2013 Dakar Pre-Event Discussion

Part of the point is that if racing is going to translate into sales on a broad level it is best to have at least some sort of connection between the bikes on the dealer floor and those winning races. Up to 2010, the bikes on the podium were modified versions of those available to mortals. Whether it was a KTM LC4 or LC8, Honda XR or twin, BMW airhead or single, Yamaha XT or Super Tenere, or Cagiva Elephant; the owner (and the salesman) could say "This is the bike that won the Dakar Rally."

(edit, graphic example added)
Early Honda African Twin advertisement:


KTM has had a very successful campaign with their 450 RR but it is a corporate Frankenbike that does not share an identity with anything found in the dealer showroom.

One thing for sure, I hope the drama during the race equals the run up.

I hope not because the new Husaberg management has already cancelled rally sponsorship/backing saying they are focusing on enduro only.

Question:

Which mediaplayer do you use for networkstreams?
I do not mean the embedded website ones.
Do you use also,
XBMC player with livestream addon with .xml playlist
VLC player with playlist *.m3u or rtmpdump
else?

I like a player that you can open multiple times and make it small.

lets hear............

As I said before, I agree!

And I do love to tell people my bike (a 990 Adventure) shares a shed load of common parts with the bike Meoni won the Dakar on!

Aparently the 950 Adventure shared 75% of it's parts with the 950 Rally, the 990 can't be that much different

Yes an interesting one, it's difficult to see if the commitment statement was due to KTM's plans or his injury?
It Is I expect quite normal not to have the detail for the year until after the Dakar - In fact the whole WRC Rally programme does seem to be a means to an end for the Dakar for some of the top teams?

Having said this i think the Dakar is also considered as the first event of the years calendar, although it also runs as if it is the culmination of the year's work, so to an extent there are 2 Dakars in a season

He has been untouched at the DC in recent years, so it would be strange not to see him there.

Also the FIM have increased the WRC to 6 events this year including the 2 key rally's in S America ( so just flagging them really?) This will raise the profile in SA, but it will be interesting to see if anyone takes all the events in, but time will tell.

We know from last year that both KTM and HRC missed Phaorons, although HRC had no WRC focus at all, just the new bike and the Dakar - so it will be equally interesting to see what they announce for the 2013 year?

Has this rumour been substantiated or is all just conjection on behalf of everyone here.

Anyone got a link to a official statement?

He wants a link to an official statement...

99% conjection based on a 1% rumour, could miss by a mile, arrive at the bivouac at 3am, but could be square between the eyes also

Mind you Doyle is semi official at times

Zee rumor mill eez running very fast today, may be in ze bivouac well ahead of ze F5acts non? We shall see.


Bummer about Husaberg pulling out, but then their cool bike the 70degree is now out of production. Thomas Berglund will still be running a Berg however. He has made a very trick rally kit for the 70degree bikes, though maybe a little late in the game with that. Manuel Luchesse is riding Zanotti's TM this year, not a Berg like last year. I think it will be a VERY interesting Dakar for sure.

I can at least look at my KTM990S and Husaberg FE bikes and know they have been Dakar competitors.

And maybe Honda is the new big kid on the block. The drama gets deeper.

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2013-dakar-q-and-a-with-team-hrc-leader-yamazaki

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Doyle drops a bag full of money into the crowd...

Interesting comment in that last interview, saying that JC (not Helder) was at the core of the team as a rider.

Future HRC team principal?

From my discussions with JC I can see how his magnetic personality would make a great HRC rallye effort.

He is one of the nicest achievers I know. Serious legend.

I can´t see (hope) that KTM thinks it´s a good idea to drop the rallyworld at a time when rallying gets a bigger and bigger crowd. The Tuareg is growing, more people find Albania, there are new rallies popping up all the time that aren´t all to expensive.
Surley most of them appeal to modified endurobikes, but the rallyscene is growing. So is exploring the world (allthough most of it is about discovering your backyard) by bike, and there is no better machine to do that then a Rally/Adventure bike.
The salesdrop on the 640/950/990 adventure I think came from when they got more and more road oriented.

And I for one doesn´t care if they rally on a 450, and I can get my hands on a 690 Replica.



Tis allmost got into

it is true that rallying is taking off, even the domestic scene in the UK is expanding, six rallies last year for our series but nine in 2013, with the prospect of it becoming an official British Rally Championship. OK we are not talking Dakar style stuff here, as land access in the UK is so tightly controlled but it's definitely growing slowly.

And I agree about 690 Replicas, a mate recently acquired this to race next years Tuareg on.... loverly!

That is a nice ride. Although rally raid and ADV biking is growing in the US, it still is a very small segment. The cruisers look at us a little strangely but don't have any idea what they're missing.

If I was a betting man, I would say that was Justin Carter's old bike!
http://www.pujcarterracing.com/

But are there any options that haven't been speculated on as yet?

How will all of this spill out into the Husqvarna/Speedbrain masterplan? I've talked with a couple of their corporate guys that really want to increase their Rally exposure here in the US.

Or the Chinese--A couple of their engineers didn't understand a word of English I said to them at a trade show until I asked about Dakar. What exactly are they up to?

From Manuel's FB page:

"Picking up the spare engine in Udine, will be a challenge to bring it on the plane as luggage"