Dakar 2013 - Official Event Coverage - thank you ALL TeamF5, lurkers and posters!

[silentwolf]

Wow. Had to press F5 one more time...

I go back to the no technology zone of home (dial up land. Bad dial up at that. ) after the race is over...

and it still takes me an hour to go though what I've missed...

Originally Posted by K_N_Fodder

Cool!

Ended up a little more 'epic' than planned but we had a ball anyway.

Wah ! That's what I had planned for Monday but the whiteout kept me grounded..

I guess I need to go make Pisco's or something to get over it.


F5 has definitely been fantastic this year. Thanks to everyone.

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by cyborg

Next year F5 Team Captains need to put a new rule in the F5irehose Rulebook, Code 147-13.5C: "No snoo, snooo (ack! I can't say it) shall clutter up the Dakar coverage".

That's all....

I just added a filter: it won't allow me to view anything that says ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************************


Ah see there it goes..

[Possu]

Originally Posted by frostyuk

Great pic, his face tells the story of his Dakar.

Well done Craig.

[ecarnell]

Originally Posted by Possu

Great pic, his face tells the story of his Dakar.

Well done Craig.

Does anyone know what kind of gear he is wearing (jacket an brace?)?

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by Czechie

- why Yamaha is not able to put together a team like KTM? Does it mean that Dakar is rather a low priority to them compared to Moto GP?

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

I think that is exactly it... While the Dakar is huge to us, and in 'off road' circles, Yamaha sell tens of thousands of street/sports bikes the world over - it's a far larger market, and Moto GP is a whole season, with massive TV and media coverage in every corner of the world, not just one race?

Of course the budget for Dakar would be tiny compared to fielding a factory and satellite Moto GP team/s, but it is the concentration of engineers and resources, and not least the target of advertising and marketing that is going to dictate their current policy...

Off road bikes are not a huge priority for any of the Japanese brands (compared to street orientated machines)... and even with the huge growth in the 'Adventure' market in recent years, I think this Dakar more than any other has shown that the current generation of Dakar/rally bike is a lightweight precision racing machine, not ideally suited to a everyday 'Adventure' role?

Jx

I've been paying way too much attention to this stuff over the last couple of years since I'm a bit of a Yamaha freak... The real issue for Yamaha is that a few years ago (2009 I think) they pulled the plug on most of their factory teams due to budget issues. I think even the Moto GP team was on the chopping block. In the end what they've done is created a factory 'support' program for all the racers that are out there, but don't directly fund the teams. This works for Yamaha for exposure and being able to offload some development to teams. The teams themselves have more of a burden, but still get the parts they need and some direct development through Yamaha. Before then I think you could consider Yamaha France as the Factory Yamaha team/support. As I think Jenny mentioned, this is Yamaha's version of what BMW has done. Exposure and development without negative feedback. (not that it wasn't negative at the time.)

Originally Posted by tehdutchie

What I keep noticing is the different builts of the YZ (not WR) that were in the race as 'supposed' factory bikes. I guess Yamaha still hasnt got a full works entry or Olivier Pain is not part of it. Once Yamaha deceides on a platform they can develop it and move forward.

The way I look at it now is that Yamaha just throws a few test bikes and some money at the riders and the 'factory' effort ends there...
Is it up to the rider to choose the bike and built or up to the rider?

Or is David Casteu the one that isn't on a factory bike (JVO Kit vs Alu tanks on the Factory)?

The other issue for now is that Yamaha has changed their bike platforms so many times in the 450 class since the Dakar move to South America. Several riders this year were still on steel framed WR 450 kits from pre 2007. Others were on the Aluminum WR, the 2010 WR, some using the YZ and now the new 2012 WR which is a YZ frame. So it really does come down to rider preference and perhaps ability. Now that Yamaha has made a more performance oriented WR, who knows? Perhaps another sponsor will show up and do an effort like Redbull/KTM?

Monster/Yamaha? http://www.yamaha-racing.com/Racing/...%20Partnership

Who else has a global presence that would dive in the ring?

Yamaha is definitely more consumer oriented, but they like to make forays when they want to...

[XSpearsX]

Not sure how to where to share...but we finally got the video of Luis on the podium posted:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/FreedomRallyRacing

Lots more to come in the next couple days if you like the page

[K_N_Fodder]

Originally Posted by PackMule

Anyone want to hear from Luis?


Hoping to talk to him soon. Post up any questions....

Nate -

I'd love to hear from Luis. Questions could include:

1. Average sleep per night. How did you stay awake on the stage?
2. What happened that night in the dunes... what was it, Stage 12 maybe? 60kms from the end... we all thought you were pushing... etc.
3. How much did the bike weigh?
4. Did you have enough HP to attack the dunes or did you have to chose your lines carefully?
5. What kind of speed could you hold on the tarmac?

Justin

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by XSpearsX

Not sure how to where to share...but we finally got the video of Luis on the podium posted:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/FreedomRallyRacing

Lots more to come in the next couple days if you like the page

Dag nab Facebook...

liked

Thanks much for getting up there. Yeah Luis!
(subtitles or CC?)

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by K_N_Fodder

Nate -

I'd love to hear from Luis. Questions could include:

1. Average sleep per night. How did you stay awake on the stage?
2. What happened that night in the dunes... what was it, Stage 12 maybe? 60kms from the end... we all thought you were pushing... etc.
3. How much did the bike weigh?
4. Did you have enough HP to attack the dunes or did you have to chose your lines carefully?
5. What kind of speed could you hold on the tarmac?

Justin

General Ditto here. I'd love to hear the tech and his personal account of the adventure.

Than again is two days enough to sleep it off...

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by silentwolf

(subtitles or CC?)

Then again, no translation is really needed...

(And he was still pushing the bike! )

[Dakar Dan]

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

My point is simply that by separating the racing programme/s (Mini & Husqvarna) from the parent company (BMW) the risk now is minimal for BMW - if it works, then it's great for the sub-brands; and it if doesn't, BMW don't suffer from adverse publicity/criticism, and their core business and brand image remains unaffected...

Jx

This seems to be the strategy of many of the former big rallye teams, including the autos (eg. BMW, VW, Mitsubishi) that previously had monster budgets to play with. At the moment, it seems to be the energy drink companies with the most to spend. If they pull out or cut back, who knows where the top end funding for a lot of motorsport will be sourced?

[JMo (& piglet)]

Originally Posted by barrier

OK time is up!

Hee hee - sure enough, I've been revamping my new website all day today with all the latest developments - it should be live before the end of this week... and of course there will be a whole new thread here all about the bike development, the team behind it, and a fantastic opportunity...

Hang on in there!

Jx

[MF1A]

Originally Posted by silentwolf

General Ditto here. I'd love to hear the tech and his personal account of the adventure.

Than again is two days enough to sleep it off...

same here!!

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

Hee hee - sure enough, I've been revamping my new website all day today with all the latest developments - it should be live before the end of this week... and of course there will be a whole new thread here all about the bike development, the team behind it, and a fantastic opportunity...

Hang on in there!

Jx

[knybanjo]

Originally Posted by XSpearsX

Not sure how to where to share...but we finally got the video of Luis on the podium posted:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/FreedomRallyRacing

Lots more to come in the next couple days if you like the page