Close up of KTM 450 Rally Dakar bike

15 years ago

Since the KTM 450 Rally’s victorious debut on the Rallye du Maroc, development has continued at the same hectic pace that saw the bike go from the drawing board to competition in just six months. Immediately after the bike’s first competitive outing Cyril Despres’ bike was meticulously examined by engineers back in Austria, and once they had given the all clear, Team Red Bull KTM mechanics built up the two bikes in record time ready for final shake down tests in Fontjoncouse track (France). Here the whole Red Bull KTM team: Cyril Despres and support rider Ruben Faria, mechanics Roland Bruckner and Sebastien Fortanier and team staff Alex Antor, Chris Evans, Denis Gardette, Harald Leichtfried and Benjamin Melot, the same personnel as for 2010, were all able to come together one last time before they meet up again late December in Buenos Aires.

Cyril Despres commented “As always the lead up to getting the bikes in the boat has been pretty busy, but everything has been remarkably trouble free. Testing went well and it was great to see the team as united and as motivated as ever. Plus the tests Ruben and I did at Pre-Sport in Perpignan proved we are as on form as our bikes. Unveiling the new bike at the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show with all the top KTM management was also a proud moment. Now we won’t see the bikes again until we go and fetch them from the docks in Argentina, so for fans of off-road motorcycle racing the world over we have produced another short video clip showing the bike in greater detail. It’s a really nice bike…!!!”

Dakarata Standstill: Transmoto Issue 7 Extras

No motorsport event on Earth captures the public’s imagination like the Dakar Rally. It may receive countless hours of TV exposure, but nothing trumps the evocative, mesmerising, motionless beauty of a photograph…

Dakar Opener