8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                               ------------------

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



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                        Date of Report: December 21, 2001


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                          BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Wisconsin                                1-1370                       39-0182330
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(State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission File             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)       Number)                 Identification No.)

               12301 West Wirth Street, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53222
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               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (414) 259-5333






ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

               NOTICE OF FINALIZATION OF EARLY RETIREMENT PACKAGES

         On November 14, 2001, Briggs & Stratton Corporation announced the offer
of an early retirement incentive benefit package to eligible salaried employees
in addition to the outright elimination of approximately twenty-five salaried
positions.

         A copy of the News Release announcing the finalization of the early
retirement packages is filed as an exhibit to this report.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS


         (c)      Exhibits:

                  Exhibit
                  Number                    Description

                  99                        News Release dated December 21, 2001
                                            (Filed herewith.)







                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                      BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION



Date: December 21, 2001               By: /s/ James E. Brenn
                                          ----------------------------------
                                          James E. Brenn, Senior Vice President
                                               and Chief Financial Officer

EX-99

                         BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION


                        FORM 8-K DATED DECEMBER 21, 2001



                                   EXHIBIT 99





              BRIGGS & STRATTON FINALIZES EARLY RETIREMENT PACKAGES



MILWAUKEE, December 21, 2001/PR Newswire/-Briggs & Stratton Corporation
(NYSE:BGG)


On November 14, 2001, Briggs & Stratton Corporation announced the offer of an
early retirement incentive benefit package to eligible salaried employees in
addition to the outright elimination of approximately twenty-five salaried
positions.

The acceptance period ended December 14, 2001, with one hundred employees
accepting the early retirement offer and forty-five salaried positions simply
eliminated. The net salaried employee reduction after key replacements will be
approximately one hundred twenty-five or approximately 7% of the global salaried
workforce.

The reduction in net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2002 to recognize
these events is estimated to be approximately $5.1 million. The majority of the
impact on net income is the result of recognizing the cost of the special
termination benefits, which will reduce net periodic pension income for the
year.

The impact for the full fiscal year 2002 is projected to be a net income
reduction of $2.3 million, after consideration of $2.8 million in savings during
the second half of fiscal 2002 for lower salary related expenditures. The
anticipated net income impact of salary related savings for fiscal 2003 is
projected to be approximately $6.0 million.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "believe",
"estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "objective", "plan", "seek", "think",
"will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. The forward-looking statements are based on Briggs & Stratton's
current views and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that include,
among other things: our ability to successfully operate effectively with lower
salaried staff levels; experience on actual fringe benefit costs; the seasonal
nature of our business; changes in laws and regulations, including accounting
standards; work stoppages or other consequences of any deterioration in our
employee relations; changes in customer and OEM demand; changes in domestic
economic conditions, including housing starts and changes in consumer disposable
income; changes in foreign economic conditions, including currency rate
fluctuations; and other factors that may be disclosed from time to time in our
SEC filings or otherwise. Some or all of the factors may be beyond our control.
We caution you that any forward-looking statement reflects only our belief at
the time the statement is made. We undertake no obligation to update any
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on
which the statement is made.