Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship launched its latest “Twist the Throttle for Trails” campaign, and this time around, one winner will take home the latest generation of KTM’s Freeride E-XC electric bike valued at $11,100.
The campaign runs between Tuesday, Nov. 28 and Monday, Dec. 25, and during that time, every foot of trail purchased at $5 per foot (the average cost of building a trail) gives participants a chance to take home a 2022 KTM zero-emissions bike, in addition to a suite of accompanying gear.
The KTM Freeride E-XC runs on a brushless 18-watt motor with three power modes, delivering a max speed of around 50 miles per hour and a range of about 40 minutes or 30 miles, depending on the operating mode. It comes decorated in custom Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship Connected Communities graphics and outfitted with a camo seat cover installed by GUTS Racing, as well as upgraded pivot pegs, hand guards and a brighter LED headlight, thanks to KTM and Motorcycle Performance Center (MPC) in Roseville, California.
The prize package also includes a handlebar bag, fender beg, Buckin’ Roll Tank bag, Mojavi Saddlebag and Cactus Canteen from SBTS’s partners at Giant Loop, a USWE hydration pack of the winner’s choice (up to $200 MSRP), as well as goodies from Leatt. The Freeride E-XC is a non-plated, Green Sticker bike that can be operated on public lands year-round.
“The Twist The Throttle campaign has become an important part of our annual fundraising efforts, and we’re grateful for the support from our partners at KTM USA, Motorcycle Performance Center and the Nevada County Woods Riders to help us bring it back for a second year,” said Greg Williams, executive director of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. “The dollars raised in this campaign go directly toward supporting our three Pro Trail Crews, which maintain vast networks of motorized trails in Downieville and Quincy every year, and also ensure we can continue our efforts to expand multi-use trail access in the Lost Sierra through our Connected Communities project.”
SBTS modeled the “Twist the Throttle” fundraiser after its successful 5 Bucks Foot campaigns, which the organization started in 2014, quickly setting the standard for trail fundraisers by presenting one winner with a top-of-the-line mountain bike outfitted in custom parts. SBTS has since expanded to three annual fundraisers, giving away a high-end gravel bike and a dirt bike each year, which has helped raise more than $600,000 of unrestricted funds for the trails in the Lost Sierra region of northern California. These dollars are critical, as motorized trail projects funded by Off-Highway Vehicle dollars and other government grants often require big matches — unrestricted funds, such as those raised by these campaigns, go four times as far as grant-related dollars and allow SBTS to meet those matches, as well as cover staff overhead required to fulfill the grant work.
The Northern Sierra Nevada region where SBTS is headquartered enjoys some of the best-motorized trail access in the West, thanks to strong partnerships with the Tahoe, Plumas, Lassen and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests, as well as robust club membership across the region. SBTS is currently working on multiple projects that could bring a significant number of new motorized trails to the region in the coming years as part of the Connected Communities project, an effort to link 15 mountain towns with multi-use singletrack, bolstering rural economies through outdoor recreation.
No purchase is required to enter the Twist the Throttle fundraiser, and write-in entries are accepted (see full rules and enter here). Upon the campaign’s close, SBTS will randomly draw a winner and announce it via email and social media. The campaign is open to U.S. residents only, and the winner must come to the Motorcycle Performance Center in Roseville, California, to receive the bike.
