Lucky reader gets the KTM factory feeling

After major struggles towards the end of the 20th century Austrian powerhouse KTM now stands as a titan in the motocross world. 

The company has conquered and laid waste to the world motocross championship for the best part of a decade.

And it is now adding major American outdoor and indoor titles to its ever increasing resume.

World domination has proved lucrative for the Austrian brand, with paddocks often just a sea of orange in motocross and enduro paddocks.

After the KTM phoenix rose from its own ashes in 1992 the brand has built a massive and dedicated customer and fan base.

Just recently those hard-core KTM fanatics had the opportunity to enter various competitions with hopes of realising the ultimate KTM dream. 

A handful were lucky enough to do just that – and TMX was there to follow competition winner, Tom Sage, as he embarked on a motocross trip of a lifetime.

Just a week after the world-wide unveiling of the ‘new generation' 2016 KTM SX range a small band of KTM fans/ competition winners from across the globe congregated in front of KTM's HQ.

Winners from Holland, France, Belgium, the UK and even as far as Peru were summoned to the KTM factory in Mattighofen, Austria – just a stone's throw away from Salzburg – for a very rare behind the scenes insight.

"We started off with a tour of the production line,” explained Tom Sage. 

"We saw how the bikes start out and how they are put together from the chassis onwards. 

WIt was amazing, within an hour or so on the line the bikes are completely finished and rolling out the other end ready for engine tests, before being shipped out to dealers.

"It is an eye-opening experience the first time you walk into the KTM factory. It isn't something that really crosses your mind as you take your nice new dirt bike for a spin around the track. 

"You don't think about the bloke that bolted your engine into your frame, the processes involved in putting your bike together and about the technology and man-power needed to produce just one bike – let alone the hundreds that roll off the production line every day.

"As you walk down one of the production lines in the main factory, that famous image of the evolution of man springs to mind. 

"At the 17 different work-stations you can see each stage as the pre-assembled components are brought together.”

At the time of the prize-winners' visit the line was working on mini-bikes and each station only had about two minutes to complete their task before the bike would move on to the next stage. 

This meant that from start to finish a bike would take about an hour or so to roll off the line and on to the testing phase. On a good day KTM can pump out up to 450 bikes. Crazy stuff.

"It was quite amazing seeing the bike as separate parts in little boxes and then watching as it evolved to become a fully functioning motocross bike, completely tested and ready to ride,” added Tom. "You see pictures in magazines or on-line but until you're there and you see the bikes at all of the different stages, you can't rally grasp how fast it all happens. 

"You see the guys adding the  forks, wheels, engines and plastics and they  were bolting bikes together so quickly.

"To combat the problem of production line work becoming mundane for employees, KTM like to mix it up what they will be producing day-to-day.

This is dependent on demands, schedules, orders and the season.

"For example a lot more motocross bikes are produced in the summer months, whereas production is geared a lot more towards road and adventure bikes in the winter. 

"This means that one day the line workers may be working on a KTM 50cc kids' bike, the next on a 1190 RC8 road bike. 

"After being amazed by the sheer scale of the main KTM facility and the efficiency of the processes involved in producing race winning machinery the group then had a trip down the road to another huge KTM facility, this was the engine plant.

"There we saw all the different components being machined from bare castings before they went round another production-line on which all the engine components are assembled. 

"The finished engines go out the other end, get tested and head to the main production line where the complete bikes are assembled.

"Firstly the different components are manufactured from locally-sourced materials, before they are passed along to be assembled on one of the engine plant's two production lines. 

"After that the completed engines go on to be tested. It is quite something watching an engine being tested, minus the motorcycle in a sound-proof booth next to the production line. 

"The engines are rigorously tested. They are fired up and run through all the gears ensuring everything is in order – quite a sight with no chassis, frame, handle-bars or throttle.

"It was very interesting. The completed and tested engines are sent back down the road to be fitted into the chassis.”

After a full day of tours and seeing how these brand-new 2016 model KTMs were manufactured it is safe to say that tongues were wagging as the chance to finally ride the orange beasts drew closer.

However, Tom and the rest of the competition winners had to wait until day two to finally swing their legs over the 2016 KTM, and be among some of the first people in the world to do so.

Inspiring

"We went to the X-Bowl Arena in Austria and I felt pretty privileged to be there,” said Tom.

"The surroundings were just awesome. It didn't look real,” he added, as he took in the awe-inspiring views the X-Bowl Arena provided. 

The X-Bowl served as the location for the second day of the trip as everyone got to hop on-board and test the entire 2016 KTM range.

"If Middle-Earth had motocross I'm pretty certain the tracks would look something a little like the X-Bowl Arena,” enthused Tom.

"They are surrounded by snow-capped mountains, in a valley with immense vistas on either side and a raging torrent of a river below.

"I think it's safe to say that this was one of the most scenic and picturesque places any of us had ever been. It was quite a tight, twisty, technical track. 

"There were some really nice table-tops and an awesome looking whoop/ rhythm section. 

"The soil was very strange though, there isn't really anything like this in the UK. 

"It's quite stony and it kind of looks like cement mix. Overall the track does look quite incredible, especially with the back drop with the mountains.

"I've been a KTM rider since the Small-wheel 85 days, so for eight or nine years now.

"To be honest I'm a die-hard KTM fan. I have just sold my 2012 KTM 250F before I came on this trip as I was looking at buying a 2015 model. 

"Then I had the opportunity to come on this trip, so I'm going to see what the 2016 models are like and make up my mind from there.”

The motocross Gods must have been on Tom's side as the rain that had been hitting that area of Austria for the previous few weeks dried up and made way for glorious sunshine – perfect dirt biking weather. 

Over the course of the day the competition winner had the opportunity to log as many laps as they could possibly manage on the complete range of new generation KTMs.

"Today started with the chance to ride the 125cc and 150cc two-strokes. I actually used to own a 2009 model 150 when they first came out and I thought it was an awesome bike back then, so much more torque than a 125,” said Tom.

"Riding this new one today, I just felt that it was so smooth. Again it's just an awesome bike. You could take it to any track and do well.

"We've only got one nice long straight here today but you can really wind it up and sit on the back wheel and nail it down the straight. Following that, I had a spin on the 350 and 450. Today was the first time I've ever ridden a 450 – and it was just crazy. So much power, yet so smooth. 

"On the older 450s you'd expect to be a lot more ragged and find it to be harder to control. 

"I found this one to be a lot tamer, but when you needed the power it was definitely there. The 350 was very similar, but I couldn't quite seem to ride it as smoothly.

"I finished the day riding the 250 SX-F– and what an unbelievable bike it is.

"The difference between my 2012 and the 2016 model is amazing. The bike is so light, it handles so well, you can throw it around in the air, and it brakes and turns on a pin.  It was just an unbelievable bike to ride. I'm hoping to own one soon.”

Thanks

It was clear to see that Tom and the rest of the prize winners were well impressed with the new KTM range as well as being grateful for the amazing opportunity gifted to them.

"I'd like to say a massive thanks to both KTM UK and KTM for organising this trip,” added Tom.

"For a die-hard KTM fan like me, this was a dream come true. So a massive thanks to everyone involved in making this happen and to TMX/ DBR for running the competition and giving us the opportunity to enjoy this experience. 

"It was a wicked trip, organised brilliantly. Everyone was so friendly and it went very smoothly. We've had great food, a great track and great bikes.”

And with that Tom and the rest of the group said goodbye to the KTMs, to the X-Bowl Arena and to Austria as they all headed their separate ways to plan how they were going to explain to their friends just how awesome this trip had been...