Posts
6329
Joined
5/27/2011
Location
Newcastle
AU
Edited Date/Time
2/22/2022 2:24pm
Doesn't seem like they see value racing it anymore. Wonder if other manufacturers are starting to feel the same way? Wonder where that leaves Shorty?
https://www.motorsport.com/dakar/news/yamaha-ends-factory-motorcycle-pr…
It doesn't even go to Dakar!
IMO, rename it, and do on a different continent every year, making it more international.
Do one gnarly one out west here in the US, up through the dunes of Utah and the gnarly mountains to the salt flats pinned to the Nevada deserts.
Have one in Chile (again) and Brazil and Thailand and China and Australia.
Just move to new challenging local, one that can garner a great deal of local interest that creates new followers and fans
The Shop
The 30-60 minute segments we get every night during it's running, are nothing more than highlight reels, and the dreaded backstories.
I followed on the dakar YouTube channel.
It wasn't much better.
Another case of, it's a helluvan event to compete in.
But not so much to spectate.
Although the scenery is incredible.
The Ténéré and their adventure bike segment is built on the rally races. Such a shame.
Organizers may be bogus, but the racing is still incredible. Maybe I'm in the minority, but it seems that podcast continues to grow in popularity.
In spirit it lives, of course, but it needs a makeover.
Calling it Dakar when it no longer goes to Dakar is silly.
Also, if it travelled, like F1 and others, it'll gain more fans.
Energy drinks are cutting back on sponsorship of motorsports so they were basically going to be left to fund the whole racing program. Complete lack of corporate understanding or interest in this segment and a squeeze from lack of funding.
Makes total sense that Yamaha is done with desert racing.
The Dakar and World CC Rally and their athletes are incredible. Corporate Yamaha, not so much ...
I’ve heard a few mention this when talking shop but I never got any of dirty specifics/stories.
Pit Row
And they were too big and dangerous
Fast forward to now , and the Dakar is run round some rich guy's back yard, and the bike buying public cant buy great big adventure bikes fast enough, because now they grasp the concept that you have to actually go on an adventure to make them worth having .
So not a single $$ of money thrown at the 450 Rally Bike , is any use to the brand for R&D , and even though they spend gazillions of $$ on the event, the fuckwits in charge make it all about ' tyre conservation' , so it becomes a total farce, and manufacturers have to go back to their shareholders and explain why a $10m investment went to shit for the sake of a rule that stops you putting a $300 tyre on a bike every day .
I stopped watching Dakar when it moved from South America, and while that move wasnt great , it saved the event, and still encompassed the ethos of Thierry Sabine's original race.
Expect Honda to follow suit.
KTM will stay , because they sell shit loads of bikes off it , whatever happens.
The MFG's are getting Toyota Corolla Hatchback prices out of stupid simple dune buggies and everybody with two nickels to rub together thinks they have to have one. It's better than selling crack.
Seems like there is more coverage than ever.
Even here on vital it gets more attention than ever.
Car manufacturers are putting in huge amounts, big names from other disciplines are racing it when they can.
Dakar is fine.
I hope Shorty gets another spot on a solid team, I loved hearing his passion whenever he is on the Pulp show.
https://www.ktm.com/en-ke/models/travel/ktm-450-rally-factoryreplica202…
The ktm is a dedicated limited production rally bike with trellis style perimeter frame built to be as compact as possible.
The Yamaha is based on the standard Wr450 with an extended swingarm for stability and all the rally bits tacked on. I'd describe it as a factory modified bike as opposed to a rally designed race bike.
Sport dies.
They should let them run production based adventure bikes, with a rev limit and a restrictor, so they can sell what they are racing.
Post a reply to: Yamaha Pulls Out of DAKAR and FIM Rally Series