Honda's Dream Of Conquering Dakar + Video

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

The Paris-Dakar Rally was one of the most grueling tests of man and machine. It was for this very reason Honda set out to conquer it. Which it did, for four consecutive years in 1986, ’87, ’88, and ’89. In this first episode in Honda’s “True Adventure” series, entitled “The Dream,” the experience of competing, surviving and winning the Dakar rally is captured and re-told from the people who were there, including five-time winner Cyril Neveu. It’s surely no coincidence the title of this series coincides with the True Adventure prototype Honda unveiled at EICMA earlier this year (video of the prototype here), which leads us to believe the series will culminate in an official unveiling of the bike early next year.

In the video below, listen as the riders describe the loneliness that sets in when riding in the middle of the desert. How they form an unusual bond with their machine as it’s their only companion. Almost two decades on, it’s this Honda spirit of True Adventure that has spurred a whole new generation of riders to explore new boundaries on two wheels. Stay tuned for future episodes from this series.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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