IMO this is where KTM has been way more effective than any other manufacturers. Competitive 50cc and 65cc machines that lead to a brand-loyalty that no other manufacturer can provide. And this is nothing new, I remember when 50cc racing was called "PeeWee racing" and 80% were on Yamaha yzingers with a few Suzy JR50s thrown in. The few and the lucky kids got an Italjet or a LEM. Then, KTM changed all that in the early 90's and planted the seeds for big growth and success. http://racerxonline.com/2015/03/11/between-the-motos-james-coy Absolutely brilliant! Soon, I think it will be the norm for KTM to control the titles, and the Japanese manufacturers will get them few and far between. They'll have to buy them with cubic dollars.
The reason ktm are leading is simple ADVERTISING and they've been very clever pushing the ready to race theme and fair play theyve worked very hard backing events and teams.
I'd say marketing which includes advertising. They are masters. The best design firms, the best marketing plans, offer a wide range of displacements and models to fit everyone from 3 years old to Doctors in their 70's looking for adventure. Its amazing. Oh, best SX/MX team manger ever, top riders who top the points. Its endless. Domination for sure. Was not always this way but it sure is now.
They are the Toyota of the dirtbike world. Not nessisarily better than anyone else, but great at marketing.
I see your point on the kids for the future but your scope is way off ... You could say ktm is ruling the dirt bike racing world but that would be about it. Racing is a micro world in the biking riding world today...Toss in dirt bikes riding only and its nothing but another crumb of the motorcycle world. All small coin to a conglomerate like honda or yamaha ... The Japan owners killed the world on bikes decades ago and are still riding off it ... If, and only if they want to, they will wipe the world again, at any racing they want to win at. Lets hope they stay content with the sales number below and do not set out to win all races on the planet, again. Seems SP business is model is all top-end ... Even with the Husqvarna brand, he pushed his butter grade up again ... Honda, as an example, is the lower \ MID end of the scale when compared to ktm sales ...They seem to be even pricing to battle with the true-blue Chinese brands here. - Honda sold a little over 10 million motorcycles worldwide in the fiscal year of 2009. Its like 17MIL today. Honda is the motorcycle parts supply line of the world. The World as we speak. I thought ktm could not even supply parts? This is one of the enlightening things about leaving your home and going to other parts of the world. You'll see multiple different way&means for living ... Like the RV2 breakfast interview... He's seen the light of the world now we'll see how he lives the next ~5 yrs of his life with this all new view of the world. RV2 said dirt bike racing is the same ..Ever heard that before? Also, I never knew that the bulk of bikes made around the world are still air-cooled ...
I'll add one more thing on ktm ...Winning races gets free advertising and sells bikes ... They get how much ~free PUB just because they win a race? ... Over and over and ...The Ktm brand is pushed as a race winner over and over because the winners name is repeated by default. AS29 said way back there, they are a racing company.. much more than honda which was more suit&tie stuff ... Look at all the air time PUB AS29 gave ktm leading ~half those Daytona laps ... Then RD5 drops them all on another ktm ... Seems when you blow the field away too bad, you lose camera time ...
Ktm are big here in Aus, every 3rd bike in the bush is a Ktm. Apparently Yamaha's WR450F is the highest selling enduro bike, and by quite a sizeable margin , but we never see them where we ride. I don't know where they all go. Out of our group of ten last week, we had 3 ktm's, 5 Bergs, a WR250F and my lonely unicorn TE449. A fairly typical mix locally for any group.
Racing at the top level is devastatingly expensive and the opposite of free. Many manufacturers are trimming back a bunch because even multimillion dollar companies cant afford it.
there is a lot of perception of domination .....because there can be an argument made that they are not dominating at all, but they are the first Euro company in many years to get themselves on equal footing at least. Anaheim 1 - Suzuki, Husky, Honda Phoenix - Honda, Suzuki, KTM Anaheim 2 - Suzuki, KTM, Honda Oakland - Honda, KTM, Kawi Anaheim 3 - KTM, Honda, Honda San Diego - Honda, Suzuki, KTM
I remember the Japanese big 4 all once had 60cc and 80cc, and 100cc 2t MX bikes for the kids, and the 175cc off road bikes. That's not the case anymore. Saki instead of Kool Aid I suppose.
OK I guess my point was missed probably because of the title of the post. Did anyone read the article!? And, keeping with the context of the sport we all enjoy and the focus of this forum, I'm talking about DIRT BIKES, I really don't care how many scooters are sold in third-world countries to pack 6 people on them at a time..... So maybe my title and thread is a bust! But tell me what other brand you can start your carreer on at 4 yrs old and never change brands until you retire as a Pro racer? Furthermore they are taking it past the passive "all size ranges available" possibility and are actively supporting promising riders through their carreer towards Professional racing, and into it, as is the topic of the article. A step beyound Team Green or Geico Honda or whoever has done it on a smaller scale and shorter timeline. With their Orange Brigade program they take a promising 85 cc rider and give top-level support for years. A year in Schoolby, a year as a B rider, a year as an A rider, and then a year and a half as a Pro. No other company has been this forward-thinking in their approach. And, with the kid-sized competition bikes, really the only competetive ones available, they are planting seeds that will grow and will strengthen the trend of KTM holding the titles. 15 years ago they commanded less respect than any big 4 brand. Probably less respect than Husky had. That has changed, big time. As far as not dominating racing? They have the 450 outdoor title, are in command of 2 of the 3 Supercross titles, are the only manufacturer to win both classes on the evening, Won the last 5 MXGP titles and the last 7 MX2 titles. Not to mention the halftime SX show with the KTM Junior Challenge. In my eyes, they are kind of dominating! I'm just in in a respectfull awe of where they are, after where they were. Hell look what they've done with the Husky logo in Motocross. Zero to Hero in a year or so. They seem to be making all the right decisions, even threw out the Olive Branch and are paying contingency to the Red ones. I'm no longer the Lone Ranger in district 16 MX, the gunsight is popping up in the pits. Man I'm all over the place!! Pass the Adderal, please! Really, I'm just impressed with the Orange Brigade factory support program and thought everyone might find it interesting, I didn't realize they were doing that. Perhaps they will have a similar program for Husqvarna in a few years?
you are right on, whether anyone likes it or not, ktm is on it. you are also right that back when ktm was "the other white bike" they were second fiddle to off road king husky up until the italians took over...about that time ktm almost went under, but they have been recovering ever since, and have really never quit building i guess! enough to basically buy husqvarna.
Really not quite true the Italians had Husqvarna for some time before KTM turned the tables. This talk could go on forever but in quick terms I believe it was 1991 or so (several years after the Italians acquired the Husqvarna marque and started chapter 2) they were reported to be done and filing bankrupt (this was stated in magizines as well) With a thread of life left in them they found some investors and with proper marketing kissing the magazines along with product improvement they did perhaps what should not have happened. They made a motorcycle that was no longer a POS and although inferior to the Italian bike built relationships that were smart ones. The Italians did this to themselves and had they hired a smart marketing person a long time ago and thought about the future probably would not have meant there demise.......There is a difference and that is Cagiva and Husqvarna were not arch rivals where as KTM and Husqvarna have ALWAYS been arch rivals....Props to KTM......But if you want me to keep riding your product remove all BS affiliated with your name from the Husqvarna motorcycle....It is and insult to see a decal on a Husqvarna that says this KTM motorcycle ..........The team that should win does not always win and that just may be the case....I like my new bike....and at least it ain't orange..... They bought the Husqvarna marque for a reason.....smart marketing strategy (someone gave them advice to kill a cub)
Yea makes sense to me but even if I'm driving a KTM dressed to kill with the Husqvarna marque I'll still run anything orange over that's in my way.....fair enough....all in fun???? OK ok I take it back I'll pull over for orange bikes offer to wash their bike after a race and give.them my last power bar and beer to.....ha ha is it April 1st yet...
