KTM Sportmotorcycle Company Profile
Ready to race – that’s the official slogan of KTM, a premier performance bike manufacturer headquartered in Mattighofen, Austria. This slogan embodies what KTM feels are the core principles of bike design: purity, performance, adventure, and extreme. The company has a deep-rooted passion for motorcycles, and it shows with each new model it releases – from off-road motorcycles to street bikes.
KTM’s mission is to continue to live the “ready to race” lifestyle every day by continuing to bring innovative products to the motorcycle world each year.
History of KTM Motorcycles
KTM Sportsmotorcycle origins are rooted in Mattighofen, Austria when Hans Trunkenpolz created a metalworking and locksmith shop called Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen (KTM) in 1934. At the time, they sold motorcycles and cars from other manufacturers. It wasn’t until 1951 that they developed its first bike, the R100, and the KTM era officially began.
In 1953, a man named Ernst Konreif bought into the business, and the company changed its name to Konreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. The R100 was mass-produced in 1954, and it wasn’t long until the bike, and its successors began winning championships. KTM bikes became more and more popular. By 1971, the company had 42 different available models.
After acquiring the company after his father’s death (and changing the name back to its original namesake), Erich Trunkenpolz founded KTM USA in 1988. Unfortunately, financial troubles and the death of Erich caused the company to split into four new entities in 1992.
One of the subsidiaries was KTM Sportsmotorcycles, and in 1994 it began production of its super-popular Duke series of motorcycles. From there, the evolution to a performance-racing centered company started, and it’s been a top-tier bike manufacturer and distributor ever since.
Overall Quality of KTM Bikes
The best way to inspect KTM’s bike quality is to delve a little deeper into each of the components of its core “ready to race” philosophy: purity, performance, adventure, and extreme.
Purity. KTM believes that less is more – which means that only components that improve the bike’s performance (make it lighter, faster, and stronger) are used in the production of its bikes.
Performance. KTM believes that the only type of performance that counts is at the wheel. It’s not just about engine power, but also the weight, handling, and tuning of all components. As such, only the highest quality oil is used to keep bring that performance out.
Adventure. KTM believes in taking bold risks and thinking outside of the box. The company wants to test new boundaries and incorporate new and innovative technologies into each of its bikes.
Extreme. KTM wants the company’s reputation to be directly related to its commitment to building the best, most extreme motorcycles for all riding conditions.
The questions remain, do all their bikes deliver on its core philosophy? The answer is a most resounding, yes. For years the company has worked towards bringing quality bikes to the world market, and although it’s had its setbacks in the past, they see the fruits of their labor.
Awards & Recognition
- KTM bikes have won over 240 world championship titles in different racing classes throughout the company’s history
- Eleven bikes listed on Motocrossactionmag.com’s “Best Motocross Bikes of the Past 34 Years.”
- KTM 450 SX-F ranked the 2nd Fastest Dirt Bike in the world (at 123mph) by Wallstcheatsheet.com.
The Public’s Opinion
While KTM has produced quality bikes for years, it wasn’t until around 2006 that motocross enthusiasts began to take notice of them, and began ranking them alongside the Japanese giants.
Today, especially in the past four-to-five years, KTM Sportmotorcycle has established itself as a performance bike titan, and continues to be well received and highly regarded by the motocross community. It also doesn’t hurt to have a record of over 240 world championship titles to further support KTM’s designation as a leader in the industry.
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