KTM boss remains cautious: “Two good quarters don’t make a healthy company”

Following the completion of the restructuring process, KTM is emerging from the crisis and can look back on a promising first half of 2026. “In the second quarter, we broke even at EBIT level for the first time in two years,” said Managing Director Gottfried Neumeister in an exclusive interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “Finally making a profit again is a huge relief for us. None of this would be possible without so many loyal customers and the dealers who support us, as well as the people in Mattighofen who stand by this brand and are willing to go the extra mile to make a contribution. However, we must keep our feet on the ground; one good quarter does not make for a good set of accounts. And two good quarters do not make for a healthy company. Everyone is watching us, and we must prove that this is sustainable.”

“We’ve managed to retain our loyal customers and maintain the passion and enthusiasm for KTM,” Neumeister continued. “That was never lost; otherwise, the restructuring wouldn’t have succeeded in this form. There are two key factors: our loyal customers and our staff. Mattighofen isn’t a cosmopolitan city – if you’re there, it’s for one reason: because you believe in KTM and do your bit to ensure this brand can compete with the best in the world. That’s a rock-solid foundation.”

Neumeister knows: these comparisons are flawed

“We fell very far due to the insolvency,” the Austrian noted. “Anyone who wants to put the growth into perspective and ignore the success will, of course, say that we’re starting from a low base. But even if I’m starting from a low base: if I outperform market growth in the relevant segment, that’s still something to be proud of. The overall market is growing by 6 per cent – we grew by 117 per cent in the second quarter, so that comparison doesn’t hold water; you can’t make it. But I have to look at how we’re performing quarter on quarter. Against the backdrop of other European manufacturers, who are all currently shrinking despite having expanded their segments, we’ve managed to hold our own and make a comeback. We’re not yet back to our former strength, but size and growth aren’t the most important things.”

For the first time, we have a model derived from MotoGP.

Gottfried Neumeister on the KTM 990 RC R

Neumeister has learnt from KTM’s past mistakes and therefore says: “We’re not growing for the sake of growth; we need to be profitable and build superb products. We have an incredibly strong line-up of new motorbikes, such as the Duke 990R. The 990 RC R has won several comparative tests; for the first time, we have a model derived from MotoGP. We have the RC-R Cup, which has been very well received, where people have been racing this motorbike. This segment had long been written off; everyone wanted to ride a naked bike, an adventure bike or a heritage model, but faired bikes are making a comeback and the segment is growing. We’re demonstrating that this motorbike is being embraced by customers and the media. Our new Super Adventure, the 1390 with automatic transmission, is also receiving incredible feedback. So it’s a combination of new products that have created demand and tried-and-tested models.”

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“All my weekly reports include the trend line for 2019 and the previous year; 2023 and 2022 are hidden,” Neumeister concluded. “For me, those aren’t benchmarks – they were just inflated figures. And before that came the two Covid years. I can tell you with a smile and a sense of joy that we’re above the 2019 trend line in every area.”

Gottfried Neumeister (li.) mit Ivo Schützbach

Foto: gerhard schiel