coming weeks as they continue to prepare for the opening round of the 2010 Canadian Enduro Championship series that begins July 3rd and 4th in Blairmore, Alberta.

March 9, 2010 – Saint John, NB – After the successful launch of its race program at the Toronto motorcycle show in December, Feeding Performance Inc. and Husqvarna Canada are pleased to announce the addition of two up and coming racers to the FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada team.

Canadian off-road warriors Guy Giroux from Quebec and Marty Halmazna from Alberta will now be joined by young guns Nick and Ryan Graffunder from British Columbia to compete at select events in 2010 including the Canadian Enduro Championship (CEC) rounds and various regional events across Canada. As indicated in December, Halmazna also has his sights set on some of the worlds most extreme races including a return to the infamous Erzberg Hare Scramble in Austria.

“I am really happy to have brothers Nick and Ryan Graffunder as part of this program” says Marc Coffin, Director of Racing for the FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada Team. “We felt that it was important to support some young, rising stars that represent the future of this sport and I really wanted to reward riders who have proven that they have the skills and desire to compete at a top level.”

Both Ryan and Nick have won Regional Championships in Western Canada and more importantly, they contested the new CEC series in 2009 and turned heads with their impressive rides. The brothers both earned top 10 results highlighted with Ryan finishing top 5 overall in the E2 class and also earning the Top Pro Junior Award for riders under 20 years old. Guy Giroux, who in addition to racing for the team, will be the driving force behind its operations and will provide valuable guidance to the rest of the team. “I was able to get to know Nick and Ryan during last year’s CEC series. They are great guys with loads of potential and I am definitely looking forward to working with them this year.”

With the 2010 season just about ready to shift into high gear, the Husqvarna Canada program is shaping up nicely and the team is eager for the racing to get started!

Team sponsors include Motovan, Rekluse, Ogio, Dragon, Throttle Entertainment, Lime Nine and Zip Ty Racing.

Here's a big summary of 2009 from the folks at BMW Motorrad. It's a little long but it's definitely worth a read. It gives an excellent overview of the BMW marquee and compares their sales to their competitors. The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year.

Press Release:

BMW Motorrad can look back on a successful year in 2009 in spite of a very difficult market environment marked by the global financial and economic crisis. Last year 87,306 (previous year: 101,685) BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers which is equivalent to a comparatively moderate drop of 14.1%. BMW Motorrad has thus not only reached the target it set itself, but also achieved the second-lowest decline in sales amongst the competition.

While the world market for motorcycles above 500 cubic centimetres was still approximately 1.5 million vehicles in 2007, it shrank to about 900,000 units in 2009. This corresponds to a market drop of around 40% in two years. In the crisis year of 2009 alone the world market declined by more than 30%.

Despite these downward tendencies in the motorcycle markets, BMW Motorrad was able to grow in the European markets Great Britain and Eastern Europe, in the Asian markets of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, as well as in the Middle East and Brazil.

Due to its continued powerful product offensive, the white and blue brand performed outstandingly on other export markets, often expanding its market share considerably. In the seven important motorcycle markets of Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, the USA, Japan and Germany, BMW Motorrad increased its market share throughout.

This was achieved even though market sales dropped by 32% in the segment above 500 cubic centimetres. Compared to the competition, which lost between 20% and almost 50% of its sales, BMW Motorrad sales dropped by only 16%.

In Germany, which is still the biggest market for BMW Motorrad, 15,833 (previous year: 18,112) BMW motorcycles were registered, representing a drop of 12.6%. In spite of this environment BMW Motorrad was able to defend its market leadership in the once again shrinking overall market (-14.5%) as well as in the segment above 500 cc. The BMW share in the overall market was 17.7% in December (previous year: 17.3%). In the segment above 500 cc the market share was 19.0% (previous year: 18.1%).

Italy continues to be the second largest for BMW Motorrad. Here a total of 13,207 BMW motorcycles were registered (previous year: 15,342), a decline of 13.9% (market as a whole: minus 20.0 %). The market share of BMW Motorrad in the segment over 500 cc increased to14.3 % (previous year: 13.0 %).

In the USA, too - BMW Motorrad’s third largest market - the market as a whole decreased by 41.6 %. Here 9,168 (previous year: 11,831) BMW motorcycles were registered, a drop of 22.5 % as compared to the previous year. However, it was possible to increase the market share over 500 cc by 2.0% to 2.6%.

In 2009 once again, the most successful model overall was the large travel enduro BMW R 1200 GS (15,864 units) along with its sibling model, the R 1200 GS Adventure (8,803 units). Outstanding sales figures were also achieved by the F 800 GS (10,974 units) and the F 800 R (5,828 units), where the conquest rate was especially pleasing.

BMW Motorrad in 2010 - a look ahead.

The prospects for 2010 look promising: this is because BMW Motorrad was able to extend its market share across the board and take on market leadership in several instances, thereby creating an excellent basis for future growth.

With the new S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad has a supersports volume model in its program for a full season for the first time, with some 2,300 orders already having been placed by the time of the market launch on December 6th 2009.

From February 6th 2010 BMW customers will benefit from the model revision of the new BMW 1200 GS / Adventure and BMW R 1200 RT which are to be launched with the new DOHC flat twin engines.

In addition to this, the BMW Motorrad model program is in excellent shape generally for 2010. In the worlds of experience Enduro, Tour, Urban, Sport and HP there are fascinating motorcycles to suit virtually every taste. The model range is supplemented by an extensive program of accessories and innovative BMW Motorrad rider equipment.

Husqvarna Motorcycles puts in a powerful sales performance.

Husqvarna Motorcycles, the second motorcycle brand of the BMW Group, achieved worldwide sales figures of 13,052 units (previous year: 13,511) - a decline of just 3%. And in the seven major motorcycle markets the drop in sales was only 2%.

Sales in Australia, Germany and France developed very positively, with the previous year’s figures being far exceeded in each case. Husqvarna Motorcycles even increased its performance in the heavily declining US market (- 41.6%).

Now that the new model TE 250 has been so well received by the market, a model offensive is planned for 2010: in spite of a difficult market environment, this provides hope of a positive sales development.

December 11, 2009 – Toronto, ON - On the heels of the announcement that Husqvarna Corporation has chosen Barrett Marketing Group (BMG) as the new Canadian distributor of their motorcycle products, Husqvarna Canada is pleased to announce an exciting new off-road race team for 2010.

Canadian off-road icons Marty Halmazna from Alberta and Guy Giroux from Quebec will compete at select events in 2010 including the Canadian Enduro Championship (CEC) rounds and various regional events across Canada. Halmazna also has his sights set on some of the worlds most extreme races including a return to the notorious Erzberg Hare Scramble in Austria.

“It has been an exciting and satisfying process to put this race effort together” explains Husqvarna Canada’s Josh Barrett.

He indicated that he has been working closely with Feeding Performance Inc.’s Race Team Director, Marc Coffin to select the best combination of racers for their program. “We really wanted a solid combination of proven racers” indicated Coffin.

“Halmazna and Giroux were easy choices when it came to picking seasoned racers. They both have had amazing careers and are still keen on continuing to add to their trophy collections and causing grief for their competition.”

In addition to numerous regional titles and an ISDE medal, Halmazna has accumulated four Canadian National Cross Country Championships and has earned the respect of fans and fellow racers in Canada and around the world with his outstanding performances in International events including finishing the nearly impossible Erzberg Hare Scramble on his first two attempts and solid results at Last Man Standing in Texas and Hell’s Gate in Italy”.

“Giroux is one Canada’s most versatile and well known off-road racers and has been a force to be reckoned with for many years” said Coffin. Guy has an impressive list of accomplishments including 17 Quebec Off-Road Championships, 2nd in the E2 Class and 4th overall in the 2009 CEC series and 3rd at the Endurocross race that was held during this year’s Montreal Supercross. He also has a ridiculous laundry list of results including an ISDE Gold Medal, 3 top 10 overalls in the Canadian Motocross Nationals, over a dozen main event appearances at the Montreal Supercross and is one of only a handful of Canadians to finish the legendary Paris to Dakar Rally. “I have known Guy for many years” adds Barrett. “We have worked together in the past and he has also raced for me on other brands. He is a great fit for what we are trying to accomplish and I am very pleased to have him on board.”

The team will operate under the direction of Feeding Performance Inc. and in addition to having direct factory support from Husqvarna; the team will have some serious assistance as a result of securing backing from Ty Davis and his Zip-Ty Racing program. “I called Cory Graffunder, who has earned a Factory ride with Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna in the USA, to get the scoop on some Canadian riders that I was considering for our program” says Coffin. “That led to discussions with Ty Davis about what I was trying to accomplish in Canada. Ty was very receptive and has agreed to not only provide us with technical and parts support, but has also opened the door for our riders to train with his crew in California. With the success that Ty has had as a racer and in preparing Husqvarna’s for battle, I could not have dreamed of a better fit. My whole goal is to provide better support for Canadian racers and to raise the bar in our sport. I think this is a huge step forward. The off-road racing scene in Canada is really gaining momentum. It is an exciting time and I am looking forward to how things will develop in the coming years.”

In an addition to racing for the new FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada team and working with Coffin to run its race program, Guy Giroux is joining Husqvarna Canada as an employee. Guy will be providing technical support to dealers across the country and will also have responsibility for Husqvarna Canada’s race program for dealer supported riders.

Following its launch at the Toronto motorcycle show, FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada will be promoting its new team at the upcoming shows in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Montreal. Look for announcements about additional riders to this new team in the coming weeks.

About Husqvarna Motorcycles

Tradition on two wheels since 1903. Husqvarna Motorcycles, a part of the BMW Group since October 2007, are widely known and respected in the off-road world for a heritage of competition and have accumulated over 70 World Championships in Motocross, Enduro and
Supermotard. Originally founded in Sweden in 1903, Husqvarna motorcycles have been designed and manufactured in Varese, Italy since 1987.

For more information on Husqvarna Motorcycles, visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

World's biggest motorcycle exhibition will open its doors on November 4th at Milan, Italy to an ever increasing public.

This year at Milan's EICMA exhibition, we should see several new motorcycles and scooters - probably not as many as last year when it seemed everybody had something new.

But like at Intermot show in Germany, there will no doubt be a lot of Asian manufactured electric motorcycles and scooters showcased.

The main conference day is Tuesday, with 2 conferences called on Monday and one on Wednesday.

Several companies have announced that they're be doing a press conference at the show. Which would generally indicate that they have something interesting they want to make public - but time will tell. Here's the list of companies:

Yamaha - Yamaha have organized a conference the day before the show opens (Monday), and it's held off-site.

Ducati - They're having their press conference the day before the show opens. Fighter model perhaps?

Honda - Honda starts off the press conference heavy Tuesday

New Max - New Max have several brands of clothing and helmets. Haven't heard of these folks.

BMW - Having already announced three new K series models at Intermot it's hard to say what they'll have to say.

Husqvarna - These guys immediately follow BMW (they're a subsidiary of BMW) and both are scheduled for 30 minutes a piece.

Leo Vince - Might be a good guess that the Italian Leo Vince will probably be presenting new exhausts.

KTM - KTM have two conference, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday (together with Zadi - an Italian parts manufacturer). Rumors are that they may show an electric motorcycle.

Aprilia - The Piaggio group's Aprilia have 15 minutes so not too much time for big announcements here.

Moto Guzzi - Piaggio group's Guzzi have 10 minutes

Gilera - Piaggio group's Gilera have 15 minutes

Vespa - Piaggio group's Vespa have 15 minutes

Piaggio - Piaggio themselves took 15 minutes

Scarabeo - Piaggio group's Scarabeo have 10 minutes

Derbi - Piaggio group's Derbi have 10 minutes

Kymco - Scooter manufacturer Kymko rarely call for conferences so there will likely be something new out of this Taiwanese company.

Nipponia - Never heard of these guys.

Suzuki - Suzuki have 30 minutes but announced new bikes at Intermot so we're not sure what to expect here.

Metzeler - Tire manufacturer Metzeler are closing the day with a press conference