KTM moves GasGas production from Spain to Austria

Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM has decided to end production of its subsidiary brand GasGas at the company’s factory in Girona, Spain. Manufacturing will instead be transferred to KTM’s main plant in Mattighofen, Austria, as part of the group’s strategy to “consolidate expertise, optimise production, and increase efficiency.”

Uncertain future for Spanish manufacturing

KTM states that only around 20 of the approximately 300 employees at the Girona facility will be directly affected by the change. The fate of the remaining staff is unclear, though GasGas will continue to produce its electric bicycles in Spain – a segment that has grown increasingly important for the brand in recent years.

GasGas was founded in 1985 in Girona and quickly became a respected name in trial, enduro and motocross. After several years of financial difficulties, the company was acquired in 2019 by Pierer Mobility AG, the parent company of KTM and Husqvarna.

Since then, the brand has expanded its product range, but also lost much of its independence. On the official GasGas website, the company now describes itself as “an off-road eMTB brand with Spanish roots” – with no mention of motorcycles at all.

The decision marks yet another blow for GasGas, which recently also shut down its trial team – a discipline that built the company’s reputation over nearly four decades.

A KTM spokesperson told the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten that the move is part of a broader restructuring:

“This enables us to consolidate our expertise, optimise production processes, and strengthen efficiency within the company.”

Criticism of KTM’s strategy

The announcement has sparked concern and criticism within the motorcycle community. KTM’s decision to move production to Austria comes without plans to hire additional staff in Mattighofen, even though the GasGas production is theoretically being transferred there.

This raises questions about how much of the brand’s manufacturing will actually remain in Europe in the future. Pierer Mobility’s majority owner has previously claimed that “European production is dead” and has pushed to relocate parts of production to Asia.

At the same time, KTM has been struggling with its own production delays. The company recently confirmed that the new 1390 Super Duke GT, officially listed as a 2025 model, will not enter production until 2027.

The future of GasGas – motorcycles or E-bikes?

With GasGas now losing its last major motorcycle factory in Spain, there are growing suspicions that the brand may gradually be transformed into a pure electric bicycle manufacturer.

While KTM focuses on centralising motorcycle production and cutting costs, GasGas appears to be losing its role as an independent producer of petrol-powered off-road bikes.

After 40 years as a symbol of Spanish trial and enduro culture, it now seems clear that GasGas’s future has never looked more uncertain.