- Joined
- Feb 6, 2006
- Messages
- 10,581
- Reaction score
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- Location
- Cape Town, deep in the lentils
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
It really is all about the bike.
While you read, let the video load;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkSEqXaaNlA
I had the opportunity to get a taste of enduro riding this last weekend. I have a KTM 950 Adventure that I love riding, it has taken me to places and experiences that has more than fulfilled all the marketing promises. But I have very little experience of riding any other bikes other than a Vespa and later a Yamaha XT 500. I have always wondered what racing would be like, can I do it?
This weekend was an opportunity to try this. It was a funduro and as such is not sanctioned or timed and as was repeatedly mentioned, not a race. It is what it says, all about fun and the experience. Ashley from KTM WC is supporting a great charity - the Sunflower Fund and in a chat about it he offered me the chance to ride an enduro machine, I saw an opportunity to ride a bike and fulfill a dream and to support the charity.
I had asked that they give me the smallest bike as I have absolutely no experience on anything that looks like an MX or Enduro bike. The options were either a 200 two stroke or a 450 four stroke. I am a fat, or lets rather say flourishing 41 year old. My ever optimistic 16 year old ego was rooting loudly for the 450 but the boring adult section of me was being the realist. This meant that I needed to try my hand at this on the lightest bike in anticipation of having to muscle it over the advertised obstacles and through a fruity river section. There was also no doubt that I would have to pick it up every now and then, 200’s are of course easier to pick up than 450’s on a 41 year old.
The nerves were not settled by Charl from KTM calling on the Friday saying that I would have to ride the 450. The 16 year old was cheering. The adult was saying, “yes, and what about the monster cold front due for tomorrow? You arse, stay in bed rather.”
The drive to Caledon was diabolical, the rain and wind were incredible. Surely no-one would even consider getting out of bed?
But as I arrived I spotted Etienne and Andy, they, incredibly had ridden in that muck all the way from CapeTown. Idiots!
And, the farmers in Caledon are made of tough stuff. Canz Kleyn and his son had a marquee tent up, music booming and all looked like it should be a great day.
And too so it seems enduro riders, there were a lot there.
Lloyed was the KTM mechanic and had the gazebo up with 2 bikes out, the 450 and they had managed to bring along the 200! Arg! Now I had a choice. In my mind the 200 would have been the better bike for me in the dry, but the power band in the wet with less traction might be more of a challenge to manage.
I got suited up and nervously got on the 450 for a quick spin just to see what it is like. Well, it doesn’t lack power! It certainly is nothing like the last single I rode – the XT. The suspension was plush yet firm and all the controls light and responsive. Just oozes quality. I pulled up back at the pits and Canz had to remind me that any riding in the pits is first geat and slow – bloody novice riders. Oops.
Ashley had arrived, he supported my choice of bike and said to go have fun.
I was first to register, so I got No1, it was appropriate – a first for lots of things
The riders briefing had warnings about the river and a few danger points on the 13 kilometre track. The idea being that we would ride as many laps as possible in an hour. It was stressed again that it was not a race. 15 minutes to start.
The start was in groups of 5 bikes, they had asked that the fast guys go first. Yeah right, this is not a race? They just disappeared in a hail of roost. The next 3 rows did the same. I was waiting for Ashley who was with two young chaps that he had brought along and was still getting his kit on when the starter waved me to the start line with 3 other guys. Well, this was going to be it.
My plan was to just take things very easy and see what this was all about.
Not a race! My goodness but the other 3 guys also bolted off the line at pace. Not 300 metres later there was a big bottleneck that had formed on a small muddy climb. Guys were in the bush and stuck in the small rut in the bottom. I sat to one side to watch, the marshal after a few minutes pointed to me and another guy to ride around the mess and through the bush. Ok, I can do this... I think.
The track from there was an eye opener, tons of muddy fast sections, big steep slick slides, narrow, tight grassy sections and then the big hill.
The hill had a muddy track before it. I could see that a couple of bikes and a quad were stuck on the hill. I thought that if I look at it for too long I was going to bottle out. That 450 is amazing, It dragged my 95kg’s up that hill no sweat. The mid section of rocks that looked slippery and tricky was a non-event. It just doesn’t seem to want to stall and will pull from thudding low revs
Then after a bit of fast stuff, the river section. It’s in there somewhere.
When I got there a quad was stuck in river, I gingerly rode past him and then through an obstacle course of rocks and trees. The last section of river was a bank of roots that had to be ridden diagonally across to get to another steep bank to get over. Roots are a fear of mine, on a mountain bike I have seen my arse on them. I have fallen on my 950 because of them. These looked impassable. A bike ahead of me had tried to clear them and failed. He tried again, he took it off camber I couldn’t believe that the bike held traction over the roots! So it is possible.
A fast guy came past and just sailed up and over the roots. Ok, well, time to just trust the bike.
I needn't have worried, the bike was up and over before I knew it. Quite incredible! The bank immediately after was also dispatched with the help again of the ability of the engine to tolerate very low revs without stalling and just lug over.
It was not far from there back to the pits, I had made it! My first lap ever! The guys at the gazebo said that I was the 4th bike through? That couldn’t be right, I must have missed something? Only one way to find out.
Round two was more of the same, I rode through the first bit that had caused the mess the first time. No sweat. I was now getting to grips with the bike and more confident. I had no moments, it just lazily rode over everything. In the faster sections I never did find out how fast it can go, my nerve gave out before the bike ran out of steam. The hill and roots were a non-event. It really is a mind thing. The bike is the least limiting aspect of the ride. Well certainly at my level.
I had missed a section; just before the pits it was a short 3m almost vertical drop into a gulley and out the other side and then round to the pits. I was having a ball.
Lloyd poured some more petrol in and out again for the 3rd lap. I fell once in a slow slippery track just before the big hill. It was difficult to stand, in fact it felt safer to be on the bike?
Once back at the pits I was hugely disappointed to find that my helmet cam had not been switched on. All that commentary and excitement lost.
There was to have been another hour after lunch but the rain was bucketing down and the idea was abandoned. I had to get a lap of this course on video so asked Canz if I could go out again after lunch to do so. He was keen so after getting my rain jacket on it was out again for more fun.
It was much more slippery, I fell on the hill, just got the rear to slide out going up the hill after the rocks. It was a big strain picking the bike up on the steep slippery hill. It felt way lighter than this riding it. Getting going again was a mission, but again the traction is just amazing.
Once I was back a load of other guys went out again and did some laps.
I was done for the day.
The prizegiving was great and a few drinks were sunk afterwards
Causing some mild embarrasment...
It was a great experience to get to have the opportunity to have a look into what riding in an enduro would be like. It’s very addictive.
But the truth is that it’s all about the bike, the EXE 450 EXCR was an eye opener.
I am sure anyone who has a little Dual Sport experience and bit of brain re-calibration about what is possible can do it too.
I felt like a bit of a rock star being able to pitch, have a choice of bikes to ride, jump on, ride and just hand the bike back. So a big thanks to Ashley and Lloyd and the team from KTM Western Cape. Hmm, the 950 might have to have a stable mate.
While you read, let the video load;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkSEqXaaNlA
I had the opportunity to get a taste of enduro riding this last weekend. I have a KTM 950 Adventure that I love riding, it has taken me to places and experiences that has more than fulfilled all the marketing promises. But I have very little experience of riding any other bikes other than a Vespa and later a Yamaha XT 500. I have always wondered what racing would be like, can I do it?
This weekend was an opportunity to try this. It was a funduro and as such is not sanctioned or timed and as was repeatedly mentioned, not a race. It is what it says, all about fun and the experience. Ashley from KTM WC is supporting a great charity - the Sunflower Fund and in a chat about it he offered me the chance to ride an enduro machine, I saw an opportunity to ride a bike and fulfill a dream and to support the charity.
I had asked that they give me the smallest bike as I have absolutely no experience on anything that looks like an MX or Enduro bike. The options were either a 200 two stroke or a 450 four stroke. I am a fat, or lets rather say flourishing 41 year old. My ever optimistic 16 year old ego was rooting loudly for the 450 but the boring adult section of me was being the realist. This meant that I needed to try my hand at this on the lightest bike in anticipation of having to muscle it over the advertised obstacles and through a fruity river section. There was also no doubt that I would have to pick it up every now and then, 200’s are of course easier to pick up than 450’s on a 41 year old.
The nerves were not settled by Charl from KTM calling on the Friday saying that I would have to ride the 450. The 16 year old was cheering. The adult was saying, “yes, and what about the monster cold front due for tomorrow? You arse, stay in bed rather.”
The drive to Caledon was diabolical, the rain and wind were incredible. Surely no-one would even consider getting out of bed?
But as I arrived I spotted Etienne and Andy, they, incredibly had ridden in that muck all the way from CapeTown. Idiots!
And, the farmers in Caledon are made of tough stuff. Canz Kleyn and his son had a marquee tent up, music booming and all looked like it should be a great day.
And too so it seems enduro riders, there were a lot there.
Lloyed was the KTM mechanic and had the gazebo up with 2 bikes out, the 450 and they had managed to bring along the 200! Arg! Now I had a choice. In my mind the 200 would have been the better bike for me in the dry, but the power band in the wet with less traction might be more of a challenge to manage.
I got suited up and nervously got on the 450 for a quick spin just to see what it is like. Well, it doesn’t lack power! It certainly is nothing like the last single I rode – the XT. The suspension was plush yet firm and all the controls light and responsive. Just oozes quality. I pulled up back at the pits and Canz had to remind me that any riding in the pits is first geat and slow – bloody novice riders. Oops.
Ashley had arrived, he supported my choice of bike and said to go have fun.
I was first to register, so I got No1, it was appropriate – a first for lots of things
The riders briefing had warnings about the river and a few danger points on the 13 kilometre track. The idea being that we would ride as many laps as possible in an hour. It was stressed again that it was not a race. 15 minutes to start.
The start was in groups of 5 bikes, they had asked that the fast guys go first. Yeah right, this is not a race? They just disappeared in a hail of roost. The next 3 rows did the same. I was waiting for Ashley who was with two young chaps that he had brought along and was still getting his kit on when the starter waved me to the start line with 3 other guys. Well, this was going to be it.
My plan was to just take things very easy and see what this was all about.
Not a race! My goodness but the other 3 guys also bolted off the line at pace. Not 300 metres later there was a big bottleneck that had formed on a small muddy climb. Guys were in the bush and stuck in the small rut in the bottom. I sat to one side to watch, the marshal after a few minutes pointed to me and another guy to ride around the mess and through the bush. Ok, I can do this... I think.
The track from there was an eye opener, tons of muddy fast sections, big steep slick slides, narrow, tight grassy sections and then the big hill.
The hill had a muddy track before it. I could see that a couple of bikes and a quad were stuck on the hill. I thought that if I look at it for too long I was going to bottle out. That 450 is amazing, It dragged my 95kg’s up that hill no sweat. The mid section of rocks that looked slippery and tricky was a non-event. It just doesn’t seem to want to stall and will pull from thudding low revs
Then after a bit of fast stuff, the river section. It’s in there somewhere.
When I got there a quad was stuck in river, I gingerly rode past him and then through an obstacle course of rocks and trees. The last section of river was a bank of roots that had to be ridden diagonally across to get to another steep bank to get over. Roots are a fear of mine, on a mountain bike I have seen my arse on them. I have fallen on my 950 because of them. These looked impassable. A bike ahead of me had tried to clear them and failed. He tried again, he took it off camber I couldn’t believe that the bike held traction over the roots! So it is possible.
A fast guy came past and just sailed up and over the roots. Ok, well, time to just trust the bike.
I needn't have worried, the bike was up and over before I knew it. Quite incredible! The bank immediately after was also dispatched with the help again of the ability of the engine to tolerate very low revs without stalling and just lug over.
It was not far from there back to the pits, I had made it! My first lap ever! The guys at the gazebo said that I was the 4th bike through? That couldn’t be right, I must have missed something? Only one way to find out.
Round two was more of the same, I rode through the first bit that had caused the mess the first time. No sweat. I was now getting to grips with the bike and more confident. I had no moments, it just lazily rode over everything. In the faster sections I never did find out how fast it can go, my nerve gave out before the bike ran out of steam. The hill and roots were a non-event. It really is a mind thing. The bike is the least limiting aspect of the ride. Well certainly at my level.
I had missed a section; just before the pits it was a short 3m almost vertical drop into a gulley and out the other side and then round to the pits. I was having a ball.
Lloyd poured some more petrol in and out again for the 3rd lap. I fell once in a slow slippery track just before the big hill. It was difficult to stand, in fact it felt safer to be on the bike?
Once back at the pits I was hugely disappointed to find that my helmet cam had not been switched on. All that commentary and excitement lost.
There was to have been another hour after lunch but the rain was bucketing down and the idea was abandoned. I had to get a lap of this course on video so asked Canz if I could go out again after lunch to do so. He was keen so after getting my rain jacket on it was out again for more fun.
It was much more slippery, I fell on the hill, just got the rear to slide out going up the hill after the rocks. It was a big strain picking the bike up on the steep slippery hill. It felt way lighter than this riding it. Getting going again was a mission, but again the traction is just amazing.
Once I was back a load of other guys went out again and did some laps.
I was done for the day.
The prizegiving was great and a few drinks were sunk afterwards
Causing some mild embarrasment...
It was a great experience to get to have the opportunity to have a look into what riding in an enduro would be like. It’s very addictive.
But the truth is that it’s all about the bike, the EXE 450 EXCR was an eye opener.
I am sure anyone who has a little Dual Sport experience and bit of brain re-calibration about what is possible can do it too.
I felt like a bit of a rock star being able to pitch, have a choice of bikes to ride, jump on, ride and just hand the bike back. So a big thanks to Ashley and Lloyd and the team from KTM Western Cape. Hmm, the 950 might have to have a stable mate.
