Which is Harder, IBR or Paris to Dakar?

[Thug]

You're kidding right?

 

[Khunajawdge]

https://www.dakar.com/2008/DAK/presentation...979_2006_us.pdf While the IBR and its riders are indeed tough, no one's shooting at you with an AK-47 or a RPG like in the Paris to Dakar Rally. The possibiity of rebel attack is constant.

Oh great! Thanks Doun Don, this review is going to take awhile!

 

[Cal24Master]

Here is the big difference between the two: Although the P-D is called a rally, it is a race held in stages. It is time and distance. The person who gets from point A to point B the fastest, the most number of times, is the winner. The Iron Butt is NOT. It is challenge of routing and decision making. Speed is not only not encouraged, it is strongly discouraged.

Comparing the Iron Butt to any other motorcycle competition is comparing apples to oranges. You might as well compare the Baja 1000 to MotoGP.

 

[Moon Man]

Sorry i do not have the link off hand but there is a great ride report on an amateur team running the dakar on ADV. Check it out, IMHO it is FAR harder to ride the iron butt. You don't really see too many guys over 50 in the paris dakar. They do much the same distances over dirt, have NO real GPS, and ride all out, all the time, including at night over what no one in america would call roads.

Not to diminish the IBR. I think the IBR may take a bit more mental game than getting from bivouac to bivouac, but the paris dakar adds the physical element.