It is fair to say that 2024 has been tough for Pierer Mobility Group, the company behind KTM and its plethora of spin off brands like Husqvarna and GASGAS, but some innovative technology and the promise of new and updated models means that it at least goes into 2025 with renewed optimism.
Controversies surrounding camshaft durability, dealerships going out of business and a slump in sales and revenue have blighted the company this year, while the ‘Ready to Race’ brand has also struggled to compete with rivals Ducati on the MotoGP race tracks. The company announced job losses throughout the year, laying off almost 600 workers, but there is at least some good news on the horizon for fans of the orange brand (and its subsidiaries) as a slew of new products and technologies are set to hit our roads next year.
The company will join the automatic transmission club with an AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) system which appears similar to philosophy to the set-up we recently sampled on Yamaha’s MT-09 Y-AMT, albeit utilising a centrifugal clutch rather than the wholly electronics tech which controls the Y-AMT system.
KTM showcased the shifting system at this year’s Erzbergrodeo enduro event and although we don’t know which precise models it will be launched on, the Austrian company has said that it will be rolled out as an option on a significant number of products in the coming years. The technology means KTM joins a rising number of manufacturers offering automatic shifting systems, including BMW, Honda and Yamaha.
KTM has announced that the 1390 Super Adventure range is set for an overhaul, making this the most likely place to debut the AMT – especially as spy shots have emerged of a prototype Super Adventure sans clutch lever. The company also says it is looking for global expansion in 2025 and has already told us there will be some new smaller capacity bikes, which should prove popular in emerging markets outside of Europe and North America. This will result in an expansion of the 125 and 390 platform, with supermotard and enduro themed derivatives alongside the current RC and Duke variants.
Despite the tough times in 2024, the Austrian company still managed to sell almost 385,000 motorcycles in its last financial year, almost as much as the combined sales of European rivals BMW, Ducati and Triumph, so it’s fair to say the company remains the continent’s biggest large capacity motorbike manufacturer. A large part of these sales comes in the off-road sector, where KTM is by far and away the most popular brand. Only the Piaggio Group, which owns Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Vespa, sells more motorcycles, although much of those sales comes from small cc mopeds and scooters.
Another ‘big’ modification to KTM’s bikes for 2025 will be the introduction of a large new TFT dashboard on some models. Sizing in at 8” (vertical) or 8.8” (horizontal) the dashboards are mated to new switchgear and have a number of clever technologies, including anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings, with a 1280x720 pixel resolution and a whopping 256,000 colour palette. As well as being accessible through the new switchgear, the menus can be activated through a touchscreen mechanism designed to be activated by a gloved hand.
KTM says it will initially be available on ‘premium’ models with additional features due to be added in the coming years.
And as if to confirm its optimism, KTM and its subsidiaries will be at Italy’s massive EICMA motorcycle show next month, after a few years absence, where we expect to see their full 2025 offering revealed.
