KTM and MV Agusta Join Forces

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Long-established sportbike company MV Agusta will be managed commercially in North America by KTM. (Jeff Allen/)

A KTM AG press release dated September 21, 2022, outlines a new commercial agreement between KTM and MV Agusta, describing how the Austrian company will promote and distribute MV Agusta motorcycles and manage the Italian company’s customer service in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The multiyear deal states that KTM’s North American subsidiary will be responsible for managing the relationship with MV Agusta; there is no mention of any other similar partnerships outside of the North American market. The goal is to help MV Agusta’s market share grow significantly in the region in the coming years. Which leads to the question of what’s in it for KTM; is the Austrian company attempting to further expand its brand portfolio, which currently includes Husqvarna, GasGas, WP Suspension, and various other divisions?

MV Agusta’s range of limited-edition Reparto Corse models. (MV Agusta/)

Only time will tell if a future acquisition is in the cards. In the meantime, KTM AG will create a US-based legal entity, responsible for all MV Agusta operations in North America, with the motorcycles being distributed through select KTM dealerships in addition to existing and new MV Agusta dealerships.

“I am thrilled by this agreement between two historic European motorcycle manufacturers,” MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. CEO Timur Sardarov said. “I am confident that KTM’s extensive and professional sales organization paired with the strong appeal of our brand in the region will bring great benefits to both companies. Thanks to our cooperation we will create synergies that will enable us to accelerate our growth strategy in North America.”

“We are extremely excited to start a new partnership with such a historic motorcycle brand,” KTM executive board member Hubert Trunkenpolz added. “Our brands are going from strength to strength everywhere in the world, particularly in North America, where we will exceed 100,000-unit sales in 2022 with the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas motorcycle brands. Taking on the distribution of the MV Agusta brand will complement our extensive premium motorcycle range. With the addition of the most iconic Italian luxury motorcycle brand to our KTM North America operations, we are able to ensure support to all North American motorcycle enthusiasts as well as bringing exciting new business opportunities to existing and new dealers.”

Under KTM’s current umbrella of brands, the focus is clearly oriented toward off-road and adventure motorcycles, with just a few sport-oriented models, such as the 1290 Super Duke R EVO, 890, 390, and 200 Duke models, and two Supersport models, the RC 8C and RC 390. With KTM, GasGas, and Husqvarna’s ever-expanding presence in MotoGP, does owning a company like MV Agusta, with its long-established sportbike-oriented and Grand Prix championship-winning heritage (38 titles in all classes) make more sense to the general public than the three dirt-leaning brands?

Reading between the lines, this announcement appears to be just the tip of the iceberg. We can speculate this new relationship, if successful, could lead into a full-on acquisition of MV by KTM in the not-so-distant future. Keep reading.

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