KTM is Broke - Why and What's Next?

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Thanks you for your comments! I do my best to keep up with them for the first few days after a video comes out, but due to the volume of comments on all of my videos, and to the general hustle and bustle of life, I must give up the fight after a while. If you are leaving a question four or more days after a video comes out I can't guarantee I'll see it, but perhaps one of my other viewers knows the answer and can help out. Thanks in advance to those who contribute and share their knowledge. Cheers and stay safe everyone!

#differentspokestv

[patricklanigan]

Three things turn me off of KTM, the charge to unlock features already on the bike, poor reliability, and stories of them giving customers the run around for what are warranty issues.

[sammemrys]

Lack of reliability = death to any brand.

[ironhorsehero]

1 piss poor quality control. 2 treating their customers with contempt. 3 ripping customers off with charges for features already built into the bike. 4 Surprise surprise heading for bankruptcy

[OldArmy-vcrd]

It’s not only reliability, the big problem is the lack of warranty support.

[dmaxcustom]

The best way to have customers is to be straight with them, transparent and reliable.
Ktm is doing none of that.

[J.Harry.T]

European prices for products made in China and India.

[killer]

" When you push your compression ratios and horsepower figures up, generally engine reliability suffers", you just defined the entire German engine building mindset of the last 10 years. That's why most German cars nowadays are crap filled with engine issues

[chrispack]

The camshaft problem & initially the problem was denied by KTM & only accepted there was a problem after so many complaints…that’s one of the reasons I will stick with Japanese motorcycles.

[teresad]

To be clear, performance and upping compression ratios is not what hurting the 790/890 camshafts. It's the low amount of oil pressure that provides lubrication to these very fast moving parts. It's an engineering or design issue. This has been demonstrated on some videos. Oil trickling out of an orifice like 85 year old man taking a leak. The word is that they'll repair these issues if they arise by replacing the cams. WHAT they need to do is fix the low oil pressure. This will actually "fix" the problem as opposed to just pushing it down the road.

[randyladwig]

Dirt bikes with nothing special about them shouldn't cost 18k. So sales are down.

[mistapickles]

KTM would sell a bunch more bikes if they FIRE the guy who designs their headlights.

[seojimjames]

own a 2018 ktm 1290 sdr best bike I have ever owned, ridden, raced. never had any issues whatsoever. supernaturally fast and magic handling on any surface at any speed. pretty bullet proof.

[fatchance]

This is what's mostly likely to happen . KTM's 90 day self administration plan will be rejected by it's major creditor's, forcing a court protected Bankruptcy where Bajaj and CFMoto will buy the Intelectual property that's valuable for pennies on the dollar. Their racing programs will disappear. KTM's manufacturing facilities will be sold for chump change to competitor's or shuttered. What's left will be either Indian or Chinese made motorcycles with a KTM badge.

The only thing that might prevent this from happening, is if the Austrian Government decides to provide some type of bridge financing whether it be Loan's or taking ownership stakes in the company to prevent the lost of manufacturing jobs in Austria. Short of that KTM's is done. There is no company in the world that would buy KTM at full retail and take on their liabilites.

[justlucky]

Quality control is why I will never buy a KTM

[geneclarke]

KTM'CEO's ambitions to be the largest EU motorcycle manufacturer were just way out of reach and this is another top management team who failed to read the market. Harley's CEO also falls into this camp with wild expectations unsupported by the market. Restructuring KTM may turn out to be the companies long term salvation. Unfortunately, 3, 500 employees have to take a hit. But that's the way it is, CEO's get a bonus and employees lose their paychecks.

[bobz]

"... spending like a drunken sailor..." - love it !
Great summary video 👍

[Bobert]

Between their reliability and charging for unlocking existing equipment after the sell is one reason I've never thought about them seriously.

[rubo]

Problem is not just KTM but all bike makers in general.In a nutshell motorcycles have become too expensive.Young folks with student loans cant buy and older guys like cruisers.This is why Royal Enfiled selling so well because they are cheap.

[larrypinball]

It's probably the most thorough analysis I have watched about this KTM's debacle. good job.

[Farmaci]

The best off road performing motorcycles I have ever ridden but the most unreliable. I don't care if you say "I have never had any issues with my KTM"... well, I had planty of them and the bottom line is, it is just a matter of time before they explode on you....