november 03, 2023 - Silkway Rally

Silk Way Rally - Silk Way Rally: How to Make Way Into Rally-Raids and Participate on Motorcycle?

The motorcycle category is the most accessible level for participation in rally-raids, which attracts many novices. However, a multi-day event, especially on two wheels, is a huge physical and mental challenge. How to deal with it and protect yourself from major problems? The stars of the International Silk Way Rally share their experience. Automobile and motorcycle sports are team and technical ones; a car driver or a brave motorcycle rider who mounts the podium to receive an award is just the tip of the iceberg. An athlete can combine the functions of a mechanic, an engineer, and the leader of his team, solving technical, financial and organizational problems, but more often a team of specialists is responsible for various aspects of the crew activities, where everyone plays their own role. Technical excellence and the level of preparation of sports vehicle play a decisive role in achieving the desired finish. To do this, it is necessary to have a reliable repair base, a supply of required consumables and spare parts, and get a competent sports mechanic with a technical support vehicle.

From all of the above, the main conclusion follows — motorsport requires significant financial costs, however, from the point of view of the necessary investments, performing on a motorcycle is the most budget-friendly option to try your hand at a marathon distance. Compared to performing in other sports vehicles — cars, SSVs and trucks — bikes are more accessible, their maintenance is much cheaper, and you don't have to take a team of mechanics with you at all.

Thanks to this, many novice riders come to competitions, but a rally-raid with a distance of several thousand kilometers is a real challenge for which it is necessary to prepare thoroughly. Therefore, we asked skilful competitors of the Silk Way Rally to answer the most common questions and share their experiences.

How to Apply

"The first thing a person who wants to take part in the Silk Way Rally should do is to open its official website, download the Regulations and study them. Everything related to the motorcycle category is described there,"Alexey Naumov, winner of the 2022 rally, says. "From the Regulations it is possible to understand how the competition takes place, what navigation devices are needed and how much they cost. It allows to make a decision, choose a motorcycle and a way of participation."

The Silk Way Rally Regulations contain a complete list of documents required to apply for participation, as well as technical requirements for the motorcycle. Thus, in 2023 vehicles with an engine capacity from 250 cm³ to 1300 cm³ with a power reserve of at least 250 kilometers were allowed to start. In addition, the competition Regulations indicate participation fees, as well as deadlines for submitting application according to minor rates and information about special offers for competitors of previous years.

The most accessible option for participation is the G-Moto Challenge category, where riders on motorcycles and quads compete without technical support or the assistance of mechanics. They independently repair vehicles at a distance, and at the bivouacs they are located in a separate area with tents.

"You can only take a small box with spare parts with you. The riders must determine what they need at the rally and fit it in there," Naumov continues. "And before the Silk Way Rally, I would advise you to first try to drive one of the rounds of the Russian Championship, meet everyone there, communicate and find out what it looks like in practice."

"Participation on a motorcycle is much cheaper than in a car," Anastasia Nifontova, two-time World Champion in cross-country rally in the female category, adds. In recent years she first changed her two-wheeled vehicle to a car, and now competes in a Can-Am Maverick in the SSV category. "Entry fees are lower; you don't need a large technical support vehicle — a minibus is enough. Some people even use their own cars! But it's better to have a minibus, like ours, where you can put both the motorcycle and the spare parts. The main consumables are the same as on a regular motorcycle: chains, sprockets, wheels." How to Choose Motorcycle

"A rider has two options: buy a ready-made motorcycle or build it themselves," Nifontova continues. "The first option is tens of thousands of euros, including all procedures for searching, purchasing and delivering a vehicle. In the second case, a 450th motorcycle is taken as a basis — usually a KTM or Husqvarna, and additional tanks and mounts for navigation are installed on it. But if you build it efficiently and well, it also costs a pretty penny." When calculating budgets, in addition to the cost of the motorcycle, the supply of consumables and parts for it, as well as the participation fee, it is necessary to take into account the purchase of special equipment. Competitors are required to wear protective pants and a jacket made of thick, wear-resistant material. In addition, a cervical protection system and back and chest protection will be required, and the helmet must meet the standards specified in the Regulations.

"I actually rode a touring motorcycle — BMW R1250 GS. Preparing a vehicle and purchasing navigation for it turned out to be expensive. And it's even more expensive to repair the motorcycle later," Anton Kruglov, the 2023 Silk Way Rally debutant, recalls. "As a result, my gearbox bearing fell apart. The box decided to grind itself due to a destroyed bearing inside. Perhaps because the motorcycle is not specialized, it is not suitable for this. Or maybe it was just bad luck — no one else has ever had such breakdowns." "You can save money if you build a motorcycle from enduro, but it will not be as reliable as a rally replica [specially designed for rally-raids — ed. note]. The motorcycle initially has slightly different characteristics, but nevertheless everyone rides it," Nifontova adds. "This is the most economical option: take an enduro, fix an enlarged tank to it and install a navigation attachment yourself."

How to Prepare Oneself

The technical aspect is one among others when it comes to such a large event as the Silk Way Rally. Even for experienced and award-winning drivers, a multi-day competition over several thousand kilometers is a real challenge. And rally-raids require even more endurance and fortitude from beginners — and the latter sometimes becomes more important.

"Riding a motorcycle requires serious physical preparation. And if a person has never ridden, then it's worth investing in motocross training," Anastasia Nifontova says. "Therefore, you need to either have a motocross motorcycle for training, or rent it — but it will be more expensive. You need a coach, if you somehow learn on your own, it will be even more difficult to relearn."

In addition to physical endurance, a competitor of rally-raids needs moral stability. The Silk Way Rally is a dozen days of continuous testing and overcoming oneself. You must be able to count on your strengths and not despair in case of failures, control your emotions and constantly keep your temper.

"I would advise to first take part in some lower-level events — amateur ones or the Russian Championship rounds. Experience is needed, because the Silk Way Rally is a very serious event," Nifontova emphasizes. "Otherwise, on the fourth day you'll run out of strength, you'll stop understanding why you're going, why you need it, you'll lose concentration and start to get even more nervous, and it will ultimately lead to injuries. You need to be able to distribute forces." Rally-raids are a tremendous adventure, but also an extreme journey along the most difficult and unusual tracks in Europe and Asia, however, everyone has a chance to show themselves in this type of events. And even if the experience and training are not yet enough to participate in one of the sports standings, anyone can go on a trip on a production motorcycle in the Adventure Trophy category. After all, one of the key tasks of the event Directorate is the development and popularization of motorsport in Russia, and the Silk Way Rally is an ideal platform to take the first step or achieve new heights.

- Photogallery (6)

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