KTM Petition: Economic Impact and Customer Concerns

With almost 1000 signatures on the petition, if all signatories refrain from purchasing a new KTM bike, the projected gross loss, calculated at an average price of R200,000 (US$10,500) per bike, would amount to ZAR200,000,000.00 or US$10,500,000.00.

As a devoted KTM enthusiast, it saddens me to see the brand in this situation. However, my sympathy lies even more with the owners who unknowingly bought bikes with undisclosed defects.

On June 10, 2024, Riaan Neveling, Head of Global Marketing for KTM, “addressed” the cam issue on Facebook:

“Hi everyone,

Thank you for accepting me into this group. We are currently conducting an in-depth investigation on this matter and have gathered valuable information from your posts and comments. We have escalated this to the highest level and are assessing our options. Rest assured that we value each and every one of our Orange Bleeders, and we will inform this group first as soon as we have an update.”

Riaan, this problem has been known since 2019. Four years later, you're still conducting your “in-depth investigation”? This is unacceptable and unbelievable! 

Please curb further potential damage to KTM immediately by being truthful, honest, and, above all, transparent about the problem and its remedy. While this may be costly for KTM now, it will protect your loyal customer base and the brand's reputation. Replacing lost customers may become KTM's biggest challenge yet.

Additionally, focus on rectifying past problems instead of developing new models. Without a solid foundation, the "skyscraper" will fall, and future models will be "tainted" before they even see the light of day.