Where Was Your Motorcycle From Originally? Quiz

Answer: Austria

The Kraftahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen (KTM) grew out of a vehicle repair shop established in 1934 in Mattighofen, a suburb of Branau am Inn in Austria. With demand for repair work reduced post war, the company turned its attention to building motorcycles with the first model, R100, going into production in 1953.

The company has gone through many changes of ownership since its early days and its future is uncertain with bankruptcy looming in 2024.

Answer: Portugal

Named for the founder, Joćo Casal, this motorcycle manufacturer was founded in Portugal in 1964 with bikes bearing the name produced until 2000. The company then became a representative of the Japanese company Suzuki.

It focussed mainly on smaller motorcycles, such as mopeds and 125 cc engines, with most of them having model names starting with K. It is said that there are still thousands of Casal bikes in daily use in Portugal well into the twenty-first century. There are also collectors of the bikes in Portugal itself and in other European countries.

Answer: Taiwan

The full name of this Taiwanese company is Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd and it dates from the 1960s. It originally made parts for Honda, but began producing scooters, primarily, from 1970. By the 2000s it was one of the largest scooter manufacturers in the world.

Kymco also has a wide range of motorcycles and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), with mobility scooters also a major part of its production.

Answer: Czechia

The company dates from 1929 when it was established in Prague in what was then Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic is also known as Czechia with both names officially recognised. Jawa was particularly successful in the 1950s, but the dissolution of the Soviet bloc has caused problems.

Motorcycles bearing the Jawa name were made in India between 1960 and 1996. Argentina's RVM also produces bikes using the name, and Jawas still have a following from motorcycle enthusiasts.

Answer: UK

Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) was established in 1861 in Birmingham, England. It manufactured a wide variety of items from weaponry to tools. It added motorcycles to its repertoire in 1910, and aided by a merger with Triumph, was one of the major motorcycle producers in the world by the 1950s and early 1960s.

The failure to recognise the need for innovation, particularly when Japan became a major threat, led to the demise of the company in the 1970s. In 2016 the Indian-owned Mahindra Group acquired BSA, and new motorcycles bearing the familiar name are available again, albeit manufactured in India, in the 2020s.

Answer: Italy

Ducati, founded by a father and sons of that name, was set up in Bologna in 1926 to manufacture parts for radios. It turned its attention to making motorcycles in 1950 after selling those made by another local manufacturer. Their bikes were popular and are still being sold under the Ducati name in the twenty-first century.

Ownership of Ducati has changed several times, with the Ducatis losing control to the government in the 1950s. In 2012 the company was acquired by Lamborghini, which is itself owned by Audi and a part of the German Volkswagen Group in 2024.

Answer: Spain

Bultaco motorcycles were manufactured in Barcelona, Spain from 1956 until 1983. The company was created when a previous company, Montesa, decided to withdraw from motorcycle racing. A director and several former employees set up Bultaco to continue creating motorcycles suitable for road use and road racing. Their most successful venture was in off-road bikes, though.

Economic pressures meant the company wound up in 1983. In 2015 the name was revived to a degree when Sherco, a French company, began making motorcycles bearing the Bultaco name.

Answer: USA

Janus Motorcycles is an American manufacturer based in Indiana. It was established in 2011 and started production in 2013. Model ranges have a mythical link with Halcyon, Phoenix and Gryffin among them.

The company remains relatively small, but is growing as it becomes more established. You were probably looking for Harley-Davidson when you saw USA, but that would have been much too easy.

Answer: Sweden

Husqvarna dates from 1689 when it began manufacturing firearms in Stockholm, Sweden. Over its long existence it has produced sewing machines, bicycles and power tools for gardens, such as chainsaws and mowers.

The motorcycle manufacturing began in 1903 and continued until 1987 when this part of the business was sold to Cagiva, a now defunct Italian company. In 2013 KTM bought the business and still produces motorcycles bearing the Husqvarna name although KTM itself is under threat at the time of writing this quiz.

Answer: Japan

Yamaha is just one of the Japanese brands which have come to dominate the motorcycle market - Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki are some of the others. Yamaha, primarily a producer of musical instruments such as electric organs, began producing motorcycles before creating a separate company, Yamaha Motor Company, to manufacture them, in 1955. Its headquarters are on the island of Honshu.

The company brought attention to its products by providing motorcycles for sporting events, including Grand Prix. Their success made sure enthusiasts learned the name and the company reaped the rewards. They remain one of the major manufacturers of road and racing bikes in the twenty-first century.