4 Motorcycle Brands Owned By KTM

With factory teams in most racing categories, including Moto GP, Motocross, Supercross, Enduro, and Rally, KTM is one of the most recognizable motorcycle brands in the world. KTM is also very successful on the commercial market — today, it's Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer.

Naturally, with so much brand cachet, KTM has acquired other motorcycle manufacturers over the years. However, even the brand KTM operates under the umbrella of Pierer Mobility AG. Don't worry, though — it's the same company. KTM AG changed its name to Pierer Mobility AG in 2019 but kept the KTM branding for its motorcycles.

Still, pending regulatory approval, it will all change in 2026. Indian giant Bajaj Auto — the fifth-biggest motorcycle manufacturer globally — is set to acquire Pierer Mobility AG and all its brands, after owning 49.9% in the company. That would mean that KTM, including all the brands mentioned in this article, will be owned by Bajaj Auto next year. Of course, that's no reason not to learn more about Pierer Mobility's excellent motorcycle brands. Each has its own rich history, including many racing victories and memorable motorcycles. So, let's have a closer look at the four motorcycle brands owned by KTM.

KTM's motto is "Ready to Race," which pretty much sums up what the brand is all about. From its motocross off-road beasts to its supersport track weapons, each of KTM's bikes has been designed to be ridden to the max.

Fascinatingly, though, KTM is a relatively new motorcycle manufacturer, having produced its first model, the R125 Tourist, in 1954. Since then, the Austrian brand evolved its range, launching its first motocross bike, the 250 Cross, in 1973. KTM soon became synonymous with motocross bikes and won numerous FIM Motocross World Championship events. KTM also has an extensive range of enduro, supermoto, and dual sport motorcycles, some even available with two-stroke engines.

Recently, though, KTM's adventure bikes, like the 390 Duke and 390 Adventure, opened up the brand to new audiences. With a combination of good on-road and off-road manners, these affordable bikes are an excellent solution for novice riders that want to explore the world on two wheels. The larger KTM 790 and 890 Adventure bikes are also often rated among the best in their respective categories.

For those that aren't interested in off-roading, KTM also produces advanced sports tourer and naked motorcycles. Even Brabus, the aftermarket tuning specialist often associated with Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has designed a powerful naked motorcycle, the 1300 R, together with KTM. Let's also not forget the KTM X-Bow ultra-lightweight sports car. Available in several iterations, both in open-top and closed-top form, the X-Bow offers a visceral driving experience that has no equal in the automotive world. For instance, the fastest X-Bow GT-XR packs a staggering 493 hp and weighs just 2,491 pounds.

You might recognize Husqvarna for its chainsaws and robotic lawn mowers. However, those products are made under Husqvarna Group and have no connection to the brand's motorcycles. KTM (PIERER Mobility AG), acquired the motorcycle division in 2013, giving it a real shove in the back, with Husqvarna seeing its best years in the last decade. Still, Husqvarna is one of the oldest-standing brands in the world, dating back to 1689, when it started as a weapons factory. The Swedish brand launched its first motorized bicycle in 1903; however, its most important milestone is the launch of the world's first motocross bike in 1955. Purpose built for off-roading, the Silverpilen firmly placed the brand as one of the leaders in the category.

Even today, Husqvarna is mainly known for its off-road-capable bikes. Hardly surprising, as the brand has 14 motocross champion titles, 24 European champion titles, and 11 Baja victories in its heritage. Indeed, its motocross range today consists of two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles, including cool cross bikes for kids. Husqvarna also produces a variety of enduro bikes, again with two-stroke and four-stroke engines.

Husqvarna has also recently dipped its toes in the adventure motorcycle world with the Norden range, which shares many parts with KTM's adventure motorcycles. Maybe you want some cool-looking naked models, or fun-to-ride supermotos? Husqvarna also has those in its lineup. Whichever Husqvarna motorcycle you choose, you can expect high build quality, as its motorcycles aren't merely low-cost KTM alternatives, but well-engineered bikes with a unique set of skills.

KTM and Husqvarna are mostly known for their off-road motorcycles, but still have other, road-focused bikes on offer. Not GasGas, though. The Spanish, Girona-based brand is relatively new to the market, having launched in 1985. It's also one of the coolest — the GasGas name is sourced from the Spanish phrase "¡Gas a fondo! Gas gaaas!" meaning "C'mon, give it full gas!" That is to say — GasGas bikes want to be ridden hard.

Like its contemporaries from KTM and Husqvarna, GasGas also has quite a motorsport heritage. After the company halted production in 2015 following years of financial struggles, the KTM Group came to the rescue in 2019 when it acquired GasGas. This helped the Spanish brand flourish once again and build quite the portfolio.

Of course, GasGas range consists only of off-road capable bikes. Since it shares many of the parts with KTM and Husqvarna, the Spanish brand's enduro, motocross, and cross country bikes are also available with two-stroke and four-stroke engines. GasGas also offers supermoto bikes with a bit more on-road focus, and "travel" dual-sports that are still mainly designed for trail riding. GasGas even produces electric motocross bikes for kids to start mastering off-road riding. However, it's the trial motorcycle range where GasGas really sets itself apart. These crazy-looking motorcycles are designed to be ridden while standing — they have no seats! They are compact and featherlight, too, and are powered by two-stroke, one-cylinder engines. GasGas's trials are highly rated for their abilities on challenging terrains.

By now, you might think that Pierer Mobility AG only owns motorcycle brands known for their off-road capable bikes. Still, in 2024, KTM's parent company also bought a 50.1% stake in the premium Italian brand MV Agusta, known for its high-performance on-road machines. Launched in 1945, the "Meccaniche Verghera" brand dominated the premier motorcycle category during the 1960s and 1970s, amassing 139 wins and dominating the rider/constructor championships from 1958 to 1974. Many historical motorcycle riders, like Giacomo Agostini and John Surtees, rode MV Agusta bikes.

Today's MV Agusta range follows in the footsteps of its race-winning predecessors. Exquisitely designed and incredibly powerful, the Italian brand's bikes are as radical as they are beautiful. The Rush, for instance, takes the naked bike category to the next level with a 998cc, 208-hp engine. Meanwhile, the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS offers speed thrills from the same engine, but in a more modern, dynamic-looking body. Want a more agile naked bike? The MV Agusta Dragster RR America offers howling speed from a 798cc, 140-hp, three-cylinder engine. MV Agusta also produces an adventure all-terrain bike, the LXP.

Still, it's MV Agusta's sportbikes that really set them apart. The three-cylinder F3 has up to 160 hp in a modern-looking body, while the four-cylinder SuperVeloce packs up to 208-hp in the fantastic, retro-looking 1000 AGO motorcycle. The latter spins to 14,000 rpm, thanks to forged titanium connecting rods and DLC-coated cams. It's made from carbon fiber, too. So, unsurprisingly, MV Agusta is the most expensive non-bespoke motorcycle brand globally.