James Hillier will be presenting his Dakar-completing GasGas RX 450 rally bike at Crescent Verwood early next month on 4 March.
Hillier headed to Saudi Arabia earlier this year in January to partake in his first ever Dakar Rally. He displayed solid speed at times, but more than that showed the determination to push through difficult moments which is required to finish the Dakar, continuing after dislocating his collarbone on the fifth stage of the 14 total.
The GasGas RX 450 (which you could fairly argue is a rebadged KTM 450 Rally Replica) on which Hillier completed the 2023 Dakar Rally will be displayed on 4 March at Crescent Yamaha in Verwood.
Hillier has announced that the motorcycle is also up for sale, so it could be the last opportunity to see Hillier and his Saudi-desert-conquering GasGas together.
The Dakar is undoubtedly one of the most challenging events in motorsports, even if a look at the results sheets will tell you the attrition rates of modern Dakars are less than those of the past, and that the competitors are able to fight more with each other. The latter point was highlighted this year, when Kevin Benavides and Toby Price entered the final stage of the rally separated by only 12 seconds, and were dead level at one point in the final stage, Benavides (who has recently had to pull out of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge due to a broken femur) eventually coming out on top for his second Dakar crown.
Crescent Yamaha Verwood can be found at: 23 Black Moor Road, Ebblake Industrial Estate, Verwood BH31 6AX.
