Ducati brand loyalty vs KTM
 

I've owned 5 Ducati's over the last 7 or 8 years (not just the sports bikes either) so think i'm a reasonably representative customer.

I also own a KTM 950 and have noticed several others have either bought KTM's or have considered them as a potential purchase. In another post Harv748 said he had no particular brand loyalty to Ducati and was considering an Austrian purchase next. (This is not a dig at Harv BTW) But many of the other KTM owners or prospective owners have had several Ducati's over the years.

KTM were on the verge of going bust in the early 90's and until the launch of the v twin 950 in 2003, predominently produced competition dirt bikes with the exception of a few single cylinder supermotos.

There will always be people swapping from a 999 to the latest GSX10R1Blade, and vice versa.

I'm sure Ducati are aware of the threat.

Do you think that KTM are Ducati's biggest competition and why?

What would affect your buying decision either way and why?

KTM sell something like 3 times the number of bikes that Ducati sell, so I don't think the two are even in the same league.

Not sure I want a KTM but my god I'd like one of those forthcoming Ducati hypermustard thingies.......

Personally I think it may be soe of the things posted in the why own a ducati thread.

KTM are slightly different yet have a character of their own including naysayers onprice and reliability... bit like Ducati :)

Have to say the 950 although not quite as good as the 998 sunds great, feels great, loks great and is stonking fun to ride!!

Yes there are better bikes but overall I love it so far :)

I reckon that KTM will be the biggest rival to the Hypermotard though

As long as they do an SP version.....

I think its double the number actually however comparing 2 manufacturers of v twins (OK the Ducati is an L twin if we're being really pedantic) I'm sure Ducati produce far more twin cylinder bikes than KTM but in this area where they are directly competing the question still remains as posed.

I'm really interested in the answers.

I currently own one of each (749s + KTM200exc). Different types of bike obviously, but the brands do have similarites, ie. use of quality components, attention to detail, don't have that mass production feel, etc.

I've had the 749 for just short of 4 yrs now & I'm very tempted by the RC8

I like the 950 SM after having ridden JPMs a couple of times. However I still like my Multi as it seems to suit me better at the moment. A lot of people are changing form sportsbikes to stuff like KTMs and Multistradas as they realise they make more sense for the majority of roads and conditions in the UK. In just the last couple of months I know 3 people who have bought KTM 950sm who I really wouldnt have thought would change from sportsbikes. All 3 of them are loving the experience. KTM seem to have got it right with that bike and you only have to compare parts and servicing pricing with Ducatis to see why they will sell a lot more.

I am surprised that the big Jap manafactures are not producing similar bikes that compete with the likes of the Multi and 950sm? I suppose its only a matter of time though. I cant help noticing everytime I go out on my bike I see more and more of this type of bike. On Sunday I must have seen 10 950 SMs as well as quite a few Multis in the space of an hour. You only have too read a few bike mags to see how the focus on sports bikes has been lessened and a greater interest shown in the offerings of KTM etc.

Some riders will never change and will always stick with their sportsbikes and will not even try out a bike such as a Multi or KTM. I know a few of them and they are the ones with the puzzled look on their faces when they have been left behind on a b road up to the cafe.

To me KTM seem to have got it right and the fit and finish of their bikes is very very good and when you throw the very cheap parts and servicing into the equation they should do very well and there is no doubt about it they will take sales off Ducati.

I've read somewhere that Ducati has the second highest "customer fidelisation rate" after Harley. I think we can define that rate by the percentage of people who will only buy that brand of bike after having bought one.
I think Ducati's rate was around 30% and HD 40%. And I did remember Honda being far behind with something like 11%... No idea for KTM though... But I didn't know KTM sells 3 times more bikes than Ducati, will have to check figures in France because to me it seemed quite a "marginal" brand far behind BMW and the japanese brands.

That's right, KTM sells more, even in France (figures for 2004):

1 Suzuki 23893 22,85%
2 Yamaha 23564 22,53%
3 Honda 14875 14,22%
4 Kawasaki 12672 12,12%
5 BMW 7210 6,89%
6 KTM 3786 3,62%
7 Harley-Davidson 3718 3,56%
8 Ducati 3117 2,98%
9 GasGas 2245 2,15%
10 Triumph 1954 1,87%
11 Piaggio 1544 1,48%
12 Aprilia 935 0,89%
13 Honda Montesa 868 0,83%
14 Moto Guzzi 642 0,61%
15 Buell 584 0,56%
16 Husqvarna 448 0,43%
17 Beta 308 0,29%
18 Voxan 299 0,29%
19 Gilera 283 0,27%
20 Sherco 228 0,22%
21 MV Agusta 199 0,19%
22 Scorpa 188 0,18%
23 Hyosung 124 0,12%
24 Kymco 102 0,10%
25 Benelli 90 0,09%

Am I off-topic? :D