Riding a Sherco TVS RTR 450 Dakar: Life’s goal unlocked

Sherco TVS RTR 450 Dakar Ride

Aravind KP looked nervous. And I could see why. He had just seen me ride the RTR450FX, TVS’ competition only dirt bike. Now, in my defense I hadn’t dropped it. Nor did I show any signs of being out of control. But then again, I hadn’t shown any signs of being in great control either. 

So, expecting KP to handover the pricey, purpose-built and the unfathomably tall Sherco TVS’ Dakar Rally challenger – the RTR 450 Dakar – to an average dirt rider like me, was optimism at its exaggerated best. More so, when you consider that this was his only practice motorcycle. It would be like asking someone to handover his or her only six month old child to a distracted, cellphone wielding 14-year old babysitter. Sure, I am not 14, more like 40, but you get the point.

But, Aravind is made of sterner stuff. 

And so, I found myself perched up high, counter-steering this Dakar bike, as I gave it a generous amount of throttle. All this while, I was also wondering why it wasn’t trying to kill me! It was a competition bike, after all.

Aravind later explained. 

Compared to a dirt bike, the Dakar motorcycle is heavier, roomier and softer. But, it does get intense once the rider starts to push it closer to its limits. Scared of being permanently branded as ‘THE journalist who dropped the Dakar bike’, I, of course, got nowhere close. And there was also the bit about my lack of skill on dirt.

Now for the uninformed, Aravind KP is one of the three Sherco TVS Dakar riders. And the 2018 edition of the rally will be KP’s second year in the Dakar. What’s more, he has done a commendable job in all the rally events leading up to this Dakar. He is also a genuinely nice guy; down-to-earth, helpful and one who doesn’t mind (not much, at least) lending his prized possession to journalists he’s barely acquainted with!

This bike of Aravind’s uses a 449cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder motor. Max power is rated at a little over 60bhp. And when you consider that it only weighs 135kg, you know it will be a monster at full throttle. The engine, meanwhile, is mated to a 6-speed gearbox; it’s slick and with a hydraulically actuated clutch, is effortless to use. 

Suspension duties are handled by 48mm WP forks at the front and a rear monoshock, both with 300mm of travel. The frame is a half perimeter unit made of chrome-molybdenum. And the Dakar bike runs 21 and 18 inch aluminium rims front and back, shod with rally knobbies running puncture proof Michelin Bib Mousse tubes.

Then, there’s the seat height. At 970mm, it is by far the tallest bike I have ever tried to mount. Naturally, I failed at the first attempt. But with some help, I finally did get on. And immediately I shifted to first and got going. After all, I couldn’t afford to be ‘THE journalist who dropped the Dakar bike… while standing still’, just because I couldn’t reach the ground. 

And instantly, the Dakar bike felt comfier, larger and calmer than the RTR 450 FX we had been riding all day. I gingerly opened the gas at first, but the power delivery, at least in the initial revs, was so linear and friendly that, within a few metres, I was giving my right wrist a good workout. Soon, the rear began fishtailing on power and my grin just got wider.

Then I had to hang a U-turn. Again the horror of dropping the bike filled my thoughts; I couldn’t get my feet to touch the ground, remember. Thankfully, the balance of the Dakar bike and the way its weight sits a little higher than regular road bikes made it such a breeze. Plus, the throttle response, especially at lower revs for a competition bike, is so fluid it didn’t catch me unawares. Not once. 

I finally felt I could ride this thing as Sherco TVS intended!

Then, Aravind and the rest of the TVS Dakar riders decided to show off thrashing the bike around as if it were a toy! Pulling wheelies at will, drifting through corners, pulling endos on berms and doing other crazy things I could never imagine as being possible on a bike! 

It shattered me. But hey, at least I can tick ‘riding a Dakar bike’ off my bucket list.