| KTM Sportmotorcycle AG | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Aktiengesellschaft |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | Hans Trunkenpolz |
| Headquarters |  Mattighofen, Austria |
| Industry | Motorcycle |
| Parent | KTM Powersports AG |
| Subsidiaries | Husaberg WP Suspension |
| Website | www.ktm.com |
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle manufacturer. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome Mattighofen is a Town in the district Braunau am Inn, part of the Innviertel region in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. A holding company is a company that owns part all or a majority of other companies' outstanding Stock. A subsidiary, in business matters is an entity that is controlled by a bigger and more powerful entity Husaberg is a Swedish manufacturer of Off-road and Supermoto Four-stroke Motorcycles Husaberg motorcycles are A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages Aktiengesellschaft ('aktsiəngəzεlʃaft abbreviated AG) is a German term that refers to a Corporation that is limited by shares i Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz [1] in Mattighofen. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mattighofen is a Town in the district Braunau am Inn, part of the Innviertel region in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. It started out as a metalworking shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. Metalworking is craft and practice of working with Metals to create individual parts assemblies or large scale structures In 1953 KTM began producing motorcycles. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
KTM is most commonly known for its off road motorcycles though in recent years it has expansed into street motorcycle production. Off Roading is a term for driving a specialized vehicle on unpaved roads such as Sand, Gravel, riverbeds Mud, Snow, Rocks,
Contents |
History
The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz [1] in Mattighofen. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mattighofen is a Town in the district Braunau am Inn, part of the Innviertel region in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. It started out as a metalworking shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. Metalworking is craft and practice of working with Metals to create individual parts assemblies or large scale structures It wasn't until 1953 that KTM began production of motorcycles. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. With just 20 employees, motorcycles were built at the rate of three per day. In 1955, a businessman Ernst Kronreif became shareholder of the company, on acquiring a sizable portion of the company. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) It was then renamed Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. Trunkenpolz died unexpectedly in 1989. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) During these early years of motocycle production at KTM, almost all components for the motorcycles were built in-house by KTM.
Throughout KTM's history, they have been on the leading edge of motorcycle technology. They were the first manufacturer to produce a liquid-cooled four-stroke motorcycle engine for an off road motorcycle, a design which has since been replicated by all other manufacturers (KTM even supplied radiators to Suzuki in their early water-cooling days). Today Internal combustion engines in cars, Trucks motorcycles aircraft construction machinery and many others most commonly use a four-stroke cycle. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles a full range of Motorcycles All-Terrain In 1986 KTM became the first motorcycle manufacturer to include both front and rear disc brakes on an off road motorcycle. The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a Wheel. In 1998, they offered a linkless rear suspension, dramatically reducing the un-sprung weight of the bike (KTM was the first major manufacturer to do so, although ATK, a small market, niche brand did so as early as 1987). They were also the first to offer hydraulic clutch mechanisms on all models of motorcycles, and were the first to offer a competition-ready supermoto bike. Supermoto or Supermotard is a cross-over or evolution of Motocross and Road racing.
Financial structure
In 1992 the company became insolvent and was divided into three companies:
- KTM Sportmotorcycles GmbH, was renamed 1994 to KTM Sportmotocycles AG
- KTM Fahrrad GmbH (Bicycles)
- KTM Kühler GmbH (Radiators)
In the fiscal or business year ending in 2005, KTM Sportmotocycles AG delivered 80,000 motorcycles worldwide and began a partnership with Polaris Industries. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Polaris Industries ( is a Snowmobile and ATV manufacturer based in Medina Minnesota, USA. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will help one another to extend their brands into the other's home market, KTM extending their reach into North America, and Polaris extending into Europe. This partnership is a two year trial arrangement, at the end of which both parties are giving the option of merging the two companies into one. In 2006 KTM announced that the partnership with Polaris had been ended early, and would instead only supply their 525cc RFS engines to the ATV manufacturer. KTM also announced their intention to enter the ATV market with either a late 2007 or 2008 model-year release.
In November 2007, Indian two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto Ltd. acquired 14. Bajaj Auto is a major Indian Automobile manufacturer It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker 5% stake in KTM Power Sports AG (holding company of KTM Sportmotocycles AG). The two companies have signed a cooperation deal, by which KTM will provide the know-how for joint development of the water-cooled 4 stroke 125 and 250 cc engines, and Bajaj will take over the distribution of KTM products in India and some other Southeast Asian nations. In December 2007, Bajaj increased their stake to more than 20%.
The Swedish motorcycle company Husaberg AB and Dutch WP Suspension are now subsidiaries of the KTM Group. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Husaberg is a Swedish manufacturer of Off-road and Supermoto Four-stroke Motorcycles Husaberg motorcycles are The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands
Racing sponsorship
KTM began in motorsports with Motocross Racing. Samuli Aro (born April 12, 1975 in Järvenpää) is a Finnish Enduro rider The Maxxis FIM World Enduro Championship (WEC is the world championship series for Enduro, a popular form of Off-road Motorcycle sport. Motocross is a form of Motorcycle sport or All-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed Off road circuits In the last few years KTM has gained more success in motorsports by dominating rally-raid events such as the Paris-Dakar Rally and the Atlas-Rally. Rally Raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance Off-road racing that takes place over several days The Dakar Rally (or simply " The Dakar " formerly known as "The Paris Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisboa Dakar" is In 2003, KTM started sponsoring and supporting Road racing in various capacities, with the most successful results stemming from their SuperMotard or Supermoto efforts. Road racing can be a term involving Road running, road bicycle races, or Automobile races Supermoto or Supermotard is a cross-over or evolution of Motocross and Road racing. Supermoto or Supermotard is a cross-over or evolution of Motocross and Road racing. KTM's new road racing focus will soon grow to include Superbike competition with the help of their newly developed V-Twin engine dubbed the LC8 as employed in the 950 Adventure dual-sport motorcycle, and more specifically the 2005/2006 990 Super Duke followed by the superbike contender known as the 1190 RC8. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation groups motorcycles into the following three separate classes street, off-road, and dual-sport. Configurations "True V-twin" vs V-2 There is some ambiguity regarding what defines a V-twin which arose from 180 degree "V" engines (see The KTM 1190 RC8 is a V-twin Sport bike manufactured by KTM. Its the Austrian manufacturer's first-ever Superbike design The Super Duke will have a higher output, second generation version of the LC8 engine, geared for high rpm peak power as required in road racing and superstreet applications while the RC8 will sport a 1190cc version of the LC8 for more midrange.
KTM offers a range of different engines for its larger motorcycles, all liquid-cooled.
KTM's official company/team colours are Orange, Black and Silver. To create a strong brand identity, all competition-ready KTMs come from the factory with bright orange plastic with "KTM" emblazoned on the side of the radiator shrouds. All KTM bikes also come from the factory with a Motorex sticker on the outside of the motor. Motorex is a Swiss oil blending and manufacturing company located in Langenthal Switzerland All first fills of oil come from Motorex as well. Motorex is a Swiss oil blending and manufacturing company located in Langenthal Switzerland Some official KTM teams use different colors for their bikes, most noticeably in the Paris-Dakar Rally. The Dakar Rally (or simply " The Dakar " formerly known as "The Paris Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisboa Dakar" is
In 2004 KTM abruptly pulled their support from the famous motorcycle trip around the world. BMW then donated BMW R1150GS Adventure all-terrain motorcycles for this adventure. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 The BMW R 1150 GS and BMW R 1150 GS Adventure are Motorcycles that were manufactured by BMW Motorrad between 1999 and 2005 Documentary series Long Way Round follows actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman on their extraordinary 20. Long Way Round ( LWR) is a documentary television series DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from Ewan Gordon McGregor (born 31 March 1971 ˌjuːən məˈgrɛgər is a Scottish Actor, who has had significant success in mainstream indie and art Charley Boorman (born 23 August 1966 is an English actor and adventurer 000 mile journey from London to New York. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
Off-road motorcycles
The term off-road refers to a driving surface that is not conventionally paved. This is a rough surface, often created naturally, such as sand, gravel, a river, mud or snow. This type of terrain can sometimes only be travelled on with vehicles designed for off-road driving (such as SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles or mountain bikes) or vehicles that have off-road equipment. The KTM is well equipped for these environments and is popular among many off-road riders. The design of this motorcycle is well suited to this sport and the weight of the motorcycle is another advantage. KTMs come stock ready to race, with a hydraulic clutch, full adjustable WP front and rear suspension and powerful engines requiring no modifications prior to racing. The KTM has won every Dakar rally since 2001.
Motocross - The 2008 SX line includes 65, 85, 105, 125, 144 and 250cc two-stroke models, and 250, 450 and 505 four-stroke models. Motocross is a form of Motorcycle sport or All-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed Off road circuits In 2005 KTM released the new 250SX-F to the general public. For the 2007 model-year, all of KTM's four-stroke SX motors were re-designed similarly to the 250 SX-F, in a dual-overhead cam 4-valve line dubbed the "RC4". The SX-F's are KTM's new racing motocross range introduced in 2007.
The KTM 125sx is very well-known to be the fastest and most powerful 125cc MX Bike. It has been the fastest and most powerful bike from when KTM re-designed the motor in 1998-2008. KTM now produce a 144 which is aimed to race alongside the 250F machines and remain competitive. KTM and TM are the only manufacturers to produce a 144 as yet.
Cross-Country The XC line includes 65, 85, 105, 200, 250 and 300 two-strokes, and 250, 450 and 505 four-stroke models. Cross Country running is a Sport of running Compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain faster than other teams The XC line updates and replaces their old MXC bikes. They feature a close-ratio gearbox, stiffer suspensions, and the four-strokes have a shorter-stroke design, mimicking their SX line. In 2007, they introduced the 250XC-F which is based on the 2006 SX model.
KTM's XC-W offroad bikes are 200, 250 and 300 two-strokes, and 250, 450 and 530 four-strokes. They feature plusher suspension and a wider-ratio tranmission than their XC line counterparts. The XC-W replaced their old EXC two-strokes, a move the company made in order to comply with EPA restrictions in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Two-strokes are still designated as EXCs in Europe markets.
Enduro The 2008 EXC line consists of 250, 450, 530cc four-strokes,and 125, 200, 250 and 300cc two strokes. Enduro is a form of Motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly Off-road. The EXC line has been a long-time favourite for Enduro market, and outsell other larger-volume brands to Enduro racers. Enduro is a form of Motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly Off-road.
Super Enduro consist of 690 and 950cc machines, mix between a enduro and a trail bike
Supermoto KTM produces several supermoto race bikes with displacements ranging from 450 (a supermoto version of the 450sx-f) to 565cc . Supermoto or Supermotard is a cross-over or evolution of Motocross and Road racing. They also make four non race-oriented models in 625, 654, 950 and 990cc displacements. KTM was the first manufacturer to offer a competition-ready Supermoto bike to the public, and their sponsored racers currently sit atop the US Supermoto racing circuit. The new LC8 SuperMoto 950 has received rave reviews from all the bike magazines and newspapers in the United Kingdom.
Dual-sport Adventure bikes offered with both the LC4 Engine (Adventure 640, 640R) and the LC8 Engine (Adventure 950, 950S, 990), the 640R is the base of the Rally 660 which has won many Dakar Rallies. A dual-sport, colloquially known as "dualie" or an "on-off road bike" is a type of street-legal Motorcycle that is designed for both on and
KTM 2 Stroke Development
Since the major rule changes in Motocross to make 4 stroke bikes more competitive in motocross and being given a 125cc 2 stroke to 250cc four stroke advantage the cheaper, simpler and faster 2 stroke bikes have being dying out.
Since other manufacturers have decided to discontinue their 2 stroke models, KTM has continued with creating and improving their 2 stroke models and taking up a very high proportion of the 2 stroke bike market.
KTM has also created a new 2 stroke MX bike with 144cc to comply with the 2008 AMA motocross class changes. This change has been made to bring back the 2 stroke bikes to encourage more entry to the market as the 2 stroke bikes are cheaper to maintain and repair than the expensive 4 stroke bikes.
Environmental agencies have tried to remove 2 stroke machines because they produce more pollution than 4 strokes. However with newer advances in technology 2 strokes have began to burn cleaner and pass green sticker standards.
In recent interviews KTM has revealed that they will continue to produce and improve 2 stroke bikes and have already began looking at EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection). EFI will benefit the 2 stroke bikes because they will become more fuel efficient and will also produce less waste.
New directions
Beginning in 2006, KTM has begun the development with a lightweight track car known as the X-Bow [2]. It will use an Audi engine and a Dallara sourced chassis, and have a weight of less than 1400 lbs. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Dallara Automobili is an Italian Chassis manufacturer for various Motor racing series being most notable for its near- Monopoly in Formula 3 This new car will only sit two people. On the 8th of January, 2008 Bajaj announced that it would jointly develop two new 125cc and 250cc bikes for Europe and the Far East. The bikes would be badged 'KTM'[3].
X-Bow
- estimated start of production 2008
- weight: under 700 kg
- length: approximately 3,6 m
- engine: 1984 cm³, 220 hp, 300 NM (Audi 2. KTM X-Bow is the first car ever to be produced by the Austrian Motorcycle manufacturer KTM. 0 TFSI); Topversion 300 hp
- 6-speed gearbox or DSG
- price: about 40. 000 Euro[4] [5]
References
- ^ a b "KTM: Company History", ktm. com. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes.
- ^ Rated X: KTM unveils X-Bow sketches - Autoblog
- ^ Biker Voodoo » Bajaj & Ktm To Jointly Develop New Bikes
- ^ Kleine Zeitung (German)
- ^ Der Standard (German)
External links
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