KTM Bikes in India

Out of all KTM bikes, the company entered the US market with a 125cc motocross motorcycle in 1968. The highlights of the 1970s included the powerful 50cc models and the first Motocross World Championship title. Russian rider Gennadij Moiseev won this title for KTM in 1974 in the 250cc class. In 1984, KTM started to develop a liquid-cooled four-stroke motorcycle, commencing mass production of the first LC4 engine in 1987. It was a concept that became a typical KTM success story over the decades. Owing to a global meltdown of the motorcycle industry in the 1980s, KTM Motorfahrzeugbau AG filed for bankruptcy in 1991.

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

In January 2008, Bajaj announced that it would jointly develop two new 125cc and 200cc bikes. These were to be developed for Europe and other international markets under the KTM brand. A jointly developed 125cc version of the Duke was launched in the European market in 2011. After that, KTM’s first motorcycle in India, the Duke 200, jointly developed with Bajaj Auto Limited was launched in 2012. Bajaj continues to sell the KTM bikes, assembled locally at their Chakan plant, through its Probiking showrooms. These showrooms have now been converted to exclusive KTM outlets. The range of KTM bikes, ever sold in India, consists of the 200 Duke, the 250 Duke, the 390 Duke, the RC200, and the RC390, among others.