RTW X-Challenge Adventurization

I agree, next walter will be questioning my choice of xtank colour!

Stunning photo! Got more?

yep, lots...

Atlas Mountains - Jan 2012

Incredible!
Im actually building up a bike based on yours! Walter was my original inspiration and your bike put the final touch!

C&L,
Where did you get the front rallye fender from? Mod? mounting issues? Looks like it sits higher than most and wouldn't be a problem in "most" places for mud.

Thanks and nice set-up you have!

Can someone explain to me why the low fender vs a high fender for Rally bikes?

First, these aren't rally- but adventure bikes
The original fender doesn't fit with the fairing C&L has.
Low fenders only give problems in sticky mud ( or snow), so if you don't expect this they might be a choice,
They give more fresh air to the radiator and (to some people) look good

With low fender, there is better high-speed stability and all that air going by has a straight-shot at the radiator/cooling. There might be more to it but those are reasons enough for me I want one on my bike!

Ha! Erik, you beat me to it :) by a milisecond!

(i am one of those people) I think they look badass!

You can see the offset bracket that mates the 990Adv fender (which has different mount points) to the std WP fork, it also raises it just a little.

Do you know if that bracket will fit the 43m WP forks to enable the 990 fender to be fitted to an X CH? I have a front fender off a 800GS but not convinced as to it's durability v KTM offering.

Low guards like clearandlock's do look good but even with that clearance in Oz arid conditions would be lethal once water fell from the sky. What looks like sand here can turn to the stickiest mud you have ever seen & lock a front wheel with a low guard very fast. There is a video & story floating around youtube/web which shows it rather graphically complete with the 800km rescue flight out.

Yeah that was a trip made by edog200 in 09 at Lake Eyre. He had a 640A with low fender and went over the bars when the front wheel jammed on him. The guy I brought my last bike from was on that trip and apparently he was lucky to still be around. Broken ribs and a punctured lung from memory.

An accident like that would kill a pom, lucky I am australian and built tough so I can live through the monumental crash due to mud jamming my trendy low fender.

I have seen a few pics of a wheel so jammed i am not sure how you could ride it even with the hi fender. Maybe a slight cutting edge angled inwards on the back of the fender could trim the mud off the tyre much like you would a pottery wheel, but then it is aussie mud so you would need it to be diamond blade!

Jokes aside, I always wonder what decides the choice of fender high/low on the rally guys bikes, seems to be a mix even in dry conditions.

We looked at the fitting the normal XC fender but it would not fit with out some hacking and I know there are better guards out there, here it is modelled by Bas at Hyperpro. The bike had a black 950Adv fender resting on the wheel, which has a thinner less boxy profile. (and it is black)

Now we understand why so much time was spent burying a perfectly good machine up to it's axle's on top of a sand hill

You just wanted to feel like you were home

They say only mad dog's and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun, no guessing on that one now eh clearandlock

Sitting in my cubicle, looking at these beautiful photos...

I use a low fender mostly for better cooling..

Allso, i don't find mud to be an issue

http://m398.photobucket.com/albumvi...yingoutloud/Snapbucket/17CCC40F-orig.jpg.html

https://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider-p...oud_Snapbucket_B0C9BD72-orig.jpg?t=1328553629

I have located a low mileage XChallenge with an Ohlins rear shock and I am considering getting rid of my 73 R/75 and picking it up... that would give me a light/medium/heavy option for the kind of riding I like to do... ah the great questions of life