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KTM
  
YearEventEdit
2026

Indian motorcycle giant Bajaj acquires a majority stake in parent company Pierer Mobility. The group will be renamed Bajaj Industrie AG.

Reorganization of KTM Benelux headquarters: The merger of the Netherlands and Belgium under the leadership of Michel van Dooren, who previously held a management position within the KTM Group in the Netherlands. The administrative headquarters will remain in Milsbeek (Netherlands).

2025

KTM is in a massive financial crisis and will be undergoing restructuring under its own management at the end of 2024/2025.

After two years with GasGas, De Carli Racing is now officially the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team again.

2023

KTM North America opens its new, large corporate campus in Murrieta, which brings together all of the group's brands (KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas) and the racing department.

2019

KTM acquires the GasGas brand

2018

Roger de Coster will become Motorsport Director North America for the entire group (KTM and Husqvarna). He will hand over direct management of the KTM team to Ian Harrison.

2017

John Hinz becomes president of KTM North America. He succeeds Jon-Erik Burleson, who has stepped down.

2013

KTM acquires the Husqvarna brand

2012

Ryan Dungey joins Roger de Coster in the KTM team

2011

Roger de Coster takes over as Race Team Manager of the US KTM factory team with the aim of leading the brand, which has had little success in the USA, to the top. He brings Ian Harrisson with him from Suzuki to KTM. South African Harrisson started out as a mechanic for Greg Albertyn and became world champion with him. KTM offers De Coster exactly what Honda and Suzuki had denied him: complete freedom to make decisions and a massive budget.

2010

De Carli Racing switches from Yamaha to KTM. It will be responsible for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (MXGP section).

Pit Beirer becomes motorsport director at KTM

2009

CFO Jon-Erik Burleson has been appointed president of KTM North America. His father is enduro legend Dick Burleson, who won the national enduro championship eight times in a row. 

2008

KTM North America is relocating its headquarters from Amherst, Ohio, to Murrietta, California, to be closer to the heart of the US motocross industry. Amherst will remain the headquarters of KTM East and will organize logistics in the east.

2007

Pit Beirer takes over management of all offroad sports at KTM

2005

Rod Bush, President of KTM North America, dies unexpectedly at the age of just 50.

Jon-Erik Burleson takes over as CFO and head of operations.

2004

Pit Beirer becomes Sponsoring and Communications Manager at KTM

2002

KTM Sportmotorcycle Benelux N.V. is founded in Sauvenière/Gembloux (Belgium) and takes over imports from Brouwer.

2001

KTM Sportmotorcycle Nederland B.V. is founded in Milsbeek and takes over imports from Brouwer.

2000

KTM Sportmotorcycle France SAS is founded in Saint-Priest near Lyon and takes over the import business.

1999

KTM Italy S.r.l. is established as an official subsidiary for sales, but continues to work closely with Farioli's infrastructure at its Gorle location.

1998

KTM acquires all distribution rights from Helmut Staab and Toni Stöcklmeier. KTM Sportmotorcycle Deutschland GmbH is founded with headquarters in Ursensollen (near Amberg). This ends decades of division of the German market between the areas of Aschaffenburg (Staab) and Amberg (Stöcklmeier).

1996

KTM introduces the distinctive orange as its brand color.

1993

The collaboration with French KTM importer SIMA (Seurat) is coming to an end. Royal Moto France (RMF) in Troyes is taking over imports.

1992

Stefan Pierer takes over the motorcycle division. He radically refocused the brand on "Ready to Race."

1991

Due to management errors and fierce Japanese competition, KTM fell into a serious crisis and filed for bankruptcy. Breakup: The company was divided into four independent divisions: KTM Sportmotorcycle (motorcycles), KTM Bicycle, KTM Kühler (later WP Suspension), and KTM Werkzeugbau.


1988

Rod Bush, a successful off-road rider (ISDE medal winner), becomes president of KTM North America. He began his career at Penton, the original KTM importer. 

1981

Jacky Martens receives his first factory contract. He is signed by KTM for the 125cc class.

1978
WM 125ccm Cross

Austrian rider Siegfried Lerner consistently performed well, bringing his KTM to an impressive fourth place.

KTM establishes its first American subsidiary in Lorain, Ohio (USA) under the name "KTM America Inc.".

WM 250ccm Cross

Genadi Moisiev can defend his world championship title from last year for KTM. Among other things, he also benefits from the new Öhlins shock absorbers, with their extremely precise valve system and the use of the highest quality materials, which do not yield even under the toughest loads and heat.

1974
Jahresereignis
WM 250ccm Cross

At the season finale in Wohlen (Switzerland), Gennadij Moiseev loses to Jaroslav Falta despite massive support from his teammates, but he is nevertheless crowned world champion due to opaque machinations behind closed doors. It is the first world championship title for KTM.

Henk Brouwer (Brouwer Motors, Zwartebroek) wird KTM Generalimporteur für Benelux

Jose Luis Ituarte aus Irún, Spanien beginnt mit dem Import von KTM Motorrädern.

1971

Arnaldo Farioli wird italienischer Enduromeister bis 125ccm auf KTM

Jahresereignis

Arnaldo Farioli beginnt mit dem Import von KTM nach Italien.

Marcel Seurat beginnt mit dem Import von KTM-Motorrädern nach Frankreich

1970

After previously using engines (e.g., from Sachs), KTM is now starting to produce its own engines.

Toni Stöckelmeier aus Aschaffenburg vertreibt ebenfalls wie Staab KTM in Deutschland. Die Gebiete werden aufgeteilt.

1969

Arnaldo Farioli wird italienischer Enduromeister bis 125ccm auf KTM

Helmut Staab beginnt mit dem Import von KTM Motorrädern nach Deutschland

1953

The locksmith's and car repair shop (Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen) founded in 1934 by Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen (Austria) had been developing its own motorcycles since 1951 and needed capital. With the entry of businessman Ernst Kronreif, the company was now officially called KTM.

Last edited: 2/20/2026 · Jürgen Wißler