Red Bull Romaniacs | Boxer BMW versus KTM 1190 Adventure | Gerhard Foster v Chris Birch
With the recent news that Miles Davis is going to do the gruelling Finke Desert Race on the BMW’s new R 1200 GS Rallye X, it seems in Europe things are heading for distinctly even more nutty territory.
The craziest most bonkers extreme enduro event in the world in 2017 is going to see two nutters take it on astride big bertha adventure tourers instead of the 300cc two-strokes the likes of Chris Birch traditionally ride in the brutal event.
The Red Bull Romaniacs has a reputation of being slightly “nuts” and a history of constantly raising the bar for Extreme Enduro. Riders and bikes have either been chewed up and spit out by the rally or lived up to the challenge and evolved year by year.
Two Red Bull Romaniacs veterans who have been part of this evolution are Gerhard Foster and New Zealander Chris Birch. And it is these two who are about to open a new chapter in the history of CRAZY: Chris and Gerhard are going to race the Red Bull Romaniacs on big-twin travel-Enduros. To the surprise of the organizers, both had registered themselves independently to the Iron class.
Eyebrows were raised, and the Red Bull Romaniacs team started wondering why two Gold Class veterans would show up in the Iron class. A few calls later it became clear that history was about to be written – both will attempt to finish the rally on big twins, Gerhard on a BMW and Chris on a KTM.
Chris Birch, supported by KTM, is going to ride a modified KTM 1190 Adventure from Mattighofen (Austria) to Sibiu (Romania) on the road. He will then use the same 1200 V-twin bike and race the Red Bull Romaniacs Iron class.
Gerhard Foster, supported by Touratech, will not be riding BMW’s new Rallye X, but instead if bringing a BMW R nineT based Touratech prototype (R9X 7) to Sibiu by truck. He will race the Red Bull Romaniacs Iron class on the BMW air-cooled twin cylinder boxer.
Both riders are professional Enduro trainers and frequent racers at Extreme Enduro events. Both bikes are heavily modified, the KTM Adventure by KTM, and the BMW by Touratech.
Chris Birch is a nine-times competitor in Red Bull Romaniacs and has finished on the Gold Class podium five times, including a win in 2010. He is a three-time winner of the Roof of Africa Rally, eight-times New Zealand Enduro champion and has competed successfully at the Dakar Rally.
Gerhard Foster is former BMW factory rider and Red Bull Romaniacs veteran, Gerhard Foster was Touratech`s first choice and crazy enough to agree to pilot the twin-cylinder boxer. Foster has ridden BMW HP2 enduros in a variety of races and has also finished in the Gold Class Top10 five-times at the Red Bull Romaniacs. Other achievements of Gerhard Foster are: six-time finisher at the Erzberg Rodeo, a 4th place at the Roof of Africa and a 2nd place at the Getzenrodeo.
The remaining questions are….Will both riders volunteer to participate in the prologue…? Will they start with top-case and side-bags…? Who, if any, will see the finish?
We will find out in July – stay tuned! 25-29 July 2017, Sibiu, Romania.
