Tell us about a special moment, experience, or trip you had with your favorite KTM motorcycle.
(How did it feel? What was the reason for it? Where did it take place? Who did you share it with? We want to know everything!)
My favorite bike of all time was my KTM 990 ADVENTURE, on which I completed over 70,000 km – most of it offroad. When I moved to Europe, I shipped my 990 from Australia and, once settled, embarked on various adventure rides across the continent, making many new friends along the way.
In the summer of 2011, I took a break from work for an unforgettable journey: riding from England to Malta, where my heritage lies. I’d been craving a real adventure and my KTM delivered in every way. The terrain ranged from smooth roads to rugged trails – steep climbs, river crossings, and winding paths through dense forests – and the bike handled it all like a dream.
Along the way, I rode with friends, met up with my girlfriend (now wife), and discovered new experiences before finally spending time with relatives in Malta. Setting off on a three-month motorcycle adventure across Europe was a feeling of freedom like no other. That moment of seeing the city fade in your mirrors as you head off with only a loose plan – it’s pure satisfaction.
One of the most memorable moments was the “Great Sicilian Fuel Incident.” After disembarking in Messina, I felt adventurous and went off-piste, ending up on goat trails disguised as roads. Loose rocks, steep hills – my 990 thrived, like it had been waiting for me to make a bad decision. Then the dreaded fuel light came on, and I was nowhere near a town. I eventually reached a small village called Savoca, covered in dust and sweat, looking like I’d escaped a Mad Max audition. The locals laughed and gave me directions to fuel at the bottom of the hill and advised if the bike stops just keep rolling and you will end up at a fuel station, I thought they were having a laugh at my expense but later would find out they were telling the truth.
While there, I noticed tourists taking photos and asked what the fuss was about. One replied, “Have you seen The Godfather?” I hadn’t – to his disappointment – but he explained Savoca was one of the filming locations. I have since watched the series and always think about my 990 in Savoca and have a chuckle to myself.
From Savoca, I continued south to Pozzallo and caught a ferry to Malta to reconnect with family. On the way back to the UK, I stopped in Rome for some off-road riding, then ferried to Barcelona and Ibiza – where I mixed riding with my love for electronic music (seeing Carl Cox live was unforgettable).
In total, I covered 7,500 km on an incredible machine. Returning to routine life after that was tough – but the memories live on.