KTM holds 3-day off-road ride for 150 lucky attendees

2019 KTM Adventure Rally in Bosnia

Many adventure riders dream of going to the annual BMW Motorrad Days or participating in the Bi-annual GS Trophy. Yet, if you own a KTM, what are your options?

Fans of the Austrian brand can look forward to the KTM Adventure Rally. This annual 3-day event is open to only 150 exclusive attendees and boasts of a program similar to BMW Motorrad Days and the GS Trophy combined.

The 2019 European KTM Adventure Rally took place between June 17 and 20 in Bjelašnica, Bosnia. This is just the third staging of the event, but it already promises the Ready to Race community breathtaking rides led by some of the world’s best off-road racers. Participants had the opportunity to test the latest KTM Adventure range while also getting the first ever look at an exciting future KTM model. Some of them even tried their skills at the 2020 Ultimate Race qualifiers held during the event.

The KTM Adventure Rally is for those who want to fully embrace KTM's Ready to Race spirit while riding their bikes in incredible surroundings. It’s an opportunity to form lasting friendships and create unforgettable memories with like-minded riders, including KTM ambassadors and employees.

This year, it was held in the unexplored trails of Bjelašnica in Bosnia with 150 KTM riders coming from 24 countries from around the globe. Riding alongside them are KTM brand ambassadors, Chris Birch, Laia Sanz, Giovanni Sala and Adam Riemann. Participants enjoyed three days of off-road riding in all kinds of conditions. It also serves as the first qualification stage for the 2020 KTM Ultimate Race to be held at the Merzouga Rally in Morroco.

^{KTM factory rider, Laia Sanz.}

Complementing established KTM Adventure events that have taken place annually in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and South Africa, 2017 saw the first European staging in Bardonecchia, followed by Sardinia in 2018. After two years on Italian territory, playing host in 2019 was Bosnia and Herzegovina. The small but breath-taking country provided a backdrop of beautiful mountains, deep canyons, high plains, ice-cold mountain lakes and crystal-clear rivers for the 150 riders from 24 separate nations, some coming from as far as Australia or Colombia.

^{Kiwi rider and KTM brand ambassador, Chris Birch (second from left), among KTM executives and the KTM 790 Adventure R Rally.}

The 2018 staging of the Adventure Rally rewarded participants with the first ever public showing of the KTM 790 Adventure R. Having set a precedent as an opportunity to show these hardcore adventure riders a glimpse into the future, the 150 orange bleeders were exclusively presented the KTM 790 Adventure R Rally during a brief and exciting presentation after the first official day of riding. International racer and KTM Adventure ambassador, Chris Birch, took the covers off the limited edition 2020 model before a special video was played featuring KTM R&D Street Test Coordinator and four-time Baja 1000 winner, Quinn Cody, who explained why this bike was built and who it is for.

Participation in the qualifiers was available for twin-cylinder KTM riders who took part in any of the six KTM Adventure Rallies held during 2019 and at the start of 2020. At each Rally, special qualification events test the riders' skill to see if they have the excellent machine control, navigational skill and competent mechanical ability required to line up on a rally-prepared KTM 790 Adventure R in Morocco. Only the top two riders from each event are chosen. From Bosnia, it was #41 Iker Iturregi from Spain and #120 Andrej Crnkovic from Slovenia who secured their places for the opportunity of a lifetime in the African dunes next year.

This is just a taste of the excitement and fun at KTM Adventure Rallies. For more information, log on to www.ktm-adventure-rally.com