KIWI RIDER 03 2020 VOL2 | Page 16

DIRT NEWS GAS GAS BY KTM TEAMS UP WITH MOTOREX I n unsurprising news, GAS GAS has announced that going forward to brand will be teaming up with Swiss lubricant maker Motorex as the preferred source of the oil for Gas Gas products. Aligning with other brands under the KTM umbrella, Gas Gas will now officially be partnered with Motorex for their world championship motocross, rally, enduro and trial activities, with Motorex also providing support to all Gas Gas subsidiary racing programmes. “Expanding and strengthening our strategic partnership with Motorex ensures we can align Gas Gas Motorcycles with a brand we share many common objectives with, says KTM AG CMO, Hubert Trunkenpolz. “Using its rich heritage in offroad motorcycle racing and trial competition, Gas Gas Motorcycles will deliver a robust product line and will benefit hugely from partnering with a globally focused lubricants manufacturer like Motorex. This agreement between Gas Gas Motorcycles and Motorex further achieves our objective of developing relationships with robust strategic group partners, across both motorsports and production activities.” 16 KIWI RIDER In the production side of the equation all-new Gas Gas products will be baptised with Motorex oils on first fill and throughout the manufacturing process. Things are moving fast for Gas Gas since the brand was partially bought out by KTM group in September last year. With a 60% stake sold to the Austrians, Gas Gas has seen a major rise in publicity thanks to the Matthigofen powerhouse, with Spanish superwoman Laia Sanz switching to Gas Gas from KTM for the 2020 Dakar and finishing 25th outright and a full MXGP attack squad things are looking bright on the motorsport front. For us mere mortals without a factory-supported ride, it has been confirmed that Gas Gas’ 2021 models will all be based upon KTM platforms much like we’ve seen previously with new stablemate Husqvarna. Former owners of Gas Gas, Spanish firm Torrot, recently sold off the intellectual property rights and tooling of the outgoing Gas Gas range to another Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Rieju.