What’s the news about KTM and KISKA?
KTM has ended its ownership relationship with Salzburg-based design agency KISKA, selling its remaining stake to Loxone GmbH. Ending a 35-year-old historical collaboration between the two firms, a collaboration that went beyond motorcycle design and engineering.
What was the nature of KTM–KISKA’s partnership?
KTM and KISKA’s relationship was never a typical “client and contractor” arrangement. KISKA wasn’t just a contractor for KTM; KTM held a 26% stake in KISKA. KISKA helped shape KTM’s brand identity for decades, influencing not only motorcycles but also broader brand strategy, covering multiple aspects such as product design and engineering input, communication, apparel, and experience design.
Why did KTM end the partnership in its current form?
The split comes in the aftermath of KTM’s financial turmoil, which led to the brand being acquired by Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj Auto, and the restructuring that followed the acquisition, with a sharper focus on core motorcycle operations and tighter internal control of key functions.
What is KTM doing instead of using KISKA?
After the split, KTM plans to establish their own in-house design centre in Salzburg, detached from its Research and Development Unit in Mattighofen.
The new design unit’s core agenda, according to KTM, is that, it wants to bring the design process “closer to the company” and streamline product portfolio and innovation efforts. The new Design team shall focus on dictating and owning a new creative path that dictates how the future KTM products look and reflects the brand’s identity in the long term.
Does this mean KTM bikes will look different immediately?
While the announcement regarding the split sounds immediate, the decision shall not immediately reflect upon the KTM models this early. The design language for the current model lineup has been locked up and frozen for another 12 -18 months, with KTM traditionally known for long model cycles. Many industry experts predict the newer KTM in-house designs won’t make an official debut until 2028.
