KTM started in 1934 when an engineer, Hans Trunkenpolz, opened a metalwork shop in Mattighofen, Austria. It wasn’t until 1953 though that he actually began producing motorcycles. KTM is the abbreviation of the original shops name “Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen” (Motor Vehicle, [Hans] Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen. Motorcycles were built at a rate of three per day by a group of 20 employees and in 1955 Ernst Kronreif invested in the company which subsequently changed its name to Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. In 2001 KTM began its unending domination of the Dakar Rally, winning it in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011. If you’re wondering why they didn’t win in 2008, the Dakar wasn’t run!
