history
Husaberg is a motorcycle manufacturing company founded by a group of ex-Husqvarna employees in 1988. The company is mostly focused on off-road and supermoto four-stroke motorcycles which usually come with very large displacements.
The Swedish company was started just after the famous Italian manufacturer Cagiva bought Husqvarna. A group of engineers who wanted to remain in Sweden, led by Thomas Gustavsson, founded Husaberg Motor AB, a brand which was first heard before the enduro race held in Skillingaryd.
Although they were mostly interested in races and competitions, Husaberg didn't actually have too many funds, the company trying to rely on the technologies it used in the manufacturing process.
Because of the lack of money, the company couldn't hire too experienced pilots so it had to compete with Jimmie Erikcsson, Walter Bartolini or Kent Karlsson.
However, the lack of funds was a pretty serious problem for a company which was especially founded to participate into popular competitions so in 1995, Husaberg was acquired by KTM, an Austrian motorcycle manufacturing company which could help it achieve the trophies it always dreamed about.
What's interesting is that in 2003 KTM moved the entire production of motorcycles in Mattighofen, Austria with a single exception: the motorsport section of the company which remained in Sweden.
Besides that, the Austrian manufacturer which acquired Husaberg also adopted its motto “Ready to Race”, forcing Husaberg to create a new one. Nowadays, Husaberg's motto is “4 Stroke Force”, a slogan which reminds us of the roots of the company when it was mostly focused on four-stroke motorcycles.
Another important fact related to Husaberg's history is that the Swedish military troops used the company's motorcycles for many years in the past.
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