KTM Bikes

It all began in a small town in Austria, Mattighofen. During the 1930s, a mechanical engineer, Johann Hans Trunkenpolz, opened an automobile workshop. After World War II, Johann made a serious transition to produce motorbikes. In 1953, an Austrian businessman named Ernst Kronreif entered the company as an equal partner. The name of the company was then officiated as Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, which has since become popular as KTM.

They launched their first motorcycle, R100, in 1954, when, with merely 20 workers, they delivered only three bikes in one day. In 1954, they also won their first biggest event, the Austrian 125 National Championship. Years are followed by years, and today, KTM is seen owing to its spirit racing all over. In the 1960s, they created the first scooter named Mirabell. By 1971, KTM had 400 people staffed and was manufacturing no more than 42 different models.

KTM Bikes: Revival, Partnerships, and Expansion

Now, let's fast forward to the 1990s when KTM split into several companies. One of these was KTM Sportmotorcycle GmbH, which focused on making bikes. The company was badly in financial trouble, but the situation changed when they launched the KTM Duke. The bike saved the company and turned out to be a game-changer.

In 2007, KTM partnered with Bajaj Auto, which became a force to reckon with for its sales in India. It first acquired a small percentage share in KTM and, within 2013, had extended it to 47%. Then, the manufacturing of smaller KTM bikes, such as the 125cc, 200cc, and 390cc, began. From Bajaj's own factory at Chakan in Pune, these bikes would be shipped to places in Europe, Australia, and even Argentina.

Today, KTM bikes are loved for their bold design and top-notch performance. They have recently launched big bikes, including the 1290 Super Adventure S, 890 Adventure R, 890 Duke R and KTM’s most powerful bike, the 1390 Super Duke R. Apart from this, KTM also owns Husqvarna, which shares technology and manufacturing facilities with both brands. Husqvarna's models, like the Vitpilen and Svartpilen, are produced alongside KTM bikes, benefiting from 

KTM's engineering expertise and production capabilities.

Latest Updates on KTM Bikes 

• KTM is planning to launch nine new bike models in 2024 and 2025, including the 390 Adventure R and 390 Adventure X, which were revealed at the India Bike Week 2024 in Goa.
• The 2025 KTM 390 Adventure S and 390 Enduro R were recently showcased at the India Bike Week.
• The KTM 125 Duke has been updated internationally, with improvements similar to the 250 and 390 Duke models.
• The KTM 250 Duke has been discounted by Rs. 20,000, now priced at Rs. 2.25 Lakh (ex-showroom)
• On November 14, 2024, KTM launched big bikes like the 1390 Super Duke R and 1290 Super Adventure S in India.
• The 2024 RC series includes new colour schemes and styling for models like the RC 390, RC 200, and RC 125.
• The upcoming RC 390, set to launch in February 2025, will feature a new liquid-cooled engine from the Duke 390 series.
• The company has also introduced its first supercar, the “KTM X-BOW”. 

KTM Bikes Categories

The Austrian brand KTM has many types of bikes in its lineup. Firstly, there are naked bikes, such as KTM 125 Duke and 390 Duke, which come with stylish designs and are easy to handle in cities. The second category is the KTM supersports bike, which offers high speed with full fairing bodywork for better track performance. The KTM RC 390 and RC 200 are some of the best bikes in this category. 

Now, KTM Adventure Bikes bikes are designed for long touring, such as the 250 Adventure and 390 Adventure. They are designed to be comfortable on hard ground. If off-roading is your thing, then KTM off-road bikes would be the way to go in the likes of the 85 SX and 350 EXE-F, which can readily take up dirt trails and tough situations.  

Key Highlights of KTM Bikes