Off Road

KTM riders get handy pre AORC shakedown at Transmoto 12-Hour

Posted:

Friday, March 31st, 2017

4:06 AM

A shakedown of the Glenn Kearney-managed KTM Factory Enduro Team and their machines two weeks before the start of the Australian Off-Road Championships is very serious business ‰ÛÒ unless the event is the Transmoto 12-Hour.

The event brought out the heavy hitters from both ends of the KTM's head office, as neither the Factory Enduro Team nor KTM‰Ûªs Management could say no to the event‰Ûªs unique formula, which balances the seriousness level for some good old fashioned mate versus mate, staged in the picturesque setting of Buckenbowra down by Bateman‰Ûªs Bay.

Four-time A4DE Champion Daniel Milner and exciting up-and-comer Lyndon Snodgrass added Kearney and Team Technician Harry Norton to make up the squad which went on to earn overall victory.

‰ÛÏWe sent our big guys out for three or four laps at a time,‰Û

Daniel Milner

For Daniel Milner it was a handy pre-season hitout.

‰ÛÏThe AORC is just two weeks away so we couldn‰Ûªt have had that race at a better time for testing and getting a feel for the bike in such rough conditions. We‰Ûªve got the bike so well sorted now," Milner said.

"The 12-hour had a great atmosphere and it was definitely a great event. My 450 is just the best bike you could get for the bush. The power‰Ûªs got everything; there‰Ûªs a lot of pull. It‰Ûªs not real snappy, but it‰Ûªs real smooth and it delivers well. For the three-hours and the long sprints, it doesn‰Ûªt tire you out, but it‰Ûªs got the power there if you want it. And with how light it is, it‰Ûªs easy to throw it around and manoeuvre. I can just point and shoot.‰Û

Lyndon Snodgrass

Lyndon Snodgrass enjoyed his first 12 hour despite his team-mate getting the better of him.

‰ÛÏThat was the first 12-hour I‰Ûªve done, and it was a pretty cool event. It‰Ûªs a big day and the track obviously gets pretty worn-out too so it was a good thing to do before the AORC," Snodgrass said.

"We‰Ûªve pretty much got all our settings locked in for the first round after fine-tuning the last couple of pieces. I haven‰Ûªt checked the lap times out but I reckon Daniel had me covered.

"He‰Ûªs riding awesome on the KTM. He‰Ûªs pretty easy going, he doesn‰Ûªt take it too serious and that‰Ûªs how I like to be as well. Not over the top, just kind of staying a normal person.‰Û