"Death Valley" revisited

KTMphil

Senior member
Joined
Jan 11, 2011
Location
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Bikes
2007 KTM 990 Adventure Suzuki DRZ 400
With the unusual weather trough we had in Chiang Mai a couple of days ago producing heavy rain, we weren't sure how achievable the Death Valley trail would be, with its steep, slippy rocks and huge, rutted clay hills. LUFC and jkffs had made their mind up to do it. I don't particularly like this trail & still not sure why i went along too.


View attachment 14036



View attachment 14037
 
The trail had dried out in most places, to the point of dust trails in a lot of sections that get sun. From Wat Huai Thong, you've got about 8km of easy trails north west before the death Valley section starts. There's a few rocky inclines to get you warmed up before the real nasty stuff starts.


Then there's a nasty incline with huge ruts. The surface is hard packed clay mixed with a little sand, when its wet even the best rider's can't get up this section without assistance.


View attachment 14042
 
Looking up the hill from the same spot, it doesn't look steep on the camera as usual but it is.


View attachment 14043





A few KM's north west of here is the nastiest section on the death Valley trail. It's steep incline, huge, nasty, slippy rocks in all the wrong places - really challenging.


View attachment 14044




View attachment 14045






Had a ride on jkffs's Yamaha WR 250 F, it has wonderful front suspension, he's set it up perfectly. The dampening and rebound are perfect, i told him it was like riding a magic carpet. He noticed riding my KTM 300 EXC 2 stroke that the throttle was sticking open. After an inpection of all the throttle cable, he discovered the end was frayed going into the carb. I was actually pleased as it meant i didn't have to ride bike on the trail. From Samoeng I took the tarmac back to Chaing Mai.




View attachment 14046



LUFC didn't even break out in a sweat over the whole trail and annoyingly made it all look so easy.
 
Phil you should have jumped Darrens new KTM rocket instead!
 
Back
Top Bottom