'Dakar' Australian style

Gidday - rode it (sorry not 4WD related) in 1987, 1988 and 1994 - only finished once - very hard on the behind and the wallet. A good challenge and great fun if you like that sort of thing. Go for it if you can - you only live once (so Im led to believe).

Cheers
Greg
PS A walk in the park compared to Dakar.. but hard enough

I`m very familiar with the Paris - Dakar rally having known fellow expat South African's who have competed in it over this past 20 years or so. How ever, to try and run an event such as that in Australia would be well nigh impossible. Each State and Territory would have a million and one excuses why it could not be done. Then you have the question of the Aboriginal Land Rights issue and the department of Conservation and Land Management. It would be a bureaucratic night mare. If I were 30 - 40 years younger and had few spare million Dollars to throw at it , I would be more then willing to give it a go. Once a contestant has reached Dakar they seem to become addicted to it and keep coming back year after year.

The down side to the Dakar Rally is the number of deaths that have been recorded. Something in the order of 28 people died as a result of the accidents. The latest casualty was a 29 year old South African motor cyclist killed on the 5th day of the event and Andy Caldecott in the 2006 event. He and another entrant were the two victims of the 2006 event.
The concept is great, and you may recall when the Northern Territory ran the Gum Ball rally many years ago. In that event two Japanese drivers in their high powered Ferrari were killed and a marshal died when he was hit by a car. So the NT Government put an end to that idea.

But hey, anything is worth having a go. Good Luck !

Hi
If you just want some fun, go in one of the bash's that are held for charity as their is about a dozen of them all around Aus. I sponsor a guy who does one a year and he loves it.

Have fun
Craig

When I lived in Darwin we travelled down to Oolloo Crossing to watch the Aust Safari crossing the Daly (having traversed Aboriginal land). My sons then 7 and 9 were more interested in the antics of the chopper filming the event - he was a brilliant pilot. The Lac Rose type finale was held on Mindil Beach. Those were the days.
Mike.

I hope the event is run with greater eye for detail & professionalism than the website. Within less than a minute of logging on, grammatical & spelling errors were jumping out.

Sounds like quite an adventure though. I wonder what the average cost is to a team?

For starters, why don't you volunteerr as a Control Official. Can you you the feel of the event without a massive outlay. I did it on 2 occasions while it was staged over this side of the island

Yup, very familiar..
Competed in the Production Bike class back when it was still the Wynns Safari in mid 80's. :) On an old XT600 Tenere

Its nothing on the Dakar, no matter how much people wish it to be.

At the time, we had some of the factory Mitz cars pretending to be Paj's in it - full carbon fiber etc. they blitzed the rest.

We were out on day 2 with a crushed exhaust and other things. :(

I was going to try competing in the Safari, so i though i'll train for it by doing some 2 day and 4 day enduros, but after 2 failed attempts at 2 four days 1 at Forest Lodge and the other at Welshpool (boy that place is muddy, and not enough cash, i thought no way.

Agree about it being not a patch on the Dakar, whole differant race.

Baz.

Many thanks to "Explorer" and to 'Willem " for pointing out my mistakes. Indeed it was the Cannon Ball run and yes the two Ferrari drivers were responsible for the shocking accident that happened.
I guess that a similar type event to the Lisbon- Dakar could be run in Australia, but my main concern is getting past all the bureaucratic departments who are anti four wheel drives, quad bikes, trail bikes etc. A case example. Over here in WA we are over regulated by CALM the Water Authorities and the list goes on. To cut a long story short , about two years ago a group of us who were sick and tired of the Powerlines etc, decided to go in search of something new. We came across a road that lead off the Albany Highway, and followed that which took us through to North Banister. Suddenly we found ourselves in an area where no vehicles were allowed, but what amazed all of us, was Telstra Rally Australia banners and signs in an area that Mr and Mrs public can`t go - talk about double standards.

Willem, I have read many of your posts and if my memory serves me well ,aren't you a South African expat that has been in Australia for many many years ?

Simple but

Sorry messed up my last response...hit a wrong button.

Here it is again!

Simple and too the point......I also watched the 2006 Dakar with great enthusiam, and even I thought it would be a great challenge. I think the Australian safari is a good start.
I did read one of the other replies you only live once......go for it if you have the money behind you, don't look back for a second glance........make it happen!!!!

Then move on to the Dakar it could very well be the challenge you have been looking for!

Righto, here's another event on the WA off road calendar. The Gascoyne Dash. I spent last night with my dodgie Scottish mates for the traditional Robbie Burns evening eating black pudding and haggis washed down with neat scotch..............urrrgggghhhhhhhh

Over the course of the proceedings I was discussing sponsorship for the Bash and my mate Hamish (I kid you not!) said he's racing in the GasDash on his KTM. Here's the link to yet another event of ineterest.

GasDash

Snowballing is the word I believe. Spoilt for choice.