Is KTM in financial trouble?

[Supermofo]

https://www.autosport.com/motogp/news/k ... /10678782/

KTM's MotoGP bosses have decided to pause the development of its bikes amid the huge financial crisis the Austrian manufacturer is facing, Autosport has learned.

That's Pedro screwed for another season. Will this be his second year of his contract? He's got to be eying a move

[crust]

They've got 100,000 unsold bikes.

Tata own 49%, so I reckon either Tata will buy the remaining stock or Red Bull/other Austrian entity will bail them out and there'll be a flood of cheap KTMs soon.

They're already doing the end of year 20% off sale, more to come.

[Noggin]

I fear the Snowball, who's gonna buy one at the moment.

TBH, I would still buy the only new KTM I'd be likely to buy (390 Duke). But then it's cheap!! Comparatively!!

Of course, if they 'SERIOUSLY' discount the RC8r for any reason, then sure I'd get one of those!!

But then, I have a more fatalistic attitude to bikes and I do try and find a local place for servicing (in the uk they were generally better/more reliable than the main dealers.

Having said that, I've only ever bought one new bike and that got nicked. Sooooooo - what do I know!!

[ChrisW]

https://www.autosport.com/motogp/news/k ... /10678782/

KTM's MotoGP bosses have decided to pause the development of its bikes amid the huge financial crisis the Austrian manufacturer is facing, Autosport has learned.

That's Pedro screwed for another season. Will this be his second year of his contract? He's got to be eying a move

They're properly Bajaj'd if they stop racing. Maybe some of this is true:

Right now, it seems like the expected cuts won’t have an impact on KTM's main MotoGP racing programme, however, with head of racing Pit Beirer telling Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung last week that next season is already budgeted for - but admitting that there might be issues ahead as the series prepares for a radical redesign in 2027.

“Fortunately, the bike for the next season is ready and waiting in the workshop,” he said. “The start of the 2025 season is organised and MotoGP has stopped engine development for 2026, which helps us immensely in the current situation.

“In technical terms, the motorcycles will no longer make any major leaps and in 2027 the plan is to make some changes, for example to ride-height devices or aerodynamics. The new 850cc engines are also coming.

“At some point, however, we will have to start building these new motorcycles. And until it is clear how we are going to proceed, these plans are currently on hold.”

https://www.the-race.com/motogp/ktm-cri ... er-threat/

[Tomcat]

They've got 100,000 unsold bikes.

Tata own 49%, so I reckon either Tata will buy the remaining stock or Red Bull/other Austrian entity will bail them out and there'll be a flood of cheap KTMs soon.

They're already doing the end of year 20% off sale, more to come.

Pretty much on the money I'd say. Classic business turnaround strategy - sell whatever stock you can, cut back on unnecessary expenditure, resize manufacturing to the expected future sales volume. MotoGP has got to be unnecessary at this point, unless they have a contract with huge penalties (quite possible). But margins on individual bikes are high, they can afford to come down a lot on the price and still make a contribution. The administration process will protect them from creditors and the chances are they'll be snapped up by a big player in the medium term. It's too much of an established brand with too many assets for investors to ignore.

[KungFooBob]

The usual end of year KTM sales are on.

they've knocked the vat off them, well 20%.

https://www.ktm.com/en-gb/powerdeals/ge ... o-VAT.html

[mangocrazy]

I'd say that's just a starting point for when the haggling starts. Come the dark days of February when sales have been lacklustre you'll see plenty more taken off.

I'm keeping my powder dry for a Duke 890R.

[Bustaspoke]

I'm keeping my powder dry for a Duke 890R.

Never mind your powder,what about the cams running dry

[mangocrazy]

I'm keeping my powder dry for a Duke 890R.

Never mind your powder,what about the cams running dry

Good point, well made.

Sooner or later there will be a properly-publicised fix for the 790/890 cam issues, I reckon. It's too much of a running sore on KTM's reputation for them to ignore it. Right now they need all the goodwill they can get...

[KungFooBob]

They need to fix them and then offer a super long warranty period.

Which might pretty a bit useless if they go under in the next 6 months.

[mangocrazy]

Yeah, all bets are off at the moment. What got me was how many 2023 models were in that list...

[KungFooBob]

Yeah, all bets are off at the moment. What got me was how many 2023 models were in that list...

I did have a giggle at the price difference between the 2023 and the 2024 790.

I'm from Yorkshire so I'd deffo go for the 2023 over the 2024 to save £15.

[mangocrazy]

They're trying to tread a fine line between offering deals that will shift stock and looking desperate.

Mid-Feb will see desperation, I think, especially as there will be very few 2025 models to sell on.

[Bustaspoke]

This bloke seems to have got to the bottom of the oil starvation issue.
I'm not sure how you'd modify the existing bikes,any ideas?

[Horse]

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10616 ... -test-role

Former Grand Prix racer Jeremy McWilliams has reportedly been dropped from his role as a test rider at KTM, a role he’s held for 15 years.

McWilliams, perhaps best known in a Grand Prix context for being the final rider to achieve a pole position in the premier class with a 500cc bike at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix, has been in-post at KTM since 2009.

[Skub]

I wonder what job the old rascal will fall into now.

[Count Steer]

I wonder what job the old rascal will fall into now.

Remake of 'Under the Skin'?

Mind you, he is 60!

[Skub]

I wonder what job the old rascal will fall into now.

Remake of 'Under the Skin'?

Mind you, he is 60!

He was a late starter,he reckons there's another 15 years left in him.

[Bustaspoke]

He'll get a gig as development rider for one of those Bagger racing teams in the States,he's been racing them in that MotoAmerica series
https://www.motoamerica.com/former-moto ... e-baggers/

[Skub]

It gets worser and worser.