15 April 2025

Few manufacturers fly under the radar as much as KTM. Ask non-bike fans to name a motorcycle manufacturer, and the likes of Honda, Ducati, and Harley Davidson will all come up. But KTM? Unlikely. Of course, that all changes for motorcyclists, as KTM is one of the industry’s biggest sellers. We have a look at the firm’s history, and some of the best machines it’s made.

Starting with cars

KTM began in 1934 in Mattighofen, Austria, with Hans Trunkenpolz opening a garage to repair cars. Within a few years, he had started selling them too, as an Opel dealership, as well as offering customers DKW motorbikes. With this expansion came the name Kraftfahrzeug (motor vehicle) Trunkenpolz (founder’s name) Mattighofen (town)… KTM.

Then came the war, where KTM continued servicing and maintaining engines throughout the conflict. But when hostilities ceased, there was no where near as. Much demand for engine maintenance, and Trunkenpolz decided to pursue his idea of building his own motorbike. He benefitted from not being a major industrial partner for war-time Germany, such as BMW and Volkswagen, and therefore not placed under the same restrictions in post-war Germany by the United Nations.

By 1951, Trunkenpolz had built a prototype of his first motorcycle - the R100. Other than an out-sourced Rotax engine, all parts were created in-house, and production began within two years. A team of just 20 were able to build three bikes a day, and that same year Trunkenpolz brought in a business partner in the shape of Ernst Kronreif, who became a major investor. The company was renamed Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, which conveniently retained the same KTM form, and this investment brought about the opportunity for three new models within the next two years: 1954’s R125 Tourist, and the Grand Tourist and Mirabell scooter in 1955.

 

Going racing

The first factory-supported racing effort from KTM competed in 1954, capturing the national 125cc championship in homeland Austria the same year. In 1956, the company entered the famous International Six Day Trials - the world’s oldest FIA off-road motorcycle event - and took home the gold medal with rider Egon Dornauer, and the next year, launched its first sports bike, the Trophy 125cc.

Photograph courtesy of "Racedriven"

The Comet arrived in 1963, and quickly became a favourite of off-road racers, helping establish KTM as an off-road specialist in its early days. In the inaugural FIM Motocross GP Championship in 1974, KTM won with Russian rider Guennady Moisseev taking victory in the 250cc class on a KTM 250, starting a run of more than 250 world championships claimed since.

Photograph courtesy of "Car And Classic"

By the early 1970s, more than 40 different models were available, as well as producing racing-only models for motorsport customers. Sustained growth throughout the decade saw the business expand into the United States, supply radiators for automotive manufacturers, and generally become a major power in motorcycles across Europe. But change was on the horizon, and KTM would suffer.

KTM’s fall and rise

The Eighties saw huge growth from Japanese makes such as Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki, and KTM - like many European names - suffered. Moped and scooter sales suffered most, and the business went into turmoil as CEO Erich Trunkenpolz - son of founder Hans, who had died in 1962 - died, and takeovers tried and failed, resulting in the company owned by a variety of creditors by the early 1990s.

Renewed focus came about in 1992, which saw the company’s various entities - bicycles, parts, tooling, and motorcycles - split into separate firms, the latter now known as KTM Sportmotorcycle Gmbh. The motorcycle division gradually grew, and within a few short years, was not only able to reabsorb the tooling division, but also organically grew its product line-up, with particular focus on R&D.

A watershed arrived in the shape of 1994’s Duke, which quickly became a best-seller, reviving the company’s fortunes, and allowing KTM to bring out the Supermoto and Adventure in 1997. The firm’s signature orange colour scheme arrived in 1996, and the foundations for the Austrian manufacturer’s current successes. By 1995, KTM acquired Sweden’s Husaberg, and then brought Husqvarna into the fold in 2013.

Now, it competes across all motorcycle disciplines, from its motocross roots, through to Moto GP via Dakar racing, and successfully too. It even has a car, with the X-Bow, available as both a road-going model and a GT racer, taking the company full circle to its start more than 90 years ago.