J
Some of us have to work for a living eh? I'm surely envious of your plans - I always wanted to do the Dakar since I used to watch the teams set off in Paris in the mid eighties - but I have realised I don't have the off-road skills necessary to race. Bike injuries are taking longer to heal as each year goes by! Your Heros trip was a shot in the arm though that I was unaware of and suddenly that dream no longer looks so unobtainable. Maybe in 2011....
Proposed mods for US are exhaust, tailpiece tidy up, decent footpegs, hanguards, MM lowering kit, nav gear and soft luggage - and that's about it.
Why is it that the manufacturers can't make the perfect bike - light, reliable, low maintenance easy & comfortable to ride. So often they tick most of the boxes but miss a couple of key ones - both the XTZ and Super Ten have missed the point on weight. Most of us aren't riding gods. What I would give for an XR400 with electric start, 450 power output, alloy frame, decent wheels and suspension, reliability, low maintenance, Tenere type tank, fairing and decent seat - it can't be that difficult???
I hope all goes well with your lead up rallies. I tried to drive a special stage of the 1986 Atlas Rally in a Fiat Panda - what took the riders hours took me a day and that was only part of the stage. Big respect to all who compete in these rally raids let alone finish with a decent placing. Good on you
tony
:ico n_biggrin: