Mission: Defend the title. At the 2025 Red Bull Romaniacs, Kevin Gallas set out to repeat his triumph from the previous year in the Bronze Class. Despite being forced to withdraw due to injury, the extreme enduro rider was once again able to gain valuable experience with his Touratech suspension.

At the Red Bull Romaniacs, I’m not just a rider, but also team manager, organiser and strategist. I look after budgets, sponsors, kit and the entire behind-the-scenes structure. Fortunately, I have strong partners like Touratech and Yamaha by my side, without whom such a project would be almost impossible to manage.

This year, however, everything started differently to plan. My social media videographer, Sandro, injured his foot whilst travelling in Armenia, and my videographer, Alex, had to undergo emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix just one day before our departure. In the end, it was practically just the two of us – my mechanic, Marvin, and I. But giving up was not an option. We made the best of the situation – and started the race with plenty of motivation.

A DIFFICULT START

The Prologue qualifying went well. I managed to set the fastest time again and felt ready for the upcoming off-road days. In the Prologue final itself, things didn’t go quite so smoothly: one or two crashes, plus a minor technical fault. Nothing dramatic, but enough to mean I had to start right at the back on the first off-road day – in a race where every minute counts.

The first day went well nonetheless. The pace was fast, the route brutal, but I managed to make up a lot of places and finished the day in second place. The second day continued in the same vein. The terrain was tougher, less fluid than last year – and the standard of the competition had risen yet again. I was pushing to the limit from start to finish, but the synergy between me and my Ténéré 700 worked perfectly. Shortly before the finish, I managed to overtake the leader and thus remained in contention for the overall victory.

FRACTIONS OF A SECOND MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

Day three was set to be the most difficult. I wanted to reduce the risk a little to ensure I made it to the finish safely. But in motorsport, a single moment often makes all the difference. On a descent over loose rock, I hit a bump with my front wheel, put my foot down – and injured myself in the process. That was the end of my race.

VALUABLE EXPERIENCE

Despite everything, the event was an important test for me, as the suspension setup was once again a decisive factor. I used the same setup on my Touratech Suspension Extreme2 shock absorber as I did for my victory in 2024, because it simply works perfectly. The big advantage lies in its versatility: I use the same shock absorber setup for both rallies and extreme enduro events – from the Erzberg to the Romaniacs.

The Touratech Suspension chassis allows me to combine both comfort and control. When I’m riding at a leisurely pace, it offers smooth, responsive damping that makes long stages a pleasure. But as soon as things get tricky – whether it’s the prologue over tree trunks or a rocky uphill section – the suspension remains stable and predictable, giving me the confidence I need to ride a motorbike weighing almost 200 kilos at the limit in a controlled manner.

A SYSTEM THAT THINKS FOR ITSELF

That, for me, is precisely the difference: I don’t need an uncompromisingly stiff racing suspension that only works within a narrow window. I need a system that thinks for itself – one that gives me confidence at 50 per cent as well as at 100 per cent. And that’s exactly what Touratech delivers. I can cruise along gravel tracks, ride at rally pace or go full throttle on the toughest sections of the Romaniacs – the suspension always responds exactly as I need it to.

Even though the race ended earlier than planned for me, I’m taking away lots of positives. As a team, we pulled it off despite all the setbacks, and the kit performed perfectly. I’ve seen that even a 200-kilo motorbike can hold its own under the toughest conditions, provided the set-up, technology and confidence are all right.

PRO TIP

I generally set the rebound slightly tighter than the compression, as this gives the motorbike more predictable handling. I’m currently using the following set-up on the Touratech Suspension Extreme2 shock absorber:

High Speed Compression: 10

Low Speed Compression: 10

Rebound: 5