New Ebikes from KTM for the 2024 Season: Ease Is the Key

The story of KTM’s new products for the 2024 season is told in four words: Bosch Performance Line SX. That’s the story behind all the highlights you’ll soon be seeing from the Austrian manufacturer. Sometimes it’s a completely new model series, sometimes it’s an update of an existing one. And there is always a significant part of KTM’s own development in it.

While other companies are looking for the ebike in which the lightweight drive from Bosch can be integrated most logically, KTM’s answer is simple – in all of them. That’s why you’ll find it in all product categories, from full-suspension e-mountain bikes to hardtails, ebikes for kids, gravel bikes and e-road bikes, right up to the phalanx of trekking ebikes. Sometimes it is combined with a bike frame made of carbon, sometimes it is the widely used aluminium frame.

1. Confidence in one’s own strengths
2. Bottle and battery instead of bottle or battery
3. Traditional colours
4. KTM Macina Scarp SX
5. KTM Macina Race SX
6. KTM Macina Mini Me SX
7. KTM Macina Revelator SX
8. KTM Macina Gravelator SX
9. KTM Macina Sport SX
10. KTM Macina Cross SX

1. Confidence in one’s own strengths

However, KTM would not be KTM if there were no ideas for improvement. The manufacturer considers these, for example, in the integration of the battery into the frame. Bosch offers its own kit for this. This was simply left out completely. Instead, KTM has designed its own battery mount. It is called Power Tube Top Loader (PTTL) and is already known from the other batteries for the Bosch Smart System. It has been modified again for the new drive. Its parts are made of fibre-reinforced plastic and are produced by injection moulding. The solution ensures that the battery can be removed at the top of the tube, which works extremely smoothly. No eternal searching for the right position. No jerking in the frame. No noises.

And because getting in and out is so easy, KTM favours using a second battery to increase capacity. This can be stored in the backpack with the help of a reinforced back insert, the Battery Board, or in the “Sport Trunk Bag”. This bag, which is suitable for the rear rack, has a neoprene compartment specially designed for it.

2. Bottle and battery instead of bottle or battery

Those who like it a little lighter and need fewer watt-hours as a supply can of course alternatively fall back on the new Bosch PowerMore 250. This range extender can be attached directly to the battery cover on the KTM models in the SX range. In fact, even with small frame sizes, there is still enough space for attaching a water bottle at the same time. There are 16 predefined drill holes in the battery cover. They allow flexible selection of a position for the range extender and the water bottle. The components are firmly screwed into the lid via a bone. You clarify the position with the dealer at the time of purchase. The dealer then drills the holes and installs the PowerMore 250 and the bottle cage. This should even be possible for drinking bottles that hold 750 millilitres. A lock from Abus secures the battery cover and thus your battery from theft.

3. Traditional colours

In its external appearance, KTM is sticking somewhat more closely to its brand core in the 2024 season. Colours typical of the manufacturer, such as black and orange, once again take up more space. Anything more in the direction of blue, red or green appears much less frequently. One reason for this could be the upcoming 60th anniversary of the company. For this occasion, there are a few limited special models among the new products. You can recognise them by the suffix “LTD64”. In most cases, these are ebikes in a special paint job with equipment that corresponds to the series model from the previous season. Occasionally, however, a technical upgrade is hidden behind this, as with the KTM Macina Kapoho LTD64 ABS, whose system for more brake control was not yet installed on this bike a year ago.

4. KTM Macina Scarp SX

Thanks to its long-standing cooperation with Bosch, KTM knows with a certain amount of advance notice what to expect from the drive specialist from Reutlingen in the next two or three years. Therefore, the plans for a full-suspension e-mountain bike with a weight of well under 20 kilograms must have already been ready in the drawer. In addition, with the Scarp, there was a suitable model from the non-e-bike segment. The KTM Macina Scarp SX is noticeably inspired by this, but without copying it.

The slightly steeper seat angle, the flatter head tube angle and the extra suspension travel bring the motorised version closer to the trail bike category. With its carbon frame and 140 millimetres of front and rear suspension, it still remains a bike that you can sometimes be very playful with. One of the biggest differences to the conventional Scarp is the main pivot, named “Submarine Main-Pivot”. Driven into the frame with a stainless steel thread, it is of solid construction and has multiple protections against penetrating dirt and moisture. The Scarp SX has a distinctly sporty appearance due to the cables and wires disappearing completely inside the bike. Of course, Bosch’s drive system has its share in this. The frame diameters can be correspondingly narrow and the motor itself also takes up less space than a Performance Line CX. Details like the chainguide on the chainring or the Schwalbe Racing Ralph make it clear that you can really let it rip with this bike.

KTM Macina Scarp SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Scarp SX Exonic, Macina Scarp SX Prime, Macina Scarp SX Master
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Control unit: Bosch Mini Remote
• Suspension fork: Fox 34 Float Factory e-Tune, Fox 34 Float Performance e-Tune
• Drivetrain: Sram XX Eagle T-Type, Shimano XTR, Shimano Deore XT
• Brakes: Shimano MT9120, Shimano MT8120, Magura MT5
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 110 kg

5. KTM Macina Race SX

The KTM Macina Race SX follows a completely different approach. The hardtail is aimed more at those who want to take it easy – either because they are just getting into mountain biking or because this level of robustness and agility is perfectly adequate for them. Therefore, the 2.5 kilograms that this model weighs more than the Scarp SX do not really matter. The aluminium frame features a suspension fork with a travel of 100 millimetres. All three equipment versions are fitted with simpler but reliable components from Shimano for the gears and brakes.

KTM Macina Race SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Race SX 10, Macina Race SX LFC, Macina Race SX 20
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Display: Bosch Purion 200
• Suspension fork: RockShox Judy Gold RL, SR Suntour X1 32 Air
• Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT, Shimano Cues U4000
• Brakes: Shimano MT410, Shimano MT201
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 113 kg

6. KTM Macina Mini Me SX

KTM has had ebikes for children in its range since 2015. While this was at best laughed at in the beginning, competitors have long since imitated it. With its system weight of about four kilograms, the Bosch Performance Line SX fits perfectly on bikes like the KTM Macina Mini Me SX 26 and KTM Macina Mini Me SX 24. The lower overall weight increases the riding fun of the younger ones and makes it easier for them to make their first attempts at elements like jumps or drops.

The smaller frame sizes automatically create a few challenges when it comes to integrating the drive. First and foremost, this applies to the integration of the battery. KTM goes the way of a fixed integration in the frame. This leaves only the option of a charging socket on the frame for charging. From the manufacturer’s point of view, however, this is outweighed by the more compact, child-friendly geometry, the lower weight and the greater stability of the closed frame.

KTM remains faithful to its previous motor restriction. The KTM Macina Mini Me SX 24 with its 24-inch wheels for smaller children supports the youngsters up to a speed of only 20 km/h. The KTM Macina Mini Me SX 26 for older children reaches the usual 25 km/h.

KTM Macina Mini Me SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Mini Me SX 26, Macina Mini Me SX 24
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Display: Bosch Intuvia 100
• Control unit: Bosch LED Remote
• Suspension fork: RockShox Judy Gold RL, SR Suntour XCR 34 Air
• Drivetrain: Shimano Acera
• Brakes: Shimano MT201
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 68 kg

7. KTM Macina Revelator SX

The e-road bike is making a comeback at KTM. After the KTM Macina Mezzo and its Fazua Evation drive apparently didn’t quite work out, the company is now giving it another go. The sales figures of the German Zweirad-Industrie-Verband (ZIV) for the year 2022 at least indicate that the timing for this step is right. This category of ebikes is enjoying more and more interest. The bare sales figures are still manageable. But the growth rate makes bicycle manufacturers dream.

With its new Macina Revelator SX Prime, KTM is targeting customers who are willing to pay a little extra for electrified riding fun. An entry price of just under 8,000 euros speaks for itself. However, anyone who knows that a considerable proportion of cyclists today invest so much money even for a road bike without a motor can imagine that there is also a market for a model like the Revelator.

From our point of view, KTM has a lot to offer to stand out from the competition. It starts with the weight of 13.3 kilograms for an ebike with a mid-mounted motor that has a torque of 55 Newton metres. This almost makes the information that the frame is of course made of carbon superfluous. Electronic gears from Shimano. Completely internally routed cables. Aerodynamically integrated saddle clamp in the frame. There is hardly a weakness to be found on the data sheet.

Quite the opposite. One’s gaze falls on the rear hub from Classified. The Belgian component manufacturer first won the favour of several well-known users in the gravel and road bike sector without a motor. Now it is also entering the world of ebikes with its solution. At the push of a button, the Classified hub switches to a second gear ratio. This naturally affects all the sprockets of the cassette, imitating the effect of a second chainring. However, you save space and maintenance for this chainring because it is in the hub.

KTM Macina Revelator SX 2024 at a glance

• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Control unit: Bosch Mini Remote Dropbar
• Fork: Revelator Premium Carbon F15
• Drivetrain: Shimano 105 Di2
• Brakes: Shimano 105 R7
• Maximum permitted total weight: 109 kg

8. KTM Macina Gravelator SX

While we’re on the subject of trends. Which one has made massive inroads into ebikes over the past two or three years? That’s right, the gravel bike. For the 2024 season, KTM is jumping on the bandwagon and presenting an e-gravel bike for the first time with the Gravelator SX. This may come as a surprise to some of you. However, the manufacturer has always cultivated a very sporty side in its portfolio. Sometimes this has simply been neglected in the perception.

Here you can even talk about a real product range. After all, there are two different models. The KTM Macina Gravelator serves as an entry-level model. For considerably less than 4,500 euros, you get an e-gravel bike based on an aluminium frame with high-quality components from Shimano’s GRX gravel series. It comes with 40-millimetre wide Schwalbe G-One Bite Performance tyres. This is by no means the limit of the possible tyre width. Around five millimetres more are certainly possible. Depending on the tread, maybe even more.

The Gravelator SX Prime is over one and a half kilograms lighter and equipped with Sram electronic gears. However, it also costs 1,600 euros more.

KTM Macina Gravelator SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Gravelator SX Prime, Macina Gravelator SX 10
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Control unit: Bosch Mini Remote Dropbar
• Fork: X-Strada Gravel Performance Carbon
• Drivetrain: Sram Rival XPLR eTap AXS, Shimano GRX RX822
• Brakes: Sram Rival, Shimano GRX RX410
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 109 kg

9. KTM Macina Sport SX

The highlight for many of you, however, is probably not so much the niche models. Not least the tests of numerous magazines and online media underline year after year the quality KTM offers in trekking ebikes. It is by far the segment with the highest sales. Accordingly, the manufacturer has paid a lot of attention to the addition of bikes with the Bosch Performance Line SX.

Carbon as a frame material and trekking bikes are no longer mutually exclusive at KTM. Two of four different configurations get this weight and stiffness advantage: Macina Sport SX Prime and Macina Sport SX Elite. These are the two highest-quality models. On the Macina Sport SX Prime you can even expect a very special detail. KTM uses a suspension fork from Fox with the legendary Kashima coating, even though the fork only has 50 millimetres of travel. Even electronic gearing is included. Unfortunately, the frame with the low step-in fell victim to the decision in favour of carbon. Only trapezoidal frames and diamond frames are available.

Those who prefer a low-step frame can opt for the Macina Sport SX 10 or the Macina Sport SX 20. Their frames are made of aluminium. But the price is noticeably lower.

KTM Macina Sport SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Sport SX Prime, Macina Sport SX Elite, Macina Sport SX 10, Macina Sport SX 20
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Display: Bosch Purion 200
• Suspension fork: Fox Float 32 TC Factory, SR Suntour NCX-D Air LO, SR Suntour NCX-E Air LO
• Drivetrain: Sram X0 Eagle T-Type, Shimano Cues U6000, Shimano Deore XT, Shimano Cues U4000
• Brakes: Magura MTI, Shimano MT402, Shimano MT201
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 121 kg

KTM Macina Sport SX Prime 2024 in diamond frame

KTM Macina Sport SX Prime 2024 in mid-step frame

10. KTM Macina Cross SX

A similar play in terms of frame material can be seen in the version of the trekking bike that goes completely without mudguards, rear racks and headlights. The KTM Macina Cross SX Elite weighs less than 17 kilograms thanks to its carbon frame. The Macina Cross SX 20 adds a little more than two because the cheaper aluminium is used. Apart from that, the technical features are not fundamentally different. So you can make a relatively sober assessment of whether the lower weight is worth the additional cost of 800 euros.

KTM Macina Cross SX 2024 at a glance

• Variants: Macina Cross SX Elite, Macina Cross SX 20
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX
• Battery: Bosch CompactTube 400
• Display: Bosch Purion 200
• Suspension fork: SR Suntour NCX-E Air LO, SR Suntour NCX32-D Air LO
• Drivetrain: Shimano Cues U6000, Shimano Cues U4000
• Brakes: Shimano MT402, Shimano MT201
• Maximum permitted total weight: from 128 kg

Pictures: KTM Fahrrad GmbH