When even Dakar riders walk ...

[safiri]

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/2012-dakar ... --spt.html

[Bob Morgan]

I hate sand.

What Yamaha are they riding in the Dakar?

[Hank Moody]

I think they are modified WR 450's. It seems that a lot of the teams have gone to the smaller displacement bikes.

[safiri]

I think they are modified WR 450's. It seems that a lot of the teams have gone to the smaller displacement bikes.

Because, I believe, the Dakar organizers put a 450cc limit in place a few years ago. Rather abrupt rule change that, if IIRC, caused KTM to not have a factory team that year: not enough time to switch from development of the 690 to the 450 RFS.