The Bivouac

[PackMule]

Godspeed to each of those souls.

[Patrol]

Libya still won't give a visa to American citizens, so any route there would be prohibitive for US racers / fans, at a time when the rallye scene is trying to crack the US market. Don't think you'll see much happen there.

[Lord Quas]

did the dakar die? this is nice if you haven't seen it.

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Wjq02F9r0Ig/

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/T4Ly-mwTDMM/

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/T066LiS_Vx8/

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/OosDfyG5eng/

[Destination Dakar]

Originally Posted by Brimstone

I just read from a friend on Twitter the following:

"Emilie Poucan, Dakar Rally Press Attache, was killed in a plane crash in Tripoli today."

This is the same plane that crashed killing all but one 10 year old boy. Sad news for the organizers... Sounds like there may be something in the works for a route through Libya though...

This is very sad,Emilie was a very nice person, she was very good to Natalie and myself in this years Dakar.

My heart goes out to her family and to everyone at ASO.

This has been a terrible year for Rally we lost Mohammed Berrichi (Momo)and Isabella Catelin in Morocco and now Emilie very sad.
All very good people.

[skibum69]

godspeed

[CBVRacing]

Originally Posted by Destination Dakar

This is very sad,Emilie was a very nice person, she was very good to Natalie and myself in this years Dakar.

My heart goes out to her family and to everyone at ASO.

This has been a terrible year for Rally we lost Mohammed Berrichi (Momo)and Isabella Catelin in Morocco and now Emilie very sad.
All very good people.

...and not a single word on http://www.dakar.com

Pretty sad for this SAD Rally (South American Dakar Rally)

[Carlos M]

Charlie Rauseo posted this in a thread about Rallye PanAm

Originally Posted by lastplace

From KTM today:

"Dear Charlie!

Please find attached the technical detail of our 450 Rally bike, which will be available for Dakar 2011.

Our quotation will be as follow:

Price 450 KTM Rally: 29.300,-- Euro (without VAT)
Price spare engine (max. 2): 5.000,-- Euro (without VAT)
Bike painted in sponsor basicolor: 1.000,-- Euro (without VAT)
Production date: October 2010
Closing date (for orders) : 15th of June


For orders please contact daniela.leidl@ktm.at

Pictures of the bike we will send you soon (1 – 2 weeks).

We are looking forward to hearing soon from you!

Best regards
KTM Rally team"

attached specs:

450 Rally Replica 2011

Engine
Engine type Single cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement 449cc
Bore / stroke 97 / 60,8
Power n.s.
Torque n.s.
Starter / battery Electric starter / 12 V 8.6 Ah
Transmission 5 gears, dog clutch engagement
Fuel system Keihin FCR-MX 41
Control 4 V / OHC with roller rocker levers
Lubrication Pressure lubrication with 1 Eaton pumps
Engine oil Motorex, fully synthetic, SAE 10W-60
Final drive 15 : 48
Cooling Liquid cooling
Clutch Wet multi-disc clutch, hydraulically operated
Engine management / ignition Keihin DC ECU


Chassis
Frame Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame, powder coated
Subframe Self-supporting plastic tank
Handlebar Aluminium, tapered, Ø 28 / 22 mm
Front suspension WP-USD Ø 48 mm
Rear suspension WP-Monoshock with Pro-Lever linkage
Suspension travel front / rear 300 / 310 mm
Front brake Brembo two-piston, floating caliper, brake disc Ø 300 mm
Rear brake Brembo single piston, floating caliper, brake disc Ø 240 mm
Rims front / rear Spoked wheels with aluminium rims 1.60 x 21'' / 2.50 x 18''
Tyres front / rear 90/90-21"; 130/80-18"
Chain X-Ring 5/8 x 1/4"
Steering head angle 62.5°
Trail 120 mm
Wheel base 1,535 ± 15 mm
Ground clearance 320 mm
Seat height 980 mm
Tank capacity approx. 35 litres
Weight (ready to race) under 150 kg (without fuel)

Who wants to buy one? Pay now. Delivery (slightly used) in February 2011. They'll sell one to us, but probably not to the general public this year at least.

fun fun
Charlie

[skibum69]

well then, sounds like quite the bargain

[dox]

Looks like our friend Don Hatton has been hangin' out with Cyril...


Link: Cyril Despres Creates Amateur KTM Team

For the lazy:

The idea has been trotting around in his head for a while now and finally in Sardinia it has come to fruition - Team KTM Cyril Despres - a team of seven amateur riders to whom the Frenchman can pass on his years of experience and ‘savoir-faire'.

Commented Cyril, "I have always enjoyed explaining things and passing on my knowledge and here in Sardinia is the perfect opportunity to help out some privateers. The rally isn't too hard and not too different from what an enduro rider is used to. Plus the road book here is ideal for learning the ‘black art' of navigation.

In total seven riders have taken up the opportunity, traveling, literally, from the four corners of the globe to take part in the third round of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship. "We have an Australian, two South Africans, a Guatemalan, a Canadian, a guy from Portugal and a guy from the UK. Yesterday we went out with an old road book and had a practice session and I think they picked up some useful tips. Hopefully it will set them in good stead for the rest of the week."

Commented Canadian team member Don Hatton, "This isn't my first rally but I really learnt a lot yesterday. To be honest I always thought navigation was my strong point but yesterday bought it all together. In addition the bikes are really nicely prepared, the team as well organized as you'd expect and the atmosphere super friendly. I am really looking forward to the rally getting underway."

The team first gathered for the third round of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship where they had a practice session.

[wrk2surf]

facebook ... this weeks rally... supposed to be a 530

[SafariBerg]

Originally Posted by wrk2surf

facebook ... this weeks rally... supposed to be a 530

well if its anything like the 530's KTM uses over here betchyua it's actually 565cc with a Berg 570 piston kit in it

[PackMule]

Surf, what happened to the original pic (looked like a rallye bike)?

[gagnaou]

Here is for you Dakar fans, from the racer X web site:



Source: http://www.racerxonline.com/article/...-fighters.aspx

[JMo (& piglet)]

Awesome picture! But I'd have liked to have seen him do it on a 690RR!

J x

[wrk2surf]

via DAKAR.COM

25-06-2010 - Trail Hunters…


The reconnaissance team led by David Castera has already driven a few thousand kilometres and had some hitches along the way in Argentina and Chile when finishing the reconnaissance of the final route of the Rally Raid. Here is the story of the first reconnaissance tour.
It all starts with a dive into mapping software systems for weeks. The IT tool provides a realistic, a precise vision of the terrain where drivers, riders and teams of the Dakar will fight for victory. The stage cities are chosen on the basis of the software assessment. It is then time to go there and check the consistency of the draft route. This is the purpose of the first series of reconnaissance that was completed a few days ago in Argentina and Chile. David Castera, the race manager, made three stays in the field with the South-American teams of the rally to check all sites and trails on the agenda. Drawn in details after the first round of recce, the route will then be put forward for approval to representatives of the authorities in charge of environmental protection and to associations in charge of protecting archaeological sites. People from both structures shall also ride along with the team for the second run of reconnaissance that will drive the route once again this summer.
As planned, it is in the North of Argentina that David started previewing the route contenders will have to face. Immediately, the “trail hunter” has his first disappointments: “We moved very slowly because a lot of the trails did not exist or would lead us towards hills and mountains that are too high. Eventually we found a pretty wide corridor that will take us to Tucuman and then to Jujuy. In terms of landscapes, I really liked the fairy chimneys that can be seen in the background in the area. The other satisfaction of the beginning of the raid is to reuse the principle of separate stages for bikes and then cars and trucks, with e.g. more technical sections for the two-wheelers.”
For this third Latin-American edition of the raid, the Dakar will pursue its discovery of Chile up to Arica, just a stone’s throw from the Peruvian border. The stay in the Atacama Desert will – once again – be the highlight of the Chilean part of the raid: “Opportunities are almost endless around the two huge sand banks and dunes of Copiapo and Iquique. I keep finding locations each time I go there. The contenders are in for new surprises”, explains Castera talking about the stages designed in the kingdom of off-road rallying.
When inspiration is missing, chance seems to come to the rescue of the reconnaissance team looking for routes that will challenge the contenders on the way back to Buenos Aires: “After a stage where the contenders will have to fight against the white sand dunes in Fiambala, I wanted to keep the bar high and the race intense up to the finish line. But to reach San Juan, I had found nothing but useless or uninteresting trails. I was getting depressed when we met a tour guide specialized in hiking who knows the area like the back of his hand. We had a chat; he called some of his buddies to the rescue and the next day, we were five men looking for the right track for the special stage in question!” With the help of his new improvised recce team mates, David was pretty happy about the gems found by his table neighbours: “In a nutshell, it is really the most beautiful stage of the rally both for the race and for the landscape. It runs through canyons and rios; it plunges into valleys of red rocks... it is simply amazing!”