IT'S TOO FAR! Can we really ride 2,500 miles on these single-cylinder jackhammers from NC to Vegas?

Jase and I descended from the enchanting Smoky Mountains astride our freshly built-out KTMs, continuing to set our sights west. The journey ahead spanned well over 2,250 miles, a vast expanse leading us to Nevada, our next destination. But before venturing into the unknown, we carved a moment of respite, a pause to reconnect with dear friends Melanie and Greg.
Despite Jason's extensive addition of aftermarket parts, the KTMs retained their torquey nature, delivering more vibration than a jackhammer on overdrive. Riding them amid busy interstates, sandwiched between towering freightliners and semi-trucks, proved less than appealing.
Recognizing the need for a shift in strategy, we decided to take matters into our own hands. Opting for a change of pace, we rented a Penske truck and securely strapped down our steeds for the cross-country journey to Nevada. But not without some delightful detours along the way!
LINK TREE
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PARTS & GEAR WE LOVE: 2023 KTM 500 EXC-Fs
www.fourwheele...
TACO MOTO - KTM 500 PARTS
tacomoto.co/?r...
ROCKY MOUNTAIN - TUSK / OTHER MOTORCYCLE PARTS & GEAR www.rockymount...

[@JasonsCrypticchannel]

another great video guys! good call renting a truck! being a 500 owner myself, i know they are not the best bike to ride on the interstate, but those 500's will be at home in any other riding condition! I like your editing/filming, well done!👍☺

[@fourwheelednomad]

Thanks Jason, and we wholeheartedly agree! Starting to really appreciate being on them now off-road. Cheers L&J

[@texlee1640]

It's unfortunate that you didn't realize that the box truck has it's own pull out ramp haha. You got it done nevertheless. It's wild how fast that rear tire gave out.

[@fourwheelednomad]

We did realise when we got to Vegas, ha, ha!

[@Hoser1mVm]

Hahaha 😂 I was like duh! u guys! 😅

[@wsfarnie]

🙂 No one told you about the long pull-out ramp stowed under the deck... Another great video!

[@fourwheelednomad]

So funny, an untrained monkey would have spotted the ramp! 😅

[@lukefish7562]

Very nice! Can’t wait to hear about the difference Taco Mike is going to have your bikes all running when he’s done. He worked some magic for my crf450RL. He is a genius and so incredibly nice and helpful. Looking forward to seeing you guys head out of Vegas on your steeds! 🏍️💨

[@fourwheelednomad]

It’s coming soon, and we too thoroughly loved our TacoMoto experience. Taco Mike is a magician and Ryan is a suspension sorcerer! 😅 I wrote an online article about TacoMoto for RoadRunner, it’s not out yet but hopefully will be by the time the video is released (episode #7). Cheers Lisa

[@lukefish7562]

@@fourwheelednomad oh that’s really cool Lisa! And I could not agree more with you on TacoMotoMike! He is unbelievably smart and you can tell a genuinely nice person. He breaks down things so easily in explaining it to people like myself who might struggle to even keep up with their brains! 😁 He walked me thru getting my ECU and making sure it was installed and running properly. I hope one day to have him take my new bike and set it up with all the things that make riding more enjoyable while working his magic and pick it from him at his shop. It’d be a dream to just see his shop and ride out there in the desert for a couple days. I live in the mountains of NC outside Asheville near the beginning of your trip. I’ll get out there one day. Ol Mike is due all the current success and the future success due in part to all the great publicity he is going to get from you guys and Ian from big rock moto heard the hype and is having his new 500 done by Mike as well. It’s real cool! Y’all be safe! Looking forward to your continued adventures! 🏍️💨

[@bearfoot6910]

Ha. How many people are screaming, "pull out the built-in ramp"! Someone at the rental shop really should have explained that to you.

[@fourwheelednomad]

Yeah we know, we do notice it in a future video.

[@Justvisiting498]

As soon as you said Vegas, I knew you were going to TacoMoto...My experience has been nothing but excellent with TM...Much respect for attempting that ride on a 5 hundo...More respect for realizing that pounding 2k miles of interstate on those bikes woulda been brutal!

[@fourwheelednomad]

THANK YOU! For getting it - some people feel that we somehow are missing out by not riding the interstate across the US.

[@webmuir]

I don’t know, guys, each to their own. I get that 120kg enduro bikes are great off road and 200kg adventure bikes are a handful, and I get that 50/50 tyres aren’t perfect off road. But travelling by van seems like a lost opportunity when you could be on a bike. I’m looking forward to seeing the EXC-F choice vindicated in future instalments. All the best and bon voyage!

[@fourwheelednomad]

It’s perfectly fine to think that. 👌 😌Cheers!

[@thomasbinder5288]

Servas aus Österreich 🇦🇹 you are great 👍

[@fourwheelednomad]

You are most kind for saying that 🙏🤝

[@grantcoop]

Mike is the man!!!!

[@fourwheelednomad]

Sure is, can’t wait for you to see our two-parter on the Taco Moto setup. Cheers 👩🏻‍🦰

[@fourwheelednomad]

It was also a case of economics, wear and tear - service intervals, extra motel fees, plus simply the middle states don’t really interest us, particularly when we had to ride two thousand plus miles of interstate. Trust me future videos will have more riding. 👍

[@keithmoule4154]

I was wondering if Lisa's tyre showed the same wear? I guess it is too much to ask of an offroad tread to cope with 500 miles of tarmac.

[@fourwheelednomad]

I was running different tyres to Jason, mine were more harder wearing so I got away with the mileage from NC to Alabama. Jason’s balding tyres freaked me out, though - the road tyres we had ordered were massively delayed so we had no choice but hey ho, we made it. Phew. Cheers, Lisa

[@ADV_explorers]

👌👌👌👍

[@pungarehu]

It’s all coming together folks