All about the great Dakar Rally

It was in 1977 a French man got lost in the Tenere Desert during the Abidjan-Nice Race and realized that the desert would be a good location for a regular rally where amateurs could test their ability.

His name was Thierry Sabine.

And hence came into existence the first for the very great and very challenging races on this planet, the Dakar Rally.

Dakar Rally, formerly known as the “Paris–Dakar Rally”, is an annual rally raid where most events since the inception in 1978 were from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal.

But due to security threats in Mauritania, which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, races since 2009 have been held in South America.

And hence came into inception the Dakar we know of today.

The race is an off-road endurance event. The terrain that the competitors traverse is much tougher than that used in conventional rallying, and the vehicles used are true off-road vehicles rather than modified on-road vehicles. Most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks, and erg among others. The distances of each stage covered vary from short distances up to 800–900 kilometers (500–560 mi) per day.

The race originated in December 1978, an year after Thierry Sabine got lost in the Ténéré desert whilst competing in the Abidjan-Nice rally and decided that the desert would be a good location for a regular rally.

The race sees tough competition among 4 major categories of Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Quads.

 182 vehicles took the start of the inaugural rally in Paris, with 74 surviving the 10,000-kilometre (6,200 mi) trip to the Senegalese capital of Dakar. Cyril Neveu holds the distinction of being the event’s first winner, riding a Yamaha motorcycle. The event rapidly grew in popularity, with 216 vehicles taking the start in 1980 and 291 in 1981. Neveu won the event for a second time in 1980, Hubert Auriol taking honours in 1981 for BMW. By this stage, the rally had already begun to attract the participation of famous names from elsewhere in motorsport, such as Henri Pescarolo and Jacky Ickx.

Now boasting 382 competitors, more than double the amount that took the start in 1979, Neveu won the event for a third time in 1982, this time riding a Honda motorcycle, while victory in the car class went to the Marreau brothers, driving a privately entered Renault 20, whose buccaneering exploits seemed to perfectly capture the spirit of the early years of the rally. Auriol captured his second bikes class victory in 1983, the first year that Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi competed in the rally, beginning an association that would last all the way until 2009.

At the behest of 1983 car class winner Jacky Ickx, Porsche entered the Dakar in 1984, with the total number of entries now at 427. The German marque won the event at their first attempt courtesy of René Metge, who had previously won in the car category in 1981, whilst Ickx finished sixth. Gaston Rahier meanwhile continued BMW’s success in the motorcycle category with back-to-back wins in 1984 and 1985, the year of Mitsubishi’s first victory of 12 in the car category, Patrick Zaniroli taking the spoils. The 1986 event, won by Metge and Neveu, was marred by the death of event founder Sabine in a helicopter crash, his father Gilbert taking over organisation of the rally.

Motorbikes

As of 2011, the engine capacity limit for all motorbikes competing in the Dakar Rally is 450cc. Engines may be either single or twin cylinder.

KTM has dominated the motorcycle class in recent years, although Honda, Yamaha, Sherco and Gas Gas also compete currently.

Cars

The car class is made up of vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg (7,716 lb), which are subdivided into several categories.

Mini have been the most successful marque in the car category in recent years, thanks to the efforts of the non-factory X-Raid team, with limited involvement currently coming from Toyota, Ford and Haval.

Mitsubishi is historically the most successful manufacturer in the car class, with Volkswagen, Citroen, Peugeot and Porsche having all tasted success in the past with factory teams.

Criticism

When the race was held in Africa, it was subject to criticism from several sources, generally focusing on the race’s impact on the inhabitants of the African countries through which it passed.

Some African residents along the race’s course in previous years have said they saw limited benefits from the race; that race participants spent little money on the goods and services local residents can offer. The racers produced substantial amounts of dust along the course, and were blamed for hitting and killing livestock, in addition to occasionally injuring or killing people.

The Vatican City newspaper L’Osservatore Romano called the race a “vulgar display of power and wealth in places where men continue to die from hunger and thirst.” During a 2002 protest at the race’s start in Arras, France, a Green Party of France statement described the race as “colonialism that needs to be eradicated”.

The environmental impact of the race has been another area of criticism. This criticism of the race is notably the topic of the song “500 connards sur la ligne de départ” (“500 Arseholes at the Starting Line”), on the 1991 album Marchand de cailloux by French singer Renaud.

Dakar 2017 saw 2 Indian Motorcycle manufacturers competing for the glory. They were TVS-Sherco and Hero MotorCopr.

It was a debut for Hero Motor Corp.

Hope they take the name of the nation to greater heights.

 All the best!!

Modern History : My not so small introduction!!

Hi Folks,

This is my first post. 

I will be sharing my experience of riding and the joy that comes complementary with it while seeing the world or I should say particularly India on 2 wheels.

Just to give you a back drop my history with 2 wheeler vehicles till date.

Contrary to what everyone says about me that I am very quick at picking up new things, I was a very late learner when it comes to my familiarity with 2 wheels.

I started learning how to ride a bicycle from the age of 9 (class IV). And finally I learnt it when I was 14 (class IX), and that too with great deal of fear. 

When I rode it for the first time on road I immediately switched my way from main road to the service road behind the stalls of vegetable vendors and other small shops.

Thanks to the pressure from home that I was to join my coaching classes which were a bit far from my home. So the ultimate option was to ride from home to the coaching classes.

But then there was no stopping. Soon the fear was gone the fun begin.

I loved the feeling when the fresh air hits me in the face.

I believe it pressed me too enjoy riding a lot more.

By the time I was 16, I was handed over a TVS scooty for commuting to competitive coaching classes. Me and my 6 months elder cousin sister were preparing for the ultimate goal of all the Mathematics student across the country, JEE.

But since I have never put my hands on to a motor vehicle earlier before. And it was only bicycle which I was familiar with.

All out parents were a bit scared that I may screw up as the bicycles were ridden at a much slower speed than the pace a scooty can go at. But they were not aware that I was already almost every time racing with my friends on my way to the coaching classes. So I was just too hungry for more speed.

And when I was first time handed over the scooty and instructed by my sister to not panic and just rev it lightly to drive it.

I just vroomed it on my very first time that too with utmost ease.

Well that was the reason we were accompanied with one of our relatives to see we don't go too fast and for help if something happens. But that was of no help as we reach home 10 minutes before him in a 30-minute drive.

We use to cruise at 50-60 and at times 75 which was the top speed. Whereas we were instructed to drive at 30-40. But riding at 30-40 makes me feel like I was back on my bicycle but just with no pedaling.

And those were the times when I rode 2 wheeler for 2 continuous years. In summers, in winters and in rains. In day time, evening and in nights. On smooth roads, broken roads, footpaths and even no roads.

I was enjoying it.

Soon after completing my XII. I moved to my college in Mathura.

Well just to give you a feel of how good or bad we did in our competitive exams. I never screwed up riding but I screwed my competitive exams. LOL!!

That was some not so good time.... K

Then I moved to college for 4 years and nothing worth mentioning happened during the college (I don't intend to share all my stories in just one topic. LOL!).

As soon as I completed my college in 2012, I moved to Delhi waiting for the joining call for my college placement offer.

It was supposed to be after a couple of months.

But after a couple of months later I was informed that it was going to happen in late 2013, I started looking for some job and then I joined an organization in late 2012.

My office was in Noida and I was staying in Delhi with my brother.

So my brother handed over his Yamaha SS125 to commute to office. And the music begins playing soon after.

It was a 25KM ride from home to office. And the ride super smooth.

So in around 15 months of travelling from home to office I clocked around 25,000KM and counting.

But then I was sent to Onshore from my office for 6 months.

And on my return from Onshore, I decided to stay near office.

So I shifted to a flat near office with an old Bajaj XCD135 at my disposal for daily commute.

Soon a couple of friends shifted with me to my flat. One of them was having a Hero Glamour 125. Since my friend works in shifts so he was availing cab service provided by the company and I got a new bike to ride on to.

So I returned back the XCD to its rightful owner. And my ride changed from that dying XCD to young Glamour. 

In a course of 8 months my friends shifted to other locations and I was living alone again.

So I decided to bring to the town my father's Honda Eterno which was kept at my home town with no one to look at it. And hence I have a new ride.

Then soon, one of my office colleague joined me with his TVS APACHE 160. And I got another ride to try my hands on.

It was a ride filled with UPs and DOWNs.

And in last February, I got married to the love of my life (this time literally).

As people say, a lot changes after marriage. So does my life. It became more pattern based and monotonous.

So, to kill this monotony I decided to get a new ride.

I zeroed to Suzuki Gixxer SF. And booked a date for test drive and then buying it if everything goes well. As I was planning to buy a sports tourer bike. So was randomly going through a lot of bike reviews from old to new, from 150CC to 1000CC.

I was reading and reading like I was to get a PHD on bikes their specs and reviews. And then something unexpected happened. 

 I came across Honda CBR250R. 

I read a lot about it and the more I read the more it attracted me towards itself.

The attraction was so strong that I booked a test ride for Saturday on Thursday and then I started reading. And on Friday evening I was trying to convince my brother that it would be a nice idea to get a CBR250R instead of Gixxer SF. Soon everything was settled and everyone was on my side.

Then it hit me that it would cost me around 2 Gixxers. And the budget was always a constraint. But nevertheless, I stared looking for used bikes. Because I know a 2-3-year-old bike will surely get into my budget. And yes, it did. Finally, after seeing a couple of CBRs, I finalized one.

Finally I brought it home. I was loving it so much that it was hard to believe that I am owning one.

My own Honda CBR-250R.

Every time I ride it I start loving it a lot more.

I have taken many rides and travelled to a lot of places. And I am planning to travel a lot more in near future.
So in the course of this blog I will be sharing my rides done in past and will be doing in future.

I will create a time line for you to easily understand the timing of the ride.

I will be sharing the details of preparation done before the ride, the ride experience, the challenges, the expenses, the places, the photos and other minor details with you in coming blogs.

I hope I can motivate you to take your bike out and enjoy the ride.