How to read a Dakar Rally Road Book

Ever wondered what that big tower on top of a rally bike is for? Join GasGas Factory Racing's Sam Sunderland as he explains what the roadbook is, and how he uses it in races like the Dakar Rally.

#dakarrally #dakar2024
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[RedBullRally]

Riding flat out AND reading this roadbook at the same time 🤯

[roitofficial]

"That was just 5km, normally we do 300 - 400" Add the fatigue, elements and 14 days, gives great perspective to how damn tough this stuff is, huge respect!

[nikhiltripathi]

I love how the guy introduced himself just only as a dakar rider instead of 2 time champion👍✌️🙏

[andystreet]

My dad rode Enduro back in the 70s and 80s and he had a road book and tried to explain to me how he would read it and keep up with everything and it always blew my mind how they can keep up with the road book while trying to navigate the trail

[ktwei]

These guys are heroes by being able to read these while speeding across an unknown desert.

[EpicSpartan]

Thanks “A Dakar Rider” for the educational session

[eblackshaw]

Love these educational tips. I've been wondering about the road book / riding skill for awhile. As a geography teacher who teaches orienteering on foot, I can only imagine the stress to navigate at this speed ... what a skillset. Thanks for sharing, RedBullRally.

[nelsonvzaks]

Reading pace notes at 150km/h on uneven terrain, mad respect for these guy🎉❤

[bluerebel]

I played that Dakar Desert Rally game that released last year I think, and it actually does a decent job of teaching you how to use a road book! At first it was frustrating but once you learn what everything means (and you turn off that annoying Co-driver and open up the index and learn the symbols) you start to blaze thru some stages and it so thrilling!

The only reason I understood what was going on in the video was because of that game, lol. I bet alot of people were lost during this but I'm sure our rider tried to do his best. He was Riding, navigating, and trying to talk over that loud bike, lol.

[hunteraff]

I can understand WRC pacenotes and it’s pretty straight forward because you’re following a track. I could not do Dakar😅 middle of nowhere, probably one singular rut showing where to go

[MrGbustamante]

This is the best video on the subject that I have seen yet, thank you!

[rdtym]

Thank you for sharing information about Dakar racers how to read navigation on desert tracks. Reading navigation in the Dakar Rally motorbike race turns out to be very different from cars. Extraordinary! ✨

[TurboJoe]

I’m loving all these detailed videos of how the Dakar works from a riders standpoint

[Titanium]

Thank you for sharing, so awesome to see the high skill set and andurance needed for this race, love Dakar.

[martinbailly]

Amazing ! Reading the road book and going fast ! So impressive ! Thank for such an informative video !

[belanagy]

Oh Man! From my comfortable gamer seat it so easy to watch motorbikes going with high speed so easily in such road conditions - but looking this from rider perspective how difficult it is, following the navigation, in the meantime keeping the speed and momentum to finish the race in the top, also making sure you don't get fall off the bike, rolling the roadbook, checking Compass...OMG such a complex task. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[michaelanderson]

Great Demo Sam.
Super difficult.
I used to navigate in a old Datsun 1600 rally car here in Aus in the novice Combine 6 series using mud maps (forestry maps) back in the late 80's early 90's. That was tough but you guys have is so much more difficult.
And doing all that yourself on the fly at 160 kph.
Huge kudos brother.
Sorry to hear your out Day 3 with Mechanical issues.
Maybe next year.

[kapilchaudharyttto]

Amazing skill level for processing this much information riding at this speed in all unknown territory …hats off

[McRocket]

Man! I thought it was mega, mega hard before.
Now, it seems even more difficult.
Wow!
Thanks for this, Sam.
✌️

[zacharybartlett]

Wow! This is next level concentration and commitment. Actually pretty stoked to watch this years Dakar. Best of luck to all these guys and gals! 👌