RE: KTM X-Bow Production Halted

[Noger]

Although the X-BOW is the least of KTM's worries. A self-confessed KTM orange-nutter at work says that the bike side is in huge trouble and only afloat because of the state and money from India. It may be that production goes bhajii-side to keep it all afloat. In times of trouble, you "stick to the knitting" so it is no surprise really that they are cutting back.

Would be interesting to know how Caparo are doing, they make the X-BOW look good value Think it would also give it a run for it's money on a track

[Ahonen]

Noger said:

Here is to the ultimate demise of KTM. Seems like only wkers have them.

You sound lovely. Nice of you to be wishing for the demise of a European bike and sportscar company.

[darth_pies]

Ahonen said:

Noger said:

Here is to the ultimate demise of KTM. Seems like only wkers have them.

You sound lovely. Nice of you to be wishing for the demise of a European bike and sportscar company.

Exactly - unnecessarily harsh IMHO.

I'm not a fan of the X-Bow having driven one and decided not to purchase, but equally i can see a place for it in the market, albeit a niche within a niche!

Their bikes are great though so good luck to them and let's hope the rumoured €20m+ they've lost on the not-quite-up-to-scratch X-Bow doesn't drag the whole thing down.

[Noger]

And you need to put down that spanner and read the comments in context.

If all owners are like our chum, and really really believe that they have bought the Millenium Falcon rather than a car, then not inflicting any more of this on the rest of the right thinking world will be a godsend.

I suspect they are not

Edited by Noger on Thursday 3rd September 11:53

[ScottL]

Face it mate, the X-Bow has a lot more in common with the Millennium Falcon than the st boxes you drive around in.

It would certainly be a godsend if you stopped inflicting your inaccurate, jealous ramblings on the rest of the right thinking world.

Failing that, get yourself out from behind that keyboard and come along to Rockingham next Saturday (12th). Lots of X-Bows, Atoms, Caterhams etc..out on track.

Edited by ScottL on Thursday 3rd September 12:39

[Noger]

Whatever, cowboy. At least my stboxes are still in production

With all your bravado, you would think you would be racing. Too much of a coward to risk geting beaten ?

As I said, classic case of "All the gear and no idea".

Edited by Noger on Thursday 3rd September 14:51

[ScottL]

Thanks for the insults. Wonder if we'll ever see a positive contribution from you?

Haven't done any racing yet but hoping to start next year. The prospect of losing doesn't phase me. I just want to progress from track days. Whatever the outcome I'm sure it'll be memorable.

Since I have no idea, I would be most grateful if you would climb out from behind your keyboard and put in an appearance at Rockingham. Perhaps you could fire up your Caterham Gixxer and show me how it's done? You might find a little tussle on track helps release some of your angst?

PS - if you were paying attention you would have spotted that the X-Bow is still in production - it's a temporary pause, scheduled to resume in January.

[Noger]

It's ok, I enjoyed yours too

Only two problems with Saturday :-

1) I have to take my two year old to Soccertots
2) The car is in bits

Apart from that I am up for it

Not sure what it would prove anyway, I am a slowcoach and don't think my car is the fastest thing ever.

The vast majority of my comments are positive. I just happen to think there are faster cars with numberplates. The aforementioned Caparo for a start. Sorry if this pricks your bubble of hyperbole

In fact way back in 2007 I praised the KTM's wild looks and said it would be bloody quick. I did however doubt it would do 180mph, and I was right on all three counts.

[vanilladan]

Scott - I wouldn't even bother replying. That sort of mentality is not even worth entertaining. At the same time, we don't go and start bashing Caterhams with Gixxer engines on forums. The chaps obviously got far too much time on his hands...

I for one, love my X-Bow! It suits my needs better than a Atom, which would have been far too uncomfortable for three European jaunts and my girlfriend would never have entertained the idea of 3k miles in 2 weeks in the alps in one! The Caterham and the 2-eleven would have been an option, but is a lot smaller than a X-Bow and hence cramped for a guy of my height of 6ft3". I also love the different looks and am crazy at the way it handles on track days. I'm now up to 10k miles in a year and will continue to use it reguarly. The lack of roof only adds to the attraction to me. Oh, and I'm also not a Tr as Nobber suggests...

One happy customer... Thanks KTM for making something different. Oh, and stopping production will also help my residuals, so thanks again!

Edited by vanilladan on Thursday 3rd September 16:50

Edited by vanilladan on Thursday 3rd September 16:51

[anonymous-user]

vanilladan said:

I for one, love my X-Bow! It suits my needs better than a Atom, which would have been far too uncomfortable for three European jaunts and my girlfriend would never have entertained the idea of 3k miles in 2 weeks in the alps in one! The Caterham and the 2-eleven would have been an option, but is a lot smaller than a X-Bow and hence cramped for a guy of my height of 6ft3". I also love the different looks and am crazy at the way it handles on track days. I'm now up to 10k miles in a year and will continue to use it reguarly. The lack of roof only adds to the attraction to me.

Good on you! The X-Bow has more critics on here than can possibly know the first thing about them. I fear, however, that the complete absence of windscreen/roof severely limits the number of potential customers and has contributed towards the need for a shutdown.

[clanger]

Variety is the spice of - hope that KTM production moritorium is just a temporary blip. We need as much choice as possible out there. I rather like 'em personally and its nice to be different. I certainly wouldn't disparage the choice of others merely because it didn't concur with mine - its their cash.

Remember on trackdays its not usually the fastest bloke there that has enjoyed the day the most - its the bloke who comes away with the biggest smile.

[Noger]

vanilladan said:

Scott - I wouldn't even bother replying. That sort of mentality is not even worth entertaining. At the same time, we don't go and start bashing Caterhams with Gixxer engines on forums. The chaps obviously got far too much time on his hands...

You really need to see the difference between "bashing" the car (which I am absolutely NOT doing) and "bashing" a dude on the internet who is insisting that his various "facts" are incontrovertible. Whereas they are really just Bush-like Truthiness.

It is a fantastic engineering achievement, more so for a company that has never produced a car before, has wild looks and is bloody fast. Choice is great, particularly when things are a bit different to the normal boring cars.

And if people chose them and love them, then that is great.

But the FACTS as presented by Scott are ...

That the X-BOW produces the highest downforce of any car with a number plate. So pretty much any road-legal car ever. Ever.

That the X-BOW is the fastest car ever. Now clearly he meant round a circuit (because it is neither the fastest top speed nor accelerating), but he didn't specify WHICH circuit so we must assume any. Highspeed straights or full of lowspeed twists.

I doubt both. Firstly I would think the Caparo T1 produces more downforce. And there are plenty of others that would be in with a shout, Radical etc.

Secondly, whilst it is clearly (even in basic trim and spec) well up there with the fastest of it's track biased rivals, and can go faster still it seems, are we really thinking that it is faster than a Caparo or Ascari or Ultima ? Or any road legal car ever ?

Just because I doubt what has been presented as FACT, doesn't mean I am disrespecting anyone's choice, or being negative or somehow "hate" the car. Far from it. It just means I don't believe what has been stated.

p.s. if you are looking to have a go at Caterhams with Gixxer engines, you might be looking a long time...think mine is the only one. So bash me all you like, but please leave my long suffering car out of this. The things she has endured in the name of weightloss

Edited by Noger on Thursday 3rd September 19:20

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Ahonen said:

Noger said:

Here is to the ultimate demise of KTM. Seems like only wkers have them.

You sound lovely. Nice of you to be wishing for the demise of a European bike and sportscar company.

+ 1


Lets hope Noger, you leave your VERY aggressive attitude at home when you are on track.

[Noger]

Who's mum are you ?

[BigBen]

vanilladan said:

Scott - I wouldn't even bother replying. That sort of mentality is not even worth entertaining. At the same time, we don't go and start bashing Caterhams with Gixxer engines on forums. The chaps obviously got far too much time on his hands...

I for one, love my X-Bow! It suits my needs better than a Atom, which would have been far too uncomfortable for three European jaunts and my girlfriend would never have entertained the idea of 3k miles in 2 weeks in the alps in one! The Caterham and the 2-eleven would have been an option, but is a lot smaller than a X-Bow and hence cramped for a guy of my height of 6ft3". I also love the different looks and am crazy at the way it handles on track days. I'm now up to 10k miles in a year and will continue to use it reguarly. The lack of roof only adds to the attraction to me. Oh, and I'm also not a Tr as Nobber suggests...

One happy customer... Thanks KTM for making something different. Oh, and stopping production will also help my residuals, so thanks again!

Edited by vanilladan on Thursday 3rd September 16:50

Edited by vanilladan on Thursday 3rd September 16:51

So any owners at Bedford on the 28th ? would love a look round one and a PAX lap

[ScottL]

Kit car creation in bits in the garage. References to hill climbs. Attention deficit. Anti-social conduct. I'm beginning to build a picture in my head...which one are you?

Edited by ScottL on Thursday 3rd September 20:55

[-Z-]

ScottL said:

Kit car creation in bits in the garage. References to hill climbs. Attention deficit. Anti-social conduct. I'm beginning to build a picture in my head...which one are you?

Edited by ScottL on Thursday 3rd September 20:55

st! I think you live round the corner from me, your neighbour has a particularly nice Audi? Awesome driveway, always cheers me up on the way to work

Edited by -Z- on Thursday 3rd September 21:01

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Noger said:

Who's mum are you ?

Just someone who who has had very fast pax laps on track in an X Bow which overtook the Caterhams !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ewenm]

Mrs Muttleysnoop said:

Noger said:

Who's mum are you ?

Just someone who who has had very fast pax laps on track in an X Bow which overtook the Caterhams !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A stripped out Metro has overtaken me in my Caterham on a track day. Is that what we should be comparing the X-Bow to?


Ok, ok, it was a very very wet day and my tyres were distinctly non-road-legal so just not spinning at every corner was a challenge, but you get my point about trackday stories, I'm sure.

[Noger]

ScottL said:

Kit car creation in bits in the garage. References to hill climbs. Attention deficit. Anti-social conduct.

All true But not my garage. The garage of the people behind the Caterham Levante That slow old thing with 1000bhp/tonne.