a cn.com.au 1
THE
BIKES
Ittakesaspecialkindof
rider to reach the finish line
ofthe gruelling Dakar Rally.
But it’s notjust anymachine
thatcan get them thereKTM
THE REVISED 2 018 450 Rally
is less Rallybike and more
Endurobike. It’slighter than
ever, gainedaconsiderable
boost inperformance, and it
wasenoughtoensurethefirm
has neverbeenbeaten.
SHERCO
SHERCO’S2018DAKARRally
contenderis based aroundits
4 50 SEF-Renduromachine.
SpanishlegendJuan Pedrero
Garcia finishedjust outside the
top-10in11thfortheteamoften
regardedas theunderdog.
HONDA
BIGRED’SCRF45 0 Rallyisan
evolutionofthemachinewhich
dominatedmuchofthe 2017
event. TheMonsterEnergy
Hondasquadisdue a Dakar
win,itfinishedsecondin2018
with Kevin Benavides.GAS GAS
FOLLOWINGATWO-year hiatus,
GasGasmadeitsDakarRally
return this year,fielding three
bikes. Frenchveteran Johnny
Aubertwasthehighest placed
rider, ending the 14-day event
in sixth overall.HERO
NOW WITH TWODakarrallies
underitsbelt,thelargest two-
wheel manufacturerinthe
worldagain teamedup with
off-roadguru Speedbrain, and
finished seventh with Dakar
rookie Oriol Mena. Impressive.YAMAHA
YAMAHA’S20 18 DAKAR
weaponisacaseoflessis
more. EssentiallyaWR450F
with a swag oftop-shelfrally
accessoriesboltedto it. Itlead
thisyear’s Dakar Rallyfor
longer than any other brand.STAGE TOTAL TIMED WINNER NAT BIKE LEADER
STAGE 1 272km 31km SSunderland GBr KTM SSunderland
STAGE 2 278 km 267km JBarreda Spa Hon JBarreda
STAGE 3 50 1km 295km SSunderland GBr KTM Sunderland
STAGE 4 444 km 330 km AvanBeveren Fra Yam AvanBeveren
STAGE 5 770 km 264km JBarreda Spa Hon AvanBeveren
STAGE 6 758km 313km AMéo Fra KTM KBenavides
STAGE 7 72 6km 425km JBarreda Spa Hon AvanBeveren
STAGE 8 58 4km 498km AMéo Fra KTM vA anBeveren
STAGE 9 Cancelled
STAGE1 0 795km 372km MWalkner Aut KTM MWalkner
STAGE11 484km 280km T Price Aus KTM MWalkner
STAGE1 2 Cancelled
STAGE1 3 90 4km 423km T Price Aus KTM MWalkner
STAGE 1 4 284 km 119km KBenavides Arg Hon MWalkne
TOTAL 6800KM 3617KMHUSQVA R NA
ROCKSTAR ENERGYHusqvarna
CameintotheDakaras one
ofthefavourites after Pablo
Quintanillapickedup the2017
Cross CountryRallies world
titleontheall-new FR 450. He
crashed outduring Stage 8.HIMOINSA
TEAMHIMOINSAis a leading
privateer outfitwhichuses
KTM machineryand, with 17
winstoKTM’sname,whocan
blame them. Offour entries,
theSpanishteam celebrated
two top-10 finishes in 2018.RESULTS