The Bajaj Chetak electric scooter will go on sale in Europe in 2024 through KTM dealerships.
The Chetak electric scooter is Bajaj’s first attempt at electric two-wheelers.
The Chetak is currently on sale in 27 cities in India.
The confirmation news came from the top man in KTM AG, Stefan Pierer.
“We will be launching Chetak in 2024. It may hit roads post-March, as it is a starting time for the on-road season.
“The price point will be very competitive, and it will be taking on products from Chinese and Taiwanese companies. It will be across all central European markets,” said the CEO.
Interestingly, Pierer confirms that the electric scooter will continue to carry the Chetak brand due to its rich history.
“The second generation is a very nice product. We will use it as Chetak, it is a known brand, and we will be saving money on marketing and digitalisation.
“Secondly, Chetak stands for its famous history in India, and it will help us too,” he added.
Meanwhile, KTM is also developing its own 48-volt electric motorcycle alongside Bajaj.
However, detailed information regarding the project is still unavailable.
Demikian kenyataan dikeluarkan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) KTM, Stefan Pierer pada Februari 2017 ketika temu bual bersama Speedweek.
Ketika itu, kenyataan berani Pierer itu kelihatan seakan omong kosong tatkala KTM dianggap pasukan lemah di kelas premier MotoGP.
Namun, setelah tiga tahun berlalu, kenyataan Pierer itu nyata ada benarnya apabila Brad Binder mendukung Red Bull KTM dengan kemenangan sulung di Brno bagi musim 2020.
Sumber: MotoGP @ Twitter: Brad Binder di GP Republik Czech
Tahun 2017 merupakan tahun pertama KTM Factory Racing membuat penampilan di MotoGP dengan GP Qatar menjadi saksi pertama.
Bagaimanapun, pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro dan Bradley Smith ketika itu gagal mengutip sebarang mata apabila menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ke-16 dan 17.
Pol Espargaro dan Bradley Smith
KTM kemudiannya mengutip mata pertama dalam kelas premier dalam pusingan kedua apabila menamatkan aksi di tempat ke-14 dan 15.
Espargaro – selaku pelumba tonggak – kemudiannya terus mempamerkan keputusan memberangsakan bersama jentera RC16 apabila mendapat tempat ke-12 di GP Perancis sebelum naik satu kedudukan di akhir perlumbaan GP Dutch pada tahun sama.
Pelumba itu terus meraih mata penting di GP Republik Czech dan GP Australia apabila menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ke-9.
Prestasi KTM terus dipertingkat dengan Espargaro mengutip mata dalam tujuh pusingan berturut-turut bagi musim 2018.
Kemudian di GP Sepanyol, KTM mengumumkan Johann Zarco sebagai pelumba baharu menggantikan Smith bagi musim 2019 namun gandingan itu seakan tidak menjadi dengan Zarco umum menamatkan kontrak bersama pasukan Austria itu ketika musim 2019 masih lagi berlangsung.
Johann Zarco
Brad Binder, yang sepatutnya sertai pasukan satelit KTM di Tech3 dinaik pangkat ke KTM Factory Racing mengisi slot ditinggalkan Zarco dan keputusan itu ternyata tepat buat KTM yang kini menempatkan diri mereka di kalangan sang juara di Brno.
Senario itu sekaligus merealisasikan objektif yang disasarakan Pierer tiga tahun sebelum itu.
Projek KTM yang didedahkan menelan belanja lebih EUR30 juta (RM148 juta) setahun kini mula menampakkan hasilnya.
CEO KTM, Stefan Pierer
Menurut Pierer, penyertaan KTM di MotoGP bertujuan membuktikan kemampuan jenama itu dipentas tertinggi.
“Dari sudut kewangan, logistik dan teknologi, MotoGP merupakan puncak perlumbaan motosikal. Ia merupakan Formula 1 bagi sukan dua roda.
“Tetapi projek ini memerlukan kesabaran, sasaran kami jelas, kami mempunyai kontrak lima tahun bersama Dorna tetapi kami mahu hampiri podium dalam tempoh tiga tahun.
“Selain daripada berlumba, kami juga mahu menewaskan dominasi pengeluar motosikal Jepun,” kata Pierer, tiga tahun lalu.
Itulah yang ditonjolkan KTM di Litar Masaryk, apabila Binder memintas dua jentera Yamaha untuk muncul juara, baru-baru ini.
Bukan itu sahaja, tatkala pengeluar lain menggunakan kerangka aluminium, KTM terus cekal dengan kerangka steel trellis yang dianggap berat dan tidak relevan untuk bertanding di kelas premier, dakwaan yang sekali lagi berjaya disangkal Pierer berdasarkan pengalaman di rali Dakar.
KTM RC16
“Penggunaan rangka steel trellis adalah punca utama KTM mendominasi sukan Supercross (5 kejuaraan) dan rali Dakar (18 kejuaraan).
“Kami mungkin memerlukan 10 tahun untuk berjaya tetapi saya yakin kami akan mendominasi MotoGP satu hari nanti,” jelasnya dalam satu kenyataan yang dibuat tahun lalu.
Mungkin ada yang berpendapat kemenangan KTM di Brno adalah satu kebetulan ditambah dengan ketiadaan pertahan juara, Marc Marquez namun hakikatnya, semua itu merupakan usaha bertahun-tahun yang telah menelan belanja lebih ratusan juta setakat ini.
Apa yang dipertontonkan ketika ini adalah secebis daripada kemampuan sebenar KTM yang akan ditonjolkan sepenuhnya dalam tahun akan datang.
Berdasarkan laporan baharu, difahamkan Bajaj Auto dan KTM akan menghasilkan motosikal elektrik bagi pasaran domestik dan antarabangsa.
Menurut laporan moneycontrol.com, moped dan skuter elektrik itu akan menggunakan enjin elektrik kapasiti rendah dan proses pengeluaran akan bermula pada 2022 di kilang Bajaj Auto, Pune, India.
Pada April tahun lalu, Pierer Mobility Group and Bajaj Auto telah menjalankan projek pembangunan jentera elektrik bagi Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) yang menawarkan kuasa di antara 4 hingga 13.4 hp.
Menurut Pengerusi Pierer Mobility dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) KTM AG, Stefan Pierer, beberapa varian elektrik skuter akan dihasilkan bermula 2022.
Berdasarkan laporan tahunan, Pierer Mobility, jentera elektrik tersebut akan dijual oleh kedua-dua jenama (Bajaj dan KTM).
Ketika ini, pasaran moped di India dimonopoli TVS Motor yang telah memaparkan penjualan yang konsisten untuk beberapa tahun terutamanya menerusi TVS XL.
Ketika Stefan Pierer mengambil alih KTM pada 1991, pengeluar motosikal berpangkalan di Austria itu berdepan masa depan yang suram apabila ketinggalan dibelakang berbanding jenama Jepun.
Pierer kemudiannya mengambil masa beberapa tahun untuk memulihkan KTM dan hasilnya, 28 tahun kemudian, jumlah penghasilan motosikal KTM dalam masa sehari menyamai jumlah penghasilan dalam masa setahun ketika Pierer mula-mula sertai KTM.
Kini, KTM baharu sahaja mengatasi penjualan Harley-Davidson sebagai peneraju pengeluar motosikal di luar pasaran Asia.
“Kualiti yang kami hasilkan pada waktu itu (1991) menjadi bahan ketawa orang ramai. Tetapi setiap krisis yang timbul merupakan peluang untuk kami perbaiki apa yang perlu,” jelas Pierer.
KTM kini berhajat untuk muncul pengeluar motosikal tiga terbaik di dunia.
Dalam tempoh beberapa tahun ini, penjualan KTM meningkat empat kali ganda meskipun pasaran dua roda di Eropah turun 14 peratus. Pierer yakin rekaan baharu dan pemfokusan terhadap pasaran Asia akan membantu KTM mencapai penjualan tahunan sekitar 400,000 unit menjelang 2022 sekaligus mampu mengatasi Kawasaki Motors yang menduduki tempat ketiga ranking penjualan motosikal.
Tahun lalu, meskipun KTM menjual 261,000 unit motosikal – lebih 35,000 unit berbanding Harley- namun pengeluar motosikal Amerika Syarikat itu menjana keuntungan tiga kali ganda berbanding KTM USD1.75bilion susulan motosikal Harley adalah jauh lebih mahal.
Sementara bagi segmen moped dan skuter, KTM masih ketinggalan di belakang Piaggio Group di Eropah manakala kedudukan Honda Motor Co. (dengan 20 juta unit dijual tahun lalu) dan Yamaha Motor Co. (5.4 juta unit dijual) nyata terlalu sukar untuk ditandingi.
Jenama KTM lahir di sebuah pekan kecil – Mattighofen – yang terletak selatan sempadan Jerman pada tahun 1934. Ketika Austria muncul selepas Perang Dunia Ke-2 dan cuba untuk membangun, KTM memainkan peranan dengan menghasilkan jentera dua roda yang murah dan tahan lasak agar orang ramai dapat kembali bergerak.
Selepas 40 tahun, pengasas KTM, Hans Trunkenpolz dan anaknya Erich berjaya membentuk jenama mereka sebagai ikon motosikal Austria dengan menghasilkan jentera yang mampu mendominasi permukaan jalan di Alpine.
Bagaimanapun, ketika Erich meninggal dunia sehari sebelum Krismas pada 1989, tanpa sebarang waris, jenama KTM beralih ke tangan pelabur yang tiada pengetahuan terhadap motosikal sekaligus mencetuskan kejatuhan jenama tersebut.
KTM kembali bangkit apabila memperkenalkan Pierer dengan bayaran gaji USD4 juta.
Tindakan pertamanya adalah dengan memberhentikan penghasilan moped dan ‘street bike’ bagi memberi fokus terhadap jentera off-road.
Pada 1993, dia menghantar pasukan bagi menyertai rali Paris-Dakar yang berjalan selama tiga minggu. Meskipun bergelut pada awalnya, KTM kini memenangi setiap edisi perlumbaan tersebut sejak tahun 2001 sekaligus menjadikan motosikal KTM sebagai nama besar bagi pencinta motosikal off-road.
Pierer kembali memperkenalkan motosikal ‘street bike’ 20 tahun lalu yang kini menjana separuh daripada penjualan KTM.
Kemudian pada 2007, Pierer menjalin kerjasama dengan Bajaj Auto Ltd – pengeluar motosikal di India. Bajaj merupakan pengeluar terbesar di dunia dalam menghasilkan jentera tiga roda – yang rata-rata digunakan sebagai teksi di negara membangun – tetapi tiada kepakaran dalam menghasilkan enjin empat strok, ‘fuel injection’ dan brek anti-lock yang kemudiannya dibangunkan dengan bantuan KTM.
Sebagai ganti, KTM mendapat tapak pengeluaran dengan kos perbelanjaan jauh lebih murah berbanding di Austria dan jaringan pengedar terbaik di pasaran motosikal terbesar di dunia.
Enam tahun lalu, KTM mengambil alih Husqvarna daripada BMW AG. Husqvarna membantu KTM mencapai hasrat untuk menghasilkan beberapa model berbeza namun dengan alat ganti yang sama. Kedua-dua jenama ini kini berkongsi enjin, sistem penyerap hentakan, kotak gear dan beberapa komponen lain tetapi masih mengekalkan identiti masing-masing.
“Di litar lumba, Husqvarna merupakan seteru utama KTM tetapi dalam aspek lain, kami adalah satu keluarga,” tambah Pierer.
Sementara itu, Pierer kini bercadang untuk melakukan perkara sama dengan Ducati, jenama motosikal Itali yang dicanang bakal dijual Volkswagen AG serta Triumph, pengeluar motosikal Britain yang sedang bergelut untuk membangun.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer is still adamant about buying the Ducati brand off the Volkswagen Group and has added Triumph Motorcycles to his list.
He wants to create a “unified European motorcycle brand.”
KTM is currently No. 4 and aims for No. 3.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer is still adamant about buying the Ducati brand off Volkswagen AG and has added Triumph Motorcycles to his list.
That’s his ultimate view, but there’s a premise to the entire story.
KTM has just surpassed Harley-Davidson as the biggest motorcycle manufacturer outside Asia. The former sold 261,000 motorcycles in 2018, some 35,000 more than the Motor Company did. However, KTM only raked in USD 1.75 billion compared to Harley’s nearly USD 5 billion as the latter’s bikes were much more expensive.
Yet, KTM is still the fourth largest manufacturer in the world behind Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Honda sold a whopping 20 million motorcycles last year, making even Yamaha’s 5.4 million look paltry.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer – PHOTOGRAPHER: MICHAELA HANDREK-REHLE/BLOOMBERG
Pierer knows that the Japanese’s volume is due to the number of different types and models available in different countries. This was the reason why KTM linked up with Bajaj to produce smaller capacity motorcycles.
But the man doesn’t want to stop there and set a target of reaching 400,000 units by 2022 globally. That target ought to demote Kawasaki as the world’s third largest motorcycle manufacturer.
In that sense, he felt that he should buy Ducati and Triumph and uniting the three brands as a triumvirate to form “a united European motorcycle company.” In saying so, he mentioned Ducati and Triumph’s 2018 sales of 53,000 and 61,500, respectively. “We’re saving ourselves in Europe,” he added. He didn’t mention that BMW Motorrad sold 165,566 units, though. Triumph’s not for sale, definitely.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif KTM Industries AG, Stefan Pierer, meluahkan rasa teruja dengan penjualan jentera KTM di benua Eropah.
“Saya berasa amat terkejut. Pasaran Eropah sangat menakjubkan tahun ini,” ulas Pierer, yang menyaksikan penjualan KTM menignkat 10 peratus kepada 261,000 unit berbanding tahun lalu.
Meskipun pada awalnya berasa gusar dengan beberapa senario politik yang melanda benua itu terutamanya Brexit namun keadaan itu tidak menggugat peningkatan penjualan motosikal yang meningkat 21 peratus dalam suku pertama – dengan KTM mendahului pesaing lain.
Pierer menyifatkan data tersebut membuktikan peminat jentera dua roda di Eropah masih meletakkan keyakinan tinggi terhadap jenama KTM.
Sementara itu, Harley-Davidson yang mendominasi pasaran Amerika Utara, menyaksikan penurunan penjualan sebanyak 4.5 peratus dengan KTM merekodkan penurunan 1.1 peratus.
KTM – yang pada masa sama pemegang jenama Husqvarna – telah menggandakan penjualan unit tahunan dalam tempoh lima tahun ini.
Pierer menjangkakan KTM akan mencapai pertumbuhan pendapatan sekitar 1 hingga 5 peratus tahun ini dan tahun depan sebelum pengenalan model baharu yang dijangka akan meningkatkan lagi pertumbuhan kepada 10 peratus pada 2021.
Menjelang 2022, Pierer mensasarkan penjualan unit kepada 400,000 termasuk penjualan jentera KTM oleh rakan kongsi di India, Bajaj Auto Ltd.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Pierer mendedahkan bahawa KTM sedang mempercepatkan proses untuk mengambil alih Pexco, syarikat yang bertanggungjawab menghasilkan basikal dan motosikal elektrik menjelang 2021.
“Motosikal elektrik sedang berkembang pesat. Pasaran ini sedang meletup jadi kami sebagai pengeluar yang besar perlu berada dalam pasaran itu secepat mungkin,” tambahnya.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif KTM, Stefan Pierer menegaskan pihaknya tidak akan berputus asa dengan penggunaan rangka steel trellis di samping mengkritik tindakan Ducati yang tidak lagi menggunakan rekaan sama pada 2012.
Pengeluar motosikal Austria itu merupakan pasukan tunggal dalam saingan MotoGP musim ini nyang tidak menggunakan chasis aluminium twin-spar konvensional.
Ducati juga pernah menggunakan chasis rangka besi apabila mereka menyertai MotoGP pada 2003 dan berjaya muncul juara keseluruhan dengan pelumba, Casey Stoner.
Bagaimanapun, Ducati meninggalkan teknologi rangka besi pada 2009 dan beralih ke penggunaan ‘carbon-fibre’ sebelum bertukar ke chasis aluminium pada 2012 dengan harapan dapat mengurangkan kesukaran dihadapi pelumba, Valentino Rossi, ketika itu.
Meskipun ada desas-desus mengatakan KTM akan beralih ke rangka aluminium pada masa akan datang, Pierer bertegas KTM tidak akan berganjak daripada penggunaan rangka steel trellis.
“Jika kami mengikut jejak Ducati, kami akan tewas.
“Kami terlibat dengan MotoGP hanya kerana dua faktor, pertama, kami mahu terus berinovasi dan kedua, kami mahu meningkatkan penjualan motosikal KTM.
“Jentera MotoGP Ducati tidak ada sebarang kaitan dengan motosikal yang mereka jual di pasaran. Tengok sahaja pada statistik penjualan mereka – 53,000 unit dijual pada 2018 berbanding KTM, 261,000 unit.
“Motto saya ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday!” tegas Pierer.
Pierer turut berkata penggunaan rangka steel trellis adalah punca utam KTM mendominasi sukan Supercross (5 kejuaraan) dan rali Dakar (18 kejuaraan).
“Kami mungkin memerlukan 10 tahun untuk berjaya tetapi saya yakin kami akan mendominasi MotoGP,”tambahnya.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”
It follows Zarco’s outrage by calling the RC16’s frame and delivery “sh*t” in Spain.
But Pierer conceded that the bike needs more work.
The KTM MotoGP saga continues with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer saying, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”
Pierer uttered the statement following Zarco’s struggle to achieve better results. The two-time Moto2 champion’s best was 13th in Austin, Texas. He placed 15thin the season opener in Qatar and Argentina, and 14th in the Spanish round last week.
Zarco has said that he couldn’t adapt to the KTM RC16, a bike which he said, “only goes well down the straight and only wants to go straight.” He had also been caught on camera calling the frame and power delivery as “sh*t” in Jerez, Spain. This, coming from one of the nicest MotoGP riders was certainly something.
But his statements didn’t go well with KTM’s management.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer told Speedweek, “Johann is a big disappointment and I’m very sorry about that. We hired him so that he and Pol (Espargarò) could push one another but the opposite happened. Espargarò is on his own.”
The other KTM rider pushing Espargarò was new signing Miguel Oliveira in the Red Bull Tech 3 KTM Racing team, instead. Apart from struggling in Jerez to finish 18th ahead of his teammate Hafizh Syahrin, Oliveira had come home in 17th, 11th and 14th, respectively. KTM was so impressed that they’ve extended Oliveira’s contract through 2020.
Photo credit Autosport
In addition to struggling with a completely new bike, Zarco had to contend with his manager and mentor (and friend) Laurent Falon switching camps to Honda. Falon had kept Honda’s offer a secret from Zarco and team through 2018.
“When an athlete at this level doesn’t have everything under control, then he has a problem. They told me that he was already very rude in the garage in Texas and the situation worsened in Jerez. But I want to say that we will do all we can to improve this year. We’ve already got the new materials, following his indications, and he’ll be joined by Jean-Michel Bayle,” added Pierer.
But Pierer was quick to add that KTM is not seeking to end Zarco’s contract. The French rider was signed also through 2020.
“We still have 15 races to run this year. Going from Yamaha to the KTM requires adaptation and that takes time. There are two different kinds of bikes in MotoGP: Yamaha and Suzuki with the inline 4-cylinders and Honda, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia with the V4. With the latter, you have to ride a certain way. You need to be bold and throw the bike down into the corners, you can’t go easy. Consider how, post Stoner, it took Ducati from 2010 to 2016 to find someone else who could win with their bike.”
On the other hand, Pierer didn’t deny that the RC16 needs more development. He revealed that the bike needs to lose another 4 to 5 kilograms and that the electronics are still an issue.
But what Pierer didn’t mention was the KTM RC16’s chassis architecture, which uses a steel-lattice frame and WP suspension. All MotoGP bikes use Öhlins suspension and aluminium frames. Ducati had suffered with the carbon monocoque for many years (including with Valentino Rossi) before swallowing their pride and reverting to an aluminium frame. It may not make a difference to you and I who ride on the streets and in the occasional track days, but it does for riders who push their bikes to the limits.
Why not change riding styles then? Both Zarco and Syahrin are suffering with turning into corners. Syahrin, Espargarò and Oliveira have all stated that one needs to be “aggressive” with the bike, echoing Zarco’s call.
Zarco has stated before that changing his smooth riding style will result in the team having with too much inconsistent data, especially while developing a new riding style. Setting up a bike is based on how the bike reacts to the rider’s inputs, after all. The best rider to illustrate this was Jorge Lorenzo who also rides with the “traditional” smooth style. He had suffered to no end during his first year with Ducati before the team solved his woes for his second year.
Changing a riding style, especially one that had brought past successes is not easy. The last thing a rider needs to concern himself about is his riding style in the heat of competition. It is the team’s job to provide the rider a bike that he doesn’t have to worry about, to allow him to concentrate on his race strategies i.e. lap times vs. tyre degradation, him vs. his opponents, etc.
The KTM factory had better come up with some solutions fast because all the new riders are at their mercy, rather than the other around.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer confirmed that a new 500cc two-cylinder model is coming.
He also said that Bajaj will build the new bike.
The Austrian firm wants to compete with the Japanese in this growing segment.
Rumors of a KTM 500cc two-cylinder road model circulated some time back, but it begot nothing thereafter. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer confirmed Bajaj will build the new KTM 500cc two-cylinder model during the recent interview with Speedweek. He had also expressed his interest in Ducati during the same interview.
Having Bajaj build the bike means it will be priced competitively. Pierer says it’s because KTM wants to compete with the Japanese in this perpetually growing segment around the world.
It should bode well with riders who want a KTM but finds the 390 Duke/RC too small while the 790 Duke/Adventure too big or expensive. a 500cc platform will most probably include both Duke and Adventure variants, as with the 790.
The new 500 could well be called the 490, going by the Austrian manufacturer’s tradition. But what can we expect?
The new generation 390 Duke features a TFT display, ride-by-wire throttle, ride modes, ABS, WP suspension, and such. The 790 Duke is also bedecked with those features. Consequently, we can safely assume that the new 500cc bike ought to include the same features.
As for the engine, KTM dabbled into a new direction for themselves with 790. Instead of being either a single or V-Twin, they went with a parallel-Twin called LC8c. Its 285ocrankshaft timing mimics the 75oV-Twin (360o– 285o– 75o) in the manufacturer’s larger bikes.
Hence, we should be able to expect of the same in the 500cc model. The engine should be compact and lightweight such as the 790’s, although we don’t know if it’s sleeved-down from the bigger engine.
What happens to the 690 Duke then? KTM may just replace it with the new bike, since a two-cylinder 500cc engine should produce equivalent of more power than a 690cc single.
We’ll definitely bring you more so watch this space.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer stated his desire to acquire Ducati in an interview.
He already has ideas on how to make the brands work together.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see if KTM does manage to buy Ducati from VW.
Everyone seems to want Ducati ever since the Volkswagen Group said it may be up for sale. Now KTM CEO Stefan Pierer says he’s interested.
In an interview with German publication Speedweek, Pierer recorded his interest to add the Italian marque to his collection. He even went as far as naming a few ideas on how Ducati could fit into KTM’s strategy.
The conversation started from his desire to turn KTM into the world’s third largest large capacity motorcycle manufacturer behind Honda and Yamaha.
Bold words in this soft global motorcycle market, but they were with substance. KTM is one of the very few brands to record sustained growth. Husqvarna, now owned by the Austrian manufacturer is also seeing a resurgence under Pierer.
How does it bode for Ducati, then? For one, the Italian brand will be at home with a brand owner who knows motorcycles instead of milking it as a financial instrument.
Instead, Pierer said that he saw that it’s the automotive industry which pioneered the “platform strategy” (building different models based on one engine or frame). “Today, engines and chassis are built partly identical for both KTM and Husqvarna, but in the house we are not working against each other,” he added. It makes sense since offering two brands increases customer frequency.
Yet, how should we imagine Ducati will fit in as a platform to KTM? Desmo LC8 engines? 75oV-Twins in Ducatis? These individual traditions and identities will not mix like orange juice and blood. We’re not even talking about the two brands’ racing effort yet. On second thought, however, Ducati may well benefit KTM in finding the magic equation in MotoGP, after all.
Still, it’d be interesting to see IF Pierer successfully adds Ducati to their stable.
