As Hoosaberg noted, in Australia we didn't see full line volume importation of the brand until KTM took control of distribution network around 97/98. Til then the bikes were bought in by a Commissionaire on limited numbers and from what I am to believe only from 1993/4 till 97/98. As such the numbers of Bergs in Australia from the 1989 model through to the 1996 model are low numbers and quiet rare, more so because of the cost. As an example, a FE600E ride away from a Victorian dealership (with registration etc.) in 1998 was $12800, about the same cost as the last Husaberg that was sold some 16 years later in 2014. The history of the model and the cost made them rather unique and rare as only the well healed could afford one. At the time in Australia (1996/97) you could almost by two XR400’s for the same price as one Husaberg, and the XR400’s weren’t a bad bike back in the day.
Unfortunately the design/look/shape of the bike towards the mid/late 90’s was not really in step with the rest of the Japanese product that was on sale, add to that no one was really sold on the 4 stroke thumper due in part to the perceived lack of durability/reliability that seemed to come with Euro thumpers (KTM, Husqvarna & Husaberg). In 1999 Husaberg introduced the PDS suspension to the old chassis and it was a major disappointment. An old chassis with the horrible WP 50mm extremes combined with the new PDS suspension just didn’t work, this model alone had buyers defecting to other brands and was probably a low point in the sales but strangely bought about the rarest of the Husabergs as it was a one year deal as the 2000 model had a complete new chassis with the new WP 43mm USD fork, albeit retaining the PDS rear suspension. Sales of the 2000 model was pretty strong and you still see a lot for sale from time to time. Then came the 2001 model and it was all but the nail in the coffin for Husaberg in Australia. The 2001, 2002 & 2003 utilised the 2000 chassis with the new unit construction engine and it was a disaster. Just search this forum and you’ll learn all about the woes of the 01 to 03 models. Sales were slow, almost nothing as the word got around that the new bike had issues and as a 2nd hand bike no one would touch them, end result was a lot of people got burnt and walked away from Husaberg. In Australia there’s not a lot of 02, 03 models for that reason.
Come to the 04 model and things picked up. The SEM ignition was junked in place of the Japanese Kokusan ignition and the troublesome Dellorto was swapped out for the FCR Keihen. A bunch of internal engine mod’s were made and save for a handful of main bearing failures the 04 to 08 Husabergs were back to being durable and reliable and a truck load of them were sole. This then led to the 70deg model and the rest is history. For Australia it’s worth noting that we were the single biggest market for Husaberg at varying times, outselling USA and individual European countries.
