On The Pegs April 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 4 | Page 101
On The Pegs
VOL. 5 ISSUE 4 - APRIL 2020
101
the two-wheel division would soon be up for sale flourished, but until now, noth-
ing was decided in any direction. Demand was still good in the United States and
with a new 4-stroke enduro on the menu, Husqvarna looked forward to increas-
ing sales figures. The Swedes offered a broad power-band and their bikes had ef-
ficient performance as well as giving the customer reliability. Together with good
racing results this gave a solid feedback from the market. Offroad events were
popular on the American West Coast and across the border in Baja, Mexico, while
racing enduros also made sense in the U.S. northern and mid-region, south of
the Great Lakes area. In the AMA National Enduro Series, Husqvarna won titles for
seven consecutive years, from 1980 to 1986, predominantly by the overwhelming
riders Dick Burleson and Terry Cunningham. It was top class PR and helped the
Swedish brand in sales.
But when the 1980s began, production was lean at Husqvarna. Total sales were
slow and paving new ways were indeed in need. The factory’s focus was to aim at
the lucrative enduro segment, where not only experts, but also novice and leisure
riders were potential customers. Husky now aimed at enduro, which proved to