Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH

Austria · Automotive

What once was a small metalworking business, founded over three centuries ago in Huskvarna, Sweden, developed and diversified into a variety of fields, ranging from the production of muskets for the Swedish Army in the 17th century, to the production of industry-leading motorcycles in the 21st century. 1903 was the year in which Husqvarna began production of its first motorcycle, making it one of the world's oldest motorcycle manufacturers with uninterrupted production. Several years of pioneering design and development saw the Swedish brand produce its first entirely developed motorcycle in 1918, and take part in the thriving racing scene as early as the ‘20s and ‘30s. Offroad motorsports became popular in the ‘50s and Husqvarna was the first manufacturer to produce purpose-built motorcycles for these up-and-coming disciplines. The iconic Silverpilen, meaning ‘silver arrow' in Husqvarna's native Swedish, was a pioneering Husqvarna model, purpose-built for off-road use. The first five World titles in motocross were conquered between 1960 and 1963 in the 250cc and 500cc categories. Husqvarna's success spanned several decades, with famous riders such as Torsten Hallman, Malcolm Smith, Swedish enduro heroes like Sven Erik Jonsson and Thomas Gustavsson, as well as Hollywood film actor Steve McQueen. The offroad aura that surrounded Husqvarna gained further consistency in 1983 with the introduction of the first 500cc 4-stroke model. The corporate history over the last three decades has been turbulent at times, with the Swedish giant Electrolux selling the motorcycle division to the Italian company Cagiva MV Agusta and subsequently transferring the headquarters and manufacturing to Northern Italy. In 2007, Husqvarna Motorcycles was acquired by the BMW Group. 110 years after its foundation, Husqvarna began the return to its former glory. A mixture of tradition, history, style and racing of these iconic Swedish brands traces the path towards future success