Dakar 2014 - Official Event Coverage - thank you all, lurkers and posters!!!

Mike is my Luis this year.

Go Mike!!!

LET'S GO MIKEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About cutting the stage short, my theory, for what it might be worth, is that the ASHo realised that they have created a monster this year and could foresee more utter carnage heading our way so acted to avoid it!

I 100% appreciate that the Dakar is the toughest race in the world, but the front runners have been unduly penalised this year and it may just have crossed the line from being a game of skill with some chance to one of chance, regardless of skill

Not even at rest day yesterday and more than half are out - just hope we don't continue at the same rate of attrition

I'm really not sure how the high level "thing" will play out once this is over and people take a step back, but with safety being paramount for all concerned perhaps the envelope has been pushed a little too much this year

- and I'm sure Ted could produce a best seller on this years bivouac alone

Hey I'm not being a wimp and it's not like me to think like this, but I am - maybe I'm getting too old

So did your approval hinge on getting to ride his rally bike?

Too tough to let this stop him.
Get on top of it, Young Man. After what you've already beaten this is just a pebble.

With you, Gilbert, all the way.

Now that would be telling, but he did ask in the polite traditional manner reflectant of the type of lad he is.

Friends, do you think that there may have been some bad fuel used in today's stage? It seems like too many fuel related problems all at once to be a coincidence. Despres, Barreda, and Coma all had fuel related problems today while Goncalves and Farres Guell's bikes even caught fire and burned to a crisp (so Yamaha, Honda, KTM, Honda, and GasGas). I realize it was very hot during today's stage, but it just seems like there might be more to it. I just don't know what else to make of it. Fuelgate anyone? Any insights would be appreciated.

No!

Might not be bad fuel, but in some cases just not enough of it, CDP has even stated that specifically?

Oh, flight home got delayed and got back to the bivy at 5 am and bed by 6 - back up and on the f5eeboard by 7.30 am - so see I'm not that much of a wimp

No ,fuel quality is good , ASO bring all the fuel over. Maybe vaporizing issues if it was as hot as they say.
Im surprised Helder didn't run out .
Gonks bike burning ,at least showed it wasn't an octane problem !!!

I would have made it a condition.

I'm weak that way.

40 minutes of red hot wandering could be 50k's. 50k's is 20% of a 250K range, not that 250 is the target range.. just doing rough estimates for reference.

Was it Metgne who said he went 25K down the wrong route between notes and had a long trek back to find the right way again?

To which I would say:

Hypermiling across part of super-flat Louisiana, I squeaked out ~52mpg on my Harley Street Rod. Just being an idiot, but an idiot with a huge grin on my face, on another occasion I burned a bit over 2.5gal in 53 miles.

In answer to your question, jfotopo, there was no bad fuel or there would have been dead bikes everywhere. Of course, that's just my opinion.

The right hand controls the fuel.

Did you notice in the longshot from the helicopter, there are no less than four photographers sticking their cameras in Paulo's face but not a single person attempting to put out the fire or be of assistance in any way.

What is this "bed" that you speak of? Sorry, but I'm a stupid Yank/Gringo/Redneck/??? and don't speak foreign languages.

nothing you can do without extinguishers, short of covering the bike in sand. Seems a bit harsh to hand him a bottle of water at that moment.

I thought Pedrero could of pulled up and roosted sand all over Gonks bike to put it out ,but was probably to far gone anyway.
good way to get plenty of sand coverage !

deleted, 410.

Normal operating temp at the upper oil banjo on my air cooled TT350 is 140-150°c, 80-90° at the gearbox.
Turn the engine off and it'll reach 170° no problem.