The Break the KTM 790 ride - A trip around the USA.

I'm sitting here in a hotel room in Salmon Idaho 13 days into my "Break the KTM 790 Ride" and figured now would be a good time to start documenting my journey to see if I can make the 790 hollar uncle.

I'm getting ahead of myself though, let me start at the beginning...

Back in November of 2018 I told my dealer "Put my name on one when you can order them" and I started to hatch a plan for a month long 8000 mile ride around the US and a bit of Canada.

My dealer came thru in a big way and I got one of the first ones available to the general public in the US. With bike in hand and a rough plan in place I set my departure date for August 26th which would give me time to get the bike ready.

The plan: head north from my home in Virgina. Hit a bit of the MADBR on my way to Niagra falls. Enter Canada, cut across the U.P. of Michigan and do some of the @Cannonshot UPAT D/S route I've done before, then hit the Blackhills, then Glacier NP, then some Idaho BDR stuff and more, then drop down into Moab for a few days before trying to get thru SW Colorado passes before snow starts flying, maybe hit the TAT some on my way back east. The only question is how would KTMs first model year 790 Adventure R hold up. We'll see...

That's it for now. I'll add posts starting at the beginning of the journey as I get time to update. In the meantime a few teaser pics to whet the appetite.

A bit over 4000 miles in to the trip so far. Lots has happened in the last 13 days and there there is a lot more to come. If you're inclined pull up a chair and join in the Adventure.

I'm in.

In particular, I'm excited to see the sections of the UPAT, as I usually ride in the UP a few times per year.

watched

Hey I think we met you on Lolo Pass, the group with the 1200 Scrambler XE and the 690 KTM. Hope the trip is going well

Yeah man. I jumped on the Lolo Motorway after y'all split and finished it yesterday and stopped at Elk City. I ran Magruder today in the rain. But there I go getting ahead of myself again. Hope y'all had a great finish to your trip. Looked like those bikes had some fun. :)

Looks fun!

Sounds like a great trip. Look forward to following along

Yes! Been waiting for the report. Safe travels dude!

Whew, finally have a little time and internet at the same time!

Day1:
Started my journey with a run into Pa from my home in Viginia where I planned to run a bit of the MABDR before heading to Niagra Fallls and beyond.

All packed up and ready to roll.


As always... road closures suck.


But you don't always have to listen before taking a peek.


Hit some of the MABDR while in Pa. The expert section wasn't actually technical, just a rocky forest road.


I spotted an interesting sign pointing to a road not on my route but felt duty bound to investigate. It was an easy decision since the map indicated it would intersect my route further north.


The trail went on as easy going two track for a ways and then started to narrow to the point I was laughing about how the sign had suggested 4wd vehicles only. It was getting barely wide enough for the bike.




After running this single track trail for quite always I was finally thwarted by this series of blowdowns only about 1/2 mile from intersecting my route again!


First day of the ride and already having to backtrack... frustrating but all part of the game sometimes. I knew I should have packed my chainsaw! Lol.

Anyway, onward I trudged into upper pa thru rain and fog and found a small state campground to end my first day. A bit short of where I was hoping to be but I'll make up the time later.




Added: Video of Little Poe Mountain trail


Tomorrow the plan is to visit the Canadian side of Niagra Falls since I've not been to Niagra before and then make a decision about looping over Lake Superior or cutting back into the US and make a run across the U.P. of Michigan.

Day2:
This will be short with no photos. I wolk up early and broke camp anxious to get up to the falls and take lots of photos. Rode forest roads till about noon before jumping onto the asphalt. Got into Canada without incident and made my way to Niagra. It sucked... I had thought by going on a weekday it wouldn't be too bad but the entire section along the falls was awash in a sea of humanity. There was no place to park legally and I was being shadowed with a cop on my tail the entire way past the falls. I'm certain he was just waiting for the yank on the dirty bike to do something foolish.

I rode right past the falls and then made my second tactical error for the day... Riding thru the metropolis called Toronto. What a traffic nightmare that was!

I got a hotel for the night and set my sights on getting back into the USA the following day to continue the adventure away from anything resembling a city.

Day 3:

What a difference a day can make.

Got loaded up and hit the pavement towards Sault St Marie as an entry point to the U.S. The open road felt great and in stark contrast to yesterday's experiance. My mood was vastly improved.

Met a couple of Adventure riders from Montreal. We chatted for a bit and they took off for British Colombia. I may still run into them again. They were planning to head south thru Idaho and make a run for Moab.


I got back into the U.S. and started the ride across the U.P.


A quick pavement run got me to Whitefish Bay and a campground on the south shore of Lake Superior. Awesome little campground and the camp host even suggested that it would be ok for me to ride the bike back to the "Walk in only" tent sites which were the best sites in the camp!


My campsite was literally right next to the lake. Got myself all setup and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.




Tomorrow I plan to see how the 790 fairs in Michigan U.P. sand.

@windblown101 nice trip, are you running Motoz tyres?

Hey! I know that lake!

Going to try to get caught up tonight.

Day 4:

Packed up and headed west thru MichiganU.P. for a just a sand sampler since I'd like to get to Wisconsin this evening.

A few easy going trails to get the blood flowing. Then some real sand. 790 handles it well considering... Lol.







Got into Wisconsin and set up camp.

Day 5: uneventful. Ran pavement to North Dakota. Bike is running great.

Day 6: Jumped on the bike and ran a combination of pavement and u unpaved county roads. I got to the Badlands of South Dakota late in the day. Entered the area through the less used off pavement route which allowed me to see the terrain up close. Had the gopro running for that. Will insert video later no easy way to do it on the road.

Lots of long straight county roads in the Dakotas.

Badlands photos




Late Addition: Badlands Video from Day 6

Day 7: Black Hills

Broke camp at the south side of Badlands park and headed for the Black Hills. I camped and rode some more there the following day. The Black Hills has a lot of forest/logging roads, some two track and some single track. A lttle bit of everything.

Most of the tracks were easy going though some of the single track was tough on the 790, I'm no Chris Birch, lol.
Campground store. Styling...











Adding Video:

Day 8: Bighorn National Forest Wyoming.

Pulled out of the Black Hills and after a quick stop at Devils Tower I headed for Wyoming. I was going to run up and do Chief Joseph and Beartooth on the way to Glacier but changed my mind at the last second and cut west over hwy 14 and entered the Bighorn National Forest as a short cut. Didnt end up being a shortcut because of all the two track I ran into off of Hwy 14... ate up a bunch of time exploring and set up camp there so I could do some more the following day. Bighorn was an unplanned and pleasant surprise.

Left the Black Hills via two track.


Devils Tower


Discovering two track in Bighorn NF




And decided to spend the night.


The bike takes its first bit of trail damage the following day but I need some sleep.