2018 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye

The third annual KTM Australia Adventure Rallye, held in early June, took riders on a week-long ride through some of the Australian outback’s most remote areas and challenging terrains.

The 244 participants camped beneath the stars every night of the journey, which travelled 2700km in seven days from the magnificent Maryfield Station through to witnessing the start of the iconic Finke Desert Race where KTM-mounted trio Toby Price, David Walsh and Jack Simpson ultimately swept the outright podium.

In between, the Rallye traversed all kinds of awe-inspiring locations, including Heytesbury Cattle Co’s Humbert River Station to North Star Pastoral’s Limbunya Station via the spectacular Gregory National Park, Suplejack Downs Station and, finally, from Tilmouth Well through to Desert Edge Motorcycles in Alice Springs where the final bivouac was reached!

North Star Pastoral played an instrumental role in the 2018 Rallye, generously opening their stations and providing the utmost hospitality for riders and staff who were involved in the epic adventure. Without North Star Pastoral, the Outback Run wouldn’t have been possible.

A total of 45 staff were on hand to deliver an adventure of the scale that has never been undertaken previously, including representatives from KTM Australia, North Star Pastoral, Motorex Australia and a range of volunteers. Factory support also came in the form of KTM Marketing Technician Clemens Maschler making his way to Australia for the event.

Extensive support including road trains containing luggage, lights, power and a purpose-built kitchen were welcomed, as were helicopters and 4WD back-up vehicles, plus a Royal Flying Doctor Service 4WD. It was a moving roadshow catering for 300 people in ultra-remote areas of the Northern Territory.

Five riders were transported with varied injuries to Darwin, thanks to the assistance of the Racesafe Medical Team, an on-site helicopter and CareFlight.

Near 90 per cent of riders completed the Rallye and each received a special finisher memento for their achievement. Some riders elected to depart the official route and make their own way back to their chosen base prior to its conclusion.

A community partnership with Royal Flying Doctor Service – in which riders were encouraged to raise funds through the Everydayhero website in addition to donations made during the event – resulted in a remarkable $108,131.65 raised collectively. Part of that fundraising included KTM Australia auctioning off the coveted ‘001 Rider Spot’, with proceeds going to RFDS.

"Bringing our KTM Adventure Rallye concept to the Outback has been a long time in the making and to see it come to fruition because of the KTM and North Star Pastoral partnership, and the support of the KTM dealer network and KTM adventure riders, is outstanding,” said Jeff Leisk, the General Manager of KTM Australia.

“We will most likely not see an adventure of this scale again – but to be able to visit these remote outback regions, areas where not many people have ever been before, is such a privilege.

“We couldn’t have done it without Colin, Jo and the team from North Star Pastoral, so again a massive thank you to them for their graciousness and hospitality. It is still sinking in how many kilometres we travelled, how remote we were and what we experienced, but extreme adventure is the KTM way and I think every rider there and this entire event personified that ethos.“

To view a complete photo gallery from the 2018 KTM Australia Adventure Rallye: Outback Run, click here.