Is KTM making a BIG move?

40Plus_922mx
Profile picture for user 40Plus_922mx
Posts
2901
Joined
4/17/2009
Location
High Desert, CA US
40Plus_922mx
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 8:25am

So with the economy being what it is, seeing the craziest silly season ever, people riding for peanuts, (compared to 3 years ago), to me it looks like KTM is trying to position themselves in the big time over here like never before.

Let's face it here in the US KTM as a major player in the MX/SX series was always kinda off. I mean, they have never been able to sustain a major player for an entire season and see results like the other 4 manufactures have seen.

Now with the market and the four jap manufactures cutting costs at an alarming rate, Is KTM coming through this time a little stronger due to thier huge off road and european interests? and if so do they see an oppotunitylike never before? It is obvious that they have rampedup thier R&D the last 5 years. Really starting to make some good stuff.

With Shorty, and rumors of CP and CR are they looking to try and become a major player over here? If so I applaud them.

|
kardy
Profile picture for user kardy
Posts
1229
Joined
8/2/2006
Location
Newport, OR US
kardy 10/12/2010 8:19am
10/12/2010 8:19am
I can see there's no fooling you....
RedRider31
Profile picture for user RedRider31
Posts
235
Joined
6/15/2010
Location
Littleton, CO US
RedRider31 10/12/2010 8:32am
10/12/2010 8:32am
40Plus_922mx wrote:
So with the economy being what it is, seeing the craziest silly season ever, people riding for peanuts, (compared to 3 years ago), to me it...

So with the economy being what it is, seeing the craziest silly season ever, people riding for peanuts, (compared to 3 years ago), to me it looks like KTM is trying to position themselves in the big time over here like never before.

Let's face it here in the US KTM as a major player in the MX/SX series was always kinda off. I mean, they have never been able to sustain a major player for an entire season and see results like the other 4 manufactures have seen.

Now with the market and the four jap manufactures cutting costs at an alarming rate, Is KTM coming through this time a little stronger due to thier huge off road and european interests? and if so do they see an oppotunitylike never before? It is obvious that they have rampedup thier R&D the last 5 years. Really starting to make some good stuff.

With Shorty, and rumors of CP and CR are they looking to try and become a major player over here? If so I applaud them.

Maybe you don't spend much time on here and missed what's going on, but I would've thought this is kind of obvious. They've brought on The Man as team manager, signed Andrew Short, are bringing over Musquin to race in the U.S., bringing Roczen over to race west coast supercross, and on and on.

They're definitely ramping up their prescence in the US.

The Shop

See All »
DBerg
Profile picture for user DBerg
Posts
361
Joined
10/10/2010
Location
San Marcos, TX US
DBerg 10/12/2010 10:05am
10/12/2010 10:05am
Ya, KTM reps have even been quoted as saying they are trying to step it up a lot in the US. So to answer your question....
Yes
mxb2
Profile picture for user mxb2
Posts
22488
Joined
6/15/2010
Location
Bowie, MD US
mxb2 10/12/2010 10:09am
10/12/2010 10:09am
Yea i heard they came out with a 350sfx also! LOL!
Mstock
Profile picture for user Mstock
Posts
2045
Joined
9/14/2010
Location
Middleton, WI US
Mstock 10/12/2010 10:27am
10/12/2010 10:27am
Unless there are still moves to be made (reed,cp) they may be using 2011 as a learning year. You don't hire Short and think your going to win the SX title or MX title. Marvin has not raced the US SX series, and may not be healthy come the MX series and he has never seen the tracks. Completely new team, managment, bikes, etc. There are no US domination plans in 2011 for KTM. 3-5 year plan just like they did in the GP's.

DBerg
Profile picture for user DBerg
Posts
361
Joined
10/10/2010
Location
San Marcos, TX US
DBerg 10/12/2010 10:37am
10/12/2010 10:37am
Mstock - I really like Short, but he has a ways to go to step it up to championship contention when compared to where RD, RV, and JS are at. I doubt they fully believe they're going to take the US by storm in 2011, but rather than trying to buy a championship, they're trying to set a good foundation to build from for the future. I think you basically hit the nail on the head with that one.
ando
Profile picture for user ando
Posts
3051
Joined
8/20/2009
Location
Perth AU
ando 10/12/2010 11:44am
10/12/2010 11:44am
Nothing surprising in any of this. It was stated in an interview with Pit Beirer (or maybe Stefan Everts?) earlier this year that:

(a) they were ramping up their US program to a full factory effort in 2011;

(b) they had a plan that stretched over several years; and

(c) they learnt in Europe that they weren't going to sign a genuine championship rider until they knew the bike was ready.

Seems to me like their plan is progressing pretty much the way they said it would.

Post a reply to: Is KTM making a BIG move?