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.