KTM made a name for themselves with their incredible off-road motorcycles of the 70s and early 80s, but by the late 80s things were not going so well for the company.
The Japanese manufacturers in particular had made huge strides, Yamaha paved the way with their Monoshock innovation, Honda were dominating motocross, and all the rest were playing catch up. By 1991 the company as it was back then, was forced into liquidation.
Essentially, this is when the company we know today was formed. In 1992 the company was split into four – the motorcycle division was now its own entity, and this is what forced them in a new direction. Now, fully focused on making motorcycles, they consolidated and improved their dirt bike range but also poured a substantial chunk of their resources into developing the now legendary LC4 motor. A motor that was to be used in their first genuine street bike.
A Duke Is Born
Over the years KTM has developed some great engines, but nothing can touch the LC4 in terms of flexibility and performance. Arguably the most significant single cylinder engine ever produced, it has remained in production up until today.
It owes much of its success to a lightweight construction and SOHC 4 valve layout – a truly modern engine – allowing it to rev well past the 7,000 rpm mark. It is not an overreach to say that every other single cylinder engine KTM has developed followed this design philosophy.
Its dirt bike roots and the LC4 made the original Duke a smash hit for the company, and effectively laid the foundation for future success. The Duke has gone through several iterations, but, at its core, is still as playful as the original, with fun pretty much baked into its design.
The Super Duke and Super Duke GT are the latest bikes in Duke evolution, and are some of the most exciting bikes money can buy. They come equipped with the same fun loving nature the original Duke was known for, just packaged in a more civilized platform that incorporates some comfort features that will help you stay in the saddle longer.
Compact Designs
All KTMs feel light. They put a lot of emphasis on keeping unnecessary features off their bikes. As time has gone on they have embraced technology, but you still won’t find anything unnecessary by modern standards. Weight saving is only compromised once deemed completely necessary. The Dukes between 125cc and 400cc for example, all have good power to weight ratios, and as a result are all genuinely fun to ride.
The compact, lightweight nature of their trademark chromoly trellis frames – which are also incredibly rigid – help deliver exceptional handling characteristics across the board. From the smallest Duke 125 all the way through to the Super Duke, all their bikes offer a dynamic riding experience. Not necessarily the fastest bikes, but bikes that offer usable performance, and that makes them more fun to ride most of the time. They are not made to be simple transportation, but made to excite those that use them.
Value For Money
To a degree, weight savings also helps keep production costs down, but in recent years they have also forged strategic partnerships that are helping them offer incredible bang for buck.
Their first big move was sending production of their smaller street bikes to India, for 10 years Bajaj has produced Dukes at a fraction of the cost. The consumer has been the big winner as the quality has remained more or less the same and the pricing remains attractive, even now with the latest models offering more tech than ever, the prices have stayed low.
More recently they have struck up a partnership with CFMoto, and while the “Made In China” tag still puts off a lot of buyers, those who are unphased by that have access to a new 790 range that offers exceptional performance at a bargain price.
The Supermoto Revolution
KTM has offered a factory supermoto ever since the trend started. It is a segment that is very close to the heart of the company, as it is also a segment that has a big emphasis on fun. In the 90s their original Duke was more or less a supermoto at its core, but their modern bikes are on another level.
The SMC 690 R is the spiritual successor to the original Duke. It still uses an uprated version of the LC4 motor, and is road legal. If you are after something performance oriented then the 450 SMR offers unrivaled agility. It is as dedicated a bike as you can get, and is limited to track use only.
Ready To Race Mantra
KTM has invested heavily in all forms of motorsport, having led the way with their dirt bikes in all disciplines from hard enduro to desert racing, they now have strong representation in MotoGP too. Over the last few years they have invested heavily in the premier class, it has not seen much reward on track just yet but the engineering experience can be seen on all their street bikes today.
Some manufacturers look at it as a marketing exercise, but for KTM it has been one long learning curve that actually benefits the end user, albeit in incremental ways. They have also targeted several grass-roots racing events around the world where they are able to highlight the attributes of all their street bikes. The RC models in particular offer amazing bang for buck, and creating a one make race series for those bikes has also served to expose the KTM brand to many who would have otherwise never considered buying a KTM.