By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –

ZAMBIAN rider, David Reeve yesterday took his KTM motor bike on a test run ahead of the 2014 Dakar Rally which start this weekend in Argentina.

Reeve is the only Zambian to have ever taken part in the Dakar Rally, the world’s toughest motor race, and his first test of the race last year ended badly with him breaking his leg at Stage 13.

The Mazabuka rider left last week for the race that is taking place in South America and will go through three countries namely, Argentine, Bolivia and Chile.

After linking up with his bike in Buenos Aires, Reeves took it to Zarate where the team has set base for a day before taking it for a test after it was also dressed with 102 tag for the race and sponsors stuck on it.

“The machine is pretty ready. The team even had Scott Spears; from our Dakar Service crew Freedom Rally Racing, flying in to help get the bike ready. Bike testing was today. It was very good. Scott Spears my mechanic is awesome and the bike is looking pretty in her dress. The run in was awesome in this hot and humid day.

“The KTM bike did well and Scott Spears will be with us for the duration of Dakar Rally. He and other guys helping us here are great. I am now in a hotel in Zarate just waiting for the bike to be cleared at the port,” he said.

Today, Reeve and his team are expected to move to Rosario, where the race will flag off on Sunday.

The Dakar Rally has four categories namely the Bikes, which Reeves is entered in, the quads (four-wheeler), the cars and the truck categories.

In Reeves category, there are currently 174 bikes where he has team mates from the USA in form of Peter Hardy and Kevin Muggleton.

Reeves will be riding the KTM Bike which happens to be the most popular at the rally with 63 bikes which is 36 per cent of the bikes in the race with Yamaha next with 40 bikes and then Honda with 34.