Sam Sunderland on his history‑making KTM 450 and Dakar at FOS

It was a historic moment. Sam is not only the first British rider to win in the motorcycles class. He is the first Brit to win any Dakar event; whether on two or four wheels.

Fans of all ages crowd around the tent where we meet to catch a glimpse of Sam’s bike, or simply congratulate the 28-year-old on his world-beating performance, with the conscientious racer eager to share his time with them all. He breaks away briefly to sign the hats of two young fans before describing how it feels to be the reigning Dakar champ.

“First Brit to win the Dakar. It’s something special for me. I’m an Englishman, and a proud Englishman, so it’s nice to bring it home”.

The event is a famously brutal undertaking, on man and machine. Over 12 long days in South America, riders were expected to cover distances approaching 9,000km. Racking up 12 to 14 hours in the saddle, often through desolate expanses of hot, inhospitable terrain. It’s much more than a race, it’s a true undertaking of endurance, bravery and skill.

Riders must manage the balance between staying consistent, eating up enormous distances at speed, keeping safe and making sure their navigation is accurate. The KTM too must get the balance right. From blasting across washboard dirt tracks to smashing through river beds and boulder fields. The bikes take a beating, yet still need to perform at the peak of their performance.

“It’s a pretty special bike. Designed and developed from the ground up especially for rally and distance racing. So it’s a bit different from your average off-road bike”.

Sam walks us through just a handful of the KTMs features including the mammoth 35-litre fuel tank and the state of the art navigation tower, which looks more like the cockpit of a jet-fighter than that of an enduro bike.

One of the quirkier elements of the 450 Rally is a 3-litre emergency water tank situated right below the engine. “I think you’d have to be pretty desperate to want to drink any of it,” laughs Sam. He makes light of it, but it’s yet another small reminder of the risk and danger competitors must throw themselves into with full commitment in order to claim a Dakar race finish, let alone a win.

The KTM, like all modern Dakar bikes, is powered by a 450cc engine, following a ruling to restrict engine sizes from 690cc for safety. The restriction hasn’t made much difference to the overall speeds, with Sam accrediting the development in balance and handling allowing him to reach speeds of over 100mph. Bear in mind that’s on ‘blind’ stages, with no practice or insight of what’s beneath the wheels or around the next bend. 

Is it these impressive speeds which helped Sam take the win? He has a different opinion.

“I think you make more time in the technical sections. Anyone can sit on the back fender and twist the throttle on. It’s much more about corner speed and technical places where you really catch that time”. He seems to have the balance worked out. Managing to finish 32 minutes ahead of his second-placed team-mate as he crossed the finish line in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A result which put KTM on the top step of Dakar for a 16th consecutive year.

It’s a domination and one which Sam puts down to nothing more than good old-fashioned hard work. “KTM don’t just win and sit there. They’re always working each year. We’re already developing the new bike, and coming ready for next year. I’m sure there’s going to be more pressure next year with the number 1 on my back, but we’re going for the win, that’s the goal”.

Clearly riding high on his win, and already looking forward to the 2018 event, Sam Sunderland is in a confident place. With a KTM 450 Rally beneath him, and the backing of Dakar’s most successful team, we can see why. The pairing of rider and machine is looking like a potent marriage and one he’s excited to share with the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard crowds. “It’s my first time here, and I’m blown away by it. People are really passionate and they can come up close and see the bike and hear a few stories about Dakar. It’s really cool”.

Let’s hope we see him back here in 2018 with another Dakar Rally win under his belt and a bunch more stories for his growing number of fans.

Photography by James Lynch