Warning Ktm Low Guards And Mud
I am just back from Lake Eyre and we had a very sobering moment yesterday afternoon 18km east of Nyngan.
We had been stuck in very sticky mud on the back roads an hour before and had three KTMs with low front guards all clog up with mud and jam their their front wheel against the front guard to a point where the wheel would not move.
We had to remove two of the guards to free the wheel the third rider, Dave, (Edog200) worked his free.
60 to 80 kms later on a straight flat section of good tar seal road Dave must have run over a very insignificant bump in the road but enough to cause the front tyre to seize against the mud still lining the front guard. At 110kmph his front wheel just locked solid as the guard was dragged on to the tire and acted as a drum brake. He is now in Dubbo hospital with several broken ribs, punctured lung and other injuries. In many ways he is lucky to be alive and he didn't hit any thing except the road.
Local dirt road conditions will remain muddy and sticky, if you use a KTM (or any other bike with a low guard) MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE GUARD & CLEAN THE MUD OUT BEFORE GOING FAST EVEN IF THE WHEEL IS FREE RUNNING.
This was a horrible accident impacting a good friend and a very good rider. Here is to a quick recovery.
Peter.
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