VOL. 52 ISSUE 6 FEBRUARY 10, 2015 P63
K
TM President/CEO Stefan Pierer is the
most significant person in European
motorcycling. With an 8.5 percent share
of the total European motorcycle market, and
booming sales in emerging markets world-
wide, the Austrian company (in which Bajaj
Auto, India's second largest manufacturer,
holds 47 percent of the equity) is a global
player in practically every different model sec-
tor—both on and off road.
Things kept getting better in 2014 for Pierer
and partner Rudi Knünz in KTM's holding
company, Cross Industries, when KTM con-
tinued to promote its 'Ready to Race' mantra
via competition success. Toni Cairoli (MX1)
and Jordi Tixier (MX2), completed a clean
sweep of the Motocross World Champion-
ship for KTM. It also totally dominated the
World Enduro Championship via Christophe
Nambotin and Matthew Phillips, with Pierre-Al-
exandre Renet completing the Austrian firm's
dominance by winning the Enduro2 crown on
a Husqvarna made in KTM's Mattighofen fac-
tory. Marc Coma also registered KTM's 13th
successive victory in the grueling Dakar Rally
in 2014.
KTM also defeated the might of Honda to
retain the Moto3 road racing Manufacturers'
World championship, which the Japanese gi-
ant had upped its game to try to win back. But
Honda did succeed in turning the tables on
the Austrian firm to win the Moto3 Riders' title
for the first time ever, as Aussie Jack Miller
was unable to catch the younger Marquez
brother in points in spite of winning the last
race of the season at Valencia. That final
round was also where Pierer announced that
KTM would be returning to MotoGP competi-
tion in 2016, after its last experience in the
category ended in tears in 2005.
The chance to meet Stefan Pierer for yet
another one-on-one in-depth interview in his
private office at Pierer Industries—his own
personal holding company—uncovered the
background behind this roll call of success
and his plans to build on it for the future.
STEFAN PIERER TAKES KTM'S 'READY TO RACE'
COMPETITIVE SPIRIT TO THE MARKETPLACE
BY ALAN CATHCART
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KTM AG
L AY T O W I N PA RT I
