Honda’s American Dakar Duo Starts Strong

Admin · January 8, 2024

Ricky Brabec is now a Monster Energy Honda veteran; he is joined by fellow American Skyler Howes for the 2024 running of the Dakar Rally. (Monster Energy Honda/)

The Dakar Rally is more than a race, it’s a way of life. You need to be born with a spirit of adventure and the curiosity to explore the world and the depths of human nature. Riding a motorcycle in such extreme conditions is a journey into the unknown and definitely not for everyone. This 14-day-long endurance race requires heart, guts, and complete focus.

The 2024 Dakar edition sees the two strongest American racers of the field competing together in the Monster Energy Honda Team. Ricky Brabec is the first American rider to have won a Dakar, in 2020. Skyler Howes is a 2023 podium finisher.

Of a similar age, both were born in California, but the Howes family moved to Utah and their ways only crossed much later on the rally-raids. Skyler has a lot of respect for Ricky, and upon joining the Monster Energy Honda Team at the end of last season, was happy to find a second home. Ricky, in fact, has long been the only English-speaking rider in the team and throughout these years has built a familiar environment around him with Johnny Campbell and Joe Parsons. Feeling at home is crucial to deliver, especially when you have to get out of your comfort zone for so many days in a year if we count the races and the training.

Brabec and Howes are two of six racers on Monster Energy Honda for 2024. The pair join Pablo Quintanilla, José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo, Adrien Van Beveren, and Tosha Schareina. Schareina retired on Stage 1 with a broken wrist. The remaining four riders make up four of the top five in overall standings after Stage 3. (Monster Energy Honda/)

On January 5, 2024, the 46th edition of the toughest rally in the world kicked off from AlUla in Saudi Arabia, and will see the finish line in Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea after 7,891 kilometers (4,903 miles) of tracks, dunes, and rocky paths, including 4,727 kilometers (2,937 miles) of special stages. Brabec and Howes are racing for the ultimate prize: the Golden Tuareg. We caught up with them to discover more about what pushes them.

Dakar Director David Castera stated that this will be the toughest edition in Saudi Arabia.

Ricky: “On the Dakar there’s no room for excuses and this year it started really hard with the first stage featuring more than 300 kilometers [186 miles] of massive sharp rocks! On paper it benefits the American riders, being more physical with tough navigation—more rocky and hard paths. I like playing with more demanding terrain, because this is where we excel, and our Honda is working really well.”

Skyler: “The 2024 route features every day stages of 400–470 kilometers [249–292 miles], there’s even 584 (kilometers) [363 miles] in the 48-hour chrono stage. It’s insane. It’s very demanding, and we can make the difference especially in the rocks section, because they are more similar to the desert racing we are used to.”

Brabec won the Dakar in 2020. (Monster Energy Honda/)

How does the 48-hour chrono stage work?

Ricky: “The 48-hour chrono stage toward the Empty Quarter desert brings back the spirit of adventure because for two days we won’t see the assistance team. We need to stop when it gets dark so there are more options of bivouacs. It will be fun to figure out where the other riders are.”

Skyler: “Back to the roots. I like this new format because it brings back the original spirit of the rally when you stopped when the sun went down and you jumped on your bike at the sunrise, riding the whole day. I would love to see this formula being applied to all the marathon stages.”

Did you have butterflies in the stomach?

Ricky: “Not so much, not anymore. I am more relaxed; you know you are going fast and that you are pushing, but it’s not like motocross where you go elbows to elbows from the first corner.”

Skyler: “The start of the Dakar is always the scariest part because you have two weeks ahead of you where you are racing into the unknown. Before the start of the prologue, I had butterflies in my stomach, but once the race starts with long stages, I am more calm. I’m also recovering from two major injuries so it is important to get into the rhythm.”

This is Howes’ first year on Monster Energy Honda. (Monster Energy Honda/)

The Dakar Rally throws up surprises every day and with it come both the highs and the lows.

Ricky: “I finished second on SS1 and Day 2 was tough (stage fifth, overall third). It’s always difficult to open the road especially when the stage is over 460 kilometers [286 miles] long, but I’m happy to be here, so let’s keep the good vibes rolling and make it to the finish line.”

Skyler: “I’m still falling a bit short of what I expect out of myself. I was pushing hard on the tracks, and when you do this you either have to focus on the terrain or on the road book—and to do both at a superhigh speed is difficult to do. I was managing and doing a pretty good job despite some small mistakes. The stages themselves were fun as we had more rocks out there which I enjoyed.”

Dakar is a survival race. What lesson have you learned?

Ricky: “Dakar is an adventure, but nowadays we are riding so fast, so that you need to learn how to survive, but still pushing 100 percent. The hardest thing is to stay fully focused as you ride seven to eight hours a day. I learned that you can never relax as you are on the stage; if you think you know what’s coming, you have no idea. The Dakar Rally is a journey into the unknown; you need to stay prepared.”

Skyler: “The first time I competed, they told me: ‘Don’t worry about any results, just focus to finish the stage especially the day of the marathon.’ Instead, I did worry, and I was too aggressive with the tires, so I’ve learned to remain calm and save my energy and the machine.”

Growth takes place outside of your comfort zone; what limits have you had to push?

Ricky: “If you want a chance at winning, you have to go outside of your comfort zone and do things you really don’t want to do but you have to. An example? Leaving home life out of your scenario.”

Skyler: “The Dakar is so extreme that by definition it pushes you to go beyond your limits. Funny to say, but riding is my comfort zone. The long wet cold morning liaisons when it is still dark are definitely not my comfort zone. The same when you have to use the public toilets and cold showers at the bivouac. But if I have to pick a moment, I would say the time when, as a privateer, I remember I had to sell everything and to organize a fundraising campaign to find the budget. This was definitely outside of my comfort zone!”

Brabec says you have to go outside of your comfort zone to win at Dakar. (Monster Energy Honda/)

Sinking is not an option and dreaming is for free. Which is your target?

Ricky: “I have a tattoo with this statement. Definitely, sinking is not an option for me; there is an anchor under the water, so never give up! Of course, we are all here for the ultimate prize, but the goal every day is to get to the finish of the stage.”

Skyler: “I don’t dream specifically about what could or could not happen, but my intention and visualization is about winning, about what I want to accomplish for the next day. This is very important to get your mind in the right spot.”

Do you prefer to be the hunter or the hunted?

Ricky: “The hunter—come on! Nobody wants to be hunted. Everyone wants to be the lion, but it is not easy.”

Skyler: “When I race in the US, I prefer to be the hunted, I like to be in front. But on the Dakar it is better to be the hunter, because opening the stage can be more risky. You don’t have references and you don’t know if you are riding fast enough.”

Howes prefers to not be the one opening a stage at Dakar, quite the opposite to his preference while racing desert in the US. (Monster Energy Honda/)

Honda built a new CRF450 Rally for the 2024 Dakar. How is it performing?

Ricky: “HRC is always improving and making things better—this is the new-generation bike. The new CRF450 Rally is faster, lighter, and easy to ride on the sand. This was a point where we were struggling with the old bike.”

Skyler: “It is really impressive and it gives me a lot of confidence. When I used it for the first time, I had to do only some suspension adjustments and it was ready to race.”

Provisional results for day 3 have Brabec third overall, five minutes, eight seconds off the lead after a second on the day. Howes finished the third stage in fourth, putting him 41 minutes, 45 seconds back in 13th. Tomorrow, Stage 4 holds 531 kilometers (330 miles) for the American duo.

Honda is campaigning a new CRF450 Rally in 2024. (Monster Energy Honda/)