So, what exactly does KTM stand for?

[Mike OReilly]

I know it sounds pretty basic, and I have heard a number of folks come up with answers, but...

When you dig deeper, there are a number of different versions of what and where the acronym "KTM" came from.

From Ed Youngblood's book: (at p.77) "Kronreif, Trunkenpolz of Mattighofen".

From an article by Dane Leimbach in Issue #1 of Still Keeping Track: "After at trip to the I.S.D.T. Uncle John returned by way of Mattighofen, Austria the home of Kronreif and Trunkenpolz Motorfahrzeugbaubesellshaft, KTM to most people"

I have also heard people claim that it stands for "Kraftmetalwerk Trunkenpolz Mattighofen"

So as this current crisis drags on, and I took Paul's suggestion to have a look at the POG on-line library, I will throw it out there.

Mike

[Larry Perkins]

Kronreif and Trunkenpolz were the original owners of KTM and Mattighoffen is the city in Austria where the factory is located.

Larry P

[wfopete]

The question come up so often that this should be a sticky thread.

Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good

[Paul Danik]

Greetings, Some info here in the History segment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTM

Also, Motorfahrzeugbaubesellshaft, from Kronreif and Trunkenpolz Motorfahrzeugbaubesellshaft means Motor Vehicle Construction Company in German, according to Hans Fritz Google

Paul

[marsattacks]

I've heard "Kick Twenty Minutes" but none of mine have been difficult starters.  Haha of course this is an old joke.

Mars Attacks!
68 Planetary/Lunar Lander (very sadly, sold with Gamma death-ray to the Italians)
78 400 MC5 also sadly sold
79 space rock shox bike

[Mike OReilly]

Hey Paul, thanks for the informative link.

So the definitive answer is that pre-war the "K" stood for Kraftfarhzeug.

In 1953 Mr. Kronreif became a sizable shareholder and the company was renamed. So the "K" now stood for Kronreif.

Mike

[Mike Rosso]

quote:Originally posted by Mike OReilly

Hey Paul, thanks for the informative link.

So the definitive answer is that pre-war the "K" stood for Kraftfarhzeug.

In 1953 Mr. Kronreif became a sizable shareholder and the company was renamed. So the "K" now stood for Kronreif.

Mike

But: In 1937, he started selling DKW motorcycles, and Opel cars the following year. His shop was known as Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, but the name was unregistered.

And that was the name of Mr. Trunkenpolz's shop not the name on any products he built or sold.

The first time the name or acronym was "officially registered" was:

In 1953, businessman Ernst Kronreif became a sizable shareholder of the company which was renamed and registered as Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen.

Then bikes bearing the KTM logo appeared: In 1954, the R125 Tourist was introduced,[17] followed by the Grand Tourist[18] and the scooter Mirabell[19] in 1955.

The company secured its first racing title in the 1954 Austrian 125cc national championship.[20] In 1956, KTM made its appearance at the International Six Days Trials where Egon Dornauer won a gold medal on a KTM machine.[21]

For me I had always been told by people at the factory that it was officially Kronreif, Trunkenpolz of Mattighofen. Dane's version would come up occasionally too but never seemed to be correct according to engineers, management and the sons Eric and Hans Trunkenpolz during late evenings at night spots in Salzburg and Mattighofen......and I mean very late nights