Thumpa!!

Look what I scored!! I decided it was time to finally explore some of the great dirt strips we have around Brisbane and so a couple of weeks back set out looking for something that would enable me to do so. I looked at a few dirt bikes around the place but eventually found this 2002 KTM 520 EXC for a bloody good price and so bought it. The bike is in pretty good nic considering its age, but does need a couple of minor things done to make it comfortable for me to ride. The thing only weighs in at around 115kg, so that makes the rider heavier than the machine!! It is registered so I can ride it on the road, although after riding it the 30kms home I would not want to be on the black stuff for too long on this.

I suppose the reasoning behind me wanting to get into some dirt bike riding stems from the fact that the roads are becoming a bit too restrictive - after loosing my license for a few months last year and watching the ever increasing precense of unmarked cop cars, bikes and speed traps on many of the routes I like to ride, I thought about heading off road and saving my "moments" for a place where I am less likely to be nabbed or cause injury. There are also some fantastic tracks running through the many National Parks and forests in south east Queensland.

I do still have the GSX but I now also have an alternative, so stay tuned for some off-road stories coming soon.