For American riders, the signature orange of KTM has become synonymous with “Ready to Race” aggression and off-road dominance. Much like its European peers, KTM’s journey began in a small metalworking shop in Mattighofen, Austria, founded by Hans Trunkenpolz in 1934. Initially a repair shop for cars and motorcycles, it wasn’t until 1953 that the first production KTM—the R100—was built. The company name, Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, reflects the partnership between its founder and businessman Ernst Kronreif. While BMW was conquering the asphalt, KTM was busy conquering the dirt, winning its first Austrian national championship in 1954 and a gold medal at the International Six Days Trials in 1956.

KTM’s arrival in the United States was uniquely “grassroots.” In the late 1960s, American off-road legend John Penton approached KTM to build lightweight dirt bikes to his specifications, which were then imported to the U.S. under the Penton brand. This partnership put KTM on the map for American woods and desert racers. By 1978, the company established KTM North America in Lorain, Ohio, and officially took over distribution. While the brand nearly collapsed in 1991, filing for bankruptcy, it emerged as a reorganized powerhouse under the leadership of Stefan Pierer. This “New Era” saw the birth of the Duke series in 1994, marking KTM’s serious entry into the street market and paving the way for the high-performance “naked” bikes Americans love today.

The Mattighofen Hub

KTM remains proudly Austrian, with its primary manufacturing and R&D hub still located in Mattighofen. This central campus is where the brand’s most complex machines—like the Super Duke and Super Adventure—are engineered and assembled. Since the 1990s, KTM has expanded into a global conglomerate, acquiring brands like Husqvarna and GasGas, and partnering with India’s Bajaj Auto for small-displacement production. For the U.S. rider, this has meant a massive increase in accessibility, moving the brand from a “boutique” European off-road choice to a mainstream rival for both Japanese and domestic manufacturers.

KTM in 2025: “The Beast” Evolved

In 2025, KTM has pushed the boundaries of displacement and electronic sophistication further than ever before. The headline for the American market is the full rollout of the 1390 platform. The 2025 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO has arrived as a tech tour-de-force, featuring Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)—allowing riders to switch between manual shifting and a fully automatic mode—and a massive 8.8-inch vertical TFT touchscreen. Meanwhile, the “naked” segment has been set ablaze by the 990 Duke R, a bike that revives the legendary “R” badge with 130 hp and a razor-sharp chassis designed for track-day enthusiasts. Even as they embrace radar-guided cruise control and semi-active suspension, KTM’s 2025 lineup remains fiercely committed to the lightweight, “bare-knuckle” feel that John Penton first brought to American shores decades ago.