KTM has done it again. For the 15th-straight year, the Austrian manufacturer has earned the Dakar Rally title.
This year the title went to Toby Price, who set a few records along the way. Price became the first Australian rider to win the Dakar Rally, and also the first rider to win it on his second attempt. During his debut rally (Dakar Rally 2015), Price earned third behind the eventual winner – the now-retired Marc Coma, a five-time Dakar winner.
Price finished the Dakar Rally 2016, which took riders 5,600 miles throughout Argentina and Boliva in 13 stages (only one rest day) in 48 hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds. Finishing second, over 39 minutes behind, was KTM’s Stefan Svitko of Slovakia. Earning the final podium position was Husqvarna’s Pablo Quintanilla of Chile.
KTM’s Toby Price
“Winning in my second participation is awesome, but being the first Australian to win the Dakar is just insane. I would’ve never imagined this two years ago. Finishing the rally is already a triumph. Winning it is amazing,” Price says.
“I tackled the race in true Aussie style. I attacked when I had to, when the time was right, and I kept an eye on my bike during the all-important marathon stages. I also navigated quite well. I hope this is just the start, to win again. It won’t be easy, so I’ve got to savor this victory.”
In a Dakar Rally plagued by thunderstorms that cut a few timed specials short, Price was took the win in stage 2, and remained competitive throughout the race that began in Buenos Aires and finished in Rosario, Argentina. He also won stages 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
Red Bull KTM Factory Team Manager Alex Doringer also commented on Price’s performance: “I could see Toby was a top guy with potential and good navigation skills. He did an amazing job and I am very happy for him. When I brought him into the team I was very happy to do something for my old friend Kurt Caselli. He was the one who encouraged me to try to get Toby to the Dakar and today we see the result.”
The Dakar Rally 2016 was very successful for KTM. Five of the top 10, and 12 of the top 20 finishers piloted “Ready to Race” KTM motorcycles.
As for America’s Ricky Brabec, the Team HRC Honda CRF450 Rally pilot finished his debut Dakar Rally in ninth overall. Brabec, 24, completed the feat just five months after a serious accident in the states.
KTM’s Toby Price
“I’m really excited finishing my first Dakar. I want to come back and do better. I’m excited to be in the team. This is my third rally ever, so that is a huge accomplishment for me. So, finishing in the top ten in my first rally is pretty good and I’m the only rider on the team to get a top 10,” Brabec says.
“So, we’ll see if we can improve and come back next year and do better. Back in June 2015 I had a broken neck and it took a good six month to heal. I was talking to a doctor, eating some special foods and trying to get as much calcium and vitamins as I needed to get back to racing. This is my second race back and the biggest race in the world and I’m happy to have accomplished the goal and get a finish and my medal.”
KTM has now won the Dakar Rally for the past 15 years; the last non-KTM machine to win was a BMW F650RR piloted by France’s Richard Sainct.
Honda CB750 and CB1000 SP Hornets + Woody goes BDR on a KTM 890 ADV
byMotos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle
Welcome to the Motos and Friends Podcast. This week’s episode is brought to you byYamaha.
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In this first segment, I chat with Editor Matt Ayhan about two closely related all new bikes from Honda: the CB750 Hornet, and its larger sibling, the CB1000 Hornet SP. These are similar—but also very different upright naked sportbikes from the Big Red. The 750 is a parallel twin, and the 1000 is an inline-4. It might seem obvious which bike has the greater appeal, but I guarantee you there are some real surprises from Matt on how both of these bikes performed, and where they excel.
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Have you checked out Insta360, the leader in 360-degree action camera technology? Their latest camera, the Insta360 X5, shoots in all directions at once in incredible 8K30 resolution. Just hit record, focus on your ride, and then find the best angles in the edit with Insta360’s mobile app—it’s easy, smooth, and packed with AI tools to make it easy and super-fast. The X5’s huge sensors, triple AI chip, and dedicated low-light shooting mode deliver unmatched detail and image quality—even at night. The X5 is waterproof, reliable, and features Insta360’s toughest-ever replaceable lenses and lens guards. And as if that wasn’t enough, now the Summer Update brings together a series of innovations that make X5 even more powerful, versatile, and intuitive than ever before. New features like AdaptiveTone, gives smart exposure in complex lighting situations; and with the latest firmware update, the standard battery now offers an even longer runtime. But if you need even more, some incredible accessories are available including the Ultra Battery with 17% more battery capacity that delivers more runtime, and when charging, it reaches 80% in just 20 minutes. Other accessories include ND Filters, specially designed for 360 cameras that give you complete control in any lighting condition, they’re ideal for conveying speed in motorcycle footage or achieving pro-looking motion effects. There is also the GPS Preview Remote with its built-In mic: it’s an all-in-one creative tool for smoother, smarter shooting. So, to bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your X5 purchase, head to store.insta360.comand use the promo code “ULTIMATE”, (available for the first 30 purchases only). Or click here
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Now here’s a really cool event coming up this October that you should not miss! It’s the 33rd annual Biketoberfest® rally that takes place in the Daytona Beach and Volusia County areas; this year it’s on Oct. 16-19. The four-day motorcycle event attracts riding enthusiasts to the destination for the beautiful Florida weather, live music, the industry’s top vendors, bike shows, motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway. There are miles of scenic rides along the famous A1A, historic Main Street and the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop. For more information andto book your plans for Biketoberfest® 2025, visit www.biketoberfest.org
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Our guest this episode is Associate Editor Freeman Wood. As you might know, Freeman is a big fan of motorcycle travel, and there’s nothing he likes more than to take off with a few of his buddies and take a road less traveled. Teejay chats with him about his latest adventure through the mountains of Colorado and ultimately to Moab, Utah. He rode a KTM 890 Adventure, with several modifications to help survive the adventure. The group definitely got into some scrapes, but (spoiler alert) they did actually survive to fight again another day. The route is actually listed as the Colorado BDR (Backcountry Discovery Route) and you can check it for yourself either at Butler Maps or at RideBDR.com.
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Here’s a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!
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