Dakar is known as one of the hardest races on Earth. It's a torturous thing, racing through the sands of Saudi Arabia and putting whatever machine is carrying you at the time through the ultimate test of endurance.
But next year, a type of machine won't be on the docket after three decades in the spotlight: ATVs.
Announced via Instagram, Dakar's organizers stated that this year was the final year of ATVs/quad-bikes would be allowed in the race and, moving forward, there'd be no support for the machines.
Here's the official announcement,
After more than 30 years as part of the family, the #Dakar2025 will not feature a quad race. We would like to thank and congratulate all the competitors who have been part of this adventure. The Dakar will now focus on the wildly popular motorbike category. We will work hard to fine-tune the selection procedure and boost the safety of the riders.
There are a few things going on here that have likely caused the organizers to make this step, chief among them being that the quad entries are next to nothing. This year, only seven ATVs were entered. Compare that to the 103 motorcycles and 28 entries for side-by-sides from the likes of Polaris and Can-Am. That's not sustainable, though it still sucks as these ATVs were built to conquer the toughest terrain available.
As to whether or not the Dakar organizers will be backfilling those spots or promoting either the motorcycle or side-by-side classes is yet to be seen. But based on the popularity of those two, I can easily see how more could enter the field.
That's especially true with the side-by-sides, as it's become one of the most easily accessible forms of off-road racing, with one of the lowest barriers to entry. I mean, you can quite literally pick up a factory racer from Polaris, ship it to Saudi Arabia, hit the dunes, and do so for under $100,000.
Aside from a motorcycle, name another form of racing that costs so little to be competitive right out of the box. I'll wait.
