Daniel Sanders, who claimed top rookie honours and finished just outside the podium last year, grabbed his maiden Dakar stage win in the opener short special of Dakar 2022 overnight.
It was a first in more than one way, as the Australian also netted GASGAS its first triumph in the most prestigious rally raid on Earth. As the icing on the cake, it was the first victory for the new 450 platform being used across the GASGAS, KTM and Husqvarna team, the latest showpiece of the Mattighofen factory, unveiled in Morocco last year. GASGAS is the 13th constructor to take a stage in Dakar, the rally had not feted a new winner since 2010, when Sherco and Aprilia opened their accounts.
Daniel Sanders
After departing Jeddah along the Red Sea for a northbound 225 km transfer, the starting shot for the qualifying stage was fired at the entrance to the Medina region. The opening 19 km sprint was a sign of things to come: sandy tracks and dunes in an all-sand timed sector in which the entrants crowned and gobbled up dunes, sometimes even broken ones, and climbed to an altitude of close to 400 metres.
On this power hike, competitors were expected to bring their A game from the beginning for the special before the caravan then headed north-east for a 614 km liaison to Ha’il, where the grand start podium awaited the participants for tomorrow’s stage 1B on a loop course.
Pablo Quintanilla crossed the finish-line twelve seconds adrift of the day’s winner, Daniel Sanders. The prologue’s conversion factor, a coefficient of five, put him one minute behind the Australian, with the Monster Energy Honda Team rider now lying in second place in the rally’s overall standings.
Daniel Sanders – P1
“It’s cool to win my first Dakar special. I was really comfortable in the stage, the bike was handling unreal. It’s cool to show some speed, but the navigation has to start tomorrow. Looking forward to a long race. I knew I had to be fast in the prologue. If there’s not too much navigation, I can be in the top 3 or 5 in the prologue. This will give me a good spot to start from 10th to 15th tomorrow, I get to choose. It’s cool to win my first Dakar special.”
Daniel Sanders
Pablo Quintanilla – P2
“I’m very happy with the way we have started the year. It was a short prologue, but it was intense, fast, with dunes and some rocks, but it helped me to get my nerves sorted out and start to get into the swing of things little by little. My goal was to finish in the top four and I finished second, so I did it and I’ll be able to choose a good starting position for tomorrow, which is an important stage with over 300 kilometres of special. It will be complicated. It will be important to start from the rear. We hope to have a good first week of rallying.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Ross Branch was third quickest on a day where riders were most definitely playing a tactical game.
KTM Factory Racing duo Kevin Benavides of Argentina was P4 and Austria’s Matthias Walkner P5.
Kevin Benavides – P4
“It’s never easy to get started at the Dakar. There are always some nerves and lots of emotion. I was feeling a bit rigid at the beginning, but I managed to relax as I got into the stage.”
Kevin Benavides
Former champion Sam Sunderland was seventh behind Adrien Van Beveren, while two-time winner Toby Price was one place further back in eighth.
Toby Price
Joan Barreda was the second rider in the RallyGP group to take the start. With a lot of dust in the air over the opening stretches and without any major references ahead, the Spaniard posted tenth on the day. Honda team-mate American Ricky Brabec opted not to push too hard on the first day and took P12, however, without dropping any significant time to his rivals.
Ricky Brabec – P12
“I think the Dakar really starts tomorrow. It was just a prologue and a big transfer day. Today was just really for starting positions. I didn’t do the best, so it looks like I’m going to be starting from the front, more or less, tomorrow. There is still the whole Dakar to race; we have twelve days more of racing. So today was a kind of transfer day just to get to Ha’il. The team is here. We are looking healthy, so let’s keep moving forwards, keep the spirits high and let’s keep the finish in sight.”
Ricky Brabec
In his usual fashion, José Ignacio Cornejo produced a fairly reserved prologue. The Chilean from Iquique, who is 25th, will pick up the pace as the race progresses and was happy to be well back in the pack during the opening stage.
José Ignacio Cornejo – P21
“Today, there was a lot to be gained, but even more to be lost in the middle of the pack of 15, so I decided to play it safe. I lost some time today, but I’ll get opportunities to claw it back in the coming days.”
José Ignacio Cornejo
MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci completed his first dip at Dakar in P23.
Danilo Petrucci
Aussie privateer Andrew Houlihan made a safe start to his second Dakar campaign and finished Stage 1A in 115th.
Tomorrow’s stage
On Saturday evening, at the drivers’ briefing, the top finishers chose the starting order for tomorrow’s stage 1B, a looping stage in Ha’il, including 333 kilometres of special stage. Friday fast man Daniel Sanders selected start position #15. Pablo Quintanilla will start in fourteenth position, whilst Brabec will start from fourth and Barreda from sixth. Cornejo will start in the same position he finished today. It will be run over sandy tracks, reaching an altitude of 1,300 metres, with a fair degree of navigational complexity.
However, not all of the route will be against the clock: a total of 181 kilometres of liaison section will complete the day’s 514-kilometre total. The departure from the Ha’il bivouac will be at 0545 and the first riders are expected to arrive back at the bivouac from 1245 (local time) onwards.
Dakar 2022 Results Prologue (Stage 1A)
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team 00:55’30
QUINTANILL Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +00:01’00
BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:01’55
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’00
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’35
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:02’40
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Gas Gas Factory Team +00:02’55
PRICE Toby 18 Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’55
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:03’00
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +00:03’00
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +00:03’05
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +00:03’55
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +00:04’05
MICHEK Martin CZE Orion Moto Racing Group +00:04’15
COX Bradley RSA BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM +00:05’30
It seems fitting to go back to a New Years Day 22 years ago, 2000, to take a look at the the first motorcycle to be offered for sale directly by a major manufacturer via the internet – the Ducati MH900e (Mike Hailwood 900 Evoluzione).
Ducati MH900e
The bike began as no more than a sketch by Pierre Terblanche, head of Ducati’s Design Dept at the time as a homage to Mike Hailwood’s 1978 IoM winning 900F1, and was shown as a prototype at the Intermot Show in 1998.
Ducati MH900e
The public’s response was favourable enough that the company followed up with a questionnaire on their website to further gauge interest. As a result it was decided to go ahead with a limited production run of 1000 bikes with orders being able to be placed at 0001 on January 1st, 2000.
Ducati MH900e
All 1000 were sold immediately! Subsequently it was decided to offer another 1000.
Ducati MH900e
The production bike used a stock 900SS motor (fitted with an alloy imitation bevel engine sump) but installed in a new tubular steel chassis that featured a sinuous single-sided swingarm.
Ducati MH900e
Terblanche’s prototype featured a number of avant-garde features such as the rear indicators being housed inside the muffler ends and a rear-view camera and display instead of mirrors that didn’t make it into production.
Ducati MH900e
However the rest of the bike was remarkably close to the original sketch including the alloy headlight surround and the exquisite screen mountings.
Ducati MH900e
Interestingly Ducati put the prototype up for auction at Sotheby’s in September 1999 with a US$ 1 million reserve, but while that was not met the bidding did reach $750,000!
Ducati MH900e
Production was originally planned to be sub-contracted to Bimota but that changed when they entered receivership so the bikes ended up being hand built in a corner of the Ducati factory at a rate of 4-5 per day. As a result production was spread across 2001 and into 2002.
Ducati MH900e
Due to the more restrictive exhaust system the MH900e’s maximum output was 4 hp down on the 900SS, 75 hp at 8,000rpm.
Ducati MH900e
The chassis dimensions are: wheelbase 1415 mm, steering head angle of 24.5 degrees and 98.5 mm of trail.
Ducati MH900e
17-inch Marchesini wheels (a unique pattern and the same as the prototype) and four-pot Brembo brakes are fitted.
Ducati MH900e
Handling was reported as being excellent, even better than the 900SS.
There were official 46 safety recalls of motorcycles in Australia in 2021, the highest number monitored since 2009 and significantly more than the previous high of 37 in 2018.
There were only 28 motorcycle recalls in Australia last year, one more than the previous year which was the lowest number in seven years.
Kawasaki has the ignominious honour of issuing the most vehicle safety recalls last year with eight, ahead of Honda with seven, five for Ducati, Husqvarna and KTM, four for Triumph, three for Suzuki and BMW, two for Harley-Davidson and one each for Royal Enfield and Yamaha.
It’s a substantial change for Yamaha which last year “top scored” with eight recalls in 2020.
KTM Australia was the most affected importer with 12 recalls for the KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna motorcycles it imports into the country.
The Husqvarna 701 models were the most recalled this year with three recalls for various issues.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 701
Other new models which hit the market and immediately had recalls were Harley’s new Pan America and the Ducati Multistrada V4.
Recalls this year ranged from the seemingly innocuous non-compliance issues (which may still cost owners with expensive defect notices) to dangerous matters of bake failures and engine stalling.
Even though manufacturers and importers usually contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.
Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle and scooter recalls as a service to all riders.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
Marking the first round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and awarding extra points due to its classification as an FIM Marathon Rally, the 44th edition of the Dakar is building up to be more important than ever. Covering 12 stages from January 1 to January 14, and totalling close to 8,000 kilometres, the race promises to provide the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and navigation as it travels through the Saudi desert.
Today, the 1st of January, the caravan for the 44th Dakar sets out from Jeddah to Ha’il, with the return to a traditional date for an innovative and unprecedented stage on the Dakar. Motorcycle competitors face a new development in 2022: a short 19-kilometre qualifying special stage. Everyone will have to fight for their place over the short distance against the clock. Though customary in the FIA World Championship car category, this will be a first on the Dakar for everybody. The times achieved on the special will be used to determine the starting orders for the following day and will produce an initial classification.
The 15 quickest riders will be able to choose their place among the first 15 starting positions the following day. The quickest rider will have his choice in regards to starting preference which is always an important strategy as opening the way can be a very tricky task.
“After all the work we have done on the new bike, it’s really important to give it a final test in the sort of terrain we’re going to face. I enjoyed the shakedown, and the bike feels really good – I immediately had a good connection with the bike and was able to test a lot of things. The bike is definitely on-point with the suspension and the engine and everything. Now it’s time to get everything prepared, focus on the race, and start the show.”
Kevin Benavides
Dakar legend and five-time winner Marc Coma has been appointed special adviser for KTM during the fortnight in Saudi Arabia.
The KTM “dream team” decked out in Red Bull colours is made up of three former Dakar winner with Australian Toby Price (the winner in 2016 and 2019) alongside Benavides after signing a new two-year contract.
A year recovering from injury saw Toby Price off his bike for much of the 2021 season. However, now close to being fully fit, the Aussie is confident that the testing and development done to the new KTM 450 RALLY over the course of the year will pay off, Price is very much focused on securing his third victory at the Dakar.
Toby Price
“The Red Bull KTM bike is feeling really good at the moment and I’m just super keen to get the race underway now. The event itself is looking like it’s going to be a really tough 12 days in the desert and a massive test as per usual. I need to make sure I stay consistent, try and make it to the rest day in a good position and then see what the second week brings.”
Toby Price
After the trials and tribulations of COVID-19 both Benavides and Price made their return to competition last October for the Rallye du Maroc. While at the Rallye du Maroc, Matthias Walkner grabbed the title of world champion, even before the finale.
Matthias Walkner
“I think I don’t have so much pressure because I’ve had a really good season and I have the world championship title in my pocket, but of course our main goal is again to stay on the top in the Dakar. If I can continue again in a top three position it would be amazing. Right now, I feel super, super excited and motivated, I think more than ever, because it may be my last Dakar because my contract after this Dakar is finished”.
Matthias Walkner
Danilo Petrucci, recently retired from MotoGP and a surprise guest who will enjoy the much sought-after status of official rider, is ready to seize the unique opportunity of a radical change in style, after the Italian’s 169 starts in the MotoGP!
However, this reconversion started in an extraordinary manner, with a broken ankle on 8th December during training followed by an initial positive COVID test result on Saudi soil that was soon revealed to be a false positive after a blood test!
The Italian has already started to feel the heat even before the desert, which he will discover in the coming days. Nevertheless, at the age of 31 years, the track biker can point to genuine off-road experience which perhaps may allow him to become the best rookie in 2022…
Danilo Petrucci
“After a really difficult couple of days I am finally allowed to race. I was on my bike at the shakedown when I received the message that my Covid test had come back positive. Thankfully, a blood test returned a negative result, and I was cleared to compete. I still need to take a lot of care, especially with my ankle, but I’m really looking forward to the race now. I want to say a big thank you to all the team for their help over the past week, too.”
Danilo Petrucci checks in alongside Aussies Toby Price and Daniel Sanders
Petrucci is not the only famous road racer to be starting Dakar 2022 as Carlos Checa also joins the desert racers at Dakar for the first time but will be on four wheels.
Sherco
The official KTM team will not be the only one to start the 44th edition of the Dakar with a new machine. French constructor Sherco, which achieved a 7th-place finish with Lorenzo Santolini in January 2021 when all its bikes made it to the finish of the rally, will also be showing off its new weapon in the desert.
Sherco 450 SEF Rally
The three official riders will thus now be able to count on a 450 SEF Rally that is s full 12 kilograms lighter, despite the fact that it has three litres’ more fuel capacity. The Nîmes-based brand’s technicians have announced that the machine is 80 per cent modified, with the objectives of greater sharpness and better distribution of weight. However, it is also a more “simplified” machine compared to its initial design which is now nine years old.
Sherco 450 SEF Rally
GASGAS
In what will be GASGAS Factory Racing’s third official participation in the Dakar Rally, they take former race winner Sam Sunderland and young charger Daniel Sanders into the battle.
Sam Sunderland and young charger Daniel Sanders head up the GASGAS challenge
Knowing to expect the unexpected at the Dakar, the 2022 edition will mark Sam Sunderland’s ninth start at the prestigious annual event. A previous race winner in 2018, the Brit has an abundance of experience and certainly possesses the skills needed to challenge for a place on the overall podium.
Sam Sunderland
“We’re just one day away from the Prologue and the start of the Dakar so it’s a pretty exciting time! We had a really positive shakedown a couple of days ago, so we’re all set to get things started. The Dakar always throws up some surprises, so it’ll be important to stay focused, keep looking forwards, and stay calm. For sure I’m aiming for a strong result and I think it’s certainly possible to get on the overall podium once again.”
Sam Sunderland
Delivering a highly impressive fourth-place result at the Dakar just under one year ago, the ever-confident Daniel Sanders returns to the race following a solid season competing in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in 2021. With the Aussie ultimately claiming a bronze medal in the FIM series, and now armed with even more experience, he has a serious shot of success at the 2022 Dakar.
Daniel Sanders
“The shakedown went really well and it was a good chance to run the bike in, set it up for the race, and make sure everything is spot on for the start. It was good to loosen up the body on the bike a little bit too and shake out the nerves before the serious stuff starts. I felt great on the bike, everything was perfect, and I really can’t wait to get this race underway.”
Daniel Sanders
Husqvarna
Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes will represent Husqvarna Factory Racing with the two-man team set to compete on the new FR 450 Rally.
2022 Husqvarna FR 450 Rally
Crashing out of the 2021 Dakar on stage nine, Luciano Benavides was forced to spend the start of his 2021 season recovering from an injury to his shoulder. Determined to get back on the bike and back racing as soon as possible, the young Argentinian returned to competition at the first round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in Kazakhstan, where he claimed an impressive sixth place overall.
A solid seventh-place result at the Silk Way Rally further increased Benavides’ confidence and he was able to carry that momentum into the Rallye du Maroc where his consistency enabled him to secure another top-six finish. Now, heading into the 2022 Dakar, Luciano is back to full fitness and feels more motivated than ever to secure his best result at the legendary event.
Luciano Benavides
“2021 has been a long, tough year for me. It started well with the Dakar where I had good speed, but then my crash forced me out of the event. It took a lot of rest and training to get my shoulder up to strength, but thankfully I was able to get back on the bike quite early on and begin to build my pace again. The first couple of world championship rounds went ok at Kazakhstan and Silk Way, I was able to slowly build my confidence, but I knew I was a little bit off the pace. We spent a lot of time in the middle of the year developing the new bike and then when we rode it in Morocco it was definitely a big step forward for me. Not only did the bike perform really well, but it also helped me and my confidence – I felt comfortable straight away and from that the speed came more easily. The team have done an incredible job – many hours working and testing and I’m pleased with the result. Now, looking ahead to the next Dakar I’m happy with where I am both mentally and physically, and with my speed. The bike and the team are working really good right now, so I believe we have an excellent package for Dakar and will be able to fight for strong results. For sure, it’s going to be tough as always, but this will be my fifth Dakar and I think I’m better prepared than ever.”
Luciano Benavides
Signing for the Husqvarna factory in April, Skyler Howes competed in his first international event for the team just over one month later at Rally Kazakhstan. The likeable American immediately impressed, converting his speed and enthusiasm into two stage wins.
Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes
Gelling well with the team and with the bike, Howes continued to deliver strong performances for the rest of the world championship season, mixing it with the more established racers while also gaining valuable experience along the way. Securing fifth place and finishing as the top privateer at the 2021 Dakar, Skyler is now looking forward to competing at the event for the first time as a fully supported factory rider and will be hoping to make the best use of his excellent navigational skills on the technical terrain while fighting for a top result.
Skyler Howes
“The year has gone really well for me – it’s been my first season as a factory racer and that has made a huge difference, it’s been great to just focus on my racing, which I feel is reflected in my results. Going into the Dakar in January, I’m definitely more prepared than I ever have been, but at the same time my goals remain the same – give it my all, stay safe, but try to come out the other side with the very best result possible. The Dakar is tough, and you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to have difficult days. The key is to keep looking forward and focus on that final result – that’s what keeps me going and keeps me motivated. The new bike we have been developing throughout the year has been another massive improvement for me. In years past, I’ve just turned up at the Dakar and often ridden a bike for the first time at that event. Now, I’ve been given the chance to not only spend a lot more time on that bike, but also have a massive input into its development. That’s had the effect that I feel really at home on the new FR 450 Rally and I’m looking forward to taking it to Dakar. At the end of the day, I’ll be happy if I give it my all and have fun, hopefully the final result will reflect that too.”
Skyler Howes
Yamaha
Following on from a highly rewarding season of racing in the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, Yamaha’s Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team takes on Dakar 2022 with Adrien Van Beveren, Ross Branch, and Andrew Short.
Alexandre Kowalski – Yamaha Europe Off-Road Racing Manager
“Entering Dakar 2022 is an exciting time for the team following a whole year of continuous hard work from the mechanics and technicians, and of course the riders who have achieved so much in 2021. Behind the scenes we have developed the bike so much and it has been put to the test throughout the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. With Ross winning in Kazakhstan and Adrien ending the season as vice world champion, it clearly proves that we are heading in the right direction. Because of the success this year the team spirit is really high, and this is really important at such a long race like the Dakar. Anything can happen at this event, but I know the riders have all worked so hard to build up and prepare themselves in the best possible way. Now, we can look forward to the Dakar with confidence and I have a strong belief that it will be a successful race for the riders and the team as a whole.”
Leading the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team into the desert at the 2022 Dakar Rally is Adrien Van Beveren. With his impressive second place finish in the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship still fresh in his mind, the Frenchman used the entire series as part of his preparations for the 2022 Dakar. Rounding out his highly positive season with three stage wins and a second-place overall result at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in November, Van Beveren is feeling fit, strong, and is undoubtedly back to his very best.
Adrien Van Beveren
“I’ve just completed my final training sessions ahead of the Dakar and I’m feeling really strong and ready for the race. The whole of 2021 has been great for me. Round by round in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship I had a solid strategy of being consistent and minimising mistakes. I was able to execute my plan perfectly and end the season as vice world champion, which I was really pleased about for both myself and the team. To avoid some unnecessary pressure, I’m looking at the Dakar as just another race and a continuation of my progress throughout the last year. For sure it is a huge race that everyone in rally focuses on, but I will take it day by day, stage by stage, and apply the same mindset that took me to success in this year’s world championship.”
For Ross Branch, 2021 was something of a learning year in what was only his first full season of rally racing. Demonstrating his capabilities with an impressive win at Rally Kazakhstan, the Botswana native posted impressive stage finishes at all rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with a few unfortunate incidents hampering his overall results. Undeterred and with a renewed focus, Ross looks to harness his raw speed to successfully reach the Dakar finish line on January 14.
Ross Branch
“This year has flown by, and Dakar is now just around the corner. I’m really excited for it. A fresh start, new stages, and I think it’s going to be a really good race. During the last year the team have been working super-hard and this is really motivating as a rider to see as it just inspires me to put everything that I have into my training and preparation. My goal for the race is to finish each stage. It sounds modest but it’s such a long and wild race where anything can happen. Staying trouble free will be so important and now with my experience from racing all year in 2021, I’m in a really good place mentally ahead of the Dakar. I’ve got a great team behind me, and everything is in place for a successful race. I can’t wait to get started.”
Lining up with his sights set on securing his best ever result at the Dakar Rally is the third and final Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team rider, Andrew Short. With the American knowing the importance of safely completing each and every stage, as well as how chaotic the first few days of the Dakar can be, the 39-year-old is fully focused on achieving his goal.
Andrew Short
“I’m really looking forward to Dakar 2022 and it’ll actually be my fifth time racing the event. For this one I want to beat my best finish of sixth and to do that it’s super important to finish every stage safely. Each year I seem to experience some kind of problem early in the race so my focus will be on getting through week one without any major issues, then I’ll have the option to ramp things up in week two if I need to. Overall, you never really know how this race will go but I’ll be doing everything in my power to ensure the best result possible and have no regrets when the race comes to an end.”
Honda
And of course then we have our reigning champions, Honda.Monster Energy Honda Team finished with a historic one-two at the previous Dakar. Undoubtedly, the team’s intention for this 2022 Dakar Rally edition is to achieve a hat-trick of triumphs in this, the most arduous era of the Dakar; one featuring greater competition than ever before. With this objective in mind, the team line up the following squad: Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec, José Ignacio Cornejo and Pablo Quintanilla. The Monster Energy Honda Team – with former rider Ruben Faria as General Manager – is made up of a total of 26 members from six different countries.
Ricky Brabec
“Everything has been great this year: the team is looking good, we’re working hard and we’re all excited to be here for another edition of the Dakar Rally here in Saudi Arabia. It’s a great desert, a great country to compete in. For me, obviously, the expectations are high: we want to win. The whole team wants to win… There are a lot of people here who could win. For me personally, we are trying to do things right and get to the finish in one piece and without mistakes. Obviously, strategy plays a big part, but it’s difficult when you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. We are fine, the rally starts tomorrow. We’re closing the year great and hoping for a better start to the new year with a place on the podium. Follow us! Wish us all the best.”
Ricky Brabec
Pablo Quintanilla
“With one day to go until the start of the Dakar and after completing the scrutineering and the shakedown where we had the bikes tested, everything is now relaxed. I feel very good and confident about what is ahead. We’ve had a great season, where we won in Morocco and then pre-season training with the whole team in Chile that has given us a lot of motivation, a lot of desire to go out and compete in this race.”
Pablo Quintanilla
José Ignacio Cornejo
“We passed the scrutineering and everything is all set to start the Dakar Rally 2022 tomorrow. I am happy and looking forward to starting this edition of the race. We have had a great 2021, with some good training and a lot of teamwork. Both the bike and the team are very solid and I’m happy to be here to kick off another Dakar. Tomorrow we will have the prologue, which will define the starting positions for the first stage. I’m all set to tackle my seventh Dakar.”
José Ignacio Cornejo
Joan Barreda
“Everything is ready and in good order to take the start. I am very happy because this year I have had a fine season, winning the Andalucía Rally and also the Baja, so we will try to stay on the right track over the opening days of the race and hopefully we will have a great rally.”
Joan Barreda
Ruben Faria – Monster Energy Honda General Manager
“The first win is the team making it to Jeddah, getting through the PCR test and being all negative. For me, this is already a triumph. We are practically the same team as last year and we have only changed two or three members of the team; we are well organised and with a clear objective in mind. The riders are also in great shape. They have had a very intense build-up to the Dakar with good results and, moreover, without any injuries. They are highly motivated.
“We passed the scrutineering and everything went well. Ricky spoke about his goal at the official press conference and he was very clear: to win the Dakar. And what he said makes sense after winning and finishing runner-up in the previous two editions. Last year, Nacho was in first place with just three days to go when he fell. Now he is highly motivated and feels comfortable on this type of terrain. Joan is probably the fastest of the whole bivouac. Last year he was having a very great race but he had a mishap on the penultimate day and his chances slipped away. Even so, he is always a rider to be reckoned with. Last but not least, Pablo Quintanilla is the new rider in the team although he has already completed in two races, winning the Rallye du Maroc. I think we have four riders who will be in the battle for the overall rally win. From my point of view, this year it will be a battle to the end, because the other teams also have very strong riders.
“Our goal is to win because we have already won the two previous races. But the Dakar is thirteen days of racing and a lot of things can happen. We have a great, very reliable bike. For me, it’s the best bike in the whole Dakar. Also this year, the Japanese technicians who couldn’t be here last year because of Covid issues have been able to join us and we also have a Showa suspension technician. The Dakar, however, is so unpredictable and evenly matched that only when you cross the finish line on the final day will the winner of the race be known. We only have one secret: work and work, putting the team before family and friends. It can go well or badly, but if you don’t do your best, you don’t get results.”
Ricky Brabec
Huge field
The official list of starters is made up of 409 racing vehicles, including 144 bikes (of which 33 will race in the Original by Motul category), 20 quads, 87 T1 cars, 2 T2s as well as 48 T3 lightweight prototypes, 47 T4 SSVs, 56 trucks (T5) and lastly 5 vehicles in the Open category.
Behind their handlebars and wheels, 206 competitors will be participating for the first time on the Dakar, whilst 121 riders, drivers and co-pilots with “Legend” status will be taking part for the 10th time or more. The contingent of ladies has also significantly increased, totaling 28, including 3 100% female crews. With regard to the nationalities represented, France is predominant with 170 participants, ahead of Spain (74) and the Netherlands (64). Aussie privateer Andrew Houlihan (#62 – KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica) is competing in his second Dakar.
Each evening at the bivouac, they will be joined by the 142 vehicles participating in the 2nd edition of the Dakar Classic, comprising a caravan of 301 competitors.
What lays ahead
Starting in Jeddah and finishing in Ha’il, the first day of racing will feature a short 19-kilometre timed special stage, taking place between two very lengthy liaison sections for a total stage of 834 kilometres. The special stage will take place over dirt tracks featuring the occasional small dune, which will give the riders a reminder of their skills in the sand. Finishing positions for the special stage will be important, as they will allow the top finishers to be able to choose their starting positions for the following stage.
Another year is over, another year full of effort, perseverance, work, enthusiasm, desire to win, to compete, to fight.
Tomorrow starts a new year with the same target as always and we are ready to go for it.
We wish you a 2022 full of success! Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
TRACK LIMITS: Those dreaded two words! During Free Practice and qualifying, riders lap times are disqualified if they exceed track limits. Green areas on the outside of the asphalt can’t be used to gain an advantage, and if a rider does so too many times during a race, Race Direction will penalise them.
Mooney, the first Italian Proximity Banking & Payments company, will be the new title sponsor of the VR46 Racing Team, the motorcycle team created by Valentino Rossi and competing in the MotoGP and Moto2 World Championship.
Following the agreement, the new team naming will be Mooney VR46 Racing Team and will be used in all images of the Team (including bikes and rider suits) and in all official communications. Further information will be revealed in the new year.
VR46 Racing Team
The VR46 Racing Team was born in 2014 with the aim of supporting young Italian talents of the two wheels from Moto3 up to MotoGP. The arrival in the premier class took place in 2021 with Luca Marini but it will be in the upcoming 2022 that the VR46 Racing Team will officially become part of the top class. Since 2014, 10 Italian young riders have taken their first steps in this Team. Among these, Francesco Bagnaia, the first rider to win the World title with the Moto2 Team in 2018.
Mooney
Mooney is the first Proximity Banking & Payments company in Italy which has inherited the experience of two excellences in different, but complementary business sectors: SisalPay in the field of payments, and Banca 5 (Intesa Sanpaolo Group) in banking. Thanks to its extensive network of over 45.000 points of sale throughout Italy that are fully integrated with the digital ecosystem, Mooney plays an important social role in providing consumers with a simple, quick and easy access to a wide range of payment solutions, namely bills, prepaid cards, telephone recharge cards as well as facilities such as cash withdrawals, wire transfers and payment orders, formerly possible only through banks.
I spent a couple of weeks with the new KLR650 recently and despite a decidely modest specification sheet, that by design does keep the bike in the LAMS approved list, I came away quite impressed. For the full run down of changes see: Kawasaki KLR650 gains EFI/ABS, and a few more kilos… (link).
The 2021 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure boasts a host of extras for a small premium
A host of compliance updates have taken place to legally allow the KLR650 to continue to be sold despite increasing emissions restrictions, however some unfortunate side-effects have seen weight increase and power decrease. But is that really the end of the world?
EFI is a big new inclusion but comes at the cost of power, with Euro5 likely also adding weight
Here in Australia people have been derestricting the KLR for quite a while, and I get the feeling that’s going to continue. That ultra-restrictive Euro5 exhaust is no doubt to blame for much of the added weight and also probably some of that loss of power. Whoever is on the market first with a decent aftermarket exhaust system at a competitive price is sure going to sell a lot of them…
An ugly, large, restrictive exhaust looks a likely culprit for the areas of the KLR650 spec sheet which raised an eyebrow
At its core, the KLR650 is all about value and a certain utilitarian factor. Rugged, no bells and whistles, reliable by all accounts, really a no-nonsense machine which at a smidge over $10k on the road is capable of the lot. The version tested here is the Adventure, which according to the Kawasaki website is available for $11,324 ride-away for a Sydney postcode, inclusive of extras which will cost far more than that difference if bought separately. Those extras include power outlets (DC/USB), crash bars, fog-lights and hard panniers with matched locks to the ignition.
The KLR650 retains the title as great value adventure however, especially as tested
The powerplant is a 652 cc liquid-cooled single with 51.5 Nm at 4500 rpm, while peak power is 38.5 hp at 6000 rpm. A 40 mm throttle-body injects the go juice while the five-speed gearbox is one area left without what would have seemed to be an obvious upgrade. To be fair, apart from the annoyance of quite often trying to find another gear, the KLR is plenty capable of highway speeds.
Forks offer long travel, as does the monoshock, which adds some adjustability, with a fairly general do-all setup on the KLR650
Forks are 41 mm units and the shock offers both rebound and preload damping. Travel is 228 mm at the front and 185 mm at the rear. Accessibility of adjustment isn’t a strong point at the rear.
The rear brake offered the balance of stopping power on the KL650
A 21-inch front and 17-inch rear is an adventurous set-up, with a single 300 mm front rotor and two-piston caliper backed up by a smaller 240 mm rear rotor and single piston caliper. ABS is standard while Dunlop provide the K750s which has been the case for quite some time.
Weighing in at 222 kg in Adventure form at the kerb (210 kg standard), with 23L of fuel, the KLR650 is a hefty beast, especially if you’re wheeling it around on uneven terrain or up an incline. But when jumping on board, apart from kicking the panniers, the bike feels very manageable.
The weight of the KLR650 drops away once you’ve moving, even at very low speeds
At 180 cm with a 32 inch inseam I can reach the ground with a foot securely, while the reach to the bars is easy and getting boots onto pegs reveals a fairly compact rider triangle for an adventure machine, especially between seat and ‘pegs. Lowering the seat height 20 mm for 2021 no doubt helped there.
There’s an expanse of bike in front of you including a screen, LCD display and on this version those power outlets. The KLR650 also starts up easily and idles a little more actively than I’m used to – but then I haven’t owned a big single (just a small one) – just click into gear and off you go.
A simple LCD dash is run, with wide and tall bars
‘Bars are wide, there’s good vision from the mirrors, with minimal vibes through the bars – as long as you keep your grip relaxed – and while the clutch isn’t light, it’s no bear trap either.
Under power the KLR650 is also a lighter feeling, well balanced machine, with the first test being Sydney traffic which it handled with ease. I wasn’t filtering to be honest – not with those panniers fitted – however the suspension is well supported in general use for my 70 kg or so, with no real major dive during heavy braking.
Suspension was well tuned for my 70 kg weight and a variety of conditions
That’s no doubt partially due to the rear brake feeling more powerful than the front, but the two combined offer decent stopping power one-up and the ride is smooth and controlled, swallowing road inconsistencies easily without wallowing, and that would prove true everywhere.
There was a little hunting at times, as the revs moved around even without a hand on the throttle, but in later testing in mixed conditions the bike proved very stall resistant.
The seat is narrow at the tank, but widens out at the rear for comfort, and an hour in the saddle had me ready for a quick break
The big test came in the form of a 400 km trip to visit family out of Sydney with an equal distance return, offering plenty of highway miles, some crawling past an accident and all mainly done through torrential rain, much of which was in the dark. Those additional lights certainly came in handy.
All of which was handled with ease by the KLR650. Sure the seat got uncomfortable after an hour and painful at about two, and I wouldn’t have minded a front tyre with a bit more feel in the wet, however the KLR650 was happy cruising anywhere between 100 and 130 km/h. Fuel consumption did seem to bump up at the higher end of that spectrum, but that may have coincided with my low speed off-road shenanigans which aren’t well represented on the trip meter.
The KLR650 will easily cruise at highway speeds with good wind protection from the screen, which can be adjusted with an Allen key via four bolts
I would note too that the KLR650 felt a little flat in the low to mid-range at times, especially accelerating and picking up revs after cruising along in a higher gear, where keeping the bike more on the boil higher up in the revs was more rewarding if you wanted a bit of fun. Stirring the gearbox with intent seemed the way to go and letting the engine venture higher into the rev range. It’s not a bad compromise, as the bike pulls smoothly even from low revs and I’d hazard a guess this isn’t the machine people buy to race their mate’s 890 Adventure.
The KLR650 is definitely more the all-terrain tractor that will handle essentially anything thrown at it
Suspension remained compliant, the bodywork and screen offered good wind protection and even that five-speed gearbox was hard to criticise. The KLR650 will easily gobble up the boring highway miles on the way to somewhere more interesting, and passing riders on more off-road orientated machines sitting at 90 or 100 km/h was common and did carry a little satisfaction. They’ll have the advantage on the dirt, so you take the wins where you can.
Handling is also typical of the taller adventure or touring style machines, with narrow wheels and tyres as well as wide ‘bars making for fairly nimble road manners all things considered, with lean angle easily added but generally not all that necessary except when properly fanging through the twisties.
The tall adventure/touring style ergo offers relaxed and upright controls
Make no mistake, the KLR650 isn’t a lounge chair style tourer you could sit on without breaks, regular breaks are very much required to get some bloodflow back into your behind. However the bike is a capable steed for long distances, at the speed limit, or just over it at common relaxed cruising speeds. I’d just be inclined to look for a comfort seat if I was doing long days.
The trip also provided an opportunity to test the KLR650 out in some farm-like conditions, where it really excelled in mixed terrain, tractoring up steep, staggered slopes, easily traversing uneven grassy areas and just generally being very capable.
The suspension was well suited to my 70 kg weight, particularly the light off-road challenges
We’re not talking the Erzbergrodeo here, but we are talking conditions you definitely wouldn’t want to do on road machines. I tend to think that if I can do it on the KLR650, it’s also going to be a fairly forgiving machine for new riders or those branching out into adventure riding while on a budget.
While heavy, the KLR650 remains manageable in all these conditions, whether it was wrangling it through a narrow piece of rock scattered dirt across a creek, or running up and down fairly steep inclines with loose dirt. The stability afforded by that 21-inch front made the going much simpler than it would otherwise have been. Granted I didn’t throwing the bike over to see how easy it was to lift, which may be a big concern if you’re doing gnarly single-tracks solo, but as a more general do-anything bike it certainly delivered.
Brakes are more suited to one-up riding or unsealed roads, with relatively gentle bite at the front
Again that suspension set-up for me at 70 kg handled the mixed conditions well and while I wouldn’t say no to more braking prowess on the road, for grass, dirt and similar, the light bite and more limited power, especially at the front was well suited off-road. With a pillion and fully loaded with gear it would require more management of stopping distances I’d say…
Back on the Sydney end of the ride I took the KLR650 up to St Albans to see how it handled the dirt road up towards Kulnura from there, which is an easy but decent stretch of fairly well surfaced dirt, sweeping through some nice bends.
Harsh corrugations are a challenge to the KLR650s shock, but most other surfaces are handled with ease
After being passed by a huge group of KTMs along with a lonely CRF Rally, I toddled up and along the road and enjoyed a rare day of sunshine and perfect riding weather. Again the weight wasn’t anywhere near as noticeable as I expected, standing on the pegs made things easy – and also helped provide better air flow through my jacket.
Over the corrugated sections it was just a matter of opening the throttle and shaking my way through (I can’t really think of a bike I’ve taken through here that’s been otherwise), but the KLR650 really just tractors along and over essentially anything. Add the Adventure loadout and the bike is particularly well decked out from the factory to go exploring where ever a mind might take you.
Features on the Adventure KLR650 include the dual lockable hard panniers, which are too narrow for a helmet but quite deep
Coming back to competitors, I think the KLR650 is very well placed to compete against machines like the Royal Enfield Himalayan, offering a bit more off-road cred, significantly more performance and highway capability; and in this Adventure model a more complete load-out, even if a heavier and taller machine overall.
The DC and USB sockets are also standard on the Adventure
Against Benelli’s TRK502X it’s again much more off-road orientated and lighter, but falls behind in the braking department, while the TRK502X’s more road orientated bent may be an advantage to many, depending what you’re after.
Crash bars and fog-lights are also standard, offering additional protection and lighting for the KLR650
The Suzuki DR650 is another obvious competitor, but is more big dirt bike to the KRL650’s more comfortable adventure-themed style. The Suzuki is significantly lighter and similarly priced but doesn’t come as fully featured as the KLR.
Overall the updated Kawasaki KLR650 and Adventure continue to offer exceptional value
The KLR650 certainly won’t be for everyone, but Kawasaki are sticking to the bike’s strengths for now, with competitive pricing and a great standard feature list in the Adventure, while keeping things relatively simple. With the Versys 650 also available for the sporty more road orientated riders, Kawasaki have obviously decided to keep the KLR650 in this more rugged, off-road form.
The question that remains is whether riders are still interested in a machine which does without the likes of traction control, ride modes, high end brakes and suspenders…
2021 Kawasaki KLR650 Specifications
2021 Kawasaki KLR650 Specifications
Engine
Four-Stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, 652 cc
Bore x Stroke
100.0 x 83.0 mm
Compression Ratio
9.8:1
Claimed Power
38.5 hp at 6000 rpm
Claimed Torque
51.5 Nm @ 4500 rpm
Induction
DFI w/ 40 mm Throttle Body, CDI
Gears
Five-speed, return shift with wet multi-disc manual clutch
Frame
Tubular, Semi-Double Cradle
Forks
41 mm telescopic fork / 228 mm
Shock
Uni-Trak gas charged shock with piggyback reservoir with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload / 185 mm
Tyres
90/90-21 (F), 130/80-17 (R)
Front Brakes
Single 300 mm disc with two-piston calipers, ABS
Rear Brake
Single 240 mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS
