The Finke Desert Race is a 'there and back' challenge from Alice Springs to Aputula (Finke) Community, covering a 460-kilometre (290 mi) round trip. Blayney Harness Racing Club On The Bathurst Road, Blayney . Josh Howells and Eric Hume were the second car in at 1 hour, 41 minutes and 32 seconds, then Beau Robinson and Shane Hutt just 18 seconds slower. Why am I doing this again? 6: Steg Pegz are pretty much standard equipment for Finke. By late March my confidence wasnt high. Mousse tubes to stop the risk of flats, a good X-ring chain to handle the abuse, a 2.0kg radiator cap with a high-performance coolant to reduce overheating, and a hundred litres of fuel should all add up to a good way to start your day at Hattah.. Only modifications the bike has is a red (devil) power valve spring, to have band all the way from low RPM and a 1/4 turn throttle. motorsport motorcycles Northern Territory accidents CONTACT US Send your photos, videos and stories to 9News contact@9news.com.au It hurt. Sweeping new safety measures were imposed, includingspectator exclusion zones banning onlookers from particularly dangerous parts of the track. The track is fast, rough, chopped-out, rocky, sandy and whopped-out. Yes, you can drive it in a car. Key points: 148 cars and 487 bikes will race from Alice Springs to Apatula, formerly Finke, and back in the two-day event After years of watching cars, bikes and buggies fly byfrom the sidelines, Alice Springs local Shane Garfath has thrown his hat into the ring for the first time. If you do happen to change your mind on any preferences at any stage down the track, please let us know ASAP so that we can try and accommodate your changes! The event's maturationhas also seen an evolution of competitors, with a growing number of older riders travelling from interstatefor a bucket list trip. View our, into the death of Nigel Harris will continue. SK Designs race graphics including your race number and name. There is are a lot of rocks on the Finke track. Happy to give helmet with purchase (size xs) and comes with audio kit (together are worth $600). Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. Its a cheap and simple thing to do that has a significant effect on the track. The ultimate Australian Desert Race now yours to challenge from your mobile! It sounds straight forward but the race is brutal. I hadnt lost any weight but I didnt take that important step to cut out the beer to shed some kilos. Federal Appeals Court Upholds First Amendment Right To Warn Drivers of Police Ahead. A month later I still felt slow, uncoordinated and out of tune with the bike. . Rick phoned me and said: Guess who youre lining up against for the prologue? Open to all comers it is the most fun you can have with a helmet on! It may not display this or other websites correctly. Its 40% more thermally efficient than traditional water/glycol based coolants which means enhanced cooling when operating at constant high throttle or high ambient temperatures. The likes of Toby Price, a eight-time Finke King of the Desertand two-time Dakar Rally champion, lines up on the same track as therest of the field. One man who has experienced the highs and lows that Hattah evokes is Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing Team Manager, AJ Roberts. strong>. As the competition has developed, Finke has developed into a more highly regulated event, combating the Northern Territory's often-quotedreputation as the nation's wild west. Having already won six times in the bike division, in 2021 he crossed the line first in his Mitsubishi Triton trophy truck - with teammates Joseph Weining and Mark Dutton by his side - and made. I made sure I entered the race the very morning entries went live on www.finkedesertrace.com.au. 2023 Finke Desert Race Race Bike Set-up Form Now that you have your entry in the race, it is time to provide us with some general information along with your preferences in relation to the set up of your race bike. Australia's ULTIMATE Desert Race 9th - 12th. That means you have at least seven stops during the race and that adds time the rider needs to find out on the course to make that back. If in doubt, stay off the track. With my entry confirmed there was no backing out. and roughly 500 competitors, buggies and bikes, every year . Being of similar age I knew wed be in the same class but, bugger me dead, I didnt know wed selected race numbers that would have us lining up next to each other. I run 4km or cycle to start every session then I mix it up with some weights, concentrating on legs and back mostly. A lot. #1. Lee and his staff have been fixing my bikes for over 1 and a 1/2 years now and they are outstanding . Im definitely fitter but Im not feeling any faster. Between midday and 12:30pm stay off the track. Make us your next stop when your oil is due for a change Race Day 1. Scotts Steering Stabiliser utilising a BRP rubber mounted sub-mount. We stock the full range of Motul oil from base ATV to the full race spec 300V! Choose someone who knows what theyre doing. Contact us at admin@finkedesertrace.com.au Every Finke legend tells me a rowing machine is the go. Past Results Bikes & Cars - Tatts Finke Desert Race Home "The competitors used to have a few ales at the end of a race and then go back the next day, and I'm sure that progressed throughout the 80s.". Far fewer know their real story, Anna called police to report an assault, but they took out a family violence order against her. JavaScript appears to be disabled, Husqvarna unveils the Norden 901 Expedition, FRANCE TO EXPERIENCE FIRST FIM WORLD SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX, Highlights: Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations 2022, How To Seal a Leaky KTM Power Valve Cover, TRAVELLING ABROAD WITH A SHERCO 16 ELECTRIC BIKE, WRECKERS 2 CHECKERS: S2 | ULTIMATE PROJECT BIKE, Power valve adjustment tricks of the trade, Australias Biggest and Best Dirt Bike Magazine, Subscribe To Australasian Dirt Bike Magazine, FINKE I CAN! Piloting a heavy, high powered motorcycle on technical terrain for the first time is not for the faint hearted. HIGHWAY. For the overnight camp at Finke Ill need my swag which will be packed with some clothes and shoes. Its essentially a 30-minute sand motocross track with some off-road flavour. He said: Youre a bloody idiot. "It's not just the motorbike industry, it's everything around it,and it'ssimply a great event for the town.". "I'vecamped out and watched it for a long time now, but youget a bit itchy just watching.". My diet is still shit. Mr Yoffa, who is serving in his 23rd year on the Finke committee, acknowledged the importance of maintaining local interest in the event for the next generation of revheads. what counties in nevada do not require smog We clearly need speed, but we also need to maintain it for four hours. Internet Explorer is no longer updated for Windows and. Pos Class Num Competitor Town Bike Time Outright Gap Outright int Find out who finished in what position in any of these off-road races. But it wasn't of concern, because the Alice Springs riderswere just there to make the dust fly. "If I can get some sponsorship, that'd be great," he said. While entry numbers have dipped slightly this year,President Antony Yoffa believes it will be a near-full field once again come June. A railway spike is the prize for Finke Desert Race finishers, Previous experience will make Finke a lot more achievable, There are plenty of Finke suspension experts out there, Make sure you've got the right rubber on your wheels, A good set of body armour will protect you from roost and rocks, Finke is hot and dusty. the job. Let me tell you, the bush is different from the desert. Average riders may experience top speeds of 140kmh or more at Finke. 2022 Bike Extras - 2022 Bike Extras. As mentioned, a regular Finke or AORC set-up wont work well at Hattah as conditions are so different from those style of events. Maybe theyve seized? very scary. Dust flies as Finke action kicks off in Alice Springs. "Finke has just continued to grow and grow over many years, to the point now where it's more of a national event than then a local event," he said. I do need to test this theory and if Im caught short Ill opt for the 12-litre Sherco tank. Location. But if you are serious about winning Hattah, then there are a few steps you need to take to get to the top step. Hes awesome fun because he always goes the extra moto, the extra mile, the extra lap. Australian TV personality, Grant Denyer and his best mate took two Yamaha WR250Rs on the adventure of a lifetime. My fitness was definitely getting better and I was beginning to feel stronger. There are a lot of rocks and hard-pack sections on the race track and a puncture will ruin your ride. The Finke is on the bucket list of thousands of Australian riders who just want to give it a go. "It's expensive simple as that. Car Prologue - Start Times. "It's expensive simple as that. | 23 June 2020. Finke Desert Race Inc advises the details contained in this publication are presented in good faith and has sought to ensure its contents are correct and based on the best available information at the time of printing. You will never practice-ride at an intensity anywhere near the levels you will experience at Finke. ), http://s379.photobucket.com/albums/oePooMoment.flv, Demolition derby with badass girls and enjoyed everything, Hot babe with gazoo enjoys being fucked hard. A coronial inquest into the death of Nigel Harris will continue later this year. It's not every day the Editor of ADB magazine calls you up and says: Hey, mate, how would you like to take custody of our next long-term test bike? The Tatts Finke Desert Race, Australias biggest off-road, multi-terrain race has today confirmed the entry open dates and criteria for the 2023 event. The riders will tell you its the most demanding weekend of the year a four-hour sprint on a degenerating track that leaves you exhausted, sore and with hands full of blisters. We Love Trump: Hecklers Berate Nikki Haley at CPAC. For Michael Vroom, former Finke champion and now co-owner atOutback Motorcycle Adventures, the changing landscape has created a business opportunity. Dangerous and unacceptable: White House condemns efforts to stop pharmacies from dispensing abortion pills. Ive been there and I know it hurts. The bike setup required for a comfortable and safe riding experience at Finke is not like anything else required for any other ride anywhere. Dont ride too fast or youll come unstuck. The bars, levers and even the density of the seat foam plays a part, especially late in the race (imagine having to sprint the last hour with a next-level case of monkey-butt or blisters). Perhaps the biggest lesson is to not listen to anyone who hasnt raced Finke. Hundreds of competitors on dirt bikes and in cars will attempt to take on the challenging Central Australian landscape in the annual Finke Desert Race, widely billed as the toughest off-road motorsport event in the country. The Tatts Finke Desert Race is an off road, multi terrain two-day race for bikes, cars & buggies through desert country from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) community. Walsh (at right) also smashed his race winning 2019 time by just under 10 minutes, coming into Finke in a blistering 1 hour 45 minutes and 34 seconds. 7:30 am Cars Start. Theyre designed to prevent blisters and are reusable. You wouldnt want to, but you can before the 600 bikes tear it to shreds, that is! Your engines also working harder on a desert ride in the sand, so make sure you take extra engine coolant and keep an eye on the temperature gauge! The Tatts Finke Desert Race, Australia's biggest off-road, multi-terrain race has confirmed the entry open dates and criteria for the 2023 event. This is not recommended. "There used to be a pub at Finke," long-time race president Antony Yoffa says. 9: One of the biggest and most effective mods you can make is suspension dialled in for the desert. The former attorney was given two consecutive life sentences out of the four counts after murdering his wife and son. You also need a bit of work on the suspension to ride the whoops at speed a bit more comfortably. I was exhausted for weeks. Desert goggles have thicker foam between the face foam and goggle frame to keep dust out. I won't take my bike anywhere else now . That's before the race entrance fee of $900, a jump from the 2022 price. 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While fast riders can complete the track in around two-hours each way, most riders are out there for three or four hours. Install soft compound grips to your handlebars to help prevent blisters. So stuff sitting on the sidelines for another year, Im back in. KTM 300 exc 2021. Its unique in the way the course is designed. "Eventually, that will have an effect on those that can do the race.". Also, any mods you do to the motor must be durable as bolting up a performance part that cant handle four hours of abuse with no maintenance isnt going to cut it. Motor There are several things to think about here. In the early 1980s, when the Finke Desert Race was a fledgling off-roadevent, locals would show up on race day with a single hope: that their motorbike would make it there and back along 230 kilometres of unrefined dirt. WORDS: STEPHEN TUFF PHOTOS: MITCH LEES. but its not my bike that prevents me from riding, and a running dirtbike with fresh tires, decent suspension is 98% the smiles per gallon as a new dirtbike. I got to ride with Motul Pirelli Sherco Factory rider Justin Carafa a few times. We also need to make the bike as versatile as possible as it must work well at speed, but also be able to steer accurately in the tight bush sections. Reflecting on the standout stories from the memorable Transmoto 8-Hour at Stroud in 2019 the last before Covid struck! I had a workout, sweated buckets then went to the pub. You need to be bike fit. Add to that fuel stops, bike durability, rider fitness and a four-hour race strategy, and you have a race that isnt easy to win.. 8: Keeping dust out of your bikes engine can be a tough ask when youre back in the pack like I will be, so Ill be using Uni-Filter ProComp2 two-stage elements to stop the dust getting in. Seven of last year's top 10 in the Finke Desert Race - all from the big-bore 451cc and over four-stroke class - will return in 2022, including defending champion David Walsh, Jack Simpson, Rick Ireland, the Waters brothers (Nick and Brodie) and Jacob Smith.