KTM embroiled in vehicle registration fraud scandal.

Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM is accused of limiting the power output of its off-road motorcycle models in order to legitimize their registration and operation on public roads.

According to Carscoops , after escaping the threat of permanent dissolution at the end of 2024, KTM still seems to be far from out of trouble. Recently, several investigative reports in Europe have revealed that KTM is engaging in fraudulent business practices by selling off-road vehicles but registering them as road-legal vehicles.

For example, the standard configuration of the KTM 350 EXC-F features a 350cc single-cylinder engine, producing a maximum power of 51 horsepower, and is designed solely for track and competition use, not for public roads.

However, European news outlets, through investigation, discovered that KTM dealerships were limiting the power output of the KTM 350 EXC-F to 15 horsepower to meet the requirements for registration as a regular vehicle. Before handing over the bikes to customers, the dealerships would "unlock" this power limit back to its original level.

A team of journalists from 10 major European newspapers, including Spiegel and Manager Magazine , spent months posing as KTM customers. What they found was not good news for the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer.

According to reports, the KTM off-road bikes were factory-throttled to facilitate the registration process for street use. They were then shipped to dealerships along with the necessary parts to restore their original power output.

The dealership will restore the vehicle to its original state, fine-tune the software, and deliver the vehicle to the customer, allowing the motorcycle to be driven on public roads using a series of forged registration documents.

A reporter posed as a customer at the Brussels Motor Show to speak with KTM about this practice. A sales representative apparently admitted that the bikes were delivered with limited power to meet registration and emissions regulations before being modified. The representative even stated that "this is a bit of cheating."

Another KTM dealer in Austria told an ORF reporter that the engine would fail and malfunction after only 12 miles (approximately 20 km) of travel under reduced power. The dealer added that the engines of KTM off-road motorcycles are not designed to be subjected to such extreme limitations.

These types of vehicles are often called "supermoto" in Europe. Technically, they are not legal to ride on public roads, so Spiegel notes that insurance companies would not compensate in the unfortunate event of an accident caused by the driver.

The International Council for Clean Transport (ICCT) reports that KTM motorcycles with their power limits removed are twice as noisy as when their limits are in place. These bikes are also alleged to emit carbon monoxide equivalent to that of a diesel locomotive, and significantly higher levels of particulate matter than a car.

For its part, KTM asserts that all off-road motorcycles it ships to dealerships are delivered in street-legal condition, claiming that modifications are only made at the customer's request. Furthermore, KTM dealerships are also said to have informed buyers that once the restrictions are removed, the bikes will no longer be street legal.

Of course, these dealerships have no way of preventing buyers from riding a motorcycle with its power limit removed. Spiegel reports that many KTM motorcycles have had their power limits removed as soon as they arrive at dealerships, long before customers even request it.

Source: https://znews.vn/ktm-vuong-be-boi-gian-lan-dang-ky-xe-post1655696.html