The race format is quite simple you race from Alice Springs 230km south to the community of Apatula on the ancient Finke River, camp the night then race back again the following day. We tend to work with a more traditional motocross-style setting, but take a couple of other considerations onboard. Supermarket shelves are stripped bare, while those in the know collect their "Finke packs" from the local butcher, which they've ordered a month in advance. You wouldnt want to, but you can before the 600 bikes tear it to shreds, that is! There is are a lot of rocks on the Finke track. Buzza you're a scream mate.^rof I think we were running 15:45 the race bikes were geared taller. But it's a price Garfath is willing to pay. Who's only bike is 20+ years old and still loving it? Compete in the iconic Finke Desert Race and see if you can make it all the way and back! Find out who finished in what position in any of these off-road races. "Add to that fuel stops, bike durability, rider fitness and a four-hour race strategy, and you have a race that isn't easy to win." HATTAH ESSENTIALS. "With that comes a lot of competitors, and it brings a lot of people to town. Many of the riders just roll up on the current bikes and give it a shake, with the fun factor high on the agenda. The simple reason why Im back in is that I want to live. You will have never ridden in dust like the Finke track. By late March my confidence wasnt high. After running second in the MXGPs premier class three times in four years, can Jeremy Seewer go one step better in 2023? 6: Steg Pegz are pretty much standard equipment for Finke. Steg pegz (HD Desert King 'further back' model with 3 rubbers). My fitness was definitely getting better and I was beginning to feel stronger. It took two weeks to get over that and I felt like I needed to start all over again. Desert Tyres: Now that you are on the right track with a set of mousse tubes, choosing the correct tyre is the next step. 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. More than 10,000 spectators skirt the winding, often corrugated track runningalong the old Ghan railway to the remote Aboriginal community Finke, also known as Apatula, which marks the halfway point of the two-day race. Then just add some of the details to the bike. How the Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs grew into "There used to be a pub at Finke," long-time race president Antony Yoffa says. The second-most recommended modification you can do to your bike is to install a steering damper. (ABC Alice Springs: Lee Robinson) Motor sports are not cheap. From 12:30pm onwards, the track direction is north. Allan B could be head of electrical - both Ron's could do mechanical . 1. Day1 - Finke Desert Race If you do have any further information you'd like to provide that you think might be helpful to us, please include this in the final comments section. "As long asyoung Alice Springs riders continue to join the motorcycle club, buy motorbikes locally, and compete locally, the eventwill continue for some time to come, long after I've moved on.". "In the future, ifwe were to move toseparate days, that may allow for more competitors.". 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Can the dogs of Chernobyl teach us new tricks when it comes to our own survival? The number-one adjustment you can make to your bike for Finke is suspension. Hardly inspiring stuff from a close mate who was fairly handy in his day. The Bell Moto-10 is now available as a Dylan Ferrandis replica. The weight of the bike is increased when the oversized tank, especially when full of fuel, so that must come into calculations with spring rates and valving. Bike Day 2 - Checkpoint. Finke Desert Race Tour | Daryl Beattie Adventures | Book a Tour 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. 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. Key points: 148 cars and 487 bikes will race from Alice Springs to Apatula, formerly Finke, and back in the two-day event View our, into the death of Nigel Harris will continue. All I could do was laugh and so did he. Alice Springs local Shane Garfath is competing in his first Finke Desert Race in 2023. ", LT50, PW80 (x2), YZ85, KX65. '05 EXC2fiddyRFS (now 405.. thanks HT Racing ! Sweeping new safety measures were imposed, includingspectator exclusion zones banning onlookers from particularly dangerous parts of the track. If you have not competed in an off-road race before, do not think Finke is the right place to pop your racing cherry. Blog #15 - The Finke Desert Race & Lamberts COA - Days 83 to 87 of 180 One of Greg's images of a big banger Whilst in Finke we chatted to some motorbike riders who had also come in to watch the race as we were total newbies and had no idea where or what a good campsite would be. Dont ride too fast or youll come unstuck. "It's not just the motorbike industry, it's everything around it,and it'ssimply a great event for the town.". The fastest Finke ever - Alice Springs News Things like grips can destroy hands so make sure the grips are not overly hard. I run 4km or cycle to start every session then I mix it up with some weights, concentrating on legs and back mostly. Protection in a race like this in important. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. By running that oversized tank, we have halved our fuel stops., 2. Read news from 100s of titles, curated specifically for you. My diet is still shit. ), http://s379.photobucket.com/albums/oePooMoment.flv, Demolition derby with badass girls and enjoyed everything, Hot babe with gazoo enjoys being fucked hard. Desert riding is one of the most challenging environments known to any dirt bike rider, conditions are tough on the rider and their machinery, and when you add the elements of extreme heat, remote locations, wild animals and unknown terrain, you have all of the ingredients for a buffet of unpredictability. Finke Race Bike Set Up 2023 "That might be a reflection of the economy and all sorts of factorsthat go beyond just motorcycle riding," he said. 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! You also need a bit of work on the suspension to ride the whoops at speed a bit more comfortably. A mousse tube is a condensed ring of foam which is inserted to the tyre in place of the inflatable tube. Car Prologue - Start Times. The Tatts Finke Desert Race is a unique off-road race for bikes, cars, buggies and quads held in middle of the Australian Outback. However, the unique demands of this race require some very specific preparation for any rider to safely survive the Finke. Each vehicle selected will determine the value of the fuel pickups and their frequency. 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. Why would an out-of-shape dirtbike hack like me want to take on one of the worlds most fearsome races? Steg Pegz: The number one dirt bike accessory (and probably number three behind drinking water and fuel for your bike) is Steg Pegz. Finke Desert Race bikes and cars take to the track under sweeping - MSN You need solid tyres for Finke so Ill be running Pirelli Scorpion XC Mid-Hards front and rear with ultra-heavy duty tubes. Desert riding takes place all over the world with a number of famous international races taking place annually - the Dakar Rally being the pinnacle of desert racing globally, which has been won by Australian legend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Toby Price on two occasions. HOW-TO: TAKE ON THE HATTAH DESERT RACE - Transmoto "It's not just the motorbike industry, it's everything around it,and it'ssimply a great event for the town.". 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. 3: I have soft office worker pussy hands, so Ill be fitting the softest handgrips I can find. Although they look simple and kind of like a door stopper bolted to the side of your bike, there is not one desert rider who doesnt swear by a set of these. Okay, a lot. In fact, we have decreased rev limits for some riders over the time to protect the motor as they are riders who always ride the bike high in the rpm range.. I thought about roadbike foam grips but my hands are too small to grip them, leaving me with arm pump. Start/Finish Line Setup. There is no doubt years of pre-running and racing meant Toby was familiar with the race track, but his skills as a driver were apparent when he managed to set the second-fastest time to Finke in his Red Bull-sponsored trophy truck. Toby Price about his historic Finke Desert win 2021 - Red Bull With 80 sleeps to go I decided I needed some professional help. Desert goggles have thicker foam between the face foam and goggle frame to keep dust out. 2006 - 2006 Finke Desert Race | race-deZert He offers a package for fly-in riders, providing everything fromthebike, to food, transport,and camping gear. 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. Two others have been injured, with NT PFES also reporting a male spectator in his 50s had to be flown to Alice Springs Hospital. www.offroadaction.com. 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. Vroom, who grew up with the desert race etched into his calendar, said despite its growth, enthusiasm for riding was waning in the younger generation. Northern Territory. Lowndes targeting Finke Desert Race - Speedcafe If youre into riding dirt bikes, camping out with friends, family and kids and meeting like-minded crew, then RIDE OUT Moto Weekends are for you. With the track being predominantly sand, a scoop or paddle style tyre is used on the rear. He offers a package for fly-in riders, providing everything fromthebike, to food, transport,and camping gear. The Finke Desert Race & Lamberts COA | TurningDieselIntoMemories Car Competitors - Class. 7:30 am Cars Start. Find out who finished in what position in any of these off-road races. Alarmingly, many of these riders were lining up for their first race. Car Prologue - Outright. The high-speed and incredibly rough conditions of the Finke track can cause your bike to kick and buck and twitch which is scary and very dangerous. In 2021, after a fatal collision between a race vehicle and a group of spectators,the organisers' hands were forced. I started thinking about Finke almost every day in February. With the cost of living and the cost of the event going up, it's a lot of money and it takes a lot of commitment to take part. FINKE I CAN! Finke Desert Race for Rookies - Australasian Dirt Bike There are dozens of suspension tuners out there, but it is recommended you seek out a desert expert for Finke. . So while you can't stop everything from happening, you can help prevent bad scenarios from occurring. Once I decided to race again I figured I should draw on the hard lessons Id learned on that fearsome mongrel track. Hes awesome fun because he always goes the extra moto, the extra mile, the extra lap. In other words, the overall package must be racy yet comfortable. Choose from three distinct vehicles, each with their own unique playstyle! Spectator killed at Finke Desert Race in the Northern Territory I seem to remember doing somthing similar on the way down except I launched of a rock ledge or somthing blurry like it comming out of a dip I didn't see whist pinned in topl!!! We run a 15T on the front and while that does take away bottom-end, it does give us a significant increase in breath of power and overrev. Amour will also protect you in the event of a fall or crash. 2022 Bike Extras - 2022 Bike Extras. This is not recommended. The course runs through extreme desert country near Alice Springs to the small community of Finke (Aputula) in Australia's Northern Territory. Here you find race course maps, live tracking, and when available official qualifying results and results based on class and overall. Chris's Fitness And Health Consulting Blayney 2799 . Rick phoned me and said: Guess who youre lining up against for the prologue? There are a lot of rocks and hard-pack sections on the race track and a puncture will ruin your ride. More than 300 passengers on a flight from Bangkok to Melbourne were grounded on the Alice Springs tarmac after an emergency landing on Sunday. "I'vecamped out and watched it for a long time now, but youget a bit itchy just watching.". The race is held each year on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June. Blister Prevention: No one likes blisters, but you're bound to get them in the desert. or 08 8952 8886. Howdy All I reckon if 25,000 EO users put in $200 each then I could set up ExploreOz Racing and tweak my Ranger a bit to participate in next years Dakar !! So, a bike set-up that you would use at Finke - where straight-line stability is the number 1 priority - simply doesn't work for Hattah. "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.". We eat a lot of greens with lean meats but Im enjoying beer a bit too much. That arrest violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, a federal appeals court has ruled. Racing royalty from around the country set the standard for professionalism. Steering Stabiliser Riding a dirt bike at speeds close to 170km/h across a shifting surface like sand can make for a very busy front-end, so we fit a steering stabiliser to their race bikes to settle the bike more to get it a more predictable feel in the sand and reduce rider fatigue.. We fit a 12.5-litre Safari tank to our bikes, which means we can go two full laps before refuelling. But it's a price Garfath is willing to pay. Em Dance Tiwi, NT. Two motorcyclists injured in Finke incident being flown to Adelaide UPDATE: A MAN in his 60s has died after being struck by a vehicle while watching the Finke Desert Race on Sunday, NT Police have confirmed. We have chosen a Yamaha WR450F to demonstrate Grabbo's bike set up tips and tricks, which for this video is fitted with a full Akrapovi exhaust system, Steg Pegz, Dunlop MX33 tyres, GYTR. Its essentially a 30-minute sand motocross track with some off-road flavour. In Australia, the renowned Finke Desert Race hosted in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, attracts thousands of desert racing die-hards from around the nation for what is the toughest event in the country, while the Hattah Desert Race in Victoria is a must for any off-road rider. Access to set-up advice, local knowledge and race tips from long time locals and former race outright winner. One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites, Actor Tom Sizemore dies after career tarnished by scandals. The Tatts Finke Desert Race is heralded as Australia's greatest desert race and its status is legendary. Its not like Finke, which is more of a straight-line shootout. My good mate Jehi Willis raced his fair share of Finke Desert Races and he couldnt believe it when I told him I was going back. A feature rich and highly configurable, professional Joomla theme. 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. And that also works in line with rider fatigue. . 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 scales havent moved. For the past few years, 50 per cent of the 600-rider field at Finke has been first-time competitors. 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. The simplest way to get more top-end is increase the size of the countershaft sprocket. Motoz tyres go "There and Back" at the 2007 Finke Desert Race 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. A new bike, suspension, and protective gearcan run up a hefty five-figure bill. Racing royalty from around the country set the standard for professionalism. Motor sports arenot cheap. Your bike will be suppliedwith the following; Please answer all of the questions below and click the submit button once complete. "I'm definitely not podium-worthy,I'm an amateuras far as they come and purely in it for the fun," he said. Sherpa are world famous for their work, which is synonymous with their name. In 2016, one of our first Weekly Wraps explored the stunned aftermath of the Brexit referendum. He had his first crack at Finke last year and came home in ninth, which is a mighty fine effort. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Oceanside, CA. Being sand, we need to be aware of the clutch and more abuse it can take, and work with the rider to ensure it doesnt destroy the bike in the first two laps. 5. Perhaps the biggest lesson is to not listen to anyone who hasnt raced Finke. Hes fit as hell and his positive vibe rubs off. The Australian Army set up the 109th Australian General . Any experienced desert rider will tell you that no matter how prepared you are, nothing goes as planned when you're charging through the desert, and anything can and usually will happen. So, we generally end up with motocross-style valving maybe a little softer with firmer springs and then try to keep a conventional bike balance with ride height around the 105-108mm area.. The Finke Desert Race, or Tatts Finke Desert Race, an off-road, multi-terrain two-day race for bikes, cars, buggies and quad bikes through desert country from Alice Springs to the small and remote community of Aputula (called Finke until the 1980s) in Australia's Northern Territory. Website. Reflecting on the standout stories from the memorable Transmoto 8-Hour at Stroud in 2019 the last before Covid struck! Floor Coatings. Im relying on mates to man the two fuel stops and the overnight camp at Finke. Alice Springs - Wikipedia I figure at 41 Im practically one foot in the ground. D ay 1 of the Tatts Finke Desert Race is underway, as more than 700 competitors race their way down the sandy track for 228 kilometres from Alice Springs to the community of Aputula on the ancient Finke River. Its a nightmare and a general suspension setup just doesnt work on this track. Finke Check List 1: I've decided to ride a Sherco 300SEF-R this year (2016). To get it desert ready this is what Im planning to do with it. Jetstar passengers grounded on Alice Springs tarmac for seven hours The track is rough, unpredictable, unforgiving, remote, demanding on bike and body, and its quite an achievement just to complete it. Access to spares at the Finke overnight stop. Its just not possible to practice in desert conditions when you live near the beach. "Whenyou have both cars and bikes competing on the same day, daylight is an issue,plus there needs to be a certain amount of separation between each race. That's before the race entrance fee of $900, a jump from the 2022 price. A lot. Bike entries for the 2023 Tatts Finke Desert Race will open on Wednesday 1st Feb 2023 at 0930 NT time (0800 WA; 1000 QLD; 1030 SA; 1100 NSW/VIC/TAS). Its hard with heavy work commitments but I was trying. Tom Sizemore, the Saving Private Ryan actor whose bright 1990s star burned out under the weight of his own domestic violence and drug convictions, has died aged 61. Australia's ultimate desert race will see competitors in both bike and car categories compete in the two-day, 452km event from Friday 9 June - Monday 12 June. Bike setup is key to doing your best. All rights reserved. I had a workout, sweated buckets then went to the pub. Internet Explorer is no longer updated for Windows and. Spears Gimme More attitude didnt work this time. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. 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. Average riders may experience top speeds of 140kmh or more at Finke.