Kent, August 2006

Looking for Summer mud!!

By  Ian Roscow (TRiK Web Master)
25^th August 2006

For one reason or another we decided to do an August Sunday run, even though we don't usually because of the heat and the dust. But we all had other things to do that day (you know how it is), so we kept the ride to just a morning run. We met up in Eggringe Wood car park just north of Crundale at 9 a.m. I was early for a change!

I met Rob on Penny Pot Lane hunting for the car park at 8:45. We got there and waited for the others to arrive. I had trailered by 'new' KTM there and Rob had brought his KTM in his van, so we unloaded and got prepared.

Well, how they arrived! Must have been about 15 in all - but luckily not all were going to ride with us, some local riders just happened to bump into our group. Anyway, in the end there was Me - KTM 250EXC Racing, Chris - KTM 250EXC Racing (SixDays version), Rob - KTM 250EXC, Bob - XR 400, Paul (aka paul j) - KTM LC4, John (aka littlejohn) - KTM 400 LC, Dave (aka IgotKnobblies (which is not true!)) - GasGas and Steve (aka Northy) - KTM 300EXC (aka Stinky). 75% KTMs...

10 yards in and we find our first bit of fly tipping...

And on to Crundale and the first bit of summer mud catches some of us out as it's been so long since we've bumped into it!

Bit further round and Dave on his Gas Gas shows some interesting style while John is unaware of the impending calamity (where have I heard that before??).

We stop at the top to compare KTMs... "Is yours the same shade of orange as mine?"

Steve tentatively mentions to Dave that it's been noticed he's not riding a KTM...

The Honda XR gets some worried glances from the KTM riders, too... ;-)

A nicely framed shot of my 'new' bike. Did I mention that it was a KTM?

Only John's KTM has got a seat comfortable enough to actually sit on voluntarily!

How many men does it take to adjust a KTM chain? Three?

Well, at least two, as long as one of them...

...gives it a good kick! Paul kicks. Gas Gas Dave sabotages, sorry, mends the KTM.

A Gas Gas comes around the bend as a KTM sneaks up on it......

Rob sets off after I've slammed the gate shut just as he got to it - oops, sorry, mis-counted!

Chris holds the gate open for Steve, while the others look for the hidden green lane. Can you spot it?

The colour of the sunflowers rather clashed with the orange of the KTMs, so we rush past to avoid a fashion faux-pas.

After pride comes a fall, and, yes, that's my bike having a rest after a disagreement with a lump of concrete. I just had to walk away from the lazy bike... but Paul got all sympathetic and went to give it a lift up while Chris sniggers. Thanks.

Looking at the magnificent view south while the north looks above a magnificent KTM.

We reach the furthest part of our trail ride at Stone Street just outside Stowting. That's Dave, Paul and Bob popping out of the green lane.

Ah, and here's John just getting his landing gear down.

A puff of blue smoke and Steve appears. And then disappears! Off home.

Rob plays chicken on the main road,

while we wonder why we crossed in the first place!

Strange what some walkers will wear when heading off down a muddy old road. Mind you, you should have seen his girlfriend, wife, partner - glammed up or what? Mind you, they may say the same thing about us, all tarted up in our day-glo colours on our bright orange bikes!

Back at the car park bikes and horses are compared. Do they make orange horses?

My KTM all loaded up and ready to get back home in time for the MotoGP. I think we all had a good day - I certainly did! It was my first outing on a KTM and I can now see why they are so popular. They flatter any rider by having excellent engines and excellent suspension, all held together with a strong frame. But the seats could do with being a little softer, or is that all psychosomatic, 'cos I didn't actually suffer at all despite the seat feeling really solid to the touch - and I'm used to a GoldWing!.