Each year, about 1,500 dirt bike riders from all over the world flock to the tiny city of Erzberg in the heart of Europe to tackle a grueling off-road race around, up, and over a mountain. These off-road maniacs go through four days of sweat, adrenaline, and disappointment to get a shot at being part of the handful of riders who conquer the ‘Iron Giant.’
What awaits them at the end of this competition? Serious prize money? A factory racing contract? A championship title, maybe? The prize for this inhumanly difficult event is a rock, apparently. Aside from pride and glory, the winners receive a chunk of the mountain that they’ve overcome with their grit and determination.
Of course, to even participate in an event like this, you’ll need a pretty gnarly bike. Something like the 2022 KTM 300 EXC TPI Erzbergrodeo, a high-spec bike built as a special tribute to the iconic event. KTM’s relationship with the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo dates back a couple of decades to the event’s inception in 1995, with KTM riders taking home 16 wins since then.
The Erzbergrodeo takes the 300 EXC TPI’s ‘Ready To Race’ mantra up a few notches. To make this special-edition motorcycle ready to tackle the toughest off-road conditions possible, KTM has made use of feedback from elite enduro riders during the design and production process.
Upgrades here include closed heavy-duty handguards, radiator and radiator-fan protectors, CNC-machined triple clamps, a grippier factory seat, a lightweight skid plate, a chain guide bracket protector, a Metzeler 6 Days Extreme soft-tire setup, a Supersprox Stealth rear sprocket, front and rear pull straps, front and rear brake rotor guards, a map selector switch, and more.
Further distinguishing the bike from the standard edition are special Red Bull Erzbergrodeo graphics, factory wheels with anodized hubs, and a special orange frame coating for that extra Team Orange racing appeal.
The 2022 KTM 300 EXC TPI Erzbergrodeo will be available in authorized KTM dealers abroad starting this month, with pricing yet to be announced.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopBikes.ph. Minor edits have been made.
