Roost Expands As Husky Lineup Grows

By Bud Wilkinson

Mention the name “Husqvarna” to anyone who lives in the country and images of chain saws and lawn tractors inevitably come to mind. There’s one of each sharing space with
the bikes in my garage. They’re orange-colored time thieves that curtail riding and cause a sore back and butt more than any motorcycle could. Probably the only street riders who recognize the “Husky” name in connection with two-wheeled recreation are ones who have off-road experience riding in the dirt where headlights, turn signals and a license plate aren’t required. The rest of us go, “Huh?”

That’s about to change, though, as Husky is coming out with two bold street models for 2012 – the Nuda900/Nuda900R and Concept Strada. It also means a change for local dealer Roost Powersports in Thomaston, which has been selling Husqvarna dirt bikes for nearly two years. Roost is expanding and remodeling its operation to accommodate the brand’s evolving direction.

What may surprise uninformed street riders is Husqvarna’s history, which includes decades of racing success. Actor Steve McQueen raced Husqvarnas and was seen riding one bare-chested on the cover of the Aug. 23, 1971 issue of “Sports Illustrated.”

“Husky has been making motorcycles since 1903. It has switched hands a few times but they’ve never stopped making motorcycles,” said Roost owner Jason Pinette (above). Husqvarna takes its name from the town in Sweden – Huskvarna – where it originated as an armament maker in 1689.

Since 2007, the motorcycle maker Husqvarna has been owned by BMW, which bought the brand from MV Agusta. It’s a separate company from the power equipment producer and has its own distinct color scheme. While Husky motorcycles are made in Italy, it borrows motors from BMW, tweaks them and adds its own exterior designs in red and white. The Nuda900R (pictured below) and Concept Strada will come in red and white, while the Nuda900 will be available in black.

“The Nuda900 is something that’s very exotic. There’s nothing out there like it,” Pinette reported. The company’s taking the parallel twin engine of BMW’s F800R and boosting it to 900cc. That gives it more than 100 horsepower on a bike that weighs in at less than 386 pounds.

The Concept Strada (below), meanwhile, uses the single-cylinder motor found in BMW’s G650GS and weighs in at less than 375 pounds. “The Strada’s built to compete with the (Suzuki) DR650 and the (Kawasaki) KLR650, but it’s way superior. It’s actually going to have the same price point,” Pinette said, who sees the new Husqvarnas appealing to younger riders more so than other brands. “The Husqvarna lineup is more for the 20 to 40 crowd,” he said.

With the Nuda900/Nuda900R due to arrive in late February or early March – Pinette said he’s taken deposits for two of them already – and the Concept Strada following in at the end of March or April, Roost is undergoing a facelift. What used to be the shop behind the showroom has been transformed into an expanded, two-level showroom.  The shop has moved to what used to be a storage area for the Thomaston Oil Co. and has three lifts.

“We’ve still got some trim to do,” said Pinette of the showroom decor, while explaining that the two garage doors on one wall will be yanked in the spring and replaced by a window and double door. That will reposition the store so that the front faces south.

On the west side of the building, which is currently the front, some old gas pumps will be removed to make room for parking. “It’s going to be a slight transition,” said Pinette of the Roost’s move from primarily selling off-road and used street bikes into the new-bike business, although Husky has offered some dirt bikes modified for street use in the past.

This year marked Roost’s fifth year in business. It began selling Husqvarnas with the 2010 model year. “We figured BMW was taking over. There had to be something good coming out of that. That really sealed the deal. It was either Husky or KTM,” recalled Pinette.

The Husky experience has been good so far, although Pinette said there have been growth pains at the manufacturer due to the ownership change and expanded direction. “They’re still finding the right people. They want to have it running very smoothly. They want to have parts available the next day. They want to have the right answers for the customers,” he said.

That’s certainly the right approach. I can recall another dealer of another Italian-made brand complaining a few years ago that it sometimes took a multi-item order and many weeks to get needed parts, and that certainly didn’t please customers.

Pinette sees more growth for Roost Powersports in the new bike business in the future and he’s now looking at snagging office space from jointly-owned Thomaston Oil to further expand the dealership’s footprint. “We’re definitely looking for additional lines, but I don’t want anything big,” he said.

(Originally published in “The Republican-American” on Dec. 10, 2011)