KTMeet 2011, First Impressions

Third edition now behind us, my first thought was: there is progress! And that makes us happy.
More people, very good trails, fun competitions that attracted a crowd, many simles and a lot of positive feedback. Keeping in mind that this event is by the people, for the people, having fun is the only thing that matters.

KTMeet 2011 was once more “powered by Motorex”, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsor for the support. Also, we need to keep in mind the extremely important role our co-organizers played in this event, Transilvania Bikers 1990.

The photo gallery is available at http://www.panicsquad.ro/en/fotovideo/ktmeet-2011/, where pictures from other people will be added. And here are a few to get you going:

KTMeet 2011 Preparations

We know the trails for Saturday’s ride, but we’re still marking the enduro one, because we want everybody to feel comfortable they find their way out of the woods.

KTMeet 2011, June 17th-19th, Măguri-Răcătău, Cluj

C.S. Panic Squad Cluj-Napoca, in association with Transilvania Bikers 1990 bring KTMeet’s third edition to Cluj county.

When? June 17th-19th
Where? Ionel’s place
Who’s Ionel? The man with the pensiunea “La Ionel” lodging complex. Where is it? http://www.pensiunealaionel.com/ro/localizare#Localizare_GPS
More details on the site: http://www.pensiunealaionel.com/en/acasa

Schedule:
Friday:
- arrival, dramatic reunions, new friends, camp fire, stories
Saturday:
- rides: EXCs to Muntele Băișorii and back, LCx greenlaning in the area, we should have some GPS tracks or at least some POIs that you can use so you don’t get lost; shouldn’t be a problem, because we’ll have guides.
- evening: food, drinks, stories, maybe some small fun competitions like last year
Sunday:
- coffee, food, pictures, goodbye!

Accomodations: – tent on “La Ionel”. Booking: 0743049024 (Ionel) -> 30 lei / night / person. We have one cabin set aside for the meet, with 3-4 bed rooms and one with lots of beds. For further details, use the contact number.
The road from Cluj-Napoca is 40kms, the last 15 are a little rougher and the last 2.5 are dirt. Not a problem for those not riding an RC8 though.

For further discussion use the forum thread here: http://www.ktmclub.ro/KTMeet

14th Edition Transilvania Bikers 1990 Bike Meet

May 27th-29th was the weekend of the fourteenth Transilvania Bikers 1990 Bike Meet, a traditional bike meet where everybody’s welcome. We were there to lend a hand, and the result was a positive one, with ample participation and three days of partying. There were competitions, bands, goulash and people from all over the country.

KTMeet 2010 (Orange Heat Wave)

Aşa cum promiteam în august 2009, am continuat tradiţia şi am organizat în weekendul 11-13 iunie, la Brezoi, şi a doua întâlnire a posesorilor şi fanilor mărcii austriece de motociclete KTM, denumită KTMeet 2010, powered by Motorex.

Total ieşit din tipare, KTMeet-ul ramâne în continuare o întâlnire a tuturor iubitorilor de KTM din România, o întâlnire la care nu se plăteşte taxă şi la care prietenia şi spiritul de aventură fac parte din obişnuit.

Am început vineri cu deschiderea oficială şi acomodare, punând la punct ultimele detalli pentru ziua de sâmbătă, care a fost plină de evenimente. Astfel, spre amiază s-a pornit în tura on/off, pe traseul ediţiei de anul trecut, lungit. S-a mers Brezoi – Ciunget – cu final pe Transalpina. La tură au luat parte LC4, LC8, 690 SM, 3 Honde şi o Yamaha, de pe Tranalpina grupul împărţindu-se în două. O parte au coborât spre Obarsia Lotrului – Voineasa – Brezoi, iar restul au continuat spre Rânca – Novaci – Cheile Olteţului – Lacu Petrimanu – Ciunget – Brezoi.

Am avut parte de de toate.  De un drum superb, de pădure, de mult soare, de peisaje de vis, de zăpada, de noroi, de bălţi. E greu de exprimat în cuvinte ce peisaje există pe acest traseu, aşa că mai bine lăsăm imaginile să vorbească.

Eu personal m-am întors spre Brezoi pe la Obârşia Lotrului – Voineasa, cu pauza obligatorie de mâncare şi hidratare la celebra crâşmă din şi mai celebra intersecţie din Obârşia Lotrului. Răcoriţi bine şi proaspăt hidrataţi am fentat ploaia de vreo 2 ori până să ajungem în tabăra din Brezoi, unde am dat de aceeaşi caniculă care ne-a ţinut companie tot weekendul.

Aşteptam să vină şi cei plecaţi în tura enduro, reparat muzica, pregătit videoproiectorul şi ne-am pus la poveşti. La plimbarea enduro a fost nevoie de o trecere pe la boxe, fiind o mică problemă cu bujia motococletei Sorinei; pauză binevenită de altfel din cauza căldurii. A urmat încă o tură scurtă compusă practic dintr-o urcare şi o coborâre, suficient de antrenante pentru a consuma bună parte din energia rămasă a participanţilor. Numai bine, pentru că mai era nevoie de energie pentru concursurile de seară şi aveam premii de dat.

Dacă din meniul de anul ăsta a lipsit parada moto şi stunt show-ul, am avut parte în schimb de cele mai distractive concursuri la care am luat parte în “cariera” mea de KTM-ist, ele având loc noaptea la lumina farurilor, concursuri care s-au bucurat de participarea aproape integrală a celor prezenţi în tabără. Am avut mers încet, pe categorii, şi bătut cuie. La mersul încet au câştigat respectiv 450 EXC (Ciqy), 640 Enduro (Poly) şi 990 Adventure R (BD), o dominaţie KTM, cum era de aşteptat. Deşi iniţial lumea a fost circumspectă în privinţa concursului de bătut cuie, a devenit repede o atracţie şi a avut o finală pe măsură, Sosolina vs. Liţă. Deşi s-a rostogolit de nenumărate ori la mersul încet, Liţă a dovedit până la urmă că e rolul bărbatului să bată cuie.

Cireaşa de pe tort a fost pusă de prietenii noştrii, fraţii Alecu şi Vlad, care au venit la Brezoi şi pentru a face o proieţie despre tura lor din primăvară în Maroc – Morocco Blues Ride. Întreruptă de o pauză de masă şi de festivitatea de premiere (toţi cei prezenţi cu motocicleta au primit premii Motorex şi reduceri la piese KTM), proiecţia s-a bucurat de mult interes din partea celor prezenţi în tabără, terminandu-se târziu după miezul nopţii, când lumea s-a refugiat în jurul focului ascultând poveştile celor mai umblaţi dintre noi.

Duminica ne-am luat la revedere rând pe rând, iar cei care au mai rămas cu destulă energie au ales ca drumul spre casă să includă şi un drum de Transfăgărăşan.

Vrem să mulţumim în primul rând tuturor participanţilor, sponsorilor Motorex şi Authentic Spirit şi tuturor celor care au ajutat cu bunul mers al lucrurilor. Ne-a făcut deosebită plăcere să vedem figuri noi la întâlnire, să revedem prietenii dobândiţi anul trecut şi ne bucurăm că am reuşit să ne întâlnim faţă în faţă cu oameni pe care îi ştiam doar virtual până acum. La fel îi salut şi pe cei 2 prieteni străini (unul din Cehia şi unul din Slovacia), care vineri seara ne-au povestit vreo 3 ore păţaniile lor din turele pe care le-au dat împreună cu Africanele lor şi care erau foarte încântaţi de atmosfera prietenească din tabăra KTMeet.

Vă mai aşteptăm şi pe viitor!

Şi acum câteva poze, restul la http://picasaweb.google.com/panicsquad.ro/KTMeet2010

Orange Weekend

KTMeet 2010, now powered by Motorex.

An event by C.S. Panic Squad Cluj-Napoca, in association with Authentic Spirit, Motorex, Free Bike Team Rm Vâlcea, with the support of Brezoi Mayorship and Police. Media partner, Dirt Bike Zone.

In the June 11th-13th weekend, the KTM fans are summoned to Brezoi, located at Lotru’s confluence with Olt, for the annual meeting, now at its second edition.

This being a friendly meeting, attendance is free and there will be plenty of prizes. Those that will distinguish themselves through skill and moto-spirit will be rewarded with Ariete goggles and Motorex products. There are also 25 Motorex chain maintenance sets up for grabs, and all that will come accompanied by their KTM will receive 15% discount tickets for parts ordered from Authentic Spirit, KTM dealer.

The Lotru valley is gorgeous and awaits explorers; there will be movie screenings and also a ride report.

In a race-less weekend there is no better place for relaxation for the KTM fans.

Details, map and registration for the event here http://www.panicsquad.ro/en/evenimente/ktmeet-2010/

See you in Brezoi!

KTMeet 2010, details and registration

KTMeet 2010 will take place in Brezoi June 11th-13th, 2010.

KTMeet is a bike meeting ment for KTM fans, now at its second edition.

Event organizers: C.S. Panic Squad Cluj-Napoca

Partners: Free Bike Team Rm. Vâlcea, Authentic Spirit

Media: Dirt Bike Zone

Now, more details and registration on the event page.

KTMeet 2010, 2nd edition, June 11-13th, Brezoi

C.S. Panic Squad Cluj-Napoca invites you to the second edition of KTM meet-up in Romania….KTMeet 2010.
Partners: Free Bike Team Râmnicu Vâlcea, Authentic Spirit

When: 11-13 iunie

Where: Brezoi, Vâlcea county

The same location as last year, namely: 10.000 sqm fenced area, kitchen, showers, toilets, electricity and running water (water pump).

Acces: From Olt river valley, through Brezoi towards Voineasa, 3 kms from the Brezoi town center, on the right hand side.

The schedule and other details will be announced shortly. Until then, for questions and suggestions, please use the contact page, or the KTMclub.ro section dedicated to the event (if you understand Romanian), here: http://www.ktmclub.ro/KTMeet

KTM Test Drive 2010 Aftermath

First of all I’d like to thank, on behalf of the club, all the attendants that made this test a success. None of these would have been possible though without Authentic Spirit, and especially Cătălin. I’d also like to thank all of those that helped during the test days, and especially Sorina, who even if didn’t travel all this way from Bucharest to see our ugly mugs, pitched in big time and also made the registrations run smoothly. As long as we’re on the subject, we’d like to wish her the best in this season of the European Enduro Championship, and all of her future endeavours.

KTMclub.ro being the club’s oldest project, we couldn’t pass on the invitation to help make this event possible. Nonetheless we’re willing to support anyone that wants to promote motorcycling and two-wheeled activities in general.

Our collaboration with Authentic will probably continue for KTMeet as well; those interested will be able to find out more on the club’s website soon; until then, check out http://www.ktmclub.ro/KTMeet. If by any chance any non Romanian-speaking people are interested before the information is posted in English here, use the contact page to request details.

At registration cut-off we had 72 names. Out of those, some didn’t show up, only to be replaced by others; all in all we had 70 attendants in the course of the two test days. Enduro and motorcycling novices and experts alike, locals or from other parts of the country (I know people from Bistriţa attended for sure), they all had a good time and appreciated the new KTM models. Sunday especially the weather wasn’t on our side, so even a shortened and simplified test track quickly became a muddy skating rink. Even so, the same as Saturday, two models were most appreciated, namely the 250 EXC 2-stroke and the 400 EXC 4-stroke. The 690 Enduro didn’t work as much, as the standard tires weren’t best suited for mud; despite this fact, I’m sure the few that summoned up the courage to mount it won’t forget it soon.

But enough talk, I’ll show you some pictures now, starting with the trip to Bratislava, where we borrowed the bikes from:

and continuing with the test, on Saturday:

and on Sunday:

KTM Test Drive Cluj-Napoca, 8th-9th of May 2010

KTM Test Drive Cluj-Napoca, May 8th-9th 2010. Authentic Spirit and Panic Squad invite you to try out the KTM off-road line for 2010:

Register online now on the event’s page.