KTM's Mess Is Causing a Headache in Racing, CEO of Kramer Leaves Position

Few times can I say that a company's CEO is acting in the best interest of their workforce. More often than not, they're self-serving and would soon enough fire their grandmother over losing a dollar. But that's honestly not the case with Kramer Motorcycles' Jensen Beeler, who, effective immediately, is leaving the small motorcycling company. 

The brand is best known for its race-spec motorcycle upfits that it sells to both amateurs and want-to-be upstart racing professionals alike, and recently worked out a deal with MotoAmerica's Wayne Rainey and that series' fledgling Talent Cup to hopefully again see the likes of an American on the top spot of the MotoGP podium.

And while that sounds good, there's an issue with its machines. In particular, where they source them: KTM. Yep, the Austrian manufacturer just can't keep its name out of RideApart's mouth. Slap incoming in five, four, three, two...

Beeler took to the WERA Motorcycle Roadracing forum to announce his departure and categorically "Fire" himself. The executive states, "Today is officially my last day posting in this thread as the CEO of Krämer Motorcycles USA -- you can still ask me anything, but it will be less official, and possibly less insightful. Three years ago, Krämer Joe brought me into the brand to help grow it in the USA and also globally, and I did just that. I tripled sales in the USA, doubled the size of the dealer network, and was responsible for bringing the GP2-890 RR, GP2-890 XX, and APX-350 MA to market, along with the spec-class with MotoAmerica, and a dozen other things I'm probably forgetting (like the company's first international press launch in Brno)."

He added, "I'm pretty proud of what the teams in Germany and USA have done during this time period, because at the end of the day, we are a very small company with nowhere near the resources of the larger brands. We've been punching above our weight class, while kicking ass and taking names in the process."

But here comes the rub, and it's all thanks to KTM, as Kramer's motorcycles start as KTMs and get worked over from there to make the racers everyone knows and loves. 

"At the beginning of the month, with the KTM factory closing now for a second time, it was clear that we weren't going to get the supply of bikes that we needed from the factory in Germany to hit our numbers," Beeler states, adding, "The market uncertainty with the tariffs has also greatly diminished the demand for bikes as well. This means we've had to write a new business plan that accounts for these realities. This also means a reduction in expenses, of which payroll is by far the largest expense. So as the highest paid employee, I fired myself."

Beeler then goes on to state that he's given Kramer a business plan that the company can follow in his absence, along with telling customers and fans alike that the MotoAmerica Talent Cup would continue, and that folks would likely see 2026 motorcycles sometime later this year. But because of the shutdowns at Mattighofen, because of the backlog of bikes ordered, because of KTM's financial fiasco that's occupied the company for the better part of a year, Kramer is feeling the heat, and steps had to be made in order to hold the line. 

His job, "as the highest paid employee," was the easiest to cut in order to reduce that deficit caused by Pierer. Again, I don't get to say this all that often, but that's a true leader, a true CEO, someone you could actually count on when it matters. Like right now when the company is hurting. 

I wish more CEOs were like Beeler, as the world would suck far less.