any one for Paris-Dakar.....

[Jenna]

yep Paris -Dakar, yesterday i managed to get to chat with a few people at Goodwood and a few interesting deals done, one that i think may well interest a few people in here!

For most the Dakar is a dream, the cost is a budget not many can handle, its also not exactly for the faint hearted as it requires the stamina of a top athlete and the determination of elephant.

Well there is now an alternative, the Raid 'Heroes Legend' run by ex-Dakar vet Hubert Auriol is now in its 3rd year and has grown year on year, but most importantly in 2008 the event is open to any road legal vehicle unlike in the past years with it locked to one or two manufactures.

Unlike the Lisbon-Dakar this event is not about big business sponsors and corporate machinery, its geared up to give individuals the chance to run the original Paris-Dakar course but at an affordable cost.

Prices are a fraction of the ASO Lisbon-Dakar but they haven't skimped on safety, the event will run all the usual medical helicopter's, GPS tracking and safety marshals so even the first timer is going to be OK.

More info is available via the web:
http://www.heroeslegend.com/

Not going to say too much as i honestly don't have all the info yet, but there is likely to be a UK team in 2008 and its going to be headed up by a prominent Dakar rider. If you want more details, want to join the uk team, want event info, or your just curious then please PM me.

[Whealie]

I don't want to get my hopes up but what are we realistically talking about in terms of cost to enter and cost of the necessary modifications?
My bike could enter the classic (pre-1995). You would seem the person to talk to about necessary mods too.
Do we need to find a team and a sponsor or do we just sign up as individuals. What about support on the way down, is that something you are planning to do Jenna?
And what about other preparation? It is clear from Charlie's Boorman's experience that anyone considering this would need to do a lot of practice and fitness preparation beforehand.

[Jenna]

the whole buzz of this event is about working in teams and they have geared it up encourage group entries...

last info i have would put a 2 bike team with the event assistance package at £5k per person, this includes:

etrack rental, its the tracking/gps unit used buy the event.
freight transport, ferry from Spain to Morocco and freight back to france from Dakar.
all legal/customs fees.
transport of spares (just over 0.5m3) +2 wheels on course from start to finish.

best deal i ever saw on a dakar for similar was £21k.

Bike mods are really upto you as its an 'open' event, obviously the better equipped the bike the more chance of getting to the finish. In past years stock bikes have finished but i would personally suggest a few basic upgrades to suspension and tyres.. eg WP/Olin's and Michelin 'Dakar' or 'Baja' tyres (anyone looking for these tyres contact me as i think i have a UK supplier selling at £160 for front and rear!)...

If your feeling brave (and run in a team of 2+) you can lop of £750 of the entry and organise your own assistance but for solo's its compulsory.

Plans on which events we will run vehicles on is all a bit err...'sketchy' still as everything is still being built/tested/ and tweaked. possibly be running 2 range rovers and 2 tatra trucks in 2009 but no ideal for next year yet.

oh and you save an additional £300 if your in the classic class.

[Whealie]

Cheers Jenna,
With the necessary mods, some training, a bucket-load of spares and the entry fee, plus the flight back, extra insurances and what not, plus some spending money cos this is a month away from work, you're still realistically talking £20,000 for a team of two.
So, if I can find a sponsor, anyone on a pre-1995 bike fancy it. Chad, will the toxic ******* be ready by then?

[Jenna]

its hard to give a top end budget as only a few costs are actually fixed. on top entry of the entry fee you need to pay for fuel and accom, any assistance you add (eg mech's time if bought in) and delivery and collection of the bike to Paris.

From the conversation i had yesterday any bike/car or truck in a well maintained condition should finish, great care has been taken to make the course interesting but not at the expense of destroying the vehicles, the deep sand sections of the Dakar have been removed and route shifted to make it more amateur friendly. To give you some idea, a 25 year old XT with next to no mods was one of the stars of last year!!

I guess i should also point out the the B2B will also run from London next year, its much more a 'fun' run and doesn't have the raid style organisation, but then again entry fees are in the hundreds not thousands!...

[Chad]

Cheers Jenna,
With the necessary mods, some training, a bucket-load of spares and the entry fee, plus the flight back, extra insurances and what not, plus some spending money cos this is a month away from work, you're still realistically talking £20,000 for a team of two.
So, if I can find a sponsor, anyone on a pre-1995 bike fancy it. Chad, will the toxic ******* be ready by then?

only if my numbers come up this week

[Shep]

Whealie

I may be up for this, i have got a 1991 RD04 Africa Twin.

Anyone else interested? also Jenna hate to be Naive but what is B2B

Team XRV.org?

[anton88]

Very Tempting, but id have to sell the wife and kid ! been looking into the Tuareg Rallye as well, which also seems a cheaper and and easier option than the Dakar.

Think i will start off with some uk events next year first tho to see how the bike handles off road.

Yeah - also i dont know what the B2B run is ??????????????????

[Whealie]

In a unanimous display of ignorance, I don't know what the B2B run is either.

[Jenna]

sorry B2B is the Budapest to Bamako rally.

http://www.budapestbamako.org/en/

The Tuareg as Anton suggests is another option, its well run ( by on old friend from the Transylvania trophy) and an excellent first step into raid, down side is its no where as long or has the facilities as the 'Heroes Legend' so i guess it should be cheaper.

If you want another option consider any of the Baja Raids around Europe and north Africa, these are a week end to end with 4 days on course.