Since the late 1990s, it has expanded into street motorcycle production and developing sports cars – namely the X-Bow.

[3] In 1934, Austrian engineer Johann (Hans) Trunkenpolz (1909–1962)[4] set up a fitter's and car repair shop[5] in Mattighofen.

During the Second World War, his wife took care of the business which was thriving mainly on account of diesel engine repairs.

[6] After the war, demand for repair works fell sharply and Trunkenpolz started thinking about producing his own motorcycles.

As the company continued to expand, the workforce totalled 400 in 1971, and forty years after it was founded, KTM was offering 42 different models.

Radiators sold to European car manufacturers constituted a sizable part of the company's business in the 1980s.

Takeover of a 51% interest in the company by the Austrian investment trust GIT Trust Holding controlled by Austrian politician Josef Taus in 1989 was followed by unsuccessful attempts to turn the indebted company around,[20] and in 1991, management of KTM was transferred to a consortium of creditor banks.

In the following years, while steadily increasing production and turnover, investing in new production and R&D facilities,[3][21][22] introducing new models and successfully sponsoring and taking part in various sports racing events, the company underwent a series of restructurings and stakeholder changes guided by KTM's managing director and Cross Industries owner Stefan Pierer.

[24] In 1995, KTM Motorradholding GmbH acquired Swedish motorcycle maker Husaberg AB and took control of the Dutch company White Power Suspension.

In 2007, Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj Auto bought a 14.5% stake in KTM Power Sports AG.

In 2015, KTM generated a turnover of over 1 billion Euro and employed 2515 people by the end of that year.

[26] As of November 2023, the apex holding company for KTM in motorcycles and affiliated business was Pierer Industrie AG, which owns 50.1% stake in Pierer Bajaj AG, wherein Bajaj Auto Limited holds the remaining 49.9% stake.

This partnership was a two-year trial arrangement, at the end of which both parties had the option of merging the two companies into one.

[31] In November 2022 KTM acquired a 25,1 % stake in the Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta.

[33] By the end of 2016, KTM had won more than 260 world championship titles, making the company one of the most successful brands in motorsports.

In 2003, KTM started sponsoring and supporting road racing in various capacities, with the most successful results stemming from their supermoto efforts.

Steadfastly independent and confident of their company's abilities, KTM chose to use a steel trellis frame where all other manufacturers used aluminum.

In addition, KTM insisted on developing their own racing suspension through their WP subsidiary (all other manufacturers used Öhlins).

KTM demonstrated their prowess in doing things their own way by winning their first Moto GP premier class race on August 9, 2020, with rookie Brad Binder crossing the finish line in first place.

Due to the company's focus shifting away from the RC8 and generally superbike design, these plans are off the table for the foreseeable future.

To create a strong brand identity, all competition-ready KTMs come from the factory with bright orange plastic with "KTM" emblazoned on the side of the radiator shrouds.

Current versions of the KTM SX-F line have a dual overhead camshaft engine dubbed the “RC4”.

The two-stroke XC machines except the 150 cc model are available with either wide-ratio or close-ratio transmission (when switching gears, there is a more or less pronounced rpm change).

Free Ride – A KTM original class of off-road motorcycle that could be described as a cross between Enduro and trials bikes.

However, with newer advances in technology, two-strokes have begun to burn cleaner and pass stricter environmental standards.

Starting in 2017, all newly registered motorcycles must conform with the Euro 4 regulations for emissions management.

By pressure-injecting an electronically controlled amount of fuel into the transfer port of the cylinder, the new TPI (transfer port injection) engines will be more fuel efficient and cleaner than classic carburetor two-stroke engines, albeit more complex and expensive.

The 141 kg light 690 SMC R model has a 48 kW liquid-cooled one-cylinder four-stroke motor (LC4) and a hydraulically actuated APTC slipper clutch.

Under the Powerparts label, KTM sells tuning and styling parts for its street and off-road motorcycles and the X-Bow.

[55] The Powerwear label offers race gear and equipment, clothing, accessories and merchandise articles.