This is the new high performance Husqvarna twin we have been waiting to see. Although these are official photos, Husqvarna has revealed only a few specifications. According to Husky, the Nuda 900R displaces 900cc and will make “more than” 100 hp and 73 foot/pounds of torque. The bike will weigh “less than 385 pounds”. The front fork is a huge 48mm Sachs, fully adjustable for compression, rebound and spring preload. The shock is a top drawer Ohlins featuring all of the same adjustments.
The bike gets superbike-class brakes in the form of radially-mounted, four-piston monoblock Brembos. Apparently, Husqvarna is trying to get this bike into dealerships before the end of this year. It looks like more details will be revealed in a couple of days. You can find additional photos on a web site set up for the Nuda 900R here.
well nice looks…pretty good power output in dirt-bike segment
i’m right in line behind cowboy! can’t wait till this bike comes out.
they should take one of the seat off of their riding lawnmowers and put it on this bike
Gas Mileage, Comfortable Seat? Really? Feminine Hygiene is Isle 7, and I think your Prius is double parked.
+1. LMAO.
Kind of “Mad stool”.
Cool nevertheless.
isn’t this frame a direct carry-over from the GS…?
Ps: one set of spoked rims please…! 🙂
+1!
Odd looking wee jigger. But way cool with it. Love the bodywork, and that groovy front mudguard. Not so fussed on the headlight. Would be a scream to ride I bet. WANT!
I had to stop in again a few times today to look at this bike. It’s so damn sexy. It makes me hurt.
Hasn’t it occurred to anybody that the gas tank is probably under the seat, not over the motor (which is a dumb place to put gas)? After all, that’s where the BMW F models out their gas, and if this is the same basic motor/frame that would make sense, why else would the tail section be so bulbous? You can even see the tank a little behind the frame.
Why is this “dumb”?
‘cuz it puts an unstable load as far as possible from the bike’s c of g.
Looks like the filler cap is on the rear left of the airbox at the seat junction. Interesting…
That seat is a dirtbike seat (meaning it’s not meant to be sat on for more than a few minutes). This Husky is no dirt bike. Even the tires are pavement-specific. So how can a 5-minute seat work on a pavement-biased motorcycle? It doesn’t! Why can’t Husqvarna equip this moto-monster with an appropriate seat? Is this about looks or riding? I’m not sure Husqvarna knows….
Frank
Thinking the same thing. The rear sub-frame appears very narrow, not leaving a lot of room for the aftermarket seat makers to do much about it. I guess they’re positioning it as a supermoto style track bike only.
The seat is awful because they KTM in this category. KTM is very good at making awful, narrow, rock-hard seats.
Everything but the too-big headlight is fantastic, I want one!
It looks fun as hell and insanely impractical. That tank ought to hold 2.5 gallons if you really top it off.
I dig it. I think it looks fresh and original, and the weight / power specs are in the Goldilocks zone for me. I’ll have to wait for full specs (fuel capacity and seat height in particular) to see if it makes my short list.
Another bike the inseam challenged can’t ride.
Thats one tough looking bike !
I like it, a lot! If it’s about 50lbs lighter than my SV1000 and has at least 50/50 weight distribution, it should be pretty good. The V-twins are smooth, but have too much weight on the rear wheel and the parallel twins are lighter. If it has at least a 4 gal tank, that should be enough if it gets close to the mpg of the BMW 800s. If it’s reasonably priced like other Huskys, I’m very interested, maybe even a matching 450?!
That’s a really sweet looking motorcycle. Thumbs up to them for taking risks.
Now give it the looks of my sweet old Honda 250 scrambler CL250 and I’ll take one. By the way I saw a girl riding one of those orange Harleys this weekend, chezzy!
I don’t see why people are having such a hard time getting their heads around it. Naked reasonably light streetbike with good suspension and a torquey twin cylinder engine, styling representative of the marque; pretty straight forward concept. It is not a supermoto, and clearly is not intended to be. The 800GS appears to have donated the main frame, but I would expect a lightweight aluminum subframe on the Nuda since it shouldn’t be expected to carry the loads of the GS. It will not be cheap, but it is not made of cheap components, so it would be silly to expect it to be cheap. I will have one.
It’s funny how bikes that nobody is really going to buy always get the highest post count. I guess that we all like to dream and give our opinion, but when it comes to putting down our hard earned cash we’re not so quick to act.
so the real question is- Husky is known for their dirt and dual purpose bikes. Do they compete with the mother ship in the GS market against the 800GS? BMW has huge brand equity already in this area. That must be keeping the execs up at night!
not that I’m saying this concept will compete with a GS but it could be a step or two away in a new model design.
Love it cause its very different. Looks like it would be a hoot to ride. Much better looking than say a Harley XR1200 which I saw today with some lady riding it. I bet it would run circles around that Harley. Frame looks strong to me. Those are tubes boys like a Ducati.. Nothing wrong with that.
Definitely run circles around the XR1200. It’s Harley’s intention not to scare the young girls on XR’s.
Me ride Nuda, nope no way…
Like the language translation joke from old TV sitcoms, Nuda might be Sweedish for “Model pushed forth by parent company in order to get people at least talking about this recent questionable corporate aquisition and perhaps grumbling shareholders off their backs for a while”.
UGLY…………………..
The frame looks wobbly? Doesn’t inspire confidence?
You guys can’t possibly be serious. I suppose your extensive experience in finite element analysis is leading you to feel this way?
Please…
Didn’t you notice the quotes I put around the word wobbly? I was just talking about the way it looks. I never claimed it was actually bad, it just didn’t look quite right (aesthetically)
Geez!! … why is everyone on the intrawebz so butthurt all the time?!
“Yes, the frame doesn’t inspire confidence in the images…”
I apologize for claiming the frame is the sign of the anti-Christ.
LMFAO…that was just too much. (O_O )’ (^_^ )
Yes, the frame doesn’t inspire confidence in the images. OTOH, if the frame were the only component failing to meet the promises made by the the overall specifications, the brakes, the forks, the motor, the weight spec, and especially the looks…this particular bike would be a complete flop (no pun intended).
As is often the case in motorcycling, Europe fills the void left by the Japanese and Americans.
Might be a good time for shoppers of used Ducati Hypermotard. I’m thinking a modern liquid-cooled 4-V 900cc motor should be preferred to the air/oil cooled 2-V 1100cc Hypermotard, which IIRC evolved from the Pantah in 79 (19, not 18). And no Desmo operated valve train to service. Hmmmm…
Ducati can not be happy about this particular bike.
re: “Ducati can not be happy about this particular bike.”
ducati has nothing to worry about. nice, but no lust here. nice will be for “consumers”, and lust is reserved for motorcyclists.
It’s ugly. The shovel blade fender needs to go. I’m guessing the gas tank is tiny also…what, about 3 gallons max? Also, a 385 dry weight isn’t exactly stellar…figure another 30 pounds for a oil, coolant, a full tank and the performance doesn’t look too far off a Ducati Monster.
The manufacturers always seem to be late to the party when it comes to motorcycling trends. Personally, I think manufacturers should be coming out with street-legal lightweight dirt-tracker style bikes. The XR1200 has the right look, but needs 17″ tires, a monoshock rearend, and needs to lose about 200 pounds. I think the Japanese would be doing well to bring over their 400cc UJM style bikes too, such as Yamaha XJR400 and Honda CB400 SuperFour.
“I think the Japanese would be doing well to bring over their 400cc UJM style bikes too, such as Yamaha XJR400 and Honda CB400 SuperFour.”
They have tried this several times before…and sold about 13 units nationwide each time.
And what’s wrong with a 385 pound dry weight, 900cc motorcycle? Geez, there can be such a thing as TOO light, as in the wind sheer from a passing Ford F-150 will blow you over two lanes.
Actually, that is a factually challenged statement. When did the Japanese ever bring over the XJR400 and Honda CB400 SuperFour in the last 20 years? Suzuki brought over the Bandit 400 and granted, it wasn’t a wild success largely due to cost compared to higher performance bikes. But, look at the GS500, EX-500/Ninja 500…both bikes that have been so successful they remained in production for over a decade with few changes other than cosmetics.
However, times have changed. As middle weight supersports (600cc bikes) haven’t gotten increasingly race-oriented, the gap between 250cc bikes like the Ninja 250 and the 600cc bikes has widened tremendously. Some people foolishly look at 600cc class bikes as “beginner” bikes despite the fact that today’s 600cc can makes as much power as the liter class bikes from a decade ago and the shorter R&D cycle has meant that purchase prices have gone up too. Because of this, there’s now an opening for the Japanese manufacturers to bring over their 400cc bikes (what they call their middleweights in Japan) as beginner bikes available for around %6000.
+1 on the XR1200 (i can live with the dual shocks tho).
-1 on the XR1200 (it’s Harley’s new chick bike)
The XR1200 would be competitive if Harley took Mark P’s advice. It’s too much of a pig to be taken serious. The guys that enjoy them are happy with performance that was exciting in the 1960’s, but time has moved on, hasn’t it? If Italy can build a performance V-Twin, then Harley has no excuse. I really do look forward to the day when Harley grows a set and produces a competitive machine that makes no apologies when it comes to performance. Until then people will look elsewhere to get their performance jollies.
+1
I have just written Harley a second letter about their ballooning ethanol affected fuel tank. They spend all that time and money and people developing it to have some dummy use a plastic which everyone knows does not handle ethanol well. Ditto on the heavy weight of the XR1200. Could be much better. I think this Husky looks the part and would be a hoot to ride. Just make sure you get your butt off that seat on one side or the other to give it a rest now and then. The motor should be very nice in these modern days of counter balancing.
Yes, but is the tank recyclable? A very important factor in today’s “green minded” world.
re: “I have just written Harley a second letter about their ballooning ethanol affected fuel tank.”
harley i’m afraid is not alone… 🙁
Maybe the saddle will be more comfortable that it looks like it will be. If its not too kind on the nads, I’m sure there will be an aftermarket seat at some point soon. I agree about the urine cup – ugly and cheap looking. BWTF, I’d still take one.
Trellis frame looks a tad “wobbly”, the seat looks like a plank and the pipes look kind of plump, but other than that it’s quite gorgeous.
No idea how big the test-rider/model in the photo is, so it’s a bit hard for me to judge it’s size right now.
Any idea on the rear tyre width? 6″ seems a bit much for this sort of bike.
BMW: That motor is urgently needed in the F800 ST
I agree. hat would definitely seal the deal on my next bike!
Interesting how the average rider knows what a winning formula looks like, but the manufacturer is without a clue. Too bad, as they are missing a lot of sales.
sadly it wasn’t a twin.. but a pretty bike i would say.. ermm… is that a beemer wheels?
Great. Another impractical toy for teenagers.
Thank you but I’d change that to teenagers of all chronological ages.
Ain’t no teenager going to be able to afford that thing, unless their pop’s last name it TRUMP!
Tingling in fingertips, wallet beginning to slide out of pocket… I agree with John on the bit o’Husky look, and being impressed! Numbers look good! If it is close to this, it’ll be my next motorcycle.
I like how it came out. It still has a bit if Husky look to it. The seat looks like it will kill you after about 50 miles. I’m impressed though.
That seat is smaller than the one on my old DR350S. It’s might be be good for about 25 miles if you’re determined.
Dropping it is gonna kill that cool tank, unfortunately. Otherwise the minimalist bodywork looks great. I’m glad they resisted the modern trend to cowl/fair the rad. That just tends to make a bike look front-heavy. Although I usually hate other than traditional round headlights, this bug-eye job looks pretty good and in keeping with the rest of the bike.
The sweep of the pipes looks great from the front-right side. They managed to jazz up the motor nicely. In the BMW F800, the motor just looks like an uninspired lump.
I’d ride it.
After close inspection of the pictures above and looking at my F800GS, it appears they used the same frame. The subframe is different, though. I think it’s a great looking bike that’s not re-warming styling cues of Japanese bikes. Is it practical? Hell no…. but that’s not the point. Fun? Hell yes.
looks a bit tubby but throw in a robotech sticker and you can have all my money!
Tubby?!?!? Ducati Monsters look tubby. This…..tubby ain’t a word I’d use. There’s nothing there.
I think it looks ugly. Fun as hell. What the hell with these wedgie seats, they may as well just mount a dildo on it.
lol
wow that nuda website is a mess!
it looks like a Chinese knockoff of a Ducati
Since it has a variant of the BMW 800 twin engine, will it be sold at BMW dealers? I haven’t seen a Husky dealership in a VERY long time.
This is a very exciting bike!
actually, there’s a husqvarna dealer near me. they also happen to have bmw and ducati as well.
Very cool!
wow, introducing the worlds first TRI-COLOR engine…!
PS: i know what’s missing…!?!? that radiator needs some kind of shroud over the corners that picks of the angular design cues to tie it all together.
IMHO, its not the best looking radiator, but I think adding plastic to cover it would be a mistake. I love the minimal amount of body work. And what a body!
fair enough… no shroud then. 🙂
Maybe they could sculpt the radiator a bit. That would look better. Probably won’t make a bit of difference when your hanging on to this 385 lb. 100 hp ride!
lovely bike.. nice body… light…. a real looker…
Nice to know that in the Husky factory, they don’t have bezier curves in the styling department.
Unfortunatly, to comply with US Federal regs, some sort of hideous looking rear fender extension will likely be required. I believe the law states that there has to be some sort of coverage reaching down at least as far as the top of the tire.
I agree. It took me about 15 minutes to take the fender extension off of my Honda VFR and replace it with a Fender Eliminator license plate bracket. Highly recommended.
If it wasn’t required by US Federal regs but the manufacturer put one on anyway, would it still be considered hideous?
Or…if the regs stated that we COULDN’T have hideous fender extensions, would bike owners put one on intentionally just to diss them?
Yeah, it should be sharp bike, it has got sharp edges…… new times, new shapes I guess. At least someone takes courage to break away from trend. The engine is proven, we know that. And it’s not ‘compulsory’ V – good!
I love this bike.
Not every single detail of it, but generally speaking its awesome! I think “street motards” are the perfect street/sport bike for our times. I dont know about you guys, but here in Connecticut, USA, the tough winters and the even worse economy, means that the back roads are a frosted heaved, pot holed mess and haven’t been paved in several seasons. With a bike like this, with its dirt bike stance and longish suspension, a good rider can carve all day on the rough stuff .. as opposed to repli-racer sport bikes which absolutely suck in these conditions (and in most street conditions) for all the obvious reasons.
This bike is going head to head with the HyperMotard, the Dorsodosos, the KTM990SM and the like (all of which now seem a bit stale compared to this newcomer). If the motor works well at its claimed 100hp, the weight is low enough and the price is realistic (under $15,000), I think this bike will be a contender.
I see the possibilities of this platform and I am excited to see what’s coming next. I cant wait to see the final product in the flesh. I just may buy one.
Welcome to the street Husqvarna!
I agree that “street motards” are what we need to deal with the road conditions in the Northeast. I don’t like the looks of the “adventure bikes”, especially the high mounted beak/fenders and most of them are too heavy. Of course, some concessions to utility must be made to keep the concept from being relegated to that of a playbike.
I hope Erik Buell will consider building this type of bike when he gets everything rolling again.
Regardless of styling, it does look like an exciting ride. That being said, I hope they utterly and completely retuned the BMW powerplant when they bored it out, because this engine, at least in the F800ST, is far from being the most exciting engine I have known: it does not hold a candle to a KTM LC8 engine in terms of sensations. That and the fact that it sounds like it’s about to break all the time.
Would be nice to see mirrors and turn signals.
By the way, what is the quoted weight: dry? wet?
The funky website for the bike says “dry weight below 175 Kg”, which is equal to 385 lbs.
I like the idea of a bike like that.
I like the basic idea of a light-weight (compared to some other street bikes, although 385-or-so pounds dry ain’t light compared to a single-cylindered motard, so I hope the engine makes up for it, motard-styled bike with a steel frame, quality suspension (well, the rear shock, at least), big brakes, and a look that is sporty while parked.
I’d be dreaming if Yamaha would bring out a bike like this that uses a new engine that’s basically two WR-450F cylinders side-by-side.
Now, THAT would get me quite motivated. 🙂
Too bad I’d expect to see free money in my mailbox, first.
“although 385-or-so pounds dry ain’t light compared to a single-cylindered motard”.
That would be because the Husky isn’t a single-cylinder bike, and it has 250cc MORE displacement and much more power than said single cylinder motards. Apple vs oranges here.
It’s hard to imagine an uglier bike. WTF, over?
That is to Italian styling what Dominoes is to Italian food.
My knees would hit that bat-wing tank, just like they do on the Dorsoduro.
The muffler is not so great, but that’ll get replaced by most folks anyway. The front fender, I’m just not into…… weird. I like the stink bug look, but this could use a bit of refinement on the ass-end. Kinda looks like an unfinished concept model. As far as paint/graphics, I really liked their use of the oversized “Husqvarna” emblem that is all crowded and over hanging … Dont like the little husqvarna emblem. I like the tail piece being finished underneath. That’s pretty different looking for a stock machine. Overall pretty cool
The only thing im not liking so far is the Fugly Muffler and it’s location, they should have gone the Aprilia SXV450/550/DorsoDuro750/1200 Way and clean the back of the bike altogheter in one swift sweep.
I saw they didn’t bother about pillion provisions(pegs,seat,etc)…good, cause it sure doesn’t look like a two people ride.
As for the styling…wich i saw lots criticism already here, personally…I have always loved the angular “F-117 Stealth Figther Looks”, slabs, angles, Origami Model, (w/e people likes to call it) of KTM and as of lately…u guessed it, Husqvarna…specially on it’s dirtbike lineup…they just stand out like a black eye (in a good way) from all the other me too dirtbikes (^_^ )
Keep it UP Husky, Don’t fall for all the cookie-cuttiness of the other OEMs, like is not bad enough already having to share so much with the BMW F800R.
Is the square black box under the Throtle Bodies the Battery’s location ? WOW. Talk about BEING SERIOUS about mass centralization.
Maybe the fuel tank’s sump ? Hmmm…(o_O )’
Seriously can you can up with something more creative, original, interesting, descriptive then fugly. If the muffler is truly F-ing ugly then just say it. What is the point of using some dumb-ed down, overly ineffectual and utterly weak attempt at humor anyway.
I had a middle school teacher named Mr. Fugly.
It does have clearly visible pillion provisions (sans pegs, but bolt locations are visible), i.e. seat and grab handles.
HAAaaa, im affraid you are right. I think this is the “Fancy$$$” version of it tho (little R under the Nuda sticker on the tail plus all the high end bits) hence maybe the lack of pegs and the fancy muffler bracket with no provisions for one ?…also, no blinkers and mirrors but maybe those are off just for the presentation(makes no sense anyways).
Don’t remenber where but i think it was mentioned that there would be to versions of the beast…base model and then R. I guess R is first.
What a cool bike. The seat looks like torture but you probably have to dismount pretty often for gas anyway.
In the urban jungle and the backroads this thing looks like it would kick some serious sportsbike ass.
I think the ugliest bike is the KTM 690SM – Mr Beaky. The slab styling on the KTM looks disproportionate, whereas, this Husky is very well proportioned and looks balanced as a result. To me, the tank shape is a bit too odd but overall the bike manages to look compact and purposeful. Basically, it looks like it is a wild ride ! So I’ll give it the thumbs up – and I’d definitely love to have a go on it ! Wouldn’t you ? I wouldn’t buy one though as I prefer 450 supermotos for short blasts.
Yeah that looks like a bike from “spy vs. spy” in Mad Magazine!
What makes forums like this worth while is seeing other people’s opinions. I am amazed tis styling of this bike has gotten such positive responses. I’d call it one of the ugliest bikes I’ve ever seen. To my eye this thing makes the DL650 Suzuki look like a thing of beauty. The front fender looks like it was designed by a very creative five year old.
It seems plenty of other people disagree, I guess that is why there are so many bikes on the market. With so many so many positive comments I guess it will be a hit but you won’t need to get around me to get yours.
It seems like motorcycle styling is splitting between the folded paper/ no compound curves deconstructed side and the graceful, more flowing side. Whatever turns you on.
Goose
“Nuda”? Seriously?
Ha ha this bikes looks awesome, but “nuda” means “boredom” in Polish!
To me it sounds like “Naked”.
What is that thing on the front end? A shovel?
Yes, a small sharp garden shovel or arrow head…to carve out the Hater’s Heart…hehehe.
No seriously WHAT IS IT?
Wish I still lived in So Cal, I’d buy that bike in a heartbeat no matter the price. Roads are too flat and straight to make that bike very useful here.
wow! a concept becomes reality. Nice to see something different for a change.
+1.
Was thinking about getting a Hypermotard but this looks as good or better.
Save yourself the “DesmoDrama” and it’s asociated headaches.
nothing beats a hypermotard but this comes a close second. only the cosmetics of water cooling here keep this from being equal.
Be still my throbbing member.
And the price? “If you have to ask…”
Do the new hot bikes HAVE to look like they belong in a MAD MAX epoch movie? Can’t
ANYONE make a bike with these specs and make it look A LITTLE more “traditional”?
Traditional doesn’t have to mean ugly or boring. And bikes like this shouldn’t have the aesthetics only liked by the Mad Max wannabes. Why not two versions? One for the 20-something crowd and one for 40 and up. There are millions of traditionalists that have the riding skills, desire and dedication to own a thoroughbred.
Chances are there will be other bikes built around this engine. Previous articles mentioned that. This one is probably the most radical to get the hype engine rolling. It does appear to be missing a few things to be a “real” street bike. There are guys talking about luggage racks and 2-up seating, that’s missing it completely. There’s a whole market full of bikes like that, notable the F800 from BMW (who own’s Husky). These are going to be something different, can’t wait to see what’s next.
I really dislike the cut off, bobbed rear ends of modern bikes. That being said, I like the bike but would need to add a luggage rack to offset that stubby look.
Dude, you done lost your mind. That’s like asking your GF to get braces before she blows ya.
A bike of this size, with its street tires, should have a wider more comfortable seat. Looks like a wedjie inducer.
You’re probably just too fat for this bike, old man.
Well dang! If it doesn’t have a huge price tag, I may have to look at one. Looks like it would be ridiculously fun to ride.
That thing’s ugly and guaranteed to cost me my license in just a few short weeks.
Mirrors, turn indicators?
It’s strange to see the chain on that side though. Anyone have any practical reasons why they chose to do that?
BMW…that’s the reason.
Like it!
Looks fun. Should do well in U.S., since we tend to use bikes for fun rather than serious transportation. Not my kind of bike though, for the same reason.
Very nice…
Damn. Why take a great bike and beat it with the same ugly stick they use st Suzuki? Can you say fugly?
Sweet. I wonder if that’s a bored BMW parallel twin engine.
A Husky passed me on the freeway this morming. It looked real nice.
Really great looking bike, but completely impractical. There doesn’t even appear to be enough storage space on the thing to stash a piece of paper!
Will make a few people who have too much money to spend on 15,000 dollar toys pretty happy when they want to go out and just screw around. Looks great for that, but not much else.
Good assessment; I was one of those fools. I bought a SuperDuke and although it
was insane fun at first, it just ended up being an unreliable, overpriced toy that was
nearly impossible to sell (lost a bundle). I must be getting old, KLRs are attractive to
me these days.
…..I’m going to bum that.
SHARP!!!
What the KTM Duke 990 should’ve been. You should be able to buy Speed Triples and Monsters used for pretty cheap next year.
And Duke 990s and SM990Rs and F800GSs and Manas and Dosoduros and SXVs and Tuonos and…
Well hey hey everyone, take a look at my next bike. I think I’ll go down to Munroe Motors now and get in line. I hope I don’t get arrested for walking around with a b0ner!
wow…!
Damn!!!
FIRST!