Sherco who???
As the Dakar Rally continues to evolve towards the goal of 450cc machinery only in 2011, new manufacturers are taking notice and trying to gain a foothold in the historic sport. Sherco has done just that with a victory in the first stage as David Casteu piloted his SE 4.5i ahead of the larger 690 KTM machines of Cyril Despres and reigning champion, Marc Coma by three and 12 seconds, respectively. Flooding at the start of the special caused the opening stage to be shortened to 104 miles instead of the original 156 miles. Rally Raid is known for its inconsistency and surprises, so competitors were faced right away with having to cope on their way to Cordoba. With restrictors on the air intakes of their KTM motorcycles, Coma and Despres navigated the 217-mile liaison as the first two riders off the start. Casteu was third out of the gate and the French rider, who is managing his own team consisting of two other competitors, charged through the early stage in an effort to set a strong precedence, but he had to work for the victory.
Casteu said: “This morning, my mechanic said: ‘We haven’t done all this for nothing, so if you want to make an impact, go on. For the bike, we’ll see afterwards. So, I attacked, attacked and attacked. I had a great time. Throughout the special stage, I kept concentrating on my steering, because riding is different on a 450cc – you have to be quick everywhere because it hasn’t got as much boost. There were some nice long straight parts. I was riding at 150kmph, but the bike held stable and is coping well. I hardly used any petrol. In fact, I had three times too much.”
Spain’s Jordi Viladoms on a KTM, Chile’s Francisco Lopez on an Aprilia and French Yamaha rider David Fretigne made up the top six.
Dakar Rally Stage 1 Results:
- 1. CASTEU (FRA) SHERCO
- 2. DESPRES (FRA) KTM
- 3. COMA (ESP) KTM
- 4. VILADOMS (ESP) KTM
- 5. LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA
- 6. FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA
- 7. PRZYGONSKI (POL) KTM
- 8. GONÇALVES (PRT) BMW
- 9. FARIA (PRT) KTM
- 10. RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA
Sherco who??? The youthfulness of the Sherco trademark, born in 1998, contrasts with the growth that it has experienced during this short, but intense, five-year period. Born as a result of Marc Teissier’s passion for trials, Sherco has carved a niche for itself among the leading manufactures in the trials market this success has been evident from the very beginning. This success can be contributed to Marc’s ability to bring together a management team filled with experience and prestige in the field of trials. The popularity of the Sherco brand among riders has allowed a fast, but methodical, expansion of the product line and the number of models offered. The new SE3.0i-F utilizes the same basic engine as the current 250cc model but it has received a larger diameter cylinder, which increases the engine capacity to 290 cc which will place it in the very competitive 300 cc racing class which has hitherto been reserved for 2-stroke engines.
This will revolutionize the class with the inclusion of the competition proven electronic fuel injected 4-stroke engine. In this way SHERCO is firmly betting that the new motor which is based on the successful 250cc model which is the lightest and most compact bike in its class will also be successful in the new larger displacement class. The complete range including the powerful and trustworthy 450 and 510, all meet the stringent Euro 3 emission standards.
Let’s see how David Casteu and his Sherco will perform the next Dakar 2010 race days to come. For more information on the Sherco Motorcycles visit the Sherco Motorcycles website here…
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