July 19, 201511 yr According to CEO Stephan Pierrer, KTM is looking into developing a trial bike in the next two years. I for one, am very curious what they come up with. Can you cite, or better yet link to, the source for this?
July 19, 201511 yr Author Can you cite, or better yet link to, the source for this? En voilà une grosse, grosse info ! Pas une rumeur , une info donnée par le PDG de KTM en personne, Stephan Pierrer, qui dans le mensuel "Moto Verte" déclare s'intéresser au trial . A la question du journaliste qui lui demandait s'ils étaient intéressé par le rachat de Gas Gas ,Stephan Pierrer répond qu'il n'a jamais été intéressé par la marque mais qu'ils étaient capable de faire le propre moto de trial ( même si nous savons par ailleurs que la marque serait intéressé par le moteur Gas Gas). Le journaliste relance le pdg sur le futur de ce projet et lui de lui répondre " Nous avons l'intention de nous pencher sur le sujet dans les deux prochaines années... Oui nous allons développer une machine de trial !" Et de rajouter un peu plus loin dans la conversation "On a beaucoup à apprendre de cette discipline". Voilà une sacrée bonne nouvelle pour le trial , pourquoi ? parce que avec sa puissance de communication, sa notoriété, ses nombreux points de vente et sa volonté de réussir en compétition , la marque Autrichienne va dynamiser notre sport et lui donner un sacré coup de jeune.
July 20, 201511 yr i think a bit is lost in translation, id liked to be proved wrong but my guess is a ktm trialer isnt coming anytime soon.
July 20, 201511 yr Already dipped their toe in with the freeride. Remember the trials explosion of the 70s occurred simply because the Japanese factories thought it was a market to get into. It won't be as big with KTM but amongst dirt riders it would be significant. Imagine KTM/Redbull sponsoring your nationals. This could/should be a game changer if it comes to pass.
July 20, 201511 yr I would think that electric would be the way they would go. Don't post again unless you've got something sensible to say!!! Edited July 20, 201511 yr by jrsunt
July 20, 201511 yr no, not yet! Electric bikes are great for the kids, but the adult ones need a lot more development before they'll win me over. I hope ktm do make a trials bike, I'm sure they'll sell plenty, be it electric or petrol.
July 20, 201511 yr I hope ktm do make a trials bike, I'm sure they'll sell plenty, be it electric or petrol. I cant see them needing to buy Gas Gas to do this!
July 21, 201511 yr Why? Because a whole new audience opens up for trials. We are a very insular group though we try to be welcoming we run in very small circles relative to the motorcycle world simply because we are a small number and have a small area of contact. Any time you open up a point of contact with a larger group you have great potential to widen the market. KTM has a huge footprint outside of the trials market. They had enough influence to kick trials bikes out of endurocross mains. What happens when they use that influence to sell trials bikes?
July 21, 201511 yr This talk really p****s me off. I hope ktm never tries Trials. I have said it before, The Italian/China SWM should consider buying the Italian 2T Cagiva/Husqvarna motor design back from gg, and start a trials team with that motor minus the power valve.
July 21, 201511 yr Im sorry but ive lost the thread here are some saying that ktm will make thousands more ride trials? Why? japanese coming into the market boosted slaes in the 70's? really? Trials is a minority sport because we dont market it right? Thousands are waiting to ride trials?
July 21, 201511 yr I don't see it making much of a difference when Honda is already involved though.It could very well make a difference.As you say., Honda is involved but the dealers are not. My nearest Montesa dealer is 300 miles away. Beta dealer 200 miles. Between me and them are at least 12 Honda dealers. Not one stocks a trials bike. But there are at least as many KTM dealers out there.Irresoective of engineering, and if nothing else, KTM can bring an established dealer network to the scene that allows other dirt bike riders to at least see a Trials bike on a show room floor. Edited July 21, 201511 yr by ross brown
July 21, 201511 yr KTM tend to do a lot of promotion/advertising... and they're not averse to doing it with sports that are a bit off the regularly beaten path (e.g. extreme enduro, which was pretty obscure until the last few years... it's now a KTM-fest).
July 22, 201511 yr enduro of whatever form has always been more popular than trials and is a variation of trail riding. Dealer networks or not trials will never take off big time, in reality its declining and this is irreversable, sadly.
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