Why doesn't KTM make pit/trail bikes?

They didn’t know which brand to purchase that builds pit bikes lol

Lol xcw 

are trailbikes.

Freeride? 

But they can’t do everything. Just accept they’re the only guys doing 50s, modern 65s & 85s and electric kids. That’s good enough

Turn the gas gas bikes into the play bike brand. Like the Japanese use China and Thailand. They could make them in India keep costs down. 

Huge mistake. Nothing is in a KTM lineup than a lot of wives/girlfriends would find as a desirable or comfortable bike without mods. I know some girls are fine with taller bikes, but in my group of 60-year-old + riders, our wives/ girlfriends hate not being able to touch the ground with their feet is a big, big deal. And people my age have disposable income to buy bikes. We have all bought a lot of Xtrainers for our girls/wives and spent a lot of money making "short rides". You get the vibe in a lot of KTM dealerships that the whole "ready to race" thing as the average rider isn't good enough or serious enough for their bikes. I never understood why dealerships don't have premodded "short ride" bikes in their dealerships, so shorter riders do not feel intimidated when strolling through the 37" seat height motocrossers.

Now that Bajaj owns them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more high volume, low tech models coming out of India in the future.

They’re too busy making 3 different variants of the bikes they already have. 

Cause pit bikes are not "Ready to Race"!😁

I’ve made a similar post, and as vetrider above says, doesn’t fit in with the ready to race motto 

Seems very short sighted

Because the vendors that supply parts for those won't do it for 30 cents on the $

As a Yamaha and Kawasaki dealer, there is absolutely no margin in pit bikes. If KTM wants to dig a bigger hole. Join the other 42 Chinese brands and try to compete with the KLX 140L. Not worth it, I am only ordering the bare minimum after seeing the new duty fees Kawasaki is adding after freight. I literally told my sales manager that we're going to turn into auction bikes and a service center.

ZING!!!!!😂

It comes down to poor management.  They went with e bikes (why buy a GasGas e bike for a few hundred dollars less than you could get a Specialized, Yeti, YT  etc.?) and ugly small displacement street bikes instead.  

Just over a decade now, when the Freeride 250 2 stroke came out, I put forward that That, and the 350 4stroke, should be made in India.

Inherently simple bikes - especially the 250 2t, as it was a Non Powervalve 2 stroke engine - to make.

Here in OZ, they, for what they were, were far to expensive, considering the general downgrade in Suspension,  Brakes ( dreadful , near MTB level Formulas) and many other aspects of them from EXCs etc.

But - they were pretty neat things to ride, especially in tight stuff, and when approached differently to the EXCS / SXs etc. As in, ride it like a Trail Bike, Not a Race Bike.

They were  Trail Bikes - I regarded them as modern DTs, or XLs. The sort of bikes, at a more realistic price, that could sell Very, Very well in emerging markets, and, in established markets.

The new 2025 E version - well, it's all steel chassis should be a cheaper thing to make, and a version could easily be made to fit ICE engines, considering  the earlier composite ( Aluminium and Steel) frames were made to accommodate the E power train, the 2t, and 4t . And, it now has brakes that are better than the bloody Formulas. Braketecs / Bybre? - I think, not the greatest, but anything would be better than the Formulas.......

I saw a fair few people that went hog wild on the modifications to them - which, was a bit pointless / expensive. People ended up spending more on their mods than they would have spent with just getting EXCs - but, each to their own...... I rode a  blokes 350, that had it's engine brought up to EXC / XC spec - at considerable expense - and it was somewhat sketchy to ride, to put it mildly.

Some blokes bought KTM KS gears / cases(?) etc, then making extended KS shafts, and welding on fixtures to the frame, with bearings, to have a KS. It was a time when many more people than now, were wary of Not  having a KS backup.

A mate of mine still has his 250 2t - with the brakes changed, a nice little Expansion Chamber, to bring it to around the 30 / 32 HP from the original 23(?), and the suspension well sorted for it's largely single track / extreme use, and it's a nice little thing. I'd snaffle it up, if I could get him to part with it.

I've Always said, if we could get say, the Indian  / Chinese / Other emerging markets populace interested in Off Road riding, we'd have a boom, that would make the 70s Dirt Bike boom, that was huge in 'the West', look piddly by comparison. 

Baja might be wise to consider such a thing. Though, their India Road Legal Standards, are pretty strict, for new bikes. BS6, or something, it's called. However, meeting those, with I assume, some differences, would pretty much assure that they could be sold , Worldwide. 

Ready to race, not ready to play around. 

A modern thonda trail 125 essentially, but with a heavy mx influence. After that, a racing series for them in the east.   💰 🤑 

Anyone remember when KTM made ‘EGS’ models? 

250EGS… autolube, lights, indicators, switch gear, that was much more a ‘trail’ bike than anything KTM offer today.

No it’s not just an EXC

The pit bikes I sell have 25% margin. We move hundreds of 70’s per month. $1,199 and 6 month warranty. 

What are those? I have heard from a few dealers there is no mark up on pit bikes.

I get it, people like Brands, but i get manufactures dont want to make a serious play bike. Spend 6 grand ish for a bbr frame and suspension, i xhose to go a different route with YCF,  i can run multiple wheel sizes and swingarm lengths and crf150r forks with a daytona 190 bbk to 212, guess 23 hp? Gray is running 16x19, red is 12x14, also hav a 14x17 wheelset but dont use it much.

All Def fun to ride!!!

Those gas gas and Yamaha e bikes have to be the biggest piles of shit. Always amazed when I see one in the wild 

I’m a contractor in the motorcycle industry. One of the brands I represent is SSR. Dude, they’re really good for what they are. Are you going to win any races? No. But, for the price and for an actual pit bike and not a pit bike race bike, they’re fantastic. $250 for a complete engine replacement and so far in 2 years I’ve only had to do it once for one of my dealers. 

Have you seen the Orion branded adult sized electric balance bike? It’s a 24 inch and the ultimate pit bike for around me if you’re actually using it as a pit bike at the races. 

Ktm is in the business of losing money,  not making it... duhhhh

Do tell how your pulling that off. Yamaha and Kawasaki don't have those margins unless you're knocking their heads off in fees.

Most of the Jap brands are 8-10%, maybe. HD has a margin percentage before freight and set up of around 15-17% but dealers capitalize and end up getting 25%. They have never had a rebate on an HD product which significantly helps the dealer. Chinese pit bikes are easy. $999 retail and cost is $750 or lower if you buy a truck load. You’ll make more on one of my pit bikes than you will selling a KLX110 for full pop. Shoot me a PM and I can get you all the info. 

Because the core value of the brand is READY TO RACE. 

No need to waste time on that trash....