When KTM announced in 2013 that it was buying the struggling Husqvarna brand from then-owner BMW, more than a few folks were left scratching their heads. How was this going to work? Would the Austrians at KTM consolidate production of the Swedish-born, Italian-relocated, German-owned Husqvarna? Would they compete in the same markets? Would one brand focus on off-road and the other on motocross? It took some time, and there were some awkward moments along the way, but the KTM/Husqvarna merger is finally making some sense.

So, how do each of the businesses operate? First, you have to go back to where each company came from to understand how they got here and why they’re working together.