YaaaaaHoooooooooo!
This "Long Road to Dakar" began for me in July of 2000. We were at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb going for a win against a tough sidecar team from Sweden. In practice we were struggling to keep up with them. We just didn't have the horsepower compared to their GSXR 1100 powered rig, and our chassis was not well suited for that kind of race. A quarter of the way up the mountain in the race, just behind the Swedes, our Sportster powered rig blew up. We had given everything we had, and it still was not enough for a win. While sitting on the side of the course watching all the other competitors blast by, my thoughts drifted towards building a new sidecar that could beat the hot Swedish team at Pikes Peak. In the weeks that followed I began to see that my other dream, competing in the Dakar Rally, could be fulfilled by the same very custom built sidecar. It took a year but we completed the new rig just in time for Pikes Peak 2001. We fulfilled the first half of my dream by beating the Swedish team, and setting a new record time for a sidecar at Pikes Peak. We repeated in 2003 with V-Rod power. Now five years after starting this project, after many changes to the sidecar, many "bumps in the road", years of testing, and picking up a new partner, we are on track to fulfill the second half of this dream. The just received letter below means we are one step closer, and it’s got me totally psyched. I can't wait for the December 31 start date!!!
Hog Wild - Entry accepted
Moderator: Scott
- chris m. johnson
- Active Visitor 100
- Posts: 183
- Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:56 pm
- Location: LLano, Ca, USA
Congratulations to Scott & Duane
YAHOOOOOOO - Congratulations to both Scott & Duane,
Through all of the different quirks and personalities present with our sidecar racing family - WE ALL wish you two the best of sucess of safety and adventure for the most awsome physical, mental and enduring challenge that only can be amagined by the participants.
Now the hard part is about to begin - TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN go to the gym three-four nights a week, run ten miles three times a week and ride at least once a week (even if it is on another rig) and put yourself on a good nurishing diet (Scott better follow Duanes lead in training). - AND DONT STOP UNTIL YOU GUYS GET ON THE PLANE TO BARCELONA.
NOW GO MAKE us ALL PROUD with a successful finish / CHEERs, Chris
Through all of the different quirks and personalities present with our sidecar racing family - WE ALL wish you two the best of sucess of safety and adventure for the most awsome physical, mental and enduring challenge that only can be amagined by the participants.
Now the hard part is about to begin - TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN go to the gym three-four nights a week, run ten miles three times a week and ride at least once a week (even if it is on another rig) and put yourself on a good nurishing diet (Scott better follow Duanes lead in training). - AND DONT STOP UNTIL YOU GUYS GET ON THE PLANE TO BARCELONA.
NOW GO MAKE us ALL PROUD with a successful finish / CHEERs, Chris
TEAM SOLTRON
Chris Johnson, Jack, Randy, Brian, Kylie, Paul (Califiornia GP, DESERT, MX - #Z1) Soltron, EventPhoto, Marks Performance Products.
Chris Johnson, Jack, Randy, Brian, Kylie, Paul (Califiornia GP, DESERT, MX - #Z1) Soltron, EventPhoto, Marks Performance Products.
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- Posts: 90
- Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:40 pm
- Location: buckinghamshire
dakar dream
congrat,s scott go for it and be safe regards chris long & all the sidecarcross riders & passengers in the uk
Answer from Swisssidecardakar-Team
Congratulations from the Swiss-Sidecardakar-Team too!
See you in Lisboa!
It'll be a great thing to see at least 2 sidecars besides them boring KTMs and cars
See you in Lisboa!
It'll be a great thing to see at least 2 sidecars besides them boring KTMs and cars