2013 Dakar Pre-Event Discussion

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by Myway

think so not checked it looks like the kml above of the assistanca route.
from this link on the bottom
http://perut.org/index.php?topic=1323.0

Yes, it's the same thing (assistance route) as the Google Earth file shows, with a few words translated into spanish.

[kaosrider]

ASO is bringing the new drug tests that worked so well with the Tour Da France. KTM knows the jig is up and bailing now so as to not have to give up past victories...







just kidding....I think

[too old]

Originally Posted by kaosrider

ASO is bringing the new drug tests that worked so well with the Tour Da France. KTM knows the jig is up and bailing now so as to not have to give up past victories...



just kidding....I think

Just as well it's kidding, if they were as stringent as cycling Red Bull would be up shit creek without a spare mousse,

Mind you have you heard the one about Lance Armstrong buying a 450 RR

[Evil Invader]

Doesn´t CD like go on a bicycletrip now and then.....

[YOGOI]

If KTM leaves Dakar, I'm gonna blame the expensive world of the AMA super/moto cross.

[Sparrowhawk]

Originally Posted by Flood

I also think that IF the rumor is true, the background could be KTM retiring from the Dakar. Manufacturer of the year or not, they still aren't totally stable financially and they have been hurting since 2008. Keeping up the huge factory effort for the Dakar is a completely different thing for KTM than for a company like Honda.

Maybe KTM says 11 wins is enough, Coma is retiring and Despres is out to earn some more money at HRC?

KTM's shift away from rally racing would not be that surprising. It takes a huge investment to maintain teams with a virtual guarantee for 2 or 3 KTMs on the podium. That investment would be difficult to justify from a marketing standpoint, given their current corporate focus, and I do not think KTM has any interest in running a second tier effort.

Up until the 450 rule there was a direct link from the bikes for sale to the general public and the KTMs winning Dakar. You could go down to the local dealer, pick up a 640 Adventure, 950 Adventure, or 690 R and feel a connection to the likes of Fabrizio Meoni, Nani Roma, or Cyril Despres. KTM's 450 Rally has never been much more than a (extremely capable) quad/MX/rally parts bin bike and there is nothing even related to it available for sale.

KTM's near-term goal appears to be expanding sales in the booming Asian market. To what degree does winning Dakar generate sales for KTM there?

Further, the public unfortunately seems more interested in soft "adventure" bikes along the lines of BMW's GS series than those with real off-road abilities like KTM's 990 Adventure R. Both the LC4 and LC8 offerings have become more road oriented as time goes by to meet that demand. The relevance to rally racing for KTM may be fading as markets shift.

[wrk2surf]

then you have the Xbow and electric toys..

[Jadon]

Will Superstitious Cyril take #2 now that it is available?

[Pantah]

Originally Posted by Sparrowhawk

KTM's shift away from rally racing would not be that surprising. It takes a huge investment to maintain teams with a virtual guarantee for 2 or 3 KTMs on the podium.

.

I like what KTM is doing right now. There was an interview article I read recently (CN?) that featured Jon-Erik Burleson who is the Pres of KTM USA. I got the impression that racing would continue to be a focus. He seemed pretty passionate about the whole concept, and pointed out that they produce many derivative products to suit particular nitches in their market, while traditional OEM's might only produce an enduro bike and a motocrosser. One look at the KTM enduro line up and its pretty obvious how they differentiate themselves and command a premium to boot.

KTM has had a good long run in Rallye Raid. They have always been solid in enduro type race bikes and finally after decades of failure they have a premium motocross effort. I would think MX/SX is where they need to invest now that they've got some talent running their programs. Maybe this Moto 3 thing can be even bigger, since it is pretty obvious that their Moto 3 factory bike is already the class of the paddock.

There will be 3 MotoGP rounds next season in North America. How many Raids?

[Brodovitch]

And on that note, I remember catching a rumour when the '13 husabergs were rolled out to be nothing more than blue KTMs, that orange would focus only on mx in the Offroad segment and that team blue would cover all the enduro needs of the Mattighoffen family. I laughed at the time, but if they are pulling out of rallies it kind of fits with that hypothetical strategy

[Dread Pendragon]

T.V. story on Don Hatton

[too old]

Wow, what a day that was, Coma retiring, Cyril switching to HRC, Helder leaving HRC and KTM pulling out of rally

What's next?

[DruncleWill]

Originally Posted by too old

Wow, what a day that was, Coma retiring, Cyril switching to HRC, Helder leaving HRC and KTM pulling out of rally

What's next?

This doesn't sound like retirement plans, but his mention of KTM's lack of 2013 plans is interesting
"I hope I can commit to the entire World Championships which begin in Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in April (5 to 11). KTM has not yet defined our program for 2013, but I think that there will be no problem on the feasibility ... " said the World Champion title and hand over.
http://www.mfe-live.com/index.php/ho...u-dakar-a-lima

[Mad Cow]

Originally Posted by Sparrowhawk

KTM's 450 Rally has never been much more than a (extremely capable) quad/MX/rally parts bin bike and there is nothing even related to it available for sale.

Apart from the KTM 450 RR that is!

But I get your point, they are not exactly common (although I do know two people who own them, a Mr Lyndon Poskitt and Mr Craig Bounds )

There are certainly shifts in the market for KTM and at the end of the day they need to make money rather than pander to the needs of a relitively small Rally market.

Whilst the Dakar undoubtedly sells off road bikes (not just 450 RRs) it is only one (very expensive) race a year, the FIM World Cross Country Championship gets virtually no media coverage by comparison. Ultimately it is all about media value, you can bet that the bean counters at Mattighofen have done the sums comparing Dakar v MX v Moto3.

Let's wait and see what 2013 brings, looks like it could be an interesting year!

[kaia]

to me it seems a bit out of place and bit bad timing that something like CDP moving to HRC would come out now, just a week before his biggest race of the year.

even IF there is talk happening in the background for the rumored move to happen, regardless of when, it seems like something that people surrounding the move would be sworn to secrecy / have NDA's signed - to avoid rumors like the last few pages have created from happening.


nothing quite like a F5 rumor mill - although, we NEED something to do while we wait for actual facts to come in... :)


re: mischa / trakingdakar.nl - my server is available as well. PM me.