In 1978, the first Dakar Rally featured a route from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal. The annual rally raid retained its titular destination until 2008, when security threats in Mauritania forced organizers to cancel the event. South America hosted the Dakar Rally where it ran from 2009 to 2019, and the desert race moved to Saudi Arabia in 2020.
Despite recent continent hopping, the Rally will always have its roots in the original Paris-Dakar route. Bespoke Rallies wants enduro fans to relive the good old days with its new Dakar-inspired package. Covering over 4,000 miles, the Dakar Enduro Rally 2022 will actually depart from the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, England. Journeying south, the route will take the participants through France, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania before arriving in Dakar.
Evo Magazine founder and YouTuber Harry Metcalfe will take on the Dakar Enduro aboard his 1988 Honda Africa Twin XRV650 Marathon. At his side, Mark Morris will pilot a 1989 Yamaha XTZ 750 Super Tenere, Hans Ladegaard will ride a 1984 BMW R80 G/S, and David Ward will attack the course with a 1990 Cagiva Elefant 900ie. While the Bespoke Rallies encourages vintage adventure bikes inspired by the original Dakar Rally, it won’t turn away modern ADVs.
Organizers state that the event will follow “in the wheel tracks of the original event wherever possible,” but will also avoid the “dune bashing of the more extreme sections.” For that reason, the Dakar Enduro 2022 isn’t exclusive to pro-level riders, but some off-road experience and a sense of adventure will certainly go a long way.
At £5,850 ($8,294 USD), the 21-day tour is a hefty time and monetary commitment. However, if you can pony up the dough and secure enough PTO, the road trip of a lifetime might just be a click away.
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Sources: ADV Pulse, Bespoke Rallies