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Husqvarna has issued an artist's sketch of it's first street bike and images of it on test outside BMW's headquarters in Munich (pictured).
HUSQVARNA has stitched up a new line-up for 2012.
Not the sewing machine company, but the Swedish off-road motorcycle manufacturer now owned by BMW.
That link with the German road bike manufacturer has prompted the development of the company's first street bike.
Husqvarna has issued an artist's sketch of the bike and images of it on test outside BMW's headquarters in Munich.
The bike will be fully revealed next Friday (JULY 1), but is not expected to reach our shores until late next year.
It has been designed by Italian Raffaele Zaccagnini as the first in a range of Husky road bikes with sharp angles, big air ducts and a narrow rear end.
The 900 naked bike is yet to be named and prices announced but it will compete with the BMW F 800 ($13,900-$15,800), KTM 990 Super Duke ($19,995) and Ducati Hypermotard ($15,990-$20,990).
From the images we can see it has one massive exhaust on the left, upside down forks, twin front discs with Brembo brakes like the rest of the range, and is powered by BMW's F 800 parallel twin bored out to about 900cc.
Although BMW now owns Husqvarna, Australian importer The Paul Feeney Group continues to import the Swedish bikes. Group marketing manager Jorg Hoffmann says it is difficult to define the customer for the new 900.
"It's hard to tell at the moment," he says.
"We hope to get some customers from the F 800 who want better performance and maybe riders coming from sportsbikes going to supermotard because it is easier to ride and you have more fun. "It's is a completely new bike for us."
Hoffmann won't comment on whether BMW will take over Husqvarna imports, but says their worth is based on a good sales performance. From 2007-08 sales were up 27 per cent, 16 per cent in 2009-09 and 21 per cent to 1614 last year.
"We're on target for 2000 this year," Hoffmann says.
"Sales are going up as Husqvarna gets more recognised, plus the dealer group is doing a good job providing good customer service." Meanwhile, details of the 2012 Husky range have been released with the bikes arriving in November.
Hoffmann says pricing will be announced closer to the release date.
All new models feature a black chassis instead of white, anodised silver Excel hubs and redesigned graphics.
The enduro four-stroke machines have new engine mapping and a 4mm lower shock absorber to lower the seat height and make them easier to ride and appeal to more riders.
The TE 250 and 310 have also moved from a Sachs to a Kayaba shock absorber for better handling.
Apart from the new graphics, there are no changes to the two-stroke range.

