Motorcycles - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2018 - 220 Euro Cent

In 1934 Hans Trunkenpolz founded the Upper Austrian Mattighofen one Locksmith workshop and extended this later to a car operation, the up after the war, especially of repairs and the production of spare parts lived. Because the need for affordable two-wheelers in was high after the war years Trunkenpolz 1951 a light motorcycle with a 98er Sachs engine from Rotax. The motorcycle with the typical Pull starter was called Moser KTM 100, because Trunkenpolz at that time the Compagnon one Company called Moser & Co was. The Abbreviation KTM stood for "motor vehicles Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen ". 1953 were the first prototypes of the KTM R 100 presented and finally the serial production started. Impressive quality In 1954, the first 125 cubic centimeter Machine out: the KTM R 125 Tourist with two-stroke engine, telescopic fork, Kickstarter, three-speed gearbox and seat cushions as well as 6.1 HP power. Ernst Kronreif joined as a financier KTM, the name officially stood for "Kronreif & Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen". 1955 followed the successor model, the R 125 Grand Tourist, now like the Racing machines with a long arm swing fork (Earles fork) equipped was. By 1958, about 6,000 of them were running Copies from the conveyor belt. Interesting is also that the KTM R 125 Grand Tourist motorcycles in the 1950s also as "Yellow Angel" on the way were: The Automobile Club ÖAMTC put Grand Tourist sidecar team as breakdown assistance vehicles. KTM finally focused on the development of (scooter) mopeds and Bicycles, later on off-road motorcycles. To date, KTM machines are in the Motocross, enduro sport and supermoto in use. Some of the most successful Drivers are Heinz Kinigadner, who is in the 1980s twice motocross world champion on KTM, or Matthias Walkner, 2012 World Champion MX3 class. The KTM AG is today an umbrella company still based in Mattighofen.