I understand that the KTM AG division of the motorcycle manufacturer will file for bankruptcy in an attempt to save the brand. The restructuring will not affect the MotoGP program, so Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder, Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini have confirmed their continuity in the premier class. There is no mention about the Moto2 and Moto3 teams, hopefully they will continue in 2025. A shock as KTM are a huge brand.
A video suggesting high pricing, association with Chinese brand CFMoto who use some of the same engines in cheaper bikes and not sorting out camshaft failures on certain bikes all contributed. Some of the owners comments are interesting too.
Doesn’t look good for them does it https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/n...elopment-amid-huge-financial-crisis/10678780/
I said elsewhere no real loss, an off road brand which got greedy, expensive to buy, run, and maintain. Build quality wasn’t great either. Then the subscription model to utilise things already built into the bike that some would deem should come as standard is a recipe for disaster when a model becomes obsolete or in this case brand goes under. Other than that a really good brand lol.
I have a KTM 1190 Adv, bought nine years ago with 2400 miles on the clock, now done over 60,000. By a country miles it's been the best bike I've ever owned. Ridiculously quick, handles superbly and utterly rock-solid reliable. Still doesn't use a drop of oil and it just seems to get faster. In my view it's one of the best bikes they ever made, along with the RC8R. The tech is minimal but useful: unobtrusive TC, lean-sensitive ABS and electrically adjustable suspension, and that's it. And it's plenty. Before that I had a 990 SMT which I wish I still had. It was also utterly dependable but there were well known minor niggles to fettle which were common on the 990s: leaking water pump gasket, dodgy clutch slave, poorly greased headrace bearings. All easily sorted. I fitted decat cans, a DNA airbox, got it custom mapped and had a pro suspension set-up. It was an absolute ripper that could cut up bends like a supermoto half its size I had a gen 1 1290 Superduke as well. Fabulous engine but the suspension units were not as good quality as the SMT's and ride-by-wire was rubbish - far too muted with a disconnected feel. Through bends in the real world the 1190 was faster. In fact the 1190 Adv is faster 0-60 than the 1290 Adv and has a more exciting engine with the same batshit buzzsaw top-end familiar from the 990 mill which the 1290 lacks. The 1190 was the last of the "proper" KTMs. Thereafter it was boardroom wonks designing bikes, not engineers with competition heritage. I wouldn't buy any post-2016 models but I'll never sell my 1190 and I'd have another 990 SM like a shot.
