The Austrians Advance

THE AUSTRIANS ADVANCE

Two years ago KTM teetered on the brink of financial chaos, but the Austrian company’s managers fought back. As a result, the company not only survives, but slowly is expanding. Evidence of this will be seen at this year’s Milan show with the launch of the KTM Duke, a

600cc four-stroke Single dual-purpose bike. But that’s not all the company is up to. It has just launched special editions of its topof-the-line enduro models-the KTM 300 Six Days (left) and the 600 LC4

Six Days (far left). In addition to crazed new graphics, both bikes get WP suspension, including that company’s IBS internal-bleed system upside-down fork, which is claimed to soak up small bumps, thereby increasing rider comfort through use of tapered damping needles that reportedly compensate for changing operating temperatures.

Alan Cathcart