Welcome to the Adventure

2022 KTM Canada Adventure Rally BY LEE MARTIN PHOTOS BY KTM CANADA / STEVE SHANNON

As someone who has hosted off-road events and attended several myself, I’ve been given the task of sharing my thoughts about the growing interest in adventure rallies and the community that attend them and specifically about the KTM Canada Adventure Rally this past June in Quebec. Besides attending La Classique this year, the COVID virus has cancelled many events over the past two years, so you can imagine how excited I was to attend this year’s KTM rally with the KTM 890 Adventure R. First off, I was extremely excited to see many familiar faces I’ve met over the years. At the same time, I was delighted to see the number of fresh, new ADV riders on the scene. Let’s digress for a moment, and we will come back to that topic in a moment.

I’d like to break down a few components of an adventure bike rally so you can understand what they’re all about. Firstly, the goal is for everyone attending to have an excellent experience. The motorcycle ride is typically created with all types of riders in mind. There is usually a more challenging route for those who are more experienced, and a less aggressive route for those who simply desire an easier road or trail ride. For example, let’s look at the KTM Canada Rally that happened in Quebec this year. There were two ride categories to choose from, one being an off-road type ride which primarily consisted of more aggressive trails tied together with really fun gravel and paved roads. The other option was a less aggressive off-road ride that focused more on gravel roads, paved roads, and very light-duty off-road trails.

As for navigation, there are a couple different ways you need to be familiar with before attending these types of rallies. There is something called a road book which means you have to follow a series of symbols and mileage markers laid out on a roll chart that you control manually throughout the ride so you know where your next turn is, etc. The second option and the most popular right now is GPS guided navigation. You simply activate a route or track on the GPS that is supplied by the event host, which allows you to work your way throughout the day much like you use your phone to navigate to a destination. The fun thing with either of these navigational options is how elaborate your setup can be. There are many different options for roll chart type navigating setups which are very quickly changing to full digital systems, or you can buy a $150 GPS that can be tricky at times to see the screen and operate the buttons. The more money you spend on your GPS usually means that you will get the latest and greatest unit that turns the front of your motorcycle into Darth Vader’s bathroom.

Another interesting aspect of an adventure rally in Canada is that most of these rallies do not rely on speed or time as a competitive aspect, unlike an off-road enduro race or closed-circuit rally. Because of the amount of public roads that are used in these types of events, mileage scoring is typically used that proves to the judges that you’ve completed the prescribed course layout. You may also be judged on the accuracy of your navigation by having the GPS unit drop tracks to prove where you’ve been and what options you completed. This type of scoring allows riders that may not be the fastest, to still have the ability to win since it takes away the speed aspect and focuses on technical navigation skills.

Now, let’s circle back to the beginning of my story when I talked about meeting a whole new group of ADV riders at this event. We had the opportunity to ride together and hang for three days in the hot tubs and at the dinner table, etc. Here’s what I learned from our time together. The majority of the riders used to be street riders that were getting bored of the same old twisty paved roads. Most of them realized that two thirds or more of the roads in Canada consist of gravel and light-duty off-road trails. Therefore, riding an ADV motorcycle allows for much more choice of terrain to plan your next big adventure. On that note, it’s important to understand that going from street riding to ADV riding takes a little bit more than just buying an ADV bike with decent tires. To safely ride these types of terrain, I highly recommend taking a riding class specifically designed for gravel and

Right: Starting and finish line, where you are greeted by a cold Red Bull and the smiles of the KTM Canada staff and volunteers.

Below: Just one of the many twisty, challenging hill climbs at this year’s KTM Canada Adventure Rally.

off-road riding. Once you get into the dirt, it’s nothing like riding on the pavement. You can very quickly hurt yourself or others before first learning the basic fundamentals of this type of riding. Chris Birch offered this exact course at the KTM Rally this year and I had the pleasure of assisting him. At the end of the rally, the students who took the class came back to me saying how much better their ride was because they learned the correct techniques. Nothing is worse than getting on your first ADV bike and within the first 10 kilometres you’re already scraping bars on the ground and pulling gravel out of your teeth.

The rest of the riders at the rally mostly come from an enduro/ trail riding background so they already have all the basics down for riding off-road. They are simply looking for a new and challenging way of getting their off-road kicks. Nothing beats exploring the trails with a big and powerful adventure bike. Nine times out of ten, whenever I lend my KTM 890 to an enduro rider who has never ridden a large bike before, they come back with a huge smile on their face. Witnessing someone have an epiphany is such a cool experience, and it usually results in another person added to the ADV community. Whether you just want to ride down gravel roads and take your time enjoying the views, or challenging your skills in technical off-road riding conditions, it really is a blast doing it on an adventure bike.

As you can tell, there is so much more to an adventure bike rally than just the ride. It’s such a great outlet to meet new people. This year’s KTM rally and other rallies brought people from California and other western states, Austria, New Zealand and other provinces in Canada. First let me share an opinion from Sean, at KTM USA. He’s from California and was absolutely floored to see how many small lakes we have up here. Those of us who are from Ontario and Quebec take this all for granted. Someone from California on the other hand, who comes from a desert environment, is simply amazed that we have this feature. The New Zealander (and I think you know who I’m talking about) is always amazed with the amount of trails and epic roadways accessible to us. That’s probably because New Zealand is a very small country with a limited supply of public access trails compared to any province in Canada. Then there are my friends from Quebec who don’t speak any English, and I

don’t speak any French, but through our common moto language of hand gestures and ‘brap brap’ sounds, we all understand which way we need to go, how to do it and having fun while doing it. That brings me to the older couple I met earlier on in the year, who brought their 1936 Nimbus motorcycles on a ship all the way from Austria. Their goal was to travel across Canada on these bikes because they’ve already ridden across Europe. I’m not sure what their time frame was, but apparently 60 km/h is quite exciting on those old bikes and it will take a while to traverse the entire country at that speed.

For some people it doesn’t matter, but let’s talk about accommodations. Most of these rallies are hosted at resorts, campgrounds, hotels and places that can accommodate a large group with motorcycles as well as space for vendors, demo rides and training to name a few. Some of us enjoy the adventure of attending an event with nothing but our bike and camping gear, sleeping in cold, wet conditions, or roasting hot, bug-infested nights. But don’t let that deter you. Camping in the wilderness with your ADV bike can be an amazing experience, stacked with memories you will never forget. If that’s not your cup of tea, then you might be more like myself and enjoy coming back to

So many rides and lakes to see and enjoy in Quebec. What a place to ride! Left: Author Lee Martin and his 890 Adventure take on a single-track through the dense Quebec forest. Opposite page: Lance Webb and “Coach” Lawrence Hacking rubbing shoulders (top) and KTM Ambassador Chris Birch riding across one of the many cool bridges in the event (bottom).

accommodations that are bike friendly, stacked with amenities and have plenty of fuel nearby. This is probably why I enjoy going to the KTM Rally so much. A few years ago, the KTM Canada Adventure Rally location was at Silver Star Mountain resort, just outside Vernon, BC. All the rooms came equipped with hot tubs, drying racks, laundry services and gorgeous mountain views, and the nearby village full of restaurants and shops, all at fair pricing, making the experience very enjoyable.

Last but not least, there is the camaraderie that comes with any motorcycle gathering. I love how we all gather in the same areas during these events. For example, sometimes it’s as simple as bumping into a familiar rider in the elevator going up to our rooms and talking about that exciting water crossing or hill climb we experienced that day. Then it’s heading down to the bar and having a cold one with other fellow riders talking about the epic views and places we saw. Then there is the best part, meeting back up with the riders that had problems on the trail that I was able to assist, and collecting on the famous “I owe you a beer when we get back” promise. But in all seriousness, I’ve made a lot of great new friends attending these types of rallies over the years, some of whom I would consider family. Without these motorized events, I highly doubt I would have met such a vast collection of like-minded individuals to go riding with.

Overall, if you are on the fence about attending an ADV bike rally, I highly recommend signing up for one today. Just remember, every single one of them is different, and may or may not suit your likes. So, research the event, take note of the credibility of the company or club hosting the event, and don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. After all, it is an Adventure Rally! IM