Alpes on gravel 2007

[kave]

We have been invited my Mikael Resmark to join in on a trip to the Alps in September 2007. This year focus is on unpaved roads.
I equipped my KTM 950SE with fresh shoes, Pirelli MT21, for this journey.

Saturday 20070908, 18.00, 22 degrees celsius, great weather, Boras -> Gothenburg

Roger arrived with his bike on a trailer. Saved 300km's of life on his tires.




We started our journey easy, taking the ferry from Gothenburg Sweden to Kiel in Germany. On the highway we tested the difference between a stock 950SE vs a akrapovice equiped bike with 100kmh rolloffs on fith and sixth speed. It's clear that it does make a difference, allthough not huge.

Sunday 20070909, 25 degrees celsius, Kiel -> Altona, Hamburg

We met up with the other travellers at the Altona train station. Among them Anders Eng and Elving Solli, an editor of a Swedish motorbike magazine, among other things.



A couple of german beers later it was time to go load the bikes on the train:

Roger and I, Stefan and Rolf shared a cabin on the train.


Monday 20070910, 30 degrees, Frejus -> Chamois d'Or, Casterino

Excited we got off the train, today the journey will begin for real. We get off the train in Frejus, French riviera.



We take the highway to Nice to reach the interesting roads quicker. Nice views all over the place:

[GB]

[kave]

Up in the mountains the roads are getting better and better:


A quick coffe and a sandwich in a small village. The coffe is great in Italy:

The legurian borderpass is really great:




After that nice gravel run we came to the village Tende:




2000 meters above sea level:


We arrived at the hotel arround 19.00, exhausted.

Mikael discussing todays routes:

After a three meal course and some wine and beer we get to bed.

[kave]

Tuesday 20070911, 2 degrees, clear sky, Valle Maira and Valle Varaita
We start the day with some wheelie practise, Roger shows how to handle a Super Enduro:



The view from Col di Tende, Roger:

and Stefan:




Anyone taking pictures?



Can you spot the gravel road?


We met some locals too:





Limone Piemonte:



A quick lunch stop in Vernante:

Up the valle Maira pass:





Roger and Stefan exhanged bikes, HP2 and KTM 950SE:


Disussing the differences:

The road was great:





Valle varaita, lots of stones, sharp stones. Can you see the road how it stretches on the mountain:





Roger:


After a couple of hours Stefan decides to check out the gravel a bit closer:

In these situations it's nice to ride a boxer, I know for sure. A KTM Adventure would have slided much further down without a cylinder on the side:

We where lucky to be three, we barely where able to pick it up again. Stefan inspecting the damages:

Not to bad:

Some tape and it was ridable again.

After that we decided to stick to the tarmac for a while. We noticed ad closed road and decided to check it out:







After that detour it was time for more dirt. Stefan in a water passage:

No problem:

Which route to go next?


It seems the HP2 takes less fuel than a super enduro.

[DrBigMinde]

Very nice, very nice kave

[ThumperDRZ]

Absolutely amazing pics...

Looks like a few butt clinchers there for sure

[JossaXR]

Nice pictures Johan are you happy on the super enduro, you dont miss the 1200gs

[C-Dub]

[kejago]

Very nice!

[HMR]

Originally Posted by Jossa

Nice pictures Johan are you happy on the super enduro, you dont miss the 1200gs

One comment Jossa -

On this 2500 km ride we where 1 Honda, 1 Suzuki, 5 KTM and 13 BMW.

We had two breakdowns. Both KTM's. This means that 40% of the KTM's broke down but no other bikes. The KTM's are great to ride but they need indeed to improve quality.

[kejago]

Originally Posted by HMR

One comment Jossa -

On this 2500 km ride we where 1 Honda, 1 Suzuki, 5 KTM and 13 BMW.

We had two breakdowns. Both KTM's. This means that 40% of the KTM's broke down but no other bikes. The KTM's are great to ride but they need indeed to improve quality.

What were the breakdowns caused by? What broke / went wrong?

[Damir]

Fantastic ride!

Can you please share maps or gps tracks?

[kave]

Originally Posted by Kev

What were the breakdowns caused by? What broke / went wrong?

First breakdown was a KTM 525, broken rearwheel hub. Apparently the hub had a crack in it before Elving wen't on the trip. Bike was towed home.

Second was a slave cylinder on the clutch who started leaking oil. That was changed at a local KTM dealer, bike 950SE.

Third breakdown was a HP2 owner who fell on his bike so he made a crack in the valve cover. Bike started loosing oil. New valve cover was bought at a local dealer.

Fourth brakdown, 1150GS with bad battery. New battery bought.

Jossa, Since my 1200GS had a broken final drive I am rally enjoing my KTM.
I am having so much more fun with it. I can handle 600km strecthes in one day on this bike. Not fun, but it works.

[Tracknod]

I just wanted to say the picts are FANTASTIC>.......:cl ap:cl ap:cl ap:cl ap:cl ap:cl ap

[kave]

20070912, 2 degrees, sunny, clear skies, route des grandes alpes.
We started off in the morning with a gravel run up Col De Tende:




Next pass, Colle Della Lombardia:



Time for lunch, but the somewhat strange french people who make a living out of selling food doesn't allways like to think the customer pays their salaries. So we didn't eat here in Isola:)



Next pass, Bousieyas:





Next, the Col De La bonette:



A quick coffe break in La condamine:




Next, the famous pass Parpallion:








At the top, a tunnel, no light of course, really muddy inside:



On the exit:


Next, I rode up to the Risoul Station:





Time for gas in Guillestre:


Asfalt racing up the Brunnisard pass:




Another good day ended well.