For most people, Husqvarna’s motorcycle history is very much associated with the long series of World Championship victories in motocross that Husqvarna enjoyed in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. But Husqvarna’s motorcycle history goes back even further. Just like many other motorcycle makers, Husqvarna began by making bicycles.
A Husqvarna from ca. 1915 with a 4.5 hp engine and an elegant sidecar.
Like many early motorcycle makers, Husqvarna begins by making bicycles. The production of bicycles starts at the end of the 19th century and in 1903 Husqvarna builds their first motorcycle. At that time it is a matter of fitting the Husqvarna frames with engines from other makers such as FN, Moto-Rève and NSU. These early machines also use 250 and 500 cc engines from Sturmey-Archer and JAP.
Husqvarna’s first motorcycle with an in-house produced engine.
In 1920 Husqvarna establishes its own engine factory and the first engine to be designed is a 550 cc four-stroke 50-degree side-valve V-twin engine, similar to those made by companies like Harley-Davidson and Indian. It doesn’t take long before Husqvarna, just like the other pioneering motorcycle manufacturers, also develops racing motorcycles in the classes up to 1000 cc.
Gunnar Kalén starting at the Isle of Man, 1934.The hill climb at Klevaliden was extremely popular in Sweden.
Towards the end of the 20s and in the beginning of the 30s, Husqvarna enjoys lots of success in Sweden and at numerous European events, facing tough competition from other well-known manufacturers such as BMW, DKW, Excelsior, FN, Harley Davidson, Indian, Norton and Velocette. The competitions where Husqvarna is successful are enduros like the International Six Days and the full-fledged speed races like the international Grand Prix and TT.
Commencing the journey to the Six Days in 1929, with one of the first Mannerstedt machines, a 700 cc sidecar machine. In the sidecar is Folke Mannerstedt himself.
One reason for the success is that the designer Folke Mannerstedt is one of the pioneers in the use of light alloys, in the engine itself as well as in the rest of the motorcycle, which results in outstanding power-to-weight ratios.
In the mid-30s, Husqvarna gradually pulls out of the racing activities, partly because the civilian market for large motorcycles is shrinking.In 1936 the production of the large motorcycle engines stops. Nevertheless, these engines will reappear later, although in modified form: Albin, the engine manufacturer, uses the Husqvarna engine as a basis for a single-cylinder 500 cc power plant in the army motorcycle that they are building together with Monark.
In 1935 Husqvarna starts producing the first two-stroke motorcycle. This lightweight motorcycle, which doesn’t require a driving licence, has pedals like a traditional bicycle and a 98 cc engine. It soon becomes very popular. During the years before the Second World War, thousands upon thousands of machines are produced, which means that Sweden now has wheels.
Calle Heimdahl, head designer after Mannerstedt, and the factory foreman Birger Johansson beside one of the first Svartkvarnas, or “Blackqvarnas”. (Blackqvarna being a nickname for the earlier 120 cc lightweight bikes, originally painted black).
In 1946 the legendary “Svartkvarna” is introduced. It soon becomes the archetypical light, reliable and hard-wearing motorcycle which is the alternative to the automobile during the Post-War period. The “Svartkvarna” is built to classify as what the Swedish regulations call a “light motorcycle”, which means that it must not weigh more than 75 kg. Again, Husqvarna benefits from its experience of light, strong and reliable designs.
The 1958 Silverpilen (Silver Arrow). The top speed was a fantastic 100 kmh.
1957 is the next milestone in Husqvarna’s motor and motorcycle history. That’s when we present the Silver Arrow: a completely new, powerful and sporty 175 cc motorcycle, also weighing less than 75 kg. A year or so later we also launch the Golden Arrow, a 200 cc version. But the Swedish authorities ask Husqvarna to be content with 75 cc, since the Golden Arrow is considered too fast for the Swedish roads!However, both the Silver and the Golden Arrow prove to be the perfect foundation for further development into motocross bikes. So begins Husqvarna’s long, successful motocross era with victories at both the European and the World Championship levels.
Bill Nilsson and Rolf Tibblin.
There are many:
- Rolf Tibblin, European Champion, 250 cc class.
- Bill Nilsson, World Champion, 500 cc class.
- Rolf Tibblin, World Champion, 500 cc class, Torsten Hallman, World Champion, 250 cc class.
- Torsten Hallman, World Champion, 250 cc class.
- Bengt Åberg, World Champion, 500 cc class.
- Heikki Mikkola, World Champion, 500 cc class.
- Heikki Mikkola, World Champion, 250 cc class.
- Håkan Carlqvist, World Champion, 250 cc class.It’s worth noting that from 1969 Husqvarna’s 360 and 400 cc two-stroke engines break the dominance of four-stroke motorcycles in the 500 cc class.
The 430 Motocross machine, from 1981.
Husqvarna’s motocross and enduro bikes become a huge export success, including to the US, where high power and low weight in combination with reliability is the winning recipe for many American champion riders, whether competing in dirt track, enduro or desert races. As a result, in the US Husqvarna becomse a classic: the prototypical modern off-road motorcycle.
The last motorcycle is ridden out by Sven-Erik Jönsson, the European champion in enduro and the 1987 winner of Novemberkåsan (the November Cup), a long-distance off-road race in Sweden.
The Swedish production of Husqvarna motorcycles continues until 1986-87, when the Italian company Cagiva takes over the production and the continuing development of motorcycles with the Husqvarna name. The 84-year long motorcycle era is now over.In connection with BMW´s acquisition of the motorcycle-operation from MV Augusta (owner of Cagiva) 2007, Husqvarna signed a license agreement with BMW regarding the use of the Husqvarna brand for motorcycles.
The legendary racing stars, Gunnar Kalén and Ragnar Sundqvist were the factory drivers, so their job was to test all the machines being developed. The roads in the Huskvarna area were the scene of some wild driving in those days.”While practice-riding on the road to Gränna, we tried riding at 175 km/h through the corner at Lyckås allé”, explained Gunnar Kalén in an interview with the Jönköpings-Posten newspaper, prior to his departure for the big TT race on the Isle of Man in 1934.