FIRST GLIMPSE: HUSQVARNA, 2016

Husqvarna hasn’t officially announced its 2016 line yet, but the picture is coming into focus. We already know some of the details of the KTM line because of the Factory Edition release. History has shown that the limited-release KTM Factory Edition becomes the basis for the production model of the following year. But until now there hasn’t beena word from the Husky side of the fence. This is our first look at the GP bike that Aleksandr Tonkov will ride in the MX2 class. It clearly has a motor similar to the KTM 250SXF Factory Edition. That means it’s all new with obsessive attention to weight reduction. What’s also clear now is that the Husky’s bodywork will be all new, and not borrowed from any KTM model. Husqvarna will be sticking with the polyamid subframe and airbox combination, but it will be redesigned. Presumably, this will result in better airflow, as that was a sore point with the previous Huskys that used this concept. The motorcycle in this photo is, of course, a race bike and not for production, thus the suspension and pipe will be different by the time the 2016 models are announced. There are rumors of a redesigned WP fork for 2016. Stay tuned.