KTM: history as a producer of motorcycles
KTM is for the most part a dirt-bike builder, and that identity has spawned a large product line both now and in the past. Even though most of its offerings come with knobby tires, street bikes have almost always been part of its lineup. Its first motorcycle was released in 1953, and it was called the R100. Shortly thereafter, the company won its first championship, the Austrian 125. The company used its racing as a proving ground for technology for its production bikes, and it started a factory ISDE team in 1964.
KTM bikes were first shipped to the US in 1968, under the Penton name. An importer named John Penton wanted them in order to breathe new life into the US' dirt bike racing and riding scenes. The American branch of KTM was established in Ohio in 1978; that particular decade saw an enormous expansion of the 50cc bike market.
The 1980s saw a series of changes in the company, most notably the death of manager Eric Trunkenpolz and a change in ownership. KTM began building water-cooled bikes, producing its first 125cc motocross machine in 1981 and applying the technology to its four-strokes soon afterward. It further led the field by offering front and rear disc brakes starting in 1986.
A majority of the company was purchased by GIT Trust in 1989; two years later, the company went bankrupt and it was divided into separate divisions for motorcycles, radiators, tooling and bicycles. The sport motorcycle division came under new management, and gained a new focus on performance. Dominant performances at various rally events in the 1990s made KTM all but synonymous with this form of racing.
The mid-1990s saw new acquisitions and models coming to the KTM family. An electric-start engine was introduced, and began to be used in the Adventure and Supermoto lines, and just before 2000, the PDS suspension came along. KTM began production on its 400/525cc engines. The 2000s have been good for KTM, with six titles and an entry into 125cc road racing. In 2007, the company entered into the sports car market with the X-Bow, which captured the interest of both car and motorcycle enthusiasts. As the next decade dawned, KTM has embraced the shifting political and environmental climate by preparing to produce an electric off-road bike.