Is it the end of the road for KTM?

[Fleck]

Multiple problems and record debt, Can they recover? 

[Capt Sisko]

Not looking promising. Nearly 600 laid off, massive loses and share price on the floor.

KTM in a downward spiral

[bud]

They really have over stretched themselves financially. Now it's time to face the music I'm afraid.

It's not a good time either with the loss of sales because of all the reliability issues.

[S-Westerly]

It'll be interesting to see if the decline in reliability is directly linked to moving a lot of manufacturing out to Asia. Combined with relatively high prices it's not a good look for KTM. Never owned one but did try one once - the seat was dire.

[Fleck]

20 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

It'll be interesting to see if the decline in reliability is directly linked to moving a lot of manufacturing out to Asia. Combined with relatively high prices it's not a good look for KTM. Never owned one but did try one once - the seat was dire.

No it's bad engine design I think as the 790 is made by CF Moto in China and the 890 made in Austria. Both have the same reliability problems

[bonio]

Bad news of MV Agusta too; KTM own half the company and run the whole of their parts operations. 

Edited November 26, 2024 by bonio

[RideWithStyles]

More than likely it’s both and more.

bad design (repeatedly), bad management with poor decisions (buying dead brands than make no sense in doing), poorly made, cost of shipping, profit margins less with given units as more outsourcing takes shares, over flooded market, cost of marketing and racing plus many more add the weight of burden.

hope they can turn it round but they seriously need to sort their shite out and not just dump employees that don’t deserve it as a quick fix while not addressing the actual problem (because its cheap or easier to do that than just sack management/owners as it’s their fault for the decision) as thaT turns into a pr bomb that really can turn customers to look at another brand…then leads to a downward spiral without a healthy backer to ride it through..

[Blackholesun]

Wonder where this leaves next years grid 

[Bender]

9 hours ago, bud said:

They really have over stretched themselves financially. Now it's time to face the music I'm afraid.

It's not a good time either with the loss of sales because of all the reliability issues.

This, I know 2 folk with KTM and non of their friends are ever likely to buy one for the number of days they have been off road and not the muddy kind.

[S-Westerly]

I only know one bloke with a KTM and he won't be repeating the experience. This isn't the way to increase sales.

[Pie man]

9 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

It'll be interesting to see if the decline in reliability is directly linked to moving a lot of manufacturing out to Asia. Combined with relatively high prices it's not a good look for KTM. Never owned one but did try one once - the seat was dire.

You sir are correct, I can confirm the seat is dire.  Both the 1290 and 890 were  

 

I don't think its directly linked to reliability, many people commenting on reliability issues (not just with KTM but any other manufacturer for that matter) generally, have no personal experience with the brands, however I read KTM bicycle segment had a big input to their losses along with the motorcycles, but still losses everywhere across the group. Lets not forget KTM rapidly became the largest manufacturer in Europe and openly admit to seeing this coming, back in 2023. Admitting they cannot sustain the growth and it has come to this. Many saying it wont be long now until its India owned.  

[Bender]

35 minutes ago, Pie man said:

You sir are correct, I can confirm the seat is dire.  Both the 1290 and 890 were  

 

I don't think its directly linked to reliability, many people commenting on reliability issues (not just with KTM but any other manufacturer for that matter) generally, have no personal experience with the brands, however I read KTM bicycle segment had a big input to their losses along with the motorcycles, but still losses everywhere across the group. Lets not forget KTM rapidly became the largest manufacturer in Europe and openly admit to seeing this coming, back in 2023. Admitting they cannot sustain the growth and it has come to this. Many saying it wont be long now until its India owned.  

Maybe a re brand like Jag will help  

[Fiddlesticks]

6 minutes ago, Bender said:

Maybe a re brand like Jag will help

[Capt Sisko]

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2024/november/ktm-announces-self-administration/

[rob m]

 

 

[rob m]

Sliding Doors moment. BMWs biggest coup in the past 20 years.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, rob m said:

 

 

 

Am I right in thinking they approached KTM first and got rejected? or was it Triumph? 

[rob m]

4 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

Am I right in thinking they approached KTM first and got rejected? or was it Triumph? 

Yeah, the TV producers approached KTM and asked them to provide bikes for the Long Way Round and KTM turned them down. So they went to BMW who provided the GS.

 

The rest is history.

[Stu]

1 minute ago, rob m said:

Yeah, the TV producers approached KTM and asked them to provide bikes for the Long Way Round and KTM turned them down. So they went to BMW who provided the GS.

 

The rest is history.

I thought so! 

 

Things could have been so different for both companies 

[rob m]

 

[Fleck]

Morris wouldn't supply the Minis free of charge for the Italian Job film, they had to buy them

[RideWithStyles]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I thought so! 

 

Things could have been so different for both companies 

Not good if they got a few miles down the road and head gaskets went on both bikes, ,blown engines, mechanical or electrical problems or just shite running so maybe both parties actually dodged a bullet/delayed the enviable? I mean ktm wasn’t known for reliability back then….

Maybe thought they approached it/the wrong people? That was also a thought.

 

Not being funny and you may say differently rightly but maybe they were just viewed As not the right people to portray a brand? To be honest they have their own followers and I won’t knock them etc but me personally i just couldn’t bare the thing past the first episode even when it was free.

 

 

[Punts]

12 hours ago, Fleck said:

Morris wouldn't supply the Minis free of charge for the Italian Job film, they had to buy them

They wrote off 16 Mini Coopers making the original film.

[Capt Sisko]

3 hours ago, Punts said:

They wrote off 16 Mini Coopers making the original film.

One for the anoraks.The Mini Forum