The KTM-Bajaj project has seen the Indian company slowly acquire more KTM stock over time, with a recent 1.21 percent acquisition taking it to a total of 39.3 percent ownership of KTM stock. Majority shareholder CROSS has a 50.1 percent stake in the company and has declared that it intends to remain the majority shareholder.

While takeover rumours have surfaced yet, strong interest from Bajaj means that we wouldn’t be surprised to see a takeover move from it in the future. The company has continued making offers to smaller KTM shareholders and has stockpiled its share of the company in doing so.

Bajaj first purchased a 14.5 percent share of KTM stock in 2007 and has more than doubled that since. Being the second largest shareholder in the company has so far proved a mutually beneficial move for both companies, with plenty of collaboration occurring. Most notably, the KTM 125 Duke was fruit of working together. Where to from here…?

Source | A&R

....

0 comments

With the preview look at the 2011 KTM 125 Duke we mentioned how good it would be to be 16 again to have this kind of option on the motorcycle market - many of us would have pulled the ladies with this one, we’re certain. It might only have 15 hp (required for younger riders) but it looks so damn good that we’ll forgive it anything. What we really love about this bike is that KTM hasn’t held back just because it’s for young people.

The KTM 125 Duke looks good and has some sturdy components from Powerparts such that this is one well-accesorised 125cc model. It’s got WP forks, wavy brake discs matched with radial brake calipers, an aluminium swingarm and other cool bits and pieces like graphics, bodywork and frame sliders.

Generally we’d be expecting a cost that would price some people out of the market, but the joint venture KTM-Bajaj might mean we can get KTM build quality and branding at a more affordable price. In which case if I have kids, I’m buying this for them. It’s hard to make a prediction on this one, but we’re expecting to see a number of the little KTM 125 Dukes around the traps soon. Video after the jump.

Continue reading: KTM 125 Duke pics and video

....

0 comments

The KTM 125 Duke will have its official presentation today at the 2010 Intermot show, and here we can see preview pics of the production version of the KTM 125 prototype for 16-year-olds. Envious? We certainly are - to be 16 again! The new 125 Duke is the fruit of collaboration between KTM and Bajaj and the bike should appear right across Asia, South America and Europe. It could be a little saviour in a time of crisis, particularly on the European market.

The 125 Duke style is impeccable - modern and perfectly in proportion for a 125cc bike. The chassis is a tubular trellis housing a single cylinder engine which will be available in larger versions in the future, up to 350cc. The front of the bike would seem to come in two different versions and leaves us a little confused, although its designed to distinguish the sports Duke from the standard one. The sports Duke in fact has lower handle bars and a seat for one.

Another unusual design element is the choice of colours - black, green and purple - which seem more fitting for a 1990’s Honda than a 2011 125cc KTM naked. It looks like the company’s got the urban-enduro mix down pat though, and so we’ll wait for more high-res pics from today’s Intermot show.

Source | MC24

....

0 comments

After the lovely KTM concepts seen at last year’s EICMA show, the 2010 EICMA will see those models, or something similar, head to production in a joint venture with Bajaj, which owns a 30 percent stake in the Austrian company. The bikes will be built as entry level models as Bajaj hopes to capitalise on the European know-how at lower prices in emerging markets. Brazil will be the first market to get lucky on the new KTM street bikes.

Hopefully the move will prove a good one to get lower production cost bikes to market, while still keeping KTM quality. The Austrian brand could get a nice boost in emerging markets from this initiative, with its products appearing in South America and Asia. A statement from the company’s financial report reads:

In addition to the already entered KTM markets, new market opportunities in emerging markets come along with the serial production of entry-level street motorcycles (125cc to 350cc), which will be launched in late fall 2010 in cooperation with Bajaj Auto Ltd. The fist step will be Brazil, where the market offensive is already in the preparation stage.

The bikes are likely to be lightweight, four-stroke options taking on some of the elements of the concepts that KTM presented last year. The street-cred, funky urban appeal of KTM, as well as its offroad qualifications, should ensure the success of its brand but we’re with Wes Siler on this one - hopefully they won’t be just cheap bikes with an orange paint job.

Source | HFL

....

0 comments