2015 KTMs & Huskys – Same, same or different?

For many years, KTM has been one of the first manufacturers to release upgrade information and images about the upcoming year-models. But this year, they’ve outdone themselves. It appears that, due to an embarrassing miscommunication between KTM’s production and marketing/sales departments, a batch of 2015-model bikes found their way into some European dealers before any upgrade info had even been announced. If you were one of the 250,000-odd people who saw the 2015 KTM images on Transmoto‘s Facebook page three weeks ago, you’ll know that the new SX and SX-F models come with orange frames and black rims, and this week’s official release about the new KTMs fleshes out the other upgrades that the 2015 motocross range comes with.

Subsequently leaked images of KTM’s 2015 enduro models suggest they also get the orange frame, black rim combo, but more detailed information on the EXC and EXC-F models is not due until the official international launch in Romania on June 16. Transmoto’s Andy Wigan will be on the ground in Europe for that, so stay tuned for more of an insight in the new enduro models, along with a ride impression.

Speaking of bike launches, KTM’s sister company, Husqvarna, has also announced that the international launch for its 2015 motocross and enduro range will take place in the brand’s spiritual homeland of Sweden in late June. Husqvarna has thus far managed to keep images and upgrade info about the 2015 bikes under wraps, so it’ll be interesting to see what degree of design divergence from KTM the new bikes appear with. Once again, we’ll be there, bringing you a detailed insight into the new bikes, from the ground.

So, what do we think Husqvarna will reveal for 2015? Okay, it’s pure speculation, but if we were to have an educated guess, we’d say the 2015 FC and TCs will get most, if not all, of the upgrades announced for the equivalent KTMs (mods to frame, linkage, tyres, etc), and WP’s 4CS fork. Why the 48mm 4-Chamber Fork in favour of the twin-cartridge 48mm unit that KTM’s MXers run? Because KTM has already tested the waters by fitting the 4CS to their Factory Edition 450SX-F (released late last year, and effectively a 2014.5 year-model). And, in exactly the same way the 4CS was debuted on KTM’s Special Edition Six-Day models before being adopted by Husaberg’s and Husqvarna’s enduro models in 2013 and 2014, respectively, we reckon they’re likely to replicate that trickle-down component strategy with the two Austrian-made brands’ motocross models. It’d also be in keeping with Husqvarna being positioned as a premium-spec KTM. Anybody want to bet against that hypothesis?

And what about the 2015 TE and FE models? No idea. But seeing as they already run WP’s 4CS fork, expect to see at least one major departure from their KTM/Husaberg ‘equivalents’. Without that, all the “design divergence” talk we heard from Husqvarna’s engineers at last year’s launch in Sweden would amount to little more than hot air.