Ktm moving some production to China

endurox
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Garden City, ID US
12/23/2023 6:21am

KTM should focus their efforts on QC and not try to block Stark from racing Superenduro. I had been riding KTM's since 1983. Next bike will be a Beta.

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burn1986
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bossier city, LA US
12/23/2023 9:19am
JB 19 wrote:
The Kymco cylinders are the good ones.  I don't think they are using the Elko one's anymore. And Kymco is in Taiwan.  Big difference from China. ...

The Kymco cylinders are the good ones.  I don't think they are using the Elko one's anymore.

And Kymco is in Taiwan.  Big difference from China.  Taiwan is where the state of the art computer chips are made.  

Did not know that. Good info.

i believe the cylinder on the grenaded GasGas didn’t have any markings, fwiw

ktmwoods
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abilene, TX US
12/23/2023 9:23am

https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/ktm-owner-moves-production-t…
 

Thought this was interesting while it doesn’t mention dirtbikes directly could this be the future for ktm partnering with CFmoto to do production? 

Can't downvote this move enough  - KTM totally blowing it with this BS.

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NV825
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12/23/2023 9:36am
Magoofan wrote:
I heard some guy named Sum Ting Wong will be overseeing the plant.

I heard some guy named Sum Ting Wong will be overseeing the plant.

Dry

Sparling wrote:

Bang Ding Ow will be the product tester aswell !

MPJC wrote:

If things go really wrong, you have to talk to Ho Lee Fuk.

His oldest is set to be his successor after retirement.

Remote image

 

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The Shop

12/23/2023 11:22am

Word on the street is that their bikes will come with the latest covid variant downloaded into the airbox now.  All you have to do is wear a chin diaper while riding to avoid getting it.  Oh and get the latest booster every month.  

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studworx
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12/23/2023 11:32am
endurox wrote:
KTM should focus their efforts on QC and not try to block Stark from racing Superenduro. I had been riding KTM's since 1983. Next bike will...

KTM should focus their efforts on QC and not try to block Stark from racing Superenduro. I had been riding KTM's since 1983. Next bike will be a Beta.

Beta’s have major crank bearing issues lol

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2
12/23/2023 11:43am
zehn wrote:
You guys realize it isn’t 1985 anymore and China can and does produce some the highest quality goods and equipment in the world It’s the companies...

You guys realize it isn’t 1985 anymore and China can and does produce some the highest quality goods and equipment in the world

It’s the companies (like KTM) that try to cheap out and build to a price point that are to blame, not the fact that it’s made in China 

Paul333 wrote:
Really? Like what? I am personally not pleased I pay more for a brand and get told their concern is switching out parts for cheaper from...

Really?

Like what?

I am personally not pleased I pay more for a brand and get told their concern is switching out parts for cheaper from China. 

 

Just about every appliance you pick up at home, including your phone  tablet or laptop.

Cars, Japanese motorcycles, Earth moving equipment........

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j368
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12/23/2023 12:22pm
zehn wrote:
You guys realize it isn’t 1985 anymore and China can and does produce some the highest quality goods and equipment in the world It’s the companies...

You guys realize it isn’t 1985 anymore and China can and does produce some the highest quality goods and equipment in the world

It’s the companies (like KTM) that try to cheap out and build to a price point that are to blame, not the fact that it’s made in China 

You’re 100% correct. In the end you get what you pay for. 

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MX558
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US
12/23/2023 4:58pm

After looking at the wiring job on my 22 350 I assumed they were already made in China .

I wonder if the  the 25s will be China made ? If so I'm out for sure 

 

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SEE ARE125
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12/23/2023 6:45pm Edited Date/Time 12/23/2023 6:46pm

Just reading through the manual for my son’s new 65…

 

Always check chain tightness prior to driving. Choke throttle prior then pull kick to starter motorcycle engines. Twister throttle to drive forward in gear 1. Firm squeeze brake handle to stop motorcycle using tires. Always wear adult supervision and a safety helmet.

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G-man
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12/23/2023 10:37pm
MX558 wrote:
After looking at the wiring job on my 22 350 I assumed they were already made in China . I wonder if the  the 25s will...

After looking at the wiring job on my 22 350 I assumed they were already made in China .

I wonder if the  the 25s will be China made ? If so I'm out for sure 

 

Yes I wish they would let us know which models will be made in China.

 My 2016 350XCFW has 282 hours on it and even though I love the bike was thinking maybe I should get a new one next year.

But if they're made in China no thanks.😬🤮

 

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Chance1216
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12/23/2023 11:15pm

Area of concern is the quality of metals used.
There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old rusty steel.
I asked one of the workers what they did with all that garbage.  “We ship it to China”. 

 

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G-man
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12/23/2023 11:26pm Edited Date/Time 12/23/2023 11:28pm
Chance1216 wrote:
Area of concern is the quality of metals used. There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old...

Area of concern is the quality of metals used.
There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old rusty steel.
I asked one of the workers what they did with all that garbage.  “We ship it to China”. 

 

Yikes!!!! Sick

 So will the GasGas and Husqvarna motorcycles also be made in China?

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inflammable
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12/23/2023 11:35pm

I believe this belongs here in this topic for y'all..

il 570xN.5263589534 p8sb.jpg?VersionId=Ql4fMxMfz0ujL

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Tuplavee
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FI
12/24/2023 12:31am

You can get cheap shit from China but so can you get less cheap but equally shit from any western country. 

There is jaw dropping quality available if you're ready to pay for it.

One big benefit is the production capacity and flexibility. 

At least I would pick China over India on any day

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Tuplavee
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12/24/2023 12:41am Edited Date/Time 12/24/2023 12:43am
Chance1216 wrote:
Area of concern is the quality of metals used. There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old...

Area of concern is the quality of metals used.
There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old rusty steel.
I asked one of the workers what they did with all that garbage.  “We ship it to China”. 

 

Even the some of the finest alloys are produced from scrap... You melt it and add what you need

https://youtu.be/WFBH82D7ftI?si=WxVKYPfVqRY3CAT0

 

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Chance1216
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12/24/2023 1:10am Edited Date/Time 12/24/2023 1:18am
Chance1216 wrote:
Area of concern is the quality of metals used. There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old...

Area of concern is the quality of metals used.
There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old rusty steel.
I asked one of the workers what they did with all that garbage.  “We ship it to China”. 

 

Tuplavee wrote:

Even the some of the finest alloys are produced from scrap... You melt it and add what you need

https://youtu.be/WFBH82D7ftI?si=WxVKYPfVqRY3CAT0

 

I’m sure of that as well. 
One thing I will add, I work with a lot of steel pipe. As a commercial plumber, I’ve worked with steel pipe shipped from all over the world. 
Cast iron, aluminum, galvanized, schedule 40 steel, stainless, copper etc. Few  examples that are consistent on site. Cast iron pipe and, every other pipe that’s been made in China is very inconsistent with wall thickness. 
There’s often times leaks that are hard to find. Many times, it’s pin holes in the pipe. 
It’s often thinner than American pipe such as Tyler or, Silverspun. When I’ve gone to cut their  cast iron, instead of it cutting clean with snap cutters, it crushes the pipe, creating jagged edges that are now unusable and, won’t seal correctly. Why? One side of the pipe is thicker than the other.  If they can’t manufacture a simple tube used to shuttle dookie out of a building, I surely won’t be trusting their manufacturing processes when it comes to a motorcycle frame or, something requiring integrity. Even engine internals and,  electronics.  
 

There’s a reason Crane operators won’t use shackles or, chain made in China as well. Think about that for a minute. 

8
philG
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GB
12/24/2023 2:25am

There is a world of difference between 'Made in China' and 'Making in China'. 

They arent just subbing this stuff out , they are taking all of their practices and opening facilities, or taking over existing ones. 

All the quality systems will be in place, and like any other G|obal company, they will benefit from making them there, rather than importing, just like |Honda and Toyota do in the USA and Nissan do here. 

 

It looks like its the lower end Adventure stuff, that needs to price  point competitive, i doubt racebikes will be done there yet , but it will come. 

 

3
Tuplavee
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FI
12/24/2023 3:35am
Chance1216 wrote:
Area of concern is the quality of metals used. There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old...

Area of concern is the quality of metals used.
There’s a scrap yard local to me on the Port of Tacoma. Piles and, piles of old rusty steel.
I asked one of the workers what they did with all that garbage.  “We ship it to China”. 

 

Tuplavee wrote:

Even the some of the finest alloys are produced from scrap... You melt it and add what you need

https://youtu.be/WFBH82D7ftI?si=WxVKYPfVqRY3CAT0

 

Chance1216 wrote:
I’m sure of that as well.  One thing I will add, I work with a lot of steel pipe. As a commercial plumber, I’ve worked with...

I’m sure of that as well. 
One thing I will add, I work with a lot of steel pipe. As a commercial plumber, I’ve worked with steel pipe shipped from all over the world. 
Cast iron, aluminum, galvanized, schedule 40 steel, stainless, copper etc. Few  examples that are consistent on site. Cast iron pipe and, every other pipe that’s been made in China is very inconsistent with wall thickness. 
There’s often times leaks that are hard to find. Many times, it’s pin holes in the pipe. 
It’s often thinner than American pipe such as Tyler or, Silverspun. When I’ve gone to cut their  cast iron, instead of it cutting clean with snap cutters, it crushes the pipe, creating jagged edges that are now unusable and, won’t seal correctly. Why? One side of the pipe is thicker than the other.  If they can’t manufacture a simple tube used to shuttle dookie out of a building, I surely won’t be trusting their manufacturing processes when it comes to a motorcycle frame or, something requiring integrity. Even engine internals and,  electronics.  
 

There’s a reason Crane operators won’t use shackles or, chain made in China as well. Think about that for a minute. 

You get what you pay for.

I would not even personally buy Chinese if I really need top quality and don't know the supply chain. E.g I would not buy Chinese triple clamp. 

But I have visited several Chinese companies from my industry area and I can honestly say that they can produce high and stable quality - if you pay for it. Price will be closer to western countries, but you benefit from other things...

D Dub
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Apollo Beach, FL US
12/24/2023 4:20am Edited Date/Time 12/24/2023 5:09am

The news headlines appears to be super misleading. They already make street bikes there (all the 390s I know for sure), and I read they’re going to bring back the older 790 Duke for Asian markets (I had a ‘19 made in Austria, but the 2020 was shifted to the Philippines at some point, and then discontinued).  Lower end ADV bikes is my guess as well.

FWIW - Harley Davidson produces bikes in China, (they don’t sell them here), Triumph in Thailand, and BMW 900cc engines come from china (GS850 and F900 engine, I believe the 310 models as well). This is nothing new.

Bottom line - the dirtbikes and high end street/ADV bikes will come out of Austria. No way they’re dumb enough to try to charge $12k+ for a 300 2 stroke made anywhere outside the main factory. 

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StillSmokin
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12/24/2023 6:09am

KTM group’s reputation already isn’t what it was just a few years ago during the Dunge run. This isn’t going to help.

It was cool watching their demise in real time. They went from a linkless complete shit niche brand, to game changing and forcing other manufacturers to copy their ideas to ching chong ping pong junk.

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5
12/24/2023 3:38pm
It was cool watching their demise in real time. They went from a linkless complete shit niche brand, to game changing and forcing other manufacturers to...

It was cool watching their demise in real time. They went from a linkless complete shit niche brand, to game changing and forcing other manufacturers to copy their ideas to ching chong ping pong junk.

This confuses me. Why are you so joyful about the perceived demise of the brand? This sport is the most close minded out of all the sports save maybe badminton and its few brands of rackets. KTM have been researching, developing and investing in our sport and the sports own followers give off the vibe that they just can’t wait for something to go wrong and fail so they can have a laugh. 
 

the OG brands happen to be Japanese and they are profiting off all of your collective bias towards their brands by just releasing the same stuff every year without updating and putting minimal effort into advancement. Why? Because you’ll gobble it up and froth on anything they do even if they release the exact same bike with bold new graphics. 
 

I have chosen to support the brands that are pouring themselves into R&D and are customer focused giving us multiple options to ride and making bikes for all tastes. 
 

and I’m not “amused” or happy about Suzuki turning to shit. I’m disappointed 

 

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kiwifan
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12/24/2023 5:28pm
It was cool watching their demise in real time. They went from a linkless complete shit niche brand, to game changing and forcing other manufacturers to...

It was cool watching their demise in real time. They went from a linkless complete shit niche brand, to game changing and forcing other manufacturers to copy their ideas to ching chong ping pong junk.

Joel Spoor wrote:
This confuses me. Why are you so joyful about the perceived demise of the brand? This sport is the most close minded out of all the...

This confuses me. Why are you so joyful about the perceived demise of the brand? This sport is the most close minded out of all the sports save maybe badminton and its few brands of rackets. KTM have been researching, developing and investing in our sport and the sports own followers give off the vibe that they just can’t wait for something to go wrong and fail so they can have a laugh. 
 

the OG brands happen to be Japanese and they are profiting off all of your collective bias towards their brands by just releasing the same stuff every year without updating and putting minimal effort into advancement. Why? Because you’ll gobble it up and froth on anything they do even if they release the exact same bike with bold new graphics. 
 

I have chosen to support the brands that are pouring themselves into R&D and are customer focused giving us multiple options to ride and making bikes for all tastes. 
 

and I’m not “amused” or happy about Suzuki turning to shit. I’m disappointed 

 

Cmon Austrian bike fans bag the Japanese  brands constantly (esp. Honda) so suck it up when it happens the other way

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endurox
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12/24/2023 6:41pm
endurox wrote:
KTM should focus their efforts on QC and not try to block Stark from racing Superenduro. I had been riding KTM's since 1983. Next bike will...

KTM should focus their efforts on QC and not try to block Stark from racing Superenduro. I had been riding KTM's since 1983. Next bike will be a Beta.

studworx wrote:

Beta’s have major crank bearing issues lol

How about on the 200?

 

12/25/2023 5:44am
scott_nz wrote:
all the big  4 Japanese brands produce bikes in china or other Asian countries as well,  but the high end MX bikes are still all produced...

all the big  4 Japanese brands produce bikes in china or other Asian countries as well,  but the high end MX bikes are still all produced in Japan, presume it will be the same with the KTM,  

I know Honda makes most if not all of their play bikes in China now.  The Chinese had reverse engineered and copied these bikes for so long, I guess Honda finally decided that if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  If your VIN starts with an “L” no matter the brand, your bike was built in communist China.  

2
burn1986
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bossier city, LA US
12/25/2023 7:36am

Won’t matter too much, since these bikes are starting to get out of financial reach of most of us.

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pilotmech
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12/25/2023 2:11pm
burn1986 wrote:

Won’t matter too much, since these bikes are starting to get out of financial reach of most of us.

Truth.

These folks demanding"quality" can't afford "quality" now.

I could buy a new racebike. I'd really like to have the adventure Harley. I refuse to pay that much for either. I suspect more and more folks are too.

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fourfourone
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12/26/2023 6:26am

Are they still going to cost 25% more than their competitors? 

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1
12/26/2023 7:06am

Moving production to China is nothing to do with benefitting the consumer, it’s all about making more profit. 

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Stuntman949
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12/26/2023 1:58pm

I feel like a lot of people are ignoring the fact they're also laying off 300 employees 

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