I'm old enough to remember the British bike industry. Poor quality, poor warranty, complete arrogance by management, incredible surprise that the Japanese could make better bikes at a better price and not spit in the customer's and dealer's face.
It's a pity. I would never go out of my way to buy a ktm, but I kinda like em. I've ridden a few that belong to friends. They seem a bit unreliable, though. You just can't beat Japanese for quality.
@@mxgryan . They over extended themselves by buying brands that they did not need, duplicating and fielding race teams and products lines that were unecessary and reduntant. They did this when borrowing money was cheap. Unfortunately the size of the motorcycle market is fixed and if anything is beginning to shrink. They didn't grow the market pie to sustain their spending and money is no longer cheap to borrow. They're cooked.
KTM got too greedy and ignored their grass roots supporters. The way they pushed those absolutely rubbish front forks on the dirt bike community was gobsmacking in its arrogance. They abused their market share and people aren’t stupid and don’t forget this behaviour.
My brother has 3 or 4 KTMs, 690, 1290 not sure of the other 2. I rode the 690, VERY nice compared to my previous '03 DR650. Looks like that performance comes with a heavy price in quality and MSRP.
Interesting all this started happening as soon as KTM shifted most of their manufacturing to China. China made bikes for Euro bike prices don't bode very well with consumers.
Whatever one thinks of the KTM brand and product, we do not need to lose another bike manufacturer. Plus Motorcycle Dealerships are closing at a fair rate as well.
Whenever I went into any KTM dealer they were very snobby and arrogant only a few staff treat you decently (not that I could afford anything beyond the 390).
Demographics changed decades ago. Very few millennials, even fewer gen Z and A have any interest in motorcycles. The smartphone needle goes into the cerebral cortex from the moment people wake to the moment they fall off to sleep. Much of what Boomers value is going to crash due to “no bid”. Classic cars, sailboats, just name the hobby or collectible and it’s very likely NOT of interest to most of the people under 40.
I sell motorcycle parts for a living and approximately 50% of my customers are under 40. I've seen a massive increase in young hispanic males customers over the past 5 years. Puerto Rico is representing 3% of my sales this year, which is a huge increase. Many things will change with demographics, but motorcycling is still healthy, albeit likely contracting.
sooo... hows that whole backorder thing working out, cams and followers, discs and wheels... When warranties are denied, and replacement parts are a Full Year out, people go elsewhere, and tell all their friends.. I agree it is a shame, when you can ride great.. but when you sit waiting to be able, you get another bike. I hope where you work also has other brands, so you still have a job
I only had one ktm, the ktm 950sm, at first I did not really click with it, but as time went on it came to me, but another thing that came to me were the oil leaks :P But this is what happens, when the top just suck dry out of the company while the workers have to make do with what is left for them, and when it gets tough the workers are the ones paying for it with their jobs.
We used to get quite a few KTMs through the workshop, and the build quality & quality control seemed very patchy, these were mostly the mid sized and smaller models, & pure off road bikes, not the flagship models.
Sounds like they took a note from General Motors from back in the day despite the shit show that resulted in multiple rebrands of the same problem children models.
Not really, it's not competition if all the money flows to rhe same company. This is the way most industries work. Nearly all corporations are part owned by the same financial backers.
I appreciate your take on the state of things at KTM, and I agree that Stefan must go before anything can be salvaged. What will happen? It's anyone's guess, but the likely outcomes will be either: 1) A leveraged buyout which only ends with bankruptcy once the due date for the interest arrives. This always results in padding the investors pockets while the core company disappears. or 2) A massive buyout and restructuring in which investors take precedence and the brand becomes totally ignored as well as the customers. KTM is kind of at this point already, but it could get even worse. The outcome is grim. It is unfortunate and sad, and I say that even though I am not a KTM fan. I live in Amherst, Ohio, the north American HQ for KTM. I personally know John Penton and have had coffee with him discussing those early years. We need KTM. Enduro events thrive when multiple brands take part. Brand choice makes things better for everyone, and again, I am not a fan of the bikes, but they definitely have a place at the table. The really sad part is Stefan, Gottfried, et al will come out of this with millions. Investors and share owners will probably get some of the pie too. It's disgusting. But the dealerships and more importantly the owners will get nothing. Absolutely nothing... except for the memories. KTM will be reduced to a memory of older guys sitting around a table saying, "remember when...". And if the KTM name is spared or if it rises from the ashes, it may take years before they become relevant or even competitive again. Corporate greed. Welcome to the new world... same as the old world.
"dirty deeds done dirt cheap" AC/DC . Dirty deeds done very expensively ,Pierer mobility. Seems this week is a bad one for famous brands , Fancey a "Faguar" anyone?
It's a shame for the staff and people on the receiving end.. but this is a good thing. KTM have got away with too much for too long and need to face the consequences of their shady business practices.
@@mxgryan It's not great, but then that describes KTM and their business practices pretty well, poor quality control on many of their mid range bikes, terrible customer service when trying to deal with them, and god help you if you walk into one of their showrooms without carrying a bag with dollar signs on the back, if you don't look like you're there to buy a bike right there and then, they don't seem interested at all, whereas other dealerships will approach you and talk to you like a human, they show interest...KTM remind me of Harley Davidson in all the wrong ways. This is the harsh wake-up call and lesson that they need to learn, it sucks to lose another motorcycle maker, but they have gotten pretty arrogant and greedy, and it's bitten them in the ass finally. Shame about the staff though.
Ok, I re-watched the video, partly without sound and got a new appreciation for the post. As usual, your videos are top notch, and well researched. My personal opinion on the brand is very low. My local dealer is very arrogant about the brand, like you would expect from a Ferrari dealer. To me, the bikes aren’t very reliable, are very expensive, and warranty service is spotty. I would never buy a bike that has electronic features that I have to pay extra for to “unlock” them. That’s BS. The Japanese still make capable and reliable bikes. I want long maintenance intervals and reliability. I am even thinking of a CF MOTO IBEX 450 😳 for Spring delivery.
@ In the US they are called the IBEX 450 & 800. MT is trademarked by Yamaha here. The reviews seem great, they have been building bikes for other companies for years, including KTM. 2 year warranty and a very attractive price. I have been against buying Chinese on principle (except for my iPhone) but the value they represent is too great to overlook. I am willing to wait 4 months for Spring delivery. The 450 retails for about US $7,500, including delivery and dealer prep. I paid in the mid 20’s for my 2021 Pan America Special, and it was a piece of 💩. Now that it has been uncovered that Harley had a DEI program, I know why it was the only Harley I owned that was unreliable. I ride alone and remote, so I need to know I can make it home.
It'll be a real shame if KTM do go under, maybe a lesson to other manufacturers that too many expensive electronics which raise the showroom price beyond the means of many are not the route to take.
Take the keys away from Pierer. He is drunk on his wealth and has treated KTM as a cash cow buying companies and investing in money draining products, while ignoring quality (Those cams are fine! They say.)
They are fine, was never the cams it was an engineering mistake with oil ports on two models for like 2 years. It's since been fixed. Just goes to show the idiocy of the Internet and how people regurgitate fake info. Probably did more damage than KTM did to themselves.
KTM very much reminds me of Harley 2 decades ago, they have customers who very much want their products and they are good at making them. The fly in the ointment is a management team that produces a toxic view of not only the dealers but the customers. They will either make difficult decisions and change direction or they will survive in name only under Chinese ownership and production.
I am a little torn here. I love that KTM has continued to develop and build 2 strokes. But I hate their buying of other brands to remove competition and choice.
I pretty sure they just purchased failing companies at fire sale prices for the brand name. That kept the name alive but the bikes were just KTM’s of differing colors. Reminds me of Triumph, an investment company bought the name and the new bikes are Triumph’s in name only. As always, I may not be 100% correct.
@@tribalbc Again, I may be wrong but the bike world moves forward perfectly fine without KTM or any of their bikes. The only people I see suffering are all the employees scattered around the world. The bike, ATV, UTV and watercraft dealers are overflowing with vehicles now and I don’t see any reason for inventories to drop significantly at this point other than fire sales.
@JetSkiSuper7 I agree for the most part. My only concern is 2 stroke dirt bikes. If KTM folds it is just another nail in the coffin of the 2 stroke dirt bike. We will only be left with a few small boutique brands like Sherco, Beta and TM.
@barebonesmc I definitely think it a management problem, over the actual standard of workers in Austria. I test rode a 690 smcr, back in 2015. The build quality seem to be at a very high standard, compared to to the 2022 one I tested.
It seems to me that the relentless chase for more tech in bikes is killing the $port. These over engineered machines my one day be nothing more than doorstops because the software upgrades and parts/support became impossible to sustain. The same situation with newer automobiles. Oh well....... progress.
I raced ktm in the 90s and loved them. They were stone reliable and light. I was thinking about a white 701 this coming spring but I have not seen anything that makes me think they are still reliable.
Their older classical bikes are reliable - keep a small stock of parts before they disappear.. Just bother less with their newer offerings, the newer it is, the worst still it's become, and it's not specifically due to Indian involvement, ..but more their links to the CCP's PRC companies, Italian 'Business' and egotestical stock-marketeering derived business practices.
price/quality KTM motorcycles are way too expensive compared to the competition. In these bad economic times they have become unsellable. They can no longer compete with the new Chinese brands.
@@maikelnait4495 They will be shit, or found to be shite, total shite. As eventually as with anything & everything's made by Communistic people's, too many corners get recut, too many quality checks get removed or skipped, or the capability to deliver above a certain level of technological effort with is corrupted by The Party's needs to be the only ones whom are the smartest decision makers within their entire whole sphere of micromanaged control. They the PRC cannot yet make reliable jet engines much better than mid 1960's Soviet tech levels of limitations. Let alone what Mao's Students Revolution of the Little Red Books did to previously amassed intelligent institutionalised know-hows in all fields of industrial R&D, Materiáls, Production, QA Inspections, .. Education, Medical, Scientific Studies & Sciences etc.. ..then factor in PRC's CCP's baby milk scandals, other fake food scandals, widespread dumbly collapsing public buildings & projects, and other infrastructures, their total causing of Bird-Flues & Corona-Viruses, and their recent 15 years of unsubtly attempts of 'subtle' power politics which encouraged, allowed or triggered Russia's wars, so China could weaken an old rival and try to get access to more advanced engine tech (than their own)... Oh, every company foreign or domestic within the CCP's PRC, must be by law be overseen & controlled at the whim of the Party appointed Party Staff Representative Officers for the Party. Any technological company secrets, IP, designs, machineries etc used are automatically property of the CCP when they want to steal it and throw out the foreign business as an empty husk of a used/soiled patsy. See what happened to Segway.. or recently to Tesla Shanghai, that turn Elon to how he is noe... VSorry, this is long. too long, but unable to be shorter without skipping some basic importantly indirectly cross connected things. And I am still missing out 30 metric tons more ressons.
😂😂😂 I'm laughing at guys that buy Chinese bikes and talk shit about European or Japanese.. my zx-6r has 90000km and still going strong. My friend's KTM has more than 300 hours on its piston and top end and still ripping the trails. Let's see the Chinese garbage what will do...
Yeah but the same can be said for every company, but if we are comparing against the Japanese this is not exactly fair because the top Japanese brands all make multiple different products from cars to boats and lawnmowers, sadly if KTM are having these problems it's going to be the same for every other bike exclusive company. Ducati are the exception because they are directly subsidised by the country just like BMW is in Germany so they will not go under because they are institutionalised.
I have been riding for 52 years. I am a loyal KTM customer. KTM’s I have personal ownership experience with: 250 Free Ride 300 XCW 500 EXC 690 R 950 Super Enduro R 1190 R 1290 Super Adventure 1290 Super Duke R The bikes have been 100% reliable. I have had 2 warranty issues both with gas tank leaks. One on the 250 FR and the other on the 1290 SA. The only oil I have ever had on my garage floor has been from doing sloppy oil changes. My experience they are designed and built to the same quality standard as anything out of Japan. I think the issues are financial the same as with a lot of companies that grow to fast. They have way too many models which causes unnecessary enormous inventory carrying costs for KTM and their dealers. This is not a paid endorsement it is my personal experience.
In 2020, I wanted a motorcycle that handled, getting the best handling motorcycle was my goal. After extensive research. I came to the conclusion that the 2020 KTM 890 DUKE R was the bike for me! So I bought one. And it handles like no other motorcycle I've ever ridden. I love this bike! Then, about 6 months ago, I became aware of the cam failure/lubrication problems! 😡 NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!!! I've since changed my bikes name from MAC The Knife (from the Super Scalpe moniker) to TB! For Time Bomb! Nothing like paying $15,000+ for a motorcycle with a useful life of 12,000 miles!!! If I'm lucky.....
If you want a bike with amazing handling and great build quality (once you iron out the fuel injection kinks, easy to do) ... Triumph TT600/Speed Four (not to be confused with Speed 400) ... under appreciated gem, amazing handling though, its the bike I always come back to no matter what, been riding it for years and it STILL puts a smile on my face every day.
Have you actually had the cams checked? I've got a 20 plate 790 duke that's on 24000 miles, had the valve check and is OK. I have put 19000 or so of those miles on it. I rode it over to the TT and back this year and have had no problems at all, either on that trip or at any other time. So the cam issue isn't guaranteed you know. Resale value is another issue though.
lol. There’s no point in the woe is me approach. 😊 I am just hoping there’s a coup. He’s played a blinder the way he’s shuffled shares and ownership to keep bajaj and red bull apart. But they could sink him. And imo probably should
It's sad to see this happen, I've never owned one but friends that do, or have, tell me they're a good machine. But something I've often observed over the years, is that once a company goes public, their priorities have to shift from maintaining their goods/services to a popular standard, to focusing on a good dividend for their shareholders. And, as in more & more cases these days, an obscene "bonus" for CEO's & board members. I'm not saying that's the case here, though. I do hope the KTM's stay in the marketplace. But if they do manage it, I suspect the product will be the first thing to suffer.
Out sourcing engines was a big mistake, not admitting the mistake and honoring warranties and the like.. Cam failures and complaints going ignored (790/890), Air boxes not sealing, filter box design actually having an air filter being installed backward (1190). I'm still riding my 100k mile 950 Adv. It's an incredible machine, I'm sure right now John Penton is rolling in his grave over what has become of KTM in the US
I've never disliked their bikes but I have worried about the service requirements for valves and such. All needing to be done by the dealer was always something I was concerned about. While I always thought they were high end bikes, I guess the Japanese bikes longevity w/o needing a lot of dealer checks is very appealing? I could see buying one of these brands & getting stuck needing parts in their crumbling state leaving people with broken stuff? IT's more than I can wrap my mind around but I always had this feeling that something was amiss..... took someone like you to look deeper. Hope all is well, hanging in on my end. peace & GB
The explanation given by KTM itself tells you the reason they are in the predicament they are. Blame everyone and everything, but KTM themselves. Oh no. It couldn't be questionable engineering, crappy quality control, high prices, arrogant dealers, etc etc.
It’s a very competitive market now with some good stuff coming from China. Western manufacturers need to sharpen their pencils and offer reliable, simple, affordable bikes without all the expensive frills that buyers don’t want. KTM follows VW…
Whether it is "good stuff" coming from china remains to be seen. Offering new buyers a designated performance package that retires after three months was NEVER going to be popular. Who would have thought ?
I could imagine a solid and popular company getting on its knees by a salesdrop of 50%, but a solidly managed company should sustain a mere drop of 6% or even 15% with ease. Where did all the money go Mr. Pierer, or was there never any solid revenue ever?
Hard to believe how such a relevant brand after decades of successful leadership goes to sh%#. Same thing playing out at Stellantis with Dodge brand. Great listen. Thanks
The only sport I follow is MotoGP, and I'm a huge Brad Binder/KTM fan. It makes me sad to think there's no money to continue development. The Moto3 will probably be an all Honda series after a couple years as well, at least those hungry youngsters will still be fighting it out in much the same manner. This corporate greed just makes me depressed.
Too many models, should have concentrated on what bike sells the most and make it reliable with good dealer back up instead of having dozens of bikes in development 🤷
Let's hear the CEOs agree to a wage cut in order to restructure the company and preserve the employees rather than go begging for a cash stimulus. Yeah, right, that's not going to happen.
Accepting no dividends to save job cuts would have been a start. Instead he had the arrogance to say we won’t pay out quite so much in dividends this year n thought that would be enough
Yes, why a company that's primary business is dirt bikes is even playing around in motoGP is strange, it has no marketing value in what makes them money, it's a bit like if Boeing or Airbus had an F1 team
Their design for strret bikes are unique & exotic. Not like other manufacturers. Thats why i love KTM. But somehow the spareparts & the bike price are becoming too expensive over the years. I hope they will recover
I think that the first casualty will be MV Augusta, followed by Husqvarna - they might be able to spin off GasGas, but KTM will have to be much smaller, more focussed and offer better value in order to survive.
I have owned KTMs and Huskys forever... The 2 stroke models. I believe the way to go now is Beta or Sherco. Maybe Reiju. Just wished the Japanese would build 2 stroke enduro bikes again. 200, 250 and 300 models.
All the motorcycle companies started building budget bikes but KTM. The company will survive but they need to slim the lineup. Get rid of the online twin bikes and stick with the trusted v twin lc8. The new sport bikes will sell well but the trust is low in the parallel twin motor. Make a Dakar styled single for the adventure lineup instead of the 3,7, and 890s . Work on refining bikes instead of churning out new models every 2 years to keep production costs and r/d down and renew consumer confidence in reliability.
Nothing solid, but i cant imagine there is much good news, MV still need money to do a manufacturing run of any sort, and PMG have no money, so i cant imagine that much is being made beyond show bikes and maybe limited runs, i will keep my ears open, but its harder to get info on MV, cheers and have a great day
@@barebonesmc That's rough. The 921S deliveries were postponed from Jan '25 to Jan '26 back in the Spring. Now I worry this could set it back even further. If things get much worse I may reclaim my deposit while I still can.
One of my all time favourite bikes was my 2006 300EXC; Cheap; Easy to maintain; Good parts supply; Reliable as a rock and did what it said on the box; But, and here's the thing. they are a young mans toy and I'm not sure young men can afford 'toys' anymore.
@@barebonesmc Not suggesting that you did say that mate; I was just replying to blokes comment about the 300EXC; Sadly though, now that I am beyond my rooster years, none of the KTM 'adventure' bikes appeal to me; Fast? too bloody fast in my opinion; There's no need for highly strung 'adventure/touring' bikes; What is needed is good all round performance, comfort and reliability...something that none of the 'middle to big' KTM's have.
KTM was never that big of a company, at least in the USA. I remember going to the Ohio tech training and the old guys there tanking about Penton. That place was kind of small, but they could still get the job don. In the past couple years KTM grew very fast, Moto Gp, buying up the other brands, a new facility in Cali. They should have let not absorbed Husky, Gas Gas, and MV.
I bought 2 off road KTMs this year. A 350 and 500 XWF Four Stroke. Good running bikes they are. However, I will not buy any more after watching this video. I will just ride them and replace parts as necessary if I can get them.
It would be sad to see KTM go by the wayside. We're heading into some tough economic times and the truth is KTM may not make it through and they're not the only one. I hear that Stellantis is in a world of hurt. My own theory is that over time, the center of the motorcycle industry will move to India. They are becoming more affluent and the number of buyers there dwarf any other country.
@@barebonesmc Still have my 2003 FE501...best enduro bike ever! Simple; Easy maintenance; Carb with cable; Light clutch; Great suspension; No electronic gizmos...and it goes like stink when the right hand gets happy; Oh, and when Husaberg was still around, they stood behind the product 100% with a 12 month warranty; No questions asked other than "does it have oil in it?" (Cam decomp lever found to be faulty) other than that, never had a problem apart from worn tyres and chains... When KTM/Husqvarna took over, quality went down hill; Warranties not honoured and they priced the Berg above the KTM even though it was a KTM/Husqvarna; "Ready to Race"...KTM stole that too; "Four Stroke Force" Live on Husaberg!
Same old story. Move from innovating to endless tweaking, squeezing every penny out while killing quality, killing iconic brands by turning them into ktm copies, not listening to what customers want and so on. Had to catch up to them.
They, like many other companies....many of them Owned by private equity Just brought on too much debt. This is what happens when you cannot control debt in a company. You're going to see a lot more of them In the power sports industry go the same way. I hope they can turn this around, they are a fantastic company.
Consolidation of the R&D folks also means sacking people. Also sad when a company which is basically a marketing concern has to step in to buy a manufacturer of beautifully constructed machines
KTM are one of my favoutite bikes period! Rode 450s in the desert and was going to buy a 390 but due to this uncertainty I bought Royal Enfield instead!
The brand image was huge in me...until I discover on RUclips their camshaft problem that arrogant KTM did not recognize and fix for a LONG time...and they NEVER issue a wide statement with the problem and that they will take care of it...there is more videos on "do not buy a KTM" "I am selling mine asap!"...there are BS us with "nothing change in racing, it is all good"! I guess the boss is killing the brand...in Belgium the price has not changed 1 euro down on the gas bikes....I you do not honor your customers who paid their super high prices for the bikes then you kill your brand, period. Also they do not have a PR dept that can save them from bankrupcy...they are too arrogant for that...they better fire the boss....and the guy that design the headlights of the bikes! Thanks for the data of this video which give a real picture of the scene, compared to their "it is all good" they give to the general public...somebody is GOOFING like mad and has KILLED this brand...by the way add to YOUR description from which country you operate, it is nowhere! I like to know that detail...best regards, Olivier, Belgium
I think that Red Bull as well as Alpinestar and even BELL should help KTM, considering that KTM and their Team Riders gave Red Bull, Alpinestar, and BELL recognition through years of exposure on many KTM models as well as the KTM clothing/riding gear line,etc..
I have a theory with KTM, I wonder if they would have been in a dominant position if they had not pulled out of being the host bikes for the long way around TV series. The show spawned a generation of touring riders and subsequently gave BMW the market share for premium touring bikes. KTM turned to hypernaked bikes as flagships which have not really gained any popularity whatsoever.
All these SX/MX bikes by all the major manufacturers jumped from $4,000 2-Strokes to $15,000 4-Strokes way to fast. Every 6-10 day/month rider didn't need a bike that could win A1 or Unadilla.
I was going to purchase myself a new ktm 300 XC as a Christmas present to myself but changed my mind after doing my research on the bike. $11,500-$12,000 for a bike that runs out of fuel before the tank is empty. Cannot get to the spark plug with the fuel tank in place. May blow a fuse and leave me stranded. Now thinking I may get the Yamaha YZ250X for it's simplicity and save $3,500-$4,000...
Obviously no one wants the misfortune of a manufacturer with the history of KTM, but greed sometimes has these things, perhaps they have gotten involved in too many things with too many brands without doing anything different from many other manufacturers, nowadays they all cling to Chinese or Indian groups and what has happened is an increase in the quality of those who are growing and a decrease in the quality of those who provide know-how, European brands are unable to keep up with the supply of components, more for example today we can look at the Zontes brand almost as if it were the Chinese BMW offering accessories that make the rider's life more pleasant at prices that are impossible to beat and now that they are about to launch the three-cylinder 703F, any top brand will stand at attention when they see the quality of the same. It will be very difficult to resist the prices plus quality, accessories they offer and now also in terms of campaigns to buy the motorcycle at zero % interest rates are usually always on Chinese brands, the life of every European in financial terms is not in line with the evolution of the prices of European brands and, incidentally, even the prices of Japanese motorcycles are too high.
I’ve bought five of their bikes new off the showroom floor, when I was really getting impatient on parts being back ordered, I called KTM and was told basically “tough luck”. That was less than two years ago, don’t really care how low prices go, wouldn’t buy another bike from them.
Not just KTM it’s all over. Arctic Cat, laying off hundreds. The business cycle is on the downside. Make hay while sun shines, than put money away for rainy days. Well we are into rainy days stste, looks like many producers didn’t put money away, adjust for the rain. Old old argument that happened for centuries.
The money from bajaj helped. Very directly with MV. That is a deal unto itself. There’s an older video about it linked in the description. How ktm scammed an oligarch might have been a better title 🤣🤣
The cause is simply rooted in affordability. Motorcycle industry is ridiculously expensive. From OEM components, rider wear, fluids, etc. Most are bound to collapse, I can imagine. It costs me three times more to service Kawasaki Z900 than an Isuzu pick-up. Some of the items are knock-over, e.g. Shark helmet I bought could not last a year and the defects were rejected by so-called 5 years warranty. The motul oils, the air filter, very expensive. We will try Chinese alternatives, no choice.
Make a good motorcycle, price it so we can afford it, stop wasting money, quit trying to be everything to everyone, just a few rules KTM needs to follow………but they won’t, didn’t and will repeat the same mistakes in the future.
I'm old enough to remember the British bike industry. Poor quality, poor warranty, complete arrogance by management, incredible surprise that the Japanese could make better bikes at a better price and not spit in the customer's and dealer's face.
yep, there is something familiar here
It's a pity. I would never go out of my way to buy a ktm, but I kinda like em. I've ridden a few that belong to friends. They seem a bit unreliable, though. You just can't beat Japanese for quality.
How well I remember the demise of the British motorcycle industry.
Every day the oil stains on the garage floor remind us of the great industries of Britain.
@@Tonymarony5113KTM are great. They still make 2 strokes! ❤❤
I guess the moral.of the story's the same. Ignore your customer complains long enough and someone else will take away your loyalists.
A good point well put mate 🙂Cheers for the comment. Hope all is well, good luck with the Kove's, Ride Free 🙂
No, that isnt this story at all.
@@mxgryan . They over extended themselves by buying brands that they did not need, duplicating and fielding race teams and products lines that were unecessary and reduntant. They did this when borrowing money was cheap. Unfortunately the size of the motorcycle market is fixed and if anything is beginning to shrink. They didn't grow the market pie to sustain their spending and money is no longer cheap to borrow. They're cooked.
KTM got too greedy and ignored their grass roots supporters. The way they pushed those absolutely rubbish front forks on the dirt bike community was gobsmacking in its arrogance. They abused their market share and people aren’t stupid and don’t forget this behaviour.
I’ve had 4, and currently have a 450 exc-f, but won’t buy another.
My brother has 3 or 4 KTMs, 690, 1290 not sure of the other 2. I rode the 690, VERY nice compared to my previous '03 DR650. Looks like that performance comes with a heavy price in quality and MSRP.
Interesting all this started happening as soon as KTM shifted most of their manufacturing to China. China made bikes for Euro bike prices don't bode very well with consumers.
Whatever one thinks of the KTM brand and product, we do not need to lose another bike manufacturer. Plus Motorcycle Dealerships are closing at a fair rate as well.
Yep. Changes are coming now. Power is shifting. I’m sure the brand will continue. Less sure about the factory sadly
@ - will the ever benevolent (😳) Chinese step in?
The collapse is all by design...."you vil own nuzzing and you vil be happy"
@@timhicks2154 Maybe the Indians?
@@timhicks2154 lol, depends how big the backhander is i guess
I bought one KTM and never again. Not the bike but the company.
What a bunch of sharks!
Steffan Pierer has to go imo
@@barebonesmc by the time they climb to the top they are proven dodgy.
Gentlemen have possibly reached extinction.
Whenever I went into any KTM dealer they were very snobby and arrogant only a few staff treat you decently (not that I could afford anything beyond the 390).
@@barebonesmc he owns majority you idiot.
@@patchthesinclair5896 I agree ☝️
They are pricing themselves out of the market place. People can’t afford $13.000 two strokes
Prices seem to vary wildly at times too. Even before cam gate
Greed will always bring any company down,thats what has happened to ktm
Agreed on that one. But I think much of the industry has got both greedy lazy and arrogant
Demographics changed decades ago. Very few millennials, even fewer gen Z and A have any interest in motorcycles. The smartphone needle goes into the cerebral cortex from the moment people wake to the moment they fall off to sleep. Much of what Boomers value is going to crash due to “no bid”. Classic cars, sailboats, just name the hobby or collectible and it’s very likely NOT of interest to most of the people under 40.
I agree 100%...why live a life when it can be done in AI Reality?
Well put!
True. The market adjusts, however the manufacturers aren’t.
So right 👍
I sell motorcycle parts for a living and approximately 50% of my customers are under 40. I've seen a massive increase in young hispanic males customers over the past 5 years. Puerto Rico is representing 3% of my sales this year, which is a huge increase. Many things will change with demographics, but motorcycling is still healthy, albeit likely contracting.
I work at a KTM dealer and they are still helping us, with both warranty at technical assistance. It stinks to see this happen.
sooo... hows that whole backorder thing working out, cams and followers, discs and wheels... When warranties are denied, and replacement parts are a Full Year out, people go elsewhere, and tell all their friends.. I agree it is a shame, when you can ride great.. but when you sit waiting to be able, you get another bike. I hope where you work also has other brands, so you still have a job
I only had one ktm, the ktm 950sm, at first I did not really click with it, but as time went on it came to me, but another thing that came to me were the oil leaks :P
But this is what happens, when the top just suck dry out of the company while the workers have to make do with what is left for them, and when it gets tough the workers are the ones paying for it with their jobs.
paying dividends under the circumstances is unforgivable to me, it is all very sad
We used to get quite a few KTMs through the workshop, and the build quality & quality control seemed very patchy, these were mostly the mid sized and smaller models, & pure off road bikes, not the flagship models.
KTM, huskavona and gas gas are all competing against each other. What could go wrong.
Same girl different dress😊
Sounds like they took a note from General Motors from back in the day despite the shit show that resulted in multiple rebrands of the same problem children models.
Except the GG trials bike.
Not really, it's not competition if all the money flows to rhe same company.
This is the way most industries work. Nearly all corporations are part owned by the same financial backers.
Looks like Jack Miller might have just dodged a bullet ~
Jack is a bright spark 😊 he will have seen what’s happening I’m sure
I appreciate your take on the state of things at KTM, and I agree that Stefan must go before anything can be salvaged. What will happen? It's anyone's guess, but the likely outcomes will be either:
1) A leveraged buyout which only ends with bankruptcy once the due date for the interest arrives. This always results in padding the investors pockets while the core company disappears.
or
2) A massive buyout and restructuring in which investors take precedence and the brand becomes totally ignored as well as the customers. KTM is kind of at this point already, but it could get even worse.
The outcome is grim. It is unfortunate and sad, and I say that even though I am not a KTM fan. I live in Amherst, Ohio, the north American HQ for KTM. I personally know John Penton and have had coffee with him discussing those early years. We need KTM. Enduro events thrive when multiple brands take part. Brand choice makes things better for everyone, and again, I am not a fan of the bikes, but they definitely have a place at the table.
The really sad part is Stefan, Gottfried, et al will come out of this with millions. Investors and share owners will probably get some of the pie too. It's disgusting. But the dealerships and more importantly the owners will get nothing. Absolutely nothing... except for the memories. KTM will be reduced to a memory of older guys sitting around a table saying, "remember when...".
And if the KTM name is spared or if it rises from the ashes, it may take years before they become relevant or even competitive again.
Corporate greed. Welcome to the new world... same as the old world.
I couldn’t have put it better. And yes. Sad times
I think if it gets sold off, It will be bought by Indian or Chinese investors, and production moved completely to one of those countries.
@@uhtred7860Agreed - Chinese will snap it up. Probably through CFMoto
"dirty deeds done dirt cheap" AC/DC . Dirty deeds done very expensively ,Pierer mobility. Seems this week is a bad one for famous brands , Fancey a "Faguar" anyone?
Faguar! 😂😂😂😂 Brilliant! Can I nick that? I did use ‘Jagayuar’ but ‘Faguar’ is way better!
@@timhicks2154 be my guest
It's a shame for the staff and people on the receiving end.. but this is a good thing. KTM have got away with too much for too long and need to face the consequences of their shady business practices.
imagine thinking this is a good thing
@@mxgryan It's not great, but then that describes KTM and their business practices pretty well, poor quality control on many of their mid range bikes, terrible customer service when trying to deal with them, and god help you if you walk into one of their showrooms without carrying a bag with dollar signs on the back, if you don't look like you're there to buy a bike right there and then, they don't seem interested at all, whereas other dealerships will approach you and talk to you like a human, they show interest...KTM remind me of Harley Davidson in all the wrong ways.
This is the harsh wake-up call and lesson that they need to learn, it sucks to lose another motorcycle maker, but they have gotten pretty arrogant and greedy, and it's bitten them in the ass finally.
Shame about the staff though.
@@mxgryan enlighten me as to why it isn't?
Ok, I re-watched the video, partly without sound and got a new appreciation for the post. As usual, your videos are top notch, and well researched.
My personal opinion on the brand is very low. My local dealer is very arrogant about the brand, like you would expect from a Ferrari dealer. To me, the bikes aren’t very reliable, are very expensive, and warranty service is spotty. I would never buy a bike that has electronic features that I have to pay extra for to “unlock” them. That’s BS. The Japanese still make capable and reliable bikes. I want long maintenance intervals and reliability.
I am even thinking of a CF MOTO IBEX 450 😳 for Spring delivery.
Waiting lists are long in many countries on the 450MT but it is opening up the market 😊
@ In the US they are called the IBEX 450 & 800. MT is trademarked by Yamaha here.
The reviews seem great, they have been building bikes for other companies for years, including KTM. 2 year warranty and a very attractive price. I have been against buying Chinese on principle (except for my iPhone) but the value they represent is too great to overlook. I am willing to wait 4 months for Spring delivery.
The 450 retails for about US $7,500, including delivery and dealer prep. I paid in the mid 20’s for my 2021 Pan America Special, and it was a piece of 💩. Now that it has been uncovered that Harley had a DEI program, I know why it was the only Harley I owned that was unreliable. I ride alone and remote, so I need to know I can make it home.
I wonder what the future holds for ducati, being part of the V.A.G. group
I've heard that Audi wanted to sell Ducati to an indian group.
Sad. We have 2 KTMs at my house and our riding group is mostly these bikes.
it is all very sad
It'll be a real shame if KTM do go under, maybe a lesson to other manufacturers that too many expensive electronics which raise the showroom price beyond the means of many are not the route to take.
Nah, just don't build crap and don't be arrogant.
re electronics, we can but hope lol, im sure theyll survive in some form, but id say it looks dark for MV Agusta Husky and Gas Gas,
@@Emily-ou6lq i love your subtlety mate 🙂 arrogance is never a virtue 🙂
@@barebonesmc LOL, Austrians seem to have a habit of performing well for a short time until everything collapses
@@Emily-ou6lq 🤣🤣🤣
Take the keys away from Pierer. He is drunk on his wealth and has treated KTM as a cash cow buying companies and investing in money draining products, while ignoring quality (Those cams are fine! They say.)
They are fine, was never the cams it was an engineering mistake with oil ports on two models for like 2 years. It's since been fixed. Just goes to show the idiocy of the Internet and how people regurgitate fake info. Probably did more damage than KTM did to themselves.
KTM very much reminds me of Harley 2 decades ago, they have customers who very much want their products and they are good at making them. The fly in the ointment is a management team that produces a toxic view of not only the dealers but the customers. They will either make difficult decisions and change direction or they will survive in name only under Chinese ownership and production.
Time will tell😊
I am a little torn here.
I love that KTM has continued to develop and build 2 strokes.
But I hate their buying of other brands to remove competition and choice.
I pretty sure they just purchased failing companies at fire sale prices for the brand name. That kept the name alive but the bikes were just KTM’s of differing colors. Reminds me of Triumph, an investment company bought the name and the new bikes are Triumph’s in name only.
As always, I may not be 100% correct.
There is good and bad everywhere. As always it’s a balance. But ktm seem to have thrown the scales away
@@JetSkiSuper7 Yes but even at fire sale prices they are only buying the brand to limit competition. Hence the same bikes in different colors.
@@tribalbc Again, I may be wrong but the bike world moves forward perfectly fine without KTM or any of their bikes. The only people I see suffering are all the employees scattered around the world. The bike, ATV, UTV and watercraft dealers are overflowing with vehicles now and I don’t see any reason for inventories to drop significantly at this point other than fire sales.
@JetSkiSuper7 I agree for the most part. My only concern is 2 stroke dirt bikes. If KTM folds it is just another nail in the coffin of the 2 stroke dirt bike. We will only be left with a few small boutique brands like Sherco, Beta and TM.
thanks for your update 👍 how the hell your f@&k up a company as big as KTM beats me 😮
Perhaps they got too big .
Love my old RFS KTM but hated my fuel injected Husky. May have to look to Beta.
I have a mate who went ktm husky sherco then beta and has great things to say about the beta quality. I do like their 400 adv bikes
@@barebonesmc Beta had a demo day at my local riding area in 2019. Their bikes rock. I rode a 200 2T and loved it.
@@Fubar684 that was similar to his assessment 😊
Moving production to China and India, is the end of KTM as a brand. Sad to see, as it's the best on the market for road going supermoto production.
Funnily enough it’s the Austrian built bikes causing much of the problem. But I’d argue the companies attitude is the thing that’s killing them
@barebonesmc I definitely think it a management problem, over the actual standard of workers in Austria. I test rode a 690 smcr, back in 2015. The build quality seem to be at a very high standard, compared to to the 2022 one I tested.
@@Sierra-bw4gm having the camshaft issue is one thing, not dealing with it another thing entirely
Where was iPhone made up to recently?
@SeakalalaMojapelo-yg8jm Don't know or care, if no interest in IPhone's.
It seems to me that the relentless chase for more tech in bikes is killing the $port. These over engineered machines my one day be nothing more than doorstops because the software upgrades and parts/support became impossible to sustain. The same situation with newer automobiles. Oh well....... progress.
I think the “if it’s close enough we can sort it out with electronics“ approach hasn’t been good for actual engineering progress
I raced ktm in the 90s and loved them. They were stone reliable and light.
I was thinking about a white 701 this coming spring but I have not seen anything that makes me think they are still reliable.
It is all a bit sad
Their older classical bikes are reliable - keep a small stock of parts before they disappear..
Just bother less with their newer offerings, the newer it is, the worst still it's become, and it's not specifically due to Indian involvement,
..but more their links to the CCP's PRC companies, Italian 'Business' and egotestical stock-marketeering derived business practices.
I have had 2x 701s and now on a new 690 all been great
My 2016 701 has been solid and has lived a fairly hard life.
@@RichardHinks-c1h the 701 came out in what, 2017? Were they were stolen or totalled, to be going through them that quickly?
price/quality KTM motorcycles are way too expensive compared to the competition. In these bad economic times they have become unsellable. They can no longer compete with the new Chinese brands.
Time will tell what the quality of these chinese bikes will be.
@@maikelnait4495
They will be shit, or found to be shite, total shite.
As eventually as with anything & everything's made by Communistic people's, too many corners get recut, too many quality checks get removed or skipped, or the capability to deliver above a certain level of technological effort with is corrupted by The Party's needs to be the only ones whom are the smartest decision makers within their entire whole sphere of micromanaged control.
They the PRC cannot yet make reliable jet engines much better than mid 1960's Soviet tech levels of limitations.
Let alone what Mao's Students Revolution of the Little Red Books did to previously amassed intelligent institutionalised know-hows in all fields of industrial R&D, Materiáls, Production, QA Inspections, .. Education, Medical, Scientific Studies & Sciences etc..
..then factor in PRC's CCP's baby milk scandals, other fake food scandals, widespread dumbly collapsing public buildings & projects, and other infrastructures, their total causing of Bird-Flues & Corona-Viruses, and their recent 15 years of unsubtly attempts of 'subtle' power politics which encouraged, allowed or triggered Russia's wars, so China could weaken an old rival and try to get access to more advanced engine tech (than their own)...
Oh, every company foreign or domestic within the CCP's PRC, must be by law be overseen & controlled at the whim of the Party appointed Party Staff Representative Officers for the Party.
Any technological company secrets, IP, designs, machineries etc used are automatically property of the CCP when they want to steal it and throw out the foreign business as an empty husk of a used/soiled patsy.
See what happened to Segway.. or recently to Tesla Shanghai, that turn Elon to how he is noe...
VSorry, this is long. too long, but unable to be shorter without skipping some basic importantly indirectly cross connected things.
And I am still missing out 30 metric tons more ressons.
Which Chinese motorcycle is better than a KTM?
😂😂😂 I'm laughing at guys that buy Chinese bikes and talk shit about European or Japanese.. my zx-6r has 90000km and still going strong. My friend's KTM has more than 300 hours on its piston and top end and still ripping the trails. Let's see the Chinese garbage what will do...
Yeah but the same can be said for every company, but if we are comparing against the Japanese this is not exactly fair because the top Japanese brands all make multiple different products from cars to boats and lawnmowers, sadly if KTM are having these problems it's going to be the same for every other bike exclusive company. Ducati are the exception because they are directly subsidised by the country just like BMW is in Germany so they will not go under because they are institutionalised.
Damn. they are keeping 2-strokes alive...
Bike market going to shit everywhere
Many countries in the west for sure (but not the Netherlands interestingly) but healthy in many countries like Africa India and China. Just different
With the loons pushing green, bikes should be having their best days. Why not?
I have been riding for 52 years. I am a loyal KTM customer.
KTM’s I have personal ownership experience with:
250 Free Ride
300 XCW
500 EXC
690 R
950 Super Enduro R
1190 R
1290 Super Adventure
1290 Super Duke R
The bikes have been 100% reliable. I have had 2 warranty issues both with gas tank leaks. One on the 250 FR and the other on the 1290 SA. The only oil I have ever had on my garage floor has been from doing sloppy oil changes. My experience they are designed and built to the same quality standard as anything out of Japan. I think the issues are financial the same as with a lot of companies that grow to fast. They have way too many models which causes unnecessary enormous inventory carrying costs for KTM and their dealers. This is not a paid endorsement it is my personal experience.
In 2020, I wanted a motorcycle that handled, getting the best handling motorcycle was my goal. After extensive research. I came to the conclusion that the 2020 KTM 890 DUKE R was the bike for me! So I bought one. And it handles like no other motorcycle I've ever ridden. I love this bike! Then, about 6 months ago, I became aware of the cam failure/lubrication problems! 😡
NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!!!
I've since changed my bikes name from MAC The Knife (from the Super Scalpe moniker) to TB!
For Time Bomb! Nothing like paying $15,000+ for a motorcycle with a useful life of 12,000 miles!!!
If I'm lucky.....
Sorry mate. I feel for you. And I know the feeling. I owned a zane era Laverda. We affectionately called them grandees for similar reasons 😊
If you want a bike with amazing handling and great build quality (once you iron out the fuel injection kinks, easy to do) ... Triumph TT600/Speed Four (not to be confused with Speed 400) ... under appreciated gem, amazing handling though, its the bike I always come back to no matter what, been riding it for years and it STILL puts a smile on my face every day.
Have you actually had the cams checked? I've got a 20 plate 790 duke that's on 24000 miles, had the valve check and is OK. I have put 19000 or so of those miles on it. I rode it over to the TT and back this year and have had no problems at all, either on that trip or at any other time. So the cam issue isn't guaranteed you know. Resale value is another issue though.
Sometimes it's only your upbeat delivery and optimism that keeps me going as a KTM owner. 😅
lol. There’s no point in the woe is me approach. 😊 I am just hoping there’s a coup. He’s played a blinder the way he’s shuffled shares and ownership to keep bajaj and red bull apart. But they could sink him. And imo probably should
It's sad to see this happen, I've never owned one but friends that do, or have, tell me they're a good machine. But something I've often observed over the years, is that once a company goes public, their priorities have to shift from maintaining their goods/services to a popular standard, to focusing on a good dividend for their shareholders. And, as in more & more cases these days, an obscene "bonus" for CEO's & board members. I'm not saying that's the case here, though. I do hope the KTM's stay in the marketplace. But if they do manage it, I suspect the product will be the first thing to suffer.
Out sourcing engines was a big mistake, not admitting the mistake and honoring warranties and the like.. Cam failures and complaints going ignored (790/890), Air boxes not sealing, filter box design actually having an air filter being installed backward (1190). I'm still riding my 100k mile 950 Adv. It's an incredible machine, I'm sure right now John Penton is rolling in his grave over what has become of KTM in the US
Company attitude to customers has been woeful
Motor cycles are just getting to be to expensive that is the reason. Lack of customer support.
Greed and laziness drives much of the modern industry imo
It’s a sad time for KTM and its partner companies, while shareholders keep getting dividends but the workers and brand get sold down the river 🥲
I've never disliked their bikes but I have worried about the service requirements for valves and such. All needing to be
done by the dealer was always something I was concerned about. While I always thought they were high end bikes, I
guess the Japanese bikes longevity w/o needing a lot of dealer checks is very appealing? I could see buying one of
these brands & getting stuck needing parts in their crumbling state leaving people with broken stuff? IT's more than
I can wrap my mind around but I always had this feeling that something was amiss..... took someone like you to look
deeper. Hope all is well, hanging in on my end. peace & GB
Going all in on electric bicycles seemed to have done this. I wish the talented staff wasn't the biggest losers.
Yep. Shareholders getting dividends while jobs are slashed is just wrong to me
The explanation given by KTM itself tells you the reason they are in the predicament they are.
Blame everyone and everything, but KTM themselves.
Oh no. It couldn't be questionable engineering, crappy quality control, high prices, arrogant dealers, etc etc.
Well put sir😊👍
This just saddens me. An all too typical story of business demise and greed. As always, the employees and the customers lose.
It’s a very competitive market now with some good stuff coming from China. Western manufacturers need to sharpen their pencils and offer reliable, simple, affordable bikes without all the expensive frills that buyers don’t want. KTM follows VW…
Whether it is "good stuff" coming from china remains to be seen. Offering new buyers a designated performance package that retires after three months was NEVER going to be popular. Who would have thought ?
I see it as, why buy a European Chinese bike, when I can buy a Chinese bike cheaper
@ exactly right for bikes and lots of other stuff
I could imagine a solid and popular company getting on its knees by a salesdrop of 50%, but a solidly managed company should sustain a mere drop of 6% or even 15% with ease. Where did all the money go Mr. Pierer, or was there never any solid revenue ever?
Hard to believe how such a relevant brand after decades of successful leadership goes to sh%#. Same thing playing out at Stellantis with Dodge brand. Great listen. Thanks
I don’t follow the car industry. What’s the story at dodge?
The only sport I follow is MotoGP, and I'm a huge Brad Binder/KTM fan. It makes me sad to think there's no money to continue development. The Moto3 will probably be an all Honda series after a couple years as well, at least those hungry youngsters will still be fighting it out in much the same manner. This corporate greed just makes me depressed.
I try not to let it get me down. But I do think the big boys have been lazy and greedy too long. It is time for change
They can give me a bike, I'll store it
🤣🤣🤣 me too lol
Never expected that KTM will fail like MAICO. But must admit that corporate greed can destroy even companies that are labeled too big to fail.
We shall see what the future holds
Too many models, should have concentrated on what bike sells the most and make it reliable with good dealer back up instead of having dozens of bikes in development 🤷
The Nokia approach 🤣🤣
Let's hear the CEOs agree to a wage cut in order to restructure the company and preserve the employees rather than go begging for a cash stimulus. Yeah, right, that's not going to happen.
Accepting no dividends to save job cuts would have been a start. Instead he had the arrogance to say we won’t pay out quite so much in dividends this year n thought that would be enough
Make Husqvarna/Husaberg Swedish Again.
Now that would be great
The black hole in finances probably equals their motogp spending
Yes, why a company that's primary business is dirt bikes is even playing around in motoGP is strange, it has no marketing value in what makes them money, it's a bit like if Boeing or Airbus had an F1 team
KTM has had financial problems for their whole existence. A very colorful history.
Not this much debt previously tho I don’t think
I wonder how this will affect KTM dealerships here in the States - one of the ONLY motorcycle repair and accessory shops near me is a KTM dealer.
Agreed. I just bought one and the extended warranty…. lol. Craaaap.
Not all KTM (GasGas, Huskvarna) bikes are bad, I own a 2024 450 EXC-F and I am a happy rider.
I’m not dissing the bikes at all. Just the company
I had a 2007 Exc 525
You could set it up for single track or open Mojave desert wfo- or anything in between. Hell
Of a Moto.
That’s the sad part. Good engineers are loosing their jobs to pay dividends to shareholders that don’t deserve it
Their design for strret bikes are unique & exotic. Not like other manufacturers. Thats why i love KTM. But somehow the spareparts & the bike price are becoming too expensive over the years. I hope they will recover
I think that the first casualty will be MV Augusta, followed by Husqvarna - they might be able to spin off GasGas, but KTM will have to be much smaller, more focussed and offer better value in order to survive.
I have owned KTMs and Huskys forever... The 2 stroke models. I believe the way to go now is Beta or Sherco. Maybe Reiju.
Just wished the Japanese would build 2 stroke enduro bikes again. 200, 250 and 300 models.
A friend who is far faster than me says sherco to race. Beta to ride 😊
All the motorcycle companies started building budget bikes but KTM. The company will survive but they need to slim the lineup. Get rid of the online twin bikes and stick with the trusted v twin lc8. The new sport bikes will sell well but the trust is low in the parallel twin motor. Make a Dakar styled single for the adventure lineup instead of the 3,7, and 890s . Work on refining bikes instead of churning out new models every 2 years to keep production costs and r/d down and renew consumer confidence in reliability.
Sounds like you should be running it mate😊👌
And don't make pay over for the software and "power parts".
Any idea how this affects MV Augusta? They are under PMG, correct?
Nothing solid, but i cant imagine there is much good news, MV still need money to do a manufacturing run of any sort, and PMG have no money, so i cant imagine that much is being made beyond show bikes and maybe limited runs, i will keep my ears open, but its harder to get info on MV, cheers and have a great day
@@barebonesmc That's rough. The 921S deliveries were postponed from Jan '25 to Jan '26 back in the Spring. Now I worry this could set it back even further. If things get much worse I may reclaim my deposit while I still can.
Absolutely love my 17 ktm 300 exc
One of my all time favourite bikes was my 2006 300EXC; Cheap; Easy to maintain; Good parts supply; Reliable as a rock and did what it said on the box; But, and here's the thing. they are a young mans toy and I'm not sure young men can afford 'toys' anymore.
I’m not saying that they don’t or can’t make good bikes. That’s the sad thing
@@barebonesmc Not suggesting that you did say that mate; I was just replying to blokes comment about the 300EXC; Sadly though, now that I am beyond my rooster years, none of the KTM 'adventure' bikes appeal to me; Fast? too bloody fast in my opinion; There's no need for highly strung 'adventure/touring' bikes; What is needed is good all round performance, comfort and reliability...something that none of the 'middle to big' KTM's have.
@@markhills3922 57 years young and still riding hard in the forest.
@@ALB2073 Good for you; Enjoy!
KTM will be fine, too many love the brand.
Time will tell but yes I’m sure they’ll survive in some form
You forgot the back room deals with the Dakar owners etc.
KTM was never that big of a company, at least in the USA. I remember going to the Ohio tech training and the old guys there tanking about Penton. That place was kind of small, but they could still get the job don. In the past couple years KTM grew very fast, Moto Gp, buying up the other brands, a new facility in Cali. They should have let not absorbed Husky, Gas Gas, and MV.
Are you sure?? I sure see a lot of Orange in the places I ride. Also see a lot of them winning lots of races.
I bought 2 off road KTMs this year. A 350 and 500 XWF Four Stroke. Good running bikes they are. However, I will not buy any more after watching this video. I will just ride them and replace parts as necessary if I can get them.
Thanks for sharing. I’m sure they will survive on some level
KTM 's development department core to Suzuki, the rest to Bajaj. Best fit for the world
It would be sad to see KTM go by the wayside. We're heading into some tough economic times and the truth is KTM may not make it through and they're not the only one. I hear that Stellantis is in a world of hurt. My own theory is that over time, the center of the motorcycle industry will move to India. They are becoming more affluent and the number of buyers there dwarf any other country.
there is a power shift happening for sure, I began writing about it at least 2 years ago now, ruclips.net/video/RGk7qCa4Ghc/видео.html
Husaberg Ready to Race bring back the Husaberg line of bikes.. Ride Free ✌️
Once a berg man always a berg man 😊👌💪
@@barebonesmc Still have my 2003 FE501...best enduro bike ever! Simple; Easy maintenance; Carb with cable; Light clutch; Great suspension; No electronic gizmos...and it goes like stink when the right hand gets happy; Oh, and when Husaberg was still around, they stood behind the product 100% with a 12 month warranty; No questions asked other than "does it have oil in it?" (Cam decomp lever found to be faulty) other than that, never had a problem apart from worn tyres and chains...
When KTM/Husqvarna took over, quality went down hill; Warranties not honoured and they priced the Berg above the KTM even though it was a KTM/Husqvarna;
"Ready to Race"...KTM stole that too; "Four Stroke Force" Live on Husaberg!
Same old story. Move from innovating to endless tweaking, squeezing every penny out while killing quality, killing iconic brands by turning them into ktm copies, not listening to what customers want and so on. Had to catch up to them.
Sadly true
What will happen to all of the factory race efforts? Motogp, Dakar........Ouch!👍👍
They, like many other companies....many of them Owned by private equity Just brought on too much debt. This is what happens when you cannot control debt in a company. You're going to see a lot more of them In the power sports industry go the same way. I hope they can turn this around, they are a fantastic company.
Time is ticking. I will keep everyone posted
Do you think the Moto GP riders were told about the impending collapse before they signed their contracts?
Did Jack Miller leave because he knew what was coming? 😊 who knows. But Jack is a bright bloke
Jack didn't leave he wanted to stay...he was sacked ...not very bright and not very fast, neither is ktm
Consolidation of the R&D folks also means sacking people.
Also sad when a company which is basically a marketing concern has to step in to buy a manufacturer of beautifully constructed machines
KTM are one of my favoutite bikes period! Rode 450s in the desert and was going to buy a 390 but due to this uncertainty I bought Royal Enfield instead!
People are not buying motorcycles today, like they were in the 80s 90s but it's no suprise that KTM are going under, their bikes are to expensive.
The market is different in different countries. While western markets die eastern markets are booming
With KTM and BMW are using Chinese engines , people are catching on to the fact that maybe Chinese motorcycles aren't that bad, for less price.
The brand image was huge in me...until I discover on RUclips their camshaft problem that arrogant KTM did not recognize and fix for a LONG time...and they NEVER issue a wide statement with the problem and that they will take care of it...there is more videos on "do not buy a KTM" "I am selling mine asap!"...there are BS us with "nothing change in racing, it is all good"! I guess the boss is killing the brand...in Belgium the price has not changed 1 euro down on the gas bikes....I you do not honor your customers who paid their super high prices for the bikes then you kill your brand, period. Also they do not have a PR dept that can save them from bankrupcy...they are too arrogant for that...they better fire the boss....and the guy that design the headlights of the bikes! Thanks for the data of this video which give a real picture of the scene, compared to their "it is all good" they give to the general public...somebody is GOOFING like mad and has KILLED this brand...by the way add to YOUR description from which country you operate, it is nowhere! I like to know that detail...best regards, Olivier, Belgium
You can’t tell from his accent that he’s a Yorkshireman??
@@uhtred7860 Ohhh that's from where this strong accent come! Thanks for the info!
cant conquer markets with ugly bikes
lol. I’m not a fan of kiska design either 😊
I think that Red Bull as well as Alpinestar and even BELL should help KTM, considering that KTM and their Team Riders gave Red Bull, Alpinestar, and BELL recognition through years of exposure on many KTM models as well as the KTM clothing/riding gear line,etc..
I have a theory with KTM, I wonder if they would have been in a dominant position if they had not pulled out of being the host bikes for the long way around TV series. The show spawned a generation of touring riders and subsequently gave BMW the market share for premium touring bikes. KTM turned to hypernaked bikes as flagships which have not really gained any popularity whatsoever.
Hate to see it happen, I absolutely love my KTM bikes, I've had the pleasure of owning quit a few over the years
I sure hope pull out of it
we can but hope, i do think stefan pierer has to go though
All these SX/MX bikes by all the major manufacturers jumped from $4,000 2-Strokes to $15,000 4-Strokes way to fast.
Every 6-10 day/month rider didn't need a bike that could win A1 or Unadilla.
I was going to purchase myself a new ktm 300 XC as a Christmas present to myself but changed my mind after doing my research on the bike. $11,500-$12,000 for a bike that runs out of fuel before the tank is empty. Cannot get to the spark plug with the fuel tank in place. May blow a fuse and leave me stranded. Now thinking I may get the Yamaha YZ250X for it's simplicity and save $3,500-$4,000...
Have you looked at the beta or sherco?
@barebonesmc No I haven't.
Agree but still love the electric start. Have Beta now.
Yeah but the transmission isn't made very well and you'll replace the clutch basket every year or two with the Yamaha.
@Bryan-Hensley I'm on a 2019 yz250 now, no problems just wanted a fresh bike.
Obviously no one wants the misfortune of a manufacturer with the history of KTM, but greed sometimes has these things, perhaps they have gotten involved in too many things with too many brands without doing anything different from many other manufacturers, nowadays they all cling to Chinese or Indian groups and what has happened is an increase in the quality of those who are growing and a decrease in the quality of those who provide know-how, European brands are unable to keep up with the supply of components, more for example today we can look at the Zontes brand almost as if it were the Chinese BMW offering accessories that make the rider's life more pleasant at prices that are impossible to beat and now that they are about to launch the three-cylinder 703F, any top brand will stand at attention when they see the quality of the same. It will be very difficult to resist the prices plus quality, accessories they offer and now also in terms of campaigns to buy the motorcycle at zero % interest rates are usually always on Chinese brands, the life of every European in financial terms is not in line with the evolution of the prices of European brands and, incidentally, even the prices of Japanese motorcycles are too high.
I think you got it with greed. And laziness. I like the zontes 703 but another that is just too heavy imo
It takes years to develop a brand and minutes to destroy it.
I think the CF Moto Chinese copy machines of KTM won’t help them, they are basically the same but much cheaper.
Plus the CF Moto company makes those KTM engines that eat their cams.
I’ve bought five of their bikes new off the showroom floor, when I was really getting impatient on parts being back ordered, I called KTM and was told basically “tough luck”. That was less than two years ago, don’t really care how low prices go, wouldn’t buy another bike from them.
Not just KTM it’s all over. Arctic Cat, laying off hundreds. The business cycle is on the downside. Make hay while sun shines, than put money away for rainy days. Well we are into rainy days stste, looks like many producers didn’t put money away, adjust for the rain. Old old argument that happened for centuries.
Oh I’m sure Pierer and the shareholders have but plenty away. Short term greed winning over long term success 😊
Ran out of yuppies buying 20k dirtbikes .
Lol
Another great video!!!
Thanks again mate. Have a good day
Nice video and info
I sincerly hope Bajaj buys KTM for good, they have a ton of cash and the large scale reach to support the brand.
Very interesting, thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it but a sad news story
i wonder if all the acquisitions ktm have made in recent years were all paid for with debt.
The money from bajaj helped. Very directly with MV. That is a deal unto itself. There’s an older video about it linked in the description. How ktm scammed an oligarch might have been a better title 🤣🤣
Virtually all acquisitions are made with loans against the buyer's existing assets.
@@pauln6803 i think that was his point, there was a time when being able to afford it was a criteria 🙂
The cause is simply rooted in affordability. Motorcycle industry is ridiculously expensive. From OEM components, rider wear, fluids, etc. Most are bound to collapse, I can imagine. It costs me three times more to service Kawasaki Z900 than an Isuzu pick-up. Some of the items are knock-over, e.g. Shark helmet I bought could not last a year and the defects were rejected by so-called 5 years warranty. The motul oils, the air filter, very expensive. We will try Chinese alternatives, no choice.
creases need flattening clearly, but they will be fine
In time I’m sure. But imo. Not while Steffan Pierer is in charge 😊
@barebonesmc him being one of the creases that needs ironing out
@@ogasi1798 🙂
Make a good motorcycle, price it so we can afford it, stop wasting money, quit trying to be everything to everyone, just a few rules KTM needs to follow………but they won’t, didn’t and will repeat the same mistakes in the future.
It will continue unless Pierer goes I think
Why purchase MV Augusta ?
KTM are the only bike maker that consistently floats my boat.