Photo: KTM
KTM announces that they have gone past the 100,000-unit milestone in the Mattighofen factory. On December 16 at 9am, the 100,000th motorcycle manufactured this year rolled off the assembly line in the Mattighoffen plant. It was somehow natural that this very special bike was a 2015 model year 1190 Adventure machine, the brand’s best-selling item.
What makes it so special, you might ask. Well, it is the first time ever when KTM reached 100,000 units in a year… and the year is not over, yet. Official KTM sources say that the Mattighofen plant has produced more than 1,2 million units since it was inaugurated in 1999.
KTM’s leading position is unquestionably massively supported by the brand’s propensity for smaller-displacement off-road and competition bikes manufactured in India. Local bike giant Bajaj has acquired a minority stake in KTM in the past and it looks like the joint operations have led to a massive success in both the Indian and worldwide markets.
According to BMW Motorrad, 116,463 motorcycles have been sold by the end of November 2014. The figure represents a noticeable improvement over the 115,215 units BMW sold last year, with one more month of sales and despite a rather stagnant November.
BMW has little chances to pose a real threat to KTM in these conditions, but things are on the move. Motorrad and Indian manufacturer TVS have teamed up to develop and produce small-displacement bikes. Introducing these new motorcycles with smaller prices will also attract the younger demographic, helping BMW reach a much wider audience and improving sales figures.
So far, we’re still waiting to see the first small machines BMW and TVS will shelf in 2015, but until then, it looks like Europe shines orange.
Small-displacement bike help KTM be the largest European manufacturer
However, the Austrian plant only accounts for a fraction of KTM’s total overall sales, in terms of volumes. KTM has seized the first place in the volumes competition since two years ago, when it became the largest European manufacturer as far as the number of bikes sold was concerned.KTM’s leading position is unquestionably massively supported by the brand’s propensity for smaller-displacement off-road and competition bikes manufactured in India. Local bike giant Bajaj has acquired a minority stake in KTM in the past and it looks like the joint operations have led to a massive success in both the Indian and worldwide markets.
BMW is planning to fight back, a matter of money and pride
Being the biggest European motorcycle manufacturer is a matter of money and pride and BMW is definitely not happy having to settle with the runner-up position. The Bavarians themselves are far from having a hard time, with the 2013 sales already surpassed by the volumes recorded through November 2014. But overall, they are still way back.According to BMW Motorrad, 116,463 motorcycles have been sold by the end of November 2014. The figure represents a noticeable improvement over the 115,215 units BMW sold last year, with one more month of sales and despite a rather stagnant November.
BMW has little chances to pose a real threat to KTM in these conditions, but things are on the move. Motorrad and Indian manufacturer TVS have teamed up to develop and produce small-displacement bikes. Introducing these new motorcycles with smaller prices will also attract the younger demographic, helping BMW reach a much wider audience and improving sales figures.
So far, we’re still waiting to see the first small machines BMW and TVS will shelf in 2015, but until then, it looks like Europe shines orange.
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