ABR Festival seems like an age ago now, but because it’s the biggest gathering of adventure bike riders in the UK, it seemed the obvious place to take the Kawasaki KLE500 .
The June weather was putting temperatures in the mid-30s when we arrived on super Thursday, and after searching for somewhere to pitch up, I couldn’t bear to use my trail pass straight away. So day one was spent exploring the site with shorts on and beer in hand.
The weather was meant to be 2°C cooler the following day, yet I knew I had to take on the trails. But instead of doing any research, I got the trail pass and listened to others’ recommendations.
On-site, there are off-road experiences on new bikes, as well as off-road zones and green lane rides, but the two trails on offer are the TRF trail and the Bridgestone trail. Hearing whisperings that the TRF trail was more technical and home to the infamous Bog of Doom, I decided my squared 50/50 OE tyres wouldn’t be up to the challenge. Bridgestone it was then.
But this is where my lack of research bit me. I went out without any water, figuring I’d be back within half an hour. No – the trail was 25 miles long, a mixture of loose stone, sandy passages, grassy verges, steep inclines, tight turns, wooded areas, bright sunshine and whatever else it had to throw at you. As the markers kept climbing, I wondered where on earth I was going to end up.
As I progressed, I saw five riders who’d stopped for a nap. But with the course busy with bikes and marshals dotted around in the more treacherous areas, no one managed to get that much shut-eye!
The heat was clearly getting to people, including myself. But the KLE carried on, creating tunes from rocks hitting the baseplate and skidding around happily in loose, sandy mud. The grass was dry as a bone, and the KLE skipped over it.
Don’t get me wrong, I wish I had changed tyres before the festival, and I wish I had remembered to lower my pressures, but even with those disadvantages the KLE was more than capable of trotting along with the BMW GSs , Honda CRFs and whatever else was on the trail.
Although I’m ashamed to say I did opt out of the bog towards the end. After watching three riders slip and fall in front of me, I figured I’d better take the coward’s way out, as the KLE had to get me home.
The KLE kept up with the crowds of other riders on smaller and bigger machines around the loop. The circuit was dryer than usual, with temperatures hitting 36°C, but despite the overall easy‑intermediate trail, the KLE did bottom out a number of times. The SE bash plate certainly proved its worth.
MCN Reporter - Saffron's love for motorcycles began early, growing up surrounded by them and riding as soon as she turned 16. She pursued a BA in Creative Writing and Fine Art, followed by a Level 3 Diploma in Journalism from the NCTJ while gaining work experience at a local newspaper. Saffron's career includes various marketing roles in the automotive industry, but her passion for motorcycles led her to join MCN in April 2021. Since she joined, she has dabbled in off-road riding and track time, but touring remains her favourite hobby. Saffron, often seen traveling for features, rides a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail when not working for MCN.
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