On The Pegs April 2019 - Volume 4 - Issue 4 | Page 59

On The Pegs
Vol. 4 Issue 4 - April 2019
59
the days of the resemblance to a bicycle. Now, it featured a three-speed gearbox,
a kick-starter and footpegs. The main reason for its introduction was the new
motorcycle legislation – as of 1939, at 16 years of age, you could ride a lightweight
bike that did not weigh more than 75 kilos. The vehicle had to be registered and
as a rider, you had to have a valid license. Those were the criteria introduced be-
fore the war. It should also be mentioned that there was a Model 21, which had a
speed limit of 40 km/h and was regarded as the baby brother of the Model 20.
After the World War came to an end, the need for transportation was enormous
and manufacturers met an insatiable market. But people lacked money, so a two-
wheeled vehicle was the most suitable means for getting from A to B. Sticking
to their guns, Husqvarna were adequately prepared as they had a well-working
production logistic left over from 1939. They continued in the postwar period and
fast became a dominating factor on the growing bike market in Sweden.
Way back when – and still today – the first thing you notice while the engine
runs is the smell of its two-stroke oil-mixture fuel. It affects your nostrils, but also
reminds you of a time when the motorcycle wasn’t as sophisticated as it is nowa-