So the 16 year old KTM 950 Adventure got to the finish line of the Africa Eco Race in the Malle Moto class with Corky at the helm, and before it heads off to its new home there were a few items that were new to both the rider and bike that we'd like to share with others. These items were definitely paramount to the success of the bike and rider reaching the chequered flag in Dakar.
There were quite a few crashes as expected in a rally of this kind with the biggest being right at the end during a whoop section sending the rider flying and bending the bars and Iritrack bracket.
The tower survived unscathed and because of its welded construction nothing rattled loose, moved or broke. The screen did get bent and weakend at the top section but as can be seen from the photos above and below it held together and nothing broke off.
Chris and AJ have been using SBS brake pads for a while now and are very happy with the performance. We recently discovered they did clutch plates for the LC8 and what a find they are. No fade, no wear and the oil wasn’t contaminated when changed at the half way point. Without doubt the OEM fibre plates would have disintegrated in the deep soft dunes of Mauritania. We know this from past experiences. Sitting at the bottom of a 2 story dune in 2nd gear, fully opening the throttle and letting the clutch out quickly would have destroyed other plates.
Chris used a heavier set of clutch springs from Barnet just to be sure of good contact and lessen the chance of slippage.
Chris and Andy couldn't find their usual Pirelli XC Scorpion in time for the race and very kindly Metzeler UK suggested the MC360 Med/Hard. At the time it wasn't an ideal situation and there was a lot of concern, but it was all thats was available at the time.
There was no need to worry - the tyre worked perfectly in the desert conditions. Paired up with the Michelin Desert mouse it was a great combo. When the 1st tyre change was done during the rest day the mousse although starting to go soft had no other damage and could have been used further.
The Metzeler tyre still had plenty of tread and importantly there was no chunking. In the above photo the last tyre fitted during the rally had done around 2,000 km's. The tread pattern hooked up great in the sand and there were no complaints in the rocky and fast piste sections. Now the tyre of choice for desert racing and we will test to see how it performs in European rallies and on the UK trails.
4) Giant Loop Pronghorn Straps & Armadillo Gas Bag (
Giant Loop):
Saved Chris and others loads of times when extra fuel was needed. Was also used many times to transfer fuel from one bike to another. Packs up small and is very lite when not in use so no excuse not to carry around with you.
Tough as nails, simple and does what it says on the tin (as with all Giant loop products) and now Chris won’t leave home without one. Pronghorn straps were great and quick to use. Coolant and water bottles were strapped to the back many times and never was anything lost to the desert. The rubber construction of the straps helps grip and keep everything in place.
Chris used the new plate which has a guard up front where the majority of the dirt and dust would hit the filter. This used along with the new dust filter skins was a great combo. Yes, there is more power with an open air box but just as importantly there was no crud in the carbs during the event.
Just 4 pre oiled filters were used during the 2 week race. The days included plenty of sand, mud and a water crossing with many hours riding each day in the dust clouds of other vehicles. The air filter kept it all out. The other bonus is the fact the filters pack really small which is important when the rider needs to live out of two metal boxes for the duration of the race.
This is a project we worked on alongside bike carbon specialists Kodama Composites. We had a very rough shape/prototype and spent 2021/22 perfecting the design and testing. Maximum protection, light and again survived the rally with no issues.
As the custom oil tank was situated at the front and low down along with the fuel pump it was very important it had good protection. Thank you to Chris and his team for a bash plate fit for purpose.
Chris used an Alpinestars Chest/Back Protector with the 3DO armour in the elbows and sleeves of the Dakar jacket, Both jacket and armour protected the rider and survived the crashes. The jacket/armour combo made the extreme heat in Mauritania very manageable and Chris will never go back to using a race jersey.
The vents allow for temperature control, there is more abrasive protection, pockets for food, spare gloves, etc and generally the rider is more comfortable. We knew the gear was good as we've been using the Dakar jacket and pants in the UK for racing and trail riding but turns out it also workes great in the desert.
Jacket and pants came home, went in the washing machine and not a tear, broken zip or other damage - perfect.
