KTM rally in Bend, OR, in Sept. Anybody have info?

[sagerat]

In today's local fishwrapper there is a nice story about Giant Loop, a local Bend company that makes waterproof soft luggage for dual sports.  In the article the owners said that KTM was having its West Coast Adventure Rally in Bend in September.

Anybody have any further info?  My bestest riding buddy rides a KTM 990 Adventure R and I thought I'd give him a head's up.  Plus I've always lusted after the regular 990 Adv.  TIA.

[black hills]

hmm.... perhaps a Sept. trip out wes is on order???

[R Doug]

They typically have one in the east and one in the west each year.  

KTM's website only has the information regarding last year's rallies at the moment.  

http://www.ktm.com/us/news-events/news/all/details/news/detail/News/ktm-announces-two-new-ktm-adventure-rider-rallies.html

[DogBoy]

I believe Kurtw knows the Giant Loop crew pretty well. He may know. Or...you could call Giant Loop. Its a local phone call and they're bike people. What could go wrong?

Never read anything but absolute praise for Giant Loop products. Even on from the neanderthals at ADVrider.  

[sagerat]

I believe Kurtw knows the Giant Loop crew pretty well. He may know. Or...you could call Giant Loop. Its a local phone call and they're bike people. What could go wrong?

I'd be selling my BMW aluminnum panniers and buying their stuff for the GSA or I'd be buying at KTM 990ADV to hang their stuff off of.  I know my own weaknesses...  

[DogBoy]

 or I'd be buying at KTM 990ADV to hang their stuff off of.  I know my own weaknesses...  

I don't see a downside.

[kurtw]

Lol, sorry I missed this until now. I think RDoug already posted a thread but just for reference:
  http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,70045.0.html

and a link:
  http://www.ktmorangeevents.com/EventPage.aspx

Sagerat's BMW is sweet. Really sweet. It could certainly use some GL farkles though. If you're ever curious, Peter, just stop by their office in the little industrial park off of OBRiely Rd. Great folks! I'm sure they'd like to drool over the GSA a little.

The KTM rally idea came up after the Adv rally here last summer (See the current issue of Motorcycle Escape mag for a cool article that I helped with) and the GL guys worked with the city's marketing folks and KTM to make it happen. Pretty cool!

Last summer's fun ... so much stuff to ride, I'm looking forward to Spring:  

[X1Glider]

Best that I don't go anywhere near Bend, OR.  The missus would be pissed if she discovered I dropped $4000 on a custom 7 string acoustic guitar from the guys at Breedlove.

[kurtw]

Just a followup post-event....

I wasn't signed up but got roped into working up the routes for the rally anyway.

This event was really fun. Much, much more so than I was really expecting. Fantastic folks all the way around. The KTM guys, the racers, vendors, and all the attendees. It was really a pleasure to get to hang out with everyone and share some time on the trail.

Pre-ride on Thursday night. I topped Triangle Hill just as a wall of smoke from the Pole Creek Fire (http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3244/) was just starting to march rapidly across the valley at us after an ominous change in wind direction.





Fun and games on Friday

Jeremy from AltRider



Mike Lafferty and one of the KTM gals



Jimmy Lewis and Christy





Rick Higgins and three giants on a KTM 990.







950 with custom everything including Christini 2WD.



I managed drain my 690 battery flat on Friday while I was working after riding to the rally in the morning. Somewhere in the process of charging and getting the bike going, my dash fried itself (odo and wheel size reset, speed showing 300kph , etc). Tyler, the lead KTM tech there, worked on it for me and after finding that my warranty just expired, worked a "goodwill" replacement dash for me!

Saturday, I was ready to ride. I ended up leading Mike Lafferty and a group of other KTM guys and rally attendees on two fun, scenic loops. First we headed up to Tumalo Falls and Triangle Hill.



At an old wooden dam on Tumalo Creek



Triangle Hill



Cole, videographer and Enduro racer, shot a lot of stuff on this ride.







It was really fun riding with Mike. He's very easy-going and very down-to-earth.



On the way to Sheridan Mountain via a powdery but very fun dirt road, I hit a tinny twig and felt it slap my left foot. Then the bike stopped running. I pulled in the clutch and as I coasted to a stop, I tried to start it in neutral. That worked and it died immediately upon shifting into gear, confirming my first suspicion before I was even stopped. Kickstand ignition interlock switch broken. After determining that we couldn't just short around the kickstand sensor, we called into the techs, who gave us another workaround and we were off and riding again. It certainly helps to have a direct line to the best techs that KTM has.



Great event. They sold out the Bend event for the first time ever at 250 dirty and happy attendees.

[DogBoy]

Really cool Kurt.  

[Kneescrubber]

... It certainly helps to have a direct line to the best techs that KTM has.

Nice report Kurt. And yes it does.  

[R Doug]

Thanks so much for the report!    That looked like a lot of fun.