Members of the Russian Motocross Team were considered the 'bad guys' of the GP circuit in the 70's and early 80's - mostly due to the tactics employed at the final round of the 1974 250 campaign which gave Moiseev and KTM their first World Championship. The Russian website, www.motorland.ru, has an interesting take on the politics surrounding the Soviet switch from CZ, to KTM, and finally back to CZ.

The KTM factory began in 1934 with Hans Trunkenpolz establishing a fitter workshop in the Austrian town of Mattighofen. Hans’ company, “Trunkenpolz”, developed into one of the largest repair workshops of upper Austria between 1937 and 1950. From 1950, the official name of the company was “Trunkenpolz Mattighofen”, and it employed some 20 people.

Thanks to Paolo for some of the photos in this article - grazie!

Steve from Colorado send in these photos of his beautifully restored machine. They don't come much nicer than this 1981 495.

Arizona has one of the nicest KTM 495's to roll out of the restoration garage in ages. Don's 1982 machine displays some beautiful craftsmanship and leaves the Austrian combine harvester with that "showroom floor" look.