KTM Wins at Dakar and loses its plot in product positioning
The Austrian brand gave us some of the most badass MX and enduro bikes in history. Then they decided to chase every shiny object in the motorcycling universe. KTM became a brand that went from dominating the dirt to suddenly rolling out high-tech adventure tourers with price tags competing with luxury cars. Team Orange is still pumping out new models as if the company itself is unaware of its current bankruptcy possibilities.
KTM’s off-road pedigree is unmatched by any other manufacturer. The Dakar Rally was a reminder of that fact as Daniel Sanders absolutely crushed it on his factory KTM, claiming his maiden Dakar win in Saudi Arabia. The Aussie wasn’t just good, he destroyed the competition, leading the motorcycle category from start to finish. It was one of the most one-sided contests in recent memory.
Sanders beat Honda’s Tosha Schareina with a near-nine-minute lead, finishing a whole eight minutes and 50 seconds ahead. This win marked KTM’s 20th Dakar victory and the 21st for the Pierer Mobility Group when you factor in GasGas’ 2022 win with Sam Sunderland.
KTM’s Luciano Benavides pulled off back-to-back wins in Stages 8 and 9, finishing a respectable fourth overall. Even their customer bikes made it into the top 10.
So why isn’t KTM doubling down on its off-road dominance instead of chasing complicated expensive ADV motorcycle market? Isn’t off-road better than MotoGP for their branding and overall sales?
Are they stupid are just greedy? Let us know in the comments.
—Wayfarer
