Chasing Dakar - a rider's guide to adventure riding, rally preparation and racing
In the history of off-road motorcycle racing few riders have been able to establish themselves as true  legends.  Scot Harden is one of them. Over the last 35 years Scot has achieved an impressive record that speaks for itself. He has earned numerous overall victories in almost every major off-road discipline held in the U.S., Mexico, Europe and Africa, including 3 overall victories at the Baja 1000, 3 overall victories at the Baja 500, and 3 ISDE medals. In 1982, he was a member of the highest finishing (second place) U.S. Trophy team in history. At the Tunisia Rally in 1987, Scot became the first American ever to win an African  Raid Rally,  earning a reputation as a  world class  rally racer.    Scot is one of very few competitors who has been able to continue his racing career well into his forties. During his long-time affiliation with KTM North America, he has served in executive sales and marketing management positions and most recently helped create the American effort for the Dakar Rally, serving as both rider and manager. Scot developed the team in hope of putting an American on the podium, a goal almost achieved in 2006. Nowadays, Scot is launching another effort called KTM Adventure Tours. These are rally style adventure tours and training camps for all levels of riders.    For Scot Harden, the world of off-road racing and the business that surrounds it are always expanding. He continues to leave his mark as a competitor and one of the sport s most influential personalities. --BookI m often asked, What does it take to win? It s a simple answer. Preparation. Perseverance. And a little luck. After winning the Roof of Africa on a motorcycle and in a buggy as well as the Atlas Rally in Morocco, I was asked to participate in the Paris Dakar in 1987. I jumped at the chance. But I was in for a surprise. I found myself in the most remote, exciting, and adventurous landscape I had ever seen. My team and I were strangers in a foreign land, not expected to win   hardly expected to finish. But we persevered, trying to keep our wits about us as we pulled out all our tricks: pit crews, chase planes, mental endurance. The desert answered: relentless heat, sand storms, and its most frightening weapon   desolation.   Don t get lost.  It sounds like simple enough advice, but I assure you, you ve not felt loneliness until you ve driven for hours without seeing another soul, climbed to the top of the highest dune, put army-grade binoculars to your eyes and conducted a 360° pan. Sand. Nothing but sand. But that s the Paris Dakar Rally. That s what makes it special. The adventure. The excitement. The thrill of counting on not just yourself, but your team and the thousands of hours you ve spent preparing for every possible curve the race may throw at you.  I finished fourth overall. It was unlike any event I had ever raced before or since. I consider it one of my proudest accomplishments. The following pages are for everyone, from those planning to participate to those who have only dreamt of it. I wish this book had been published before I raced the Paris Dakar Rally. It would have saved me money, stress, and most importantly...time. Because in racing, time is all that matters. It s easy to go fast over twenty minutes; it s much harder to go fast over twenty days. The difference? Preparation. Perseverance. And a little luck. Malcolm Smith --Book