On The Pegs March 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 3 | Page 84

84
On The Pegs
DIRT TRACK AND HILL CLIMB
GOOD OLD TIMES BLOG
B y K enneth O lausson
P hotos : H usqvarna
By the end of the 1920s, Husqvarna intensified their racing efforts. They hired
ace engineer Folke Mannerstedt, who developed magnificent machines. There
were the ultimate factory bikes, but then there were also motorcycles for sale to
the average racing fan, for dirt track and hill climb. My father was one of them and
bought a Husky 350DT in the early 1930s. Here is his story.
Dirt track and hill climb racing were popular sports during the 1920s – a trend
that continued during the 1930s. With their newly able engineer Folke Manner-
stedt as chief designer, a fresh strategy was introduced that gained both sales and
publicity. Not only would Husqvarna take part in Grand Prix events in the future,
but they should also market all-round machines to the public race fans. This re-
sulted in privateers being able to achieve a competitive bike for a relatively mod-