2018 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye - Outback Run 
Adventure Rider Magazine|August/September 2018

280 riders signed up for KTM’s annual Rallye and ran from 500km south of Darwin down to Alice Springs. For Danny Wilkinson, it was an incredible, mind-blowing eight days.

Danny Wilkinson
2018 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye - Outback Run 

 

I don’t think anyone can appreciate how truly expansive this Wide BrownLand is until they venture beyond the coastal fringe. Some would argue that there isn’t much to see once you head inland (it’s lost on New Zealanders in particular) but there’s a rugged simplicity to the land. When you peer out of your swag in the morning to a sunrise that is almost too vivid for your early morning senses to process, or you find yourself staring aimlessly down the Victoria River as its trail of greenery makes its way through harsh landscapes, these are the times when you are thankful to be an Australian and exploring the outback on a motorcycle.

This was one of the great virtues of the recent KTM Australia Adventure Rallye. It attracted riders from all walks of life and showed them vast tracts of inland Australia that only a select few are fortunate enough to see. For some, it was their first taste of proper outback riding and, realistically, it was only made possible by the incredible array of logistics that had been months in the planning.

What started as a lunchtime brainstorming session a few years ago between JeffLeisk and his good friend Colin Ross materialised into something bigger than I have seen within the motorcycle industry. The sheer responsibility of taking 280 riders into areas where a 500km fuel range doesn’t quite cut it is mind boggling. Yet, through the seemingly endless enthusiasm from the teams at KTM Australia and North Star Pastoral, they managed to create something really special.

Highlights

In a week full of things to remember, there were a few that really stood out …

This story is from the August/September 2018 edition of Adventure Rider Magazine.

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This story is from the August/September 2018 edition of Adventure Rider Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.