Cycle News

KTM PRESIDENT/CEO STEFAN PIERER: PART 1 P84 Interview One of the things we've learned out of the corona situation is that the small-displacement models have become a very important part of the market, even in the USA. The Ad- venture 390 is leading this change, and for sure also Husqvarna models with small displacements. Talking about small to midsize capacity product, has develop- ment of the new range of 500cc twin-cylinder models that will be built by Bajaj been slowed down at all by Covid-19? When do you expect to launch these? It's the opposite! Due to the Covid experiences, we sped up the project because the 500 class will become an all-important segment, especially in developed markets as an A2-licence bike. And in the so-called emerging markets it'll be the premium segment, so it's very important for our 125/200 and 390 Duke custom- ers to trade up to. This is being 100% developed at the Bajaj R&D center in Pune, but supported by our R&D guys. It's a parallel-twin similar to the format we have on the 790/890, only 500cc. When do you expect to launch these? Still in two years' time to get the first product, so 2022. But we will see several different models, with Duke and the Adventure versions in each of the KTM and Husqvarna lines. As far as the growth of the midsize market is concerned, with the new 500cc to 890cc model, do you feel this is likely to suck away business from your higher-end, larger-capacity products like the 1290 Super Duke etc.? Currently it's the case that, post-corona, there is not the demand for the big-displacement mod- els offered by no matter which manufacturer that you have for the small and midsize displacement bikes. And that will go on for however long it takes to resolve the crisis, which we expect will be by the end of 2021 at the very earliest. If you go to the car industry, there the manufacturers forecast up to 20% less demand after corona up till the end of 2021, and throughout that period, for sure, a small-displacement and medium-displacement motor- cycle will be what people want to purchase, with less demand for the big bikes. I don't know exactly what percentage that will be, it's too early to say, but that's our expectation. Are you still working on introducing a twin-cylinder on- road Husqvarna model range in 2022? Yes, definitely. It'll be an Adven- ture-type model like the Norden 901 concept bike we showed at EICMA last year. It's on the way. Will there also be a 100% street version, rather than a dual purpose model? We are focusing in the first place on dual pur- pose. Street may come later. Will the production Norden come with the 790 or the 890 engine? 890. Are you still planning to enter AFT Flat Track racing in the USA with a twin-cylinder Husqvarna? That was our ambition planned before corona, but things have changed since then, so we've post- poned it for at least a year. We'll look at how AFT is developing before deciding when to join in. It's not canceled but it's postponed. We're still participat- ing in AFT Flat Track with our single-cylinder teams, and both brands are very successful. It's perfect for us, because it's a ready-to-race product coming out from motocross, so it's working well, and fulfils our objective of allowing the customer to compete against the factory teams. But for sure the twin is postponed for another year. CN "That was our ambition planned before corona, but things have changed since then, so we've postponed it for at least a year. We'll look at how AFT is developing before deciding when to join in. It's not canceled but it's postponed."

• Cover