KTM Woes

[Fatfatboy]

In the company plan, instead, Pierer Mobility would be solely responsible to raise up to €900 million ($930 million) of fresh funds to help put the company back on track.

Holy crap. Were does he have that kind of jack stashed away. Who would loan it to him?

I was doing some poking around to find out what his net worth is and found out that Pierer has stepped down as CEO as of January.

https://www.cyclenews.com/2025/01/article/stefan-pierer-steps-down-as-ktm-ceo/

[Fatfatboy]

CEO Pierer steps down, finally. But he still owns the Mobility AG that owns KTM. How’s that work?

https://www.rideapart.com/news/752446/ktm-ousts-ceo-stefan-pierer-board-ag/

[hacksaw]

Well ktm originally made nice dirt bikes.
These days they tried to flood the new world order with plastic crap. Quantity over quality.
Augusta debacle and the involvement with the CCP were warning signs. Hopefully tariffs will put them out of their misery

[Fatfatboy]

I hope they bounce back and figure out that folks don't want plastic bikes from Thailand, China or wherever cheap bike are made.
I'd like to see them put their people back to work making good quality bikes, both dirt and street.
They will have a hill to climb to get people to feel secure enough but if they advertise them as home built again with home made quality and admit that the cheap bikes had their issues it will give them a step up.

[hacksaw]

Well
Idk. They need a completely different mindset.
At the moment they certainly seem to far in the hole.
I can’t belive my BMW dealer just opened a stand alone ktm dealership . I guess he got a great deal on stock .

I don’t see ktm surviving without huge changes.
They likely will go belly up and somebody will buy the name.

[Fatfatboy]

hacksaw wrote

Well
Idk. They need a completely different mindset.

I agree.
The problem I see is if they start building home built bikes the price will go up but with the reputation they have now higher prices are going to be a tough sell.
A real tough situation to be in right now with no trust in the brand and sales are currently in the crapper.

I hope they can figure it out. Even though I’m not in their market I hate to see any bike manufacturers closing their doors.

[hacksaw]

I guess you are right.
But I hate to see junk dumped on the market.

[m143]

[hacksaw]

Not surprising. This must have been in the works for quite some time. I wondered why Max (BMW) was opening a new ktm dealership while all this financial issue was going on . Does this mean BMW gets Husky back?

[Fatfatboy]

Walt,
 Do you have a link to this?
I did some researching I believe this to be a rumor. I think BMW wants to but it hasn't been done, yet.
I thought KTM had until 5/23/25 to come up wit 537 million Euros to keep the creditors happy.

This is German news oe24 that is covering the KTM thing.

https://www.oe24.at/search?q=KTM+BMW
 
You'll have to have your search engine translate it for you.
One of the articles stated that production was suppose to start at the end of Feb.

[hacksaw]

Where does it say that ktm couldn’t come up with the money before 5/23?
And who is to say it didn’t come from BMW?

You could be right.
But Walt normally posts credible stuff.
And the physical evidence to my eyes is the dozens of ktm’s I saw in an annex of max BMW
In new Milford Ct. waiting for their own stand alone building to be finished.
Which by itself doesn’t prove anything except there has been some very close collaboration in the recent past .

[Fatfatboy]

Yes, I agree. Walt doesn’t throw BS out there. That’s why I want to see the link.
I have read through a lot of sites and haven’t found anything from Motorad saying they are buying.  
I’ve seen some sites that say it’s a rumor and some basically say what Walt posted but doesn’t show any proof.  Mostly heresy.
One said that if KTM is sold and moves out of Austria KTM owes 257 million to the laid off.
That’s a big junk. Where’s it going to come from?

[hacksaw]

What actually is moving out of Austria? Making the bikes in China? They were already moving in that direction.
Moving headquarters?
If they move that out then how can Austria do much to them if they are no longer there?

[Fatfatboy]

KTM and CFMoto in divorce.
Maybe KTM is waking up.

https://www.topspeed.com/ktm-and-cfmotos-relationship-is-going-sour/

[Fatfatboy]

Another kick in the gut for KTM. They restarted production in Austria, made 4,200 bikes, and had to shut it down again because they can’t get parts. No one trust the payment.
Supposed to reopen end of July.
No word on what they built.
Instead of laying off everyone they are going to pay employees a 30 hour work week until said reopen.
I have to commend them for that.

They are trying and I hope they can make it. Somehow.

https://www.rideapart.com/news/757658/ktm-production-pause-2025-july/

[motogrady]

They’re like 3 races left in this years 450 AMA Supercross.
And they are right in the hunt.
It’s between Sexton, KTM, and Webb on the Yamaha.  

[hacksaw]

let them die in peace. why are they racing instead of insuring parts for customers? they deserve what they get.
let them die and then maybe an  austrian Bloor will pick up the pieces and build a mans motorcycle.