KTM Bikes in India

In 1951, the company started designing a KTM two-wheeler of its own and two years later, the KTM R100 production series, the first motorcycle from KTM, was launched. The company, which was then officially called KTM, immediately took up racing and tasted success in its nascent stage.

Out of all KTM bikes, the company entered the US market with a 125cc motocross motorcycle in 1968, and word of the overseas race wins soon began to circulate in Europe. The highlights of the 1970s included the powerful 50cc models and the first Motocross World Championship title, won for KTM in 1974 by Russian rider Gennadij Moiseev in the 250cc class. Riders Heinz Kinigadner and Trampas Parker laid the foundations for the modern KTM legend, with three World Championship titles in the next decade and unassailable off-road competences of modern times. In 1984, KTM started to develop a liquid-cooled four-stroke motorcycle, commencing mass production of the first LC4 engine in 1987 – a concept that over the decades became a typical KTM success story. Owing to a global meltdown of the motorcycle industry in the 1980’s, KTM Motorfahrzeugbau AG had to file for bankruptcy in 1991.

KTM bikes India innings commenced  in 2007, when Bajaj Auto Limited (BAL) of India started its gradual acquisition of KTM. Initially, in November 2007, it acquired a 14.5% stake in KTM Power Sports AG. A year later, it increased its stake to 25% and eventually, BAL managed to acquire 49% of the KTM brand. The other 51% is owned by CROSS Industries AG, affiliated to KTM’s current CEO, Stefan Pierer. The range of KTM latest bikes consists of the 200 Duke, 250 Duke, 390 Duke, RC200 and the RC390.

In January 2008, Bajaj announced that it would jointly develop two new 125cc and 200cc bikes for Europe and other international markets under the KTM brand. After a jointly developed 125cc version of the Duke was launched in the European market in 2011, KTM’s first motorcycle in India, the Duke 200, jointly developed with Bajaj Auto Limited, was earmarked for a debut in the 2012 Auto Expo to be held in New Delhi. Bajaj continues to sell the KTM bikes, assembled locally at their Chakan plant, through its Probiking showrooms which have now been converted to exclusive KTM outlets. KTM bikes price list in India (as of 2018) start at ? 1.5 lakh for the 200 Duke and go up to ? 2.4 lakh for the 390 Duke.