Matthias Walkner is a name that means a lot in the world of rally racing. The Austrian rider won the Dakar Rally in 2018 and also took the FIM Cross-Country Rally World Championship in 2015. He has three Dakar podium finishes too. Now, Indian riders will get a rare chance to learn from him in person.
KTM has announced the Adventure Rally Extreme in India. The programme will be held in Mumbai and Bengaluru and will give riders a closer look at rally riding, navigation and preparation.
For many adventure riders, training directly with a Dakar champion can feel like a dream. KTM is making that possible through two different parts of the event.
The first is Face to Face. It is open to motorcycle enthusiasts and costs Rs 500. Walkner will speak about his Dakar experience, rally racing and life as a professional off road rider.
The second part is Ride and Train. This costs Rs 5,000 and is only for KTM Adventure owners. There will be 50 riders in each city.
The Ride and Train sessions will have four groups of 25 riders. Applications will be assessed by a KTM panel before selected riders join training batches. Participants will use the production KTM 390 Adventure during the training.
The sessions are not only about riding fast. Walkner will cover several parts of rally riding that can help riders handle difficult trails better.
The challenge will also give two riders a special reward. The best rider from Mumbai and the best rider from Bengaluru will win an all expenses paid trip to Europe. They will attend a two day advanced roadbook navigation programme with Walkner.
The event also shows the connection between KTM motorcycles and rally racing. KTM has won the Dakar Rally 21 times, including 18 victories in a row. The 390 Adventure also carries engineering ideas linked to the KTM 450 Rally.
For Walkner, this will be his first visit to India. His experience can give local riders a better understanding of navigation, preparation and handling a motorcycle away from normal roads.
The Adventure Rally Extreme looks like a special opportunity for riders who want to learn more about rally riding. Meeting a Dakar winner is already rare, but getting trained by one makes this event even more interesting.
