The Merzouga Rallye 2014

Following from the successful trip in 2013 when Gordon Clarke and Nick Craigie travelled to and rode the 13 Rallye ( Gordon finishing a very commendable 15th overall  ) two riders are making the trip for the 2014 rallye. Vincent Dooley who has previously been to Africa in 1996 for the Dakar rallye and Dubai 1998 for the inaugural Dubai Desert challenge will return to the rallye scene along with Brian McGirr from Fermanagh . Brian , who spends his life on a motorcycle as a trainer will be competing in his first rallye . Both will be riding in the new Experts Lite class aboard lightly modified  450  enduro bikes . Brian has prepared his 450 Husky , currently en route to Erfurd and Vincent is renting a 450 KTM . Nick is travelling with the boys to assist them as he is unable to participate following his accident last April .

The rallye runs from the 18th October to the 23rd and is based in southern Morocco around the Chebbi Erg a vast sand dune area bordering the Sahara desert. A wonderful place to ride but far from easy .

The Merzouga as well as the ordinary privateer  attracts many of the top Dakar teams as a final shakedown for the new year event and Yamaha ,KTM , Gas Gas , Beta , TM  will all have their riders there . Honda will not have their official team there but will be well represented .

Enduro .ie will keep the site posted as well as possible  on the progress of the rallye and in particular to our own riders . WE wish them well .

 

Brian:

“ Riding a rallye has always been a dream of mine and now it is finally going to happen. All the paperwork has been done , the bike prepared , the boxes packed and gone and now I am getting nervous . Even though I spend a huge amount of my time on a bike I have never ridden much sand except recently for some practice in Kerry ….. very unlike the bogs and mountains of Fermanagh . I hope I can get the knack of it quickly and finish the rallye . That is all I want “

 

Enduro.ie

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