02 Ktm 250 on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Day 2 Dakar 2014: Sunderland Wins First Special Stage

Honda won the second day of competition with Team HRC’s Sam Sunderland claiming victory in the first special stage of this year’s Dakar. Sunderland has had a frustrating time at previous Dakars, dropping out after three days of racing in 2012 and withdrawing a month before last year’s event due to fracturing both his wrists. Today, however, Sunderland made a grand entrance into the club of elite riders by brilliantly winning his first special stage of this year’s Dakar. Having started well behind his teammate, Joan Barreda, the 23-year old Brit superbly overtook Michael Metge and Juan Pedrero on the first part of the route.

Behind the scenes on a photoshoot

If you read motorcycle magazines - and even road tests on polished websites like this one (!) - you'll be used to seeing pictures of bike journos hamming it up for the camera. Yes they look slick as they kiss another apex, crest another rise with the front wheel pawing the air (those clichés are TM BIKE magazine by the way). But you don't often get to see anything 'behind the scenes'.

Rok Bagoros' stunt KTM 690 Duke

KTM's official stunt rider Rok Bagoros has stepped up from his 125 Duke to this factory prepared 690 Duke. However, as seen in this video, his first test on the bike hasn't been plain sailing. Chatting with me about his new bike this morning, Rok said: "The 690 Duke goes like a rocket in comparison to a Japanese bike, it has a lot of torque and really good power in the low revs." When asked about his first ride on the 690 Duke, after being at home with the 125cc machine in his stunt shows over the past year, he added: "I have to really respect this bike, because it throws me around like a mad bull.