KTM the war, demand for repair works fell sharply and Trunkenpolz started thinking about producing his own motorcycles. The prototype of his first motorcycle, the R100, was built in 1951. The components of the motorcycle were produced in house, except for the Rotax engines which were made by Fichtel & Sachs. Serial production of the "R100" started in 1953. With just 20 employees, motorcycles were built at the rate of three per day. In 1953, businessman Ernst Kronreif became a sizable shareholder of the company which was renamed and registered as "Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen". In 1954, the "R125 Tourist" was
KTM founded in Lorain, Ohio. In 1980, the company was renamed "KTM Motor-Fahrzeugbau KG". One year later, KTM had about 700 employees and a turnover of 750m. Schilling (about 54.5m. euros). International business then amounted to 76 % of the company turnover. However, scooter and moped turnover sank rapidly, and production had to be halted in 1988. Erich Trunkenpolz died in 1989. Takeover of a 51 % interest in the company by the Austrian investment trust GIT Trust Holding controlled by Austrian politician Josef Taus in 1989 was followed by unsuccessful attempts to turn the indebted company around, and in 1991,