Well done to Red Bull Rally for searching out the little guys! Phenomenal effort on the event coverage .

There is a Man that won't Lay in His Death Bed saying " I Wish I Had" done this or that. Best Wishes! M.H.

Skyler is awesome and I totally think you'll see him on a factory ride at some point. He deserves it!

Hell yeah this guy is LEGIT

Yeah, dude bet on himself and rode himself onto a factory team I'd bet. You don't luck out and finish top 5 in Dakar, it takes real talent.

Yeah, we'll see more of him for certain!

Ross Branch rode with a Dutch support team last year and ended 13th and best rookie, now he is on the Yamaha factory team....you can guess what's waiting for Skyler

Or he could just get more sponsors.

@@gruesomeloki Gettings sponsors also involves time. Time can also be used to practice and take care of yourself.

From his go fund me page…”Skyler has officially signed a multi year contract with Rockstar Husqvarna racing on the FR450.”

@@overbuiltlimited I followed him on instagram after seeing his consistency on last year's Dakar. I was just so happy for him when he signed that contract and could finally afford a brand-new pickup truck. He deserves it for what he'd done.

Thats absurd!! I will never be able to spend this.. I just can't justify it.

Racing werent cheap! Especially for privateers competing with factory backed teams

@@zyh6566 you can if you win😅

Rent Hilux with over drive cost around 500.000 € not sure if 25.000 fees included

Team Coronel #347 says €600.000 they bring their own built buggy (lasts multiple years) a big truck and a huge pickup for media/press.

I got the balls but not the $90K to throw around. He’s just having fun while I’m the one committed to fund his privilege with cheap pay! I wonder how much he’s making that allowed him to spare $90K.

@@mohamedsiddig2850 what?

And seems like pretty legit results to go with it 👌

Or 90k euros into $BB $GME 🤣

@@sijosue well there is that... but the powers that be are trying to stop it. #billionairesbecryin 🤣

People fly thousands of kilometres above at much faster speeds. It's not an achievement if you ask me

@@Vedrajrm mate don't try to undermine his efforts and achievements...if it isn't much of an achievement why don't you go on and try it for yourself...

Couldn't agree more. Came here to say exactly that. My heart sank when I saw he was spending 40-50k renting a bike and a specialist mechanic to service it for him the whole time. One of the things I like about the Dakar rally, as a motorcycle enthusiast, is the fact that it's feasible, doable, for a self-reliant amateur to take part (unlike the cars which demand teams and big budgets by default). So I was excited at the idea of a privateer speaking on it (having done the maths myself several times whilst day dreaming) ... But I was disappointed pretty quickly by the relatively pro budget, the specialist mechanic etc. In fairness, they did present this guy as semi-pro ... But I'd have found it much more interesting if they spoke to some guy who at the very least serviced his own bike. Maybe such participants simply don't exist any more ? To put it another way ... I'm also into adventure touring. This is relevant because the situation with Dakar, and this kind of big-budget approach to amateur participation, reminds me of two well known motorcycle adventure documentaries: ''The Long Way Round" and "Mondo Enduro" ... I am very, very, very much aligned with the philosophy employed in Mondo Enduro and very much uninspired & uninterested with the philosophy employed in The Long Way Round. If you've seen both documentaries you will know *exactly* what I mean. If you haven't seen them, you should check them out. I'm sure you'll love Mondo Enduro at least.

Just to add to this ... I've read some more of the comments throughout this video, and I'm amazed by all the people saying this guy isn't rich. If you own a house and you have 90k worth of possessions in that house, multiple motorcycles etc ... That's rich in my world. If you can afford to sell that 90k worth of possessions to fund a 2 week motorcycle adventure ... Ya that's rich in my world. I think it speaks to your point about how expensive Dakar has become ... People are so accustomed to the money involved that a guy with 90k in possessions, not including house, isn't seen as a rich participant.

@@DD-co1zn The self supported people race Dakar as 'malle moto'. Check out Lyndon Poskitt's UKposts

The same goes for F1 , ruined by money and media.

@@ThisIsTheInternet hey, I was very relieved to find the 'malle motto' category after making that post. I applaud the organisers for keeping this category alive 🤟🏼 ... Thanks for the suggestion, apologies for only seeing it now

he drives for husqvarna what i read on the internet for now

For sure! And maybe add some special insurance!

pretty sure getting the bike there and all that is included with the rental and service part of his deal. But from all the things he said there is missing a lot to get to 90k, so i think he did calculate the gear and travel expenses.

He said 80-90k all in, and he meant 80-90k all in. Add the numbers up, it doesn't hit 80-90k so he's including a lot of extra expenses that he either didn't reference specifically or the video editor cut things short for one reason or another.

in Lithuania we have like 2 hours show each day on the Dakar, probably that's why we have the most racers per capita

KTM is not shitty (I'm not a fan boy). But simply compare how lighter these bikes are and how much power they have compared to the older bikes. I LOOOOVE big, classic thumpers but performance requires more maintenance.

@S B funny how every yamaha factory rider fell out off the rally huh

@@iamandreja they are absolutely shitty when you consider how much work they require just to keep them running. This guy spent 27k having someone else service his. Credit to the guy, but he's a semi-pro (and is trying to go pro, by the looks of things) ... Those guys will use KTM because spending 27k to keep the damn thing running is just the cost of doing business. Someone who is truly amateur, not vying to go pro etc, is not taking a KTM with them. Not if they have any sense.

@@DD-co1zn I know one can simply buy a rally replica KTM off the shelf. Are other rally bikes available for sale? or is it only for factory riders?

@@girishs1755 why do you wanna buy it when u can make it yourself for cheaper without the carbon fibre parts though if you don't wanna do dakar or other rally if you want to participate then you'll have to put carbon fibre, more fuel tanks, better headlights and you're done

As he should. He absolutely killed it his first entry

If not, he will get hired by the factory at least as a test rider, no doubt

@@PaladinMika Hope so

Both

He had 90k worth of possessions (not including the house). In my world, anyone who has 90k, whether it be in cash or in assets, is rich. Anyone who has 90k in possessions and can afford to spend that on a 2 week motorcycle adventure is absolutely rich.

He has a factory ride now, riding for the Husqvarna Factory team

Il le fait en mode full option. On peut s'en sortir pour moins cher si on fait la mécanique soi-même, par exemple.

that's a wealth of experience and skill. That ONE mechanic needs to be able to do EVERYTHING correctly and quickly. Still hefty, sure, but it's a very niche market so they can charge a large premium, I'm sure his boss gets a larger cut than he does

its 9,000 euro just for the mechanic entry fee

Mechanic has an entry fee, transport, all the tools and stuff have to be transported to SA, all the preparation beforehand ....not to bad.

It includes the trucks that transport all the shit and the tents etc.

@@banaana1234 that’s making it sound more reasonable

It's pretty absurd to say this guy isn't rich after he's just dropped 40-50k renting a bike and a pro to service it. Also, as far as I can tell he didn't sell his house ... Which to me would be the realest sacrifice of all. If you have 80-90k worth of possessions stored in the house you own: you are *RICH* Let's not get it twisted. All credit to him, but he's rich.

@@DD-co1zn no sir he isn't rich as he sacrificed everything he had

@@ageless1003 he sold all his possessions. He did not sell his house. Anyone who has 90k worth of possessions is the textbook definition of *RICH* ... Anyone who has 90k worth of possessions AND can afford to sell them to fund a 2 week motorcycling adventure is *absolutely rich* I don't know who you people are or where you live, but I'm amazed that this level of wealth doesn't qualify as 'rich' wherever or however you live.

@@DD-co1zn here in the Netherlands you can reach 90k when you sell everything besides your house and MTB. This is with a normal income, deff not rich but with a healty mindset and saving instead off going on vacation. And anyone can afford to sell everything for a "2 week vacation trip in the desert" its just what place call home after the trip :)

@@BartPaashaas You mean the same Netherlands that is one of the *top ten richest countries in the world* ??????? You mean the same Netherlands that is *far richer than its European neighbours* ???????? Man, don't waste my time like this until you've spent at least 5 seconds giving yourself a reality check. And let's not even speak on what happens when people from the Netherlands lose their grip on reality when it comes to wealth (see: Tulip Mania).

Yea dude all it cost was selling everything he owned just to spend 14 days in the desert playing in the sand with bikes

Serious commitment

lets do it!

www.gofundme.com/f/skyler-howes-dakar-rally-fundraiser Yes there is one! I donated before and then after, Skyler is so awesome and this video just adds to it. I really think he will land a factory ride next year!

hell no, his choice his problem

Why? fuck him and his dream. Who is this guy again?

@@Hardy_H_H Lol you’re a delight

😁

He went so well that the Husqvarna Factory Team signed him for the 2022 Dakar Rally

You've never had a 2 week vacation ? Sux bro.

@@DD-co1zn without leaving a job no, low level jobs don’t work like that, trades and even when I was in the military it never worked like that.