Brake Magazine, the UK-based, adventure riding media outlet, had long had the idea of recreating the feeling of the very early days of the Dakar Rally. Back on 26 December 1978, 170 racers – 90 of them on motorcycles – departed Paris, France, for a 10,000km rally that would take them through Europe, into North Africa, travelling south through Algeria, then west through Niger, Mali, and Senegal before reaching the Atlantic Coast at Dakar. 34 bikes completed the race.

The tales of heroics, the photos of the competitors and their unique machines, and the huge length and challenges of the route ensured the Dakar became a legendary event from the very first edition.

Brake’s Llewellyn ‘Llel’ Pavey (above. Photo: Joe Mercer) finished the Dakar in 2015, in an edition of the race held over 9000km in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile (after the Dakar organisers left Africa for South America in 2009). So he certainly knows rally racing, but the Dakar has changed hugely over the decades. Llel wanted to know how the first racers felt when they headed into the Sahara on modified, often crude road bikes.

And in true Brake style, they made a film about it, called One Hundred Kicks In the Desert. To accompany the release, we interviewed Llel about the whole project.

PHOTOS: Richard Kurowski (except where stated)

KRIEGA: How quickly did the whole project come together, from having the idea, to hitting the dunes in Morocco?
Llewellyn Pavey In some ways, it came together really quickly, but that’s the nature of YouTube and small film production in general. It’s an idea I’ve had for about four years. I’d done some research on it, but nothing ever came of it, it just sort of floated around.

Leatt coming on board was the spark that got it off the ground, but there was still a significant gap in making the whole thing happen. That’s how I ended up turning to crowdfunding. After four years, I felt the idea was strong enough to stand on its own, and I believed the moto community would want to make it happen together. I was ready to let the idea go if it didn’t work out, but fortunately, the community loved it.

Finding the bikes, recreating, researching, and pulling everything together took about eight weeks. I was incredibly fortunate to have amazing people join the project. Everyone was self-sufficient, and we were all pulling in the same direction, which made it achievable.

Post-production took another five weeks, including hosting the premiere at ‘An Evening of Dakar’ at Bike Shed Moto Co. in London.

Tell us about the rider who accompanied you, and why you chose him.
I was joined by my friend Isaac Johnston. We first met in Mongolia during the GS Trophy in 2018 and got on like a house on fire. Isaac is a unique person—a superb outdoor photographer, incredibly skilled at sports, and deeply knowledgeable about the outdoors. He grew up in the mountains riding farm bikes. That’s why I wanted him to join. We were there to tell a story, and he’s great at that. He’s also fantastic on camera. The real kicker was that he’s an excellent rider—safe, skilled, and he’s been riding XT500s since he was a kid. He’s owned four of them, while I didn’t know much about them.

His general inexperience with rallying and Dakar added to his appeal as the perfect ‘privateer’ for the video.

How did you find the suitable bikes?
I fell in love—really and truly. It was an eye-opener into how much bikes have changed. When you ride them in isolation and in the right environment, they’re still fantastic fun. With us both riding XTs at essentially the same pace, in non-technical terrain, it was superb. If we’d had an old bike and a new bike, it wouldn’t have worked the same way. You’d end up over-riding the XT to keep up.

The bikes weren’t perfect, they were tough to ride in the big dunes, the rear brakes were shocking, and standing up on mine was awkward because of the massive tank. But the enjoyment was immense. Just don’t ask me about starting it or changing the tyres again!

You said you rented the Dakar replica Yamaha, and [spoiler alert] you didn’t return it in the same condition – did that damage hammer any profit you were hoping to make?
Ah, the replica bike. The owner, Mark, was amazing throughout. For him, having the bike featured in the film was a great bonus. He loved the idea of the video, and when things started going wrong, he was fully on board to make the film what it needed to be. That generosity was incredible, and the video wouldn’t have been the same without the bike he built.

Would the breakdown at the beginning of the film have put you out of the real 1979 Dakar you were recreating?
It’s hard to say. In the Dakar, the resourcefulness of participants is incredibly high. You can find solutions to most problems if you can make it to the end of the stage. Realistically, if needed, I could have used a steel stick to plug the hole and get home that day.

We didn’t have to, so we took the easiest solution to the problem in that situation. Even back then, there are stories of crazy repairs — welders in the bivouac, riders using fuel bags, etc.

Does that give you even more respect for the riders who got to the end of the race?
I have deep respect for anyone who completes Dakar, especially those who overcome problems along the way. That hasn’t changed. There are always these insane stories: riders plugging engine cases with cheese; making exhausts from Coke cans, or riding with broken handlebars. Every year, there are ten or 20 stories like that. It takes immense belief and creativity to solve problems like that before even attempting the repair.

Did you buy the other XT500 that Isaac rode?
Yes, I did buy the other bike! It’s for sale if anyone’s interested in a great-condition, all-original XT500 with a cool back story. We got it from an XT dealer in northern England. I wanted something stock, in good condition, and not heavily modified. It was the only one like that on eBay.

It needed some work to get ready. The carb was gunky, the fuel tap seals had failed, but otherwise, it was solid. My mechanic friend Evan went through it, adjusted the valves, added new cables, and solved the minor issues. We added a big tank, a rack for a Kriega OS-6, and rode it into the desert!

Watching the clips of the very earliest races you used in your film made us think that things are often better before big money gets involved and turns everything too serious. What’s your opinion?
In some ways I agree with you. I think Dakar as a race is struggling to stick to its heritage. The 48-hour chrono stage is a great homage to the early races. However, money’s influence came quickly. By 1980, Yamaha and BMW were pushing hard, with fast assistance vehicles, support trucks, and factory teams. That ethos of the early races is what made them iconic.

As organisers, it’s vital not to lose sight of that. Dakar is an adventure race. It should remain open to amateurs as well as professionals. It’s about testing your toughness and overcoming challenges while crossing incredible landscapes. That’s where I agree about money, rules should limit development spending to even the field. Rally bikes should also follow some constraints. While their reliability and speed are impressive, it alters the core of the Dakar experience.

How bad was the suspension on the bikes you rode.
Not as bad as you’d think, but not good either. Isaac’s bike was mediocre due to its geometry. His weight was concentrated on the forks, which wasn’t ideal.

My bike was long and slack, with plush suspension. It worked well as a package, but if the bike had been quicker, we might’ve had some hairy moments.

Do you think you’d have finished the first Dakar on either of those bikes, treating it as a full rally with the navigation and time constraints?
What a question! I think anyone attempting the Dakar must believe it’s possible. Technically, I’m quite good, and I’ve done a tough version of the race already, overcoming challenges like extreme heat, dehydration, crashes, injuries, and severe bike issues. But that first Dakar tested people’s genetics. Could you go without food for days and still function? Could you ride in a leather jacket with no hydration pack? That’s the big unknown. I sweat a lot and handle heat only moderately well. But my ego is big enough to believe I could have just managed it.

Brake Magazine used RSD x Kriega ROAM 34 backpack with Harness Pocket. Their XT500s were fitted with OS-6 ADVENTURE PACKS.

To buy, order directly from kriega.com or head to your local dealer for a closer look
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See more Brake Magazine films at The Brake Magazine YouTube Channel

Brake Magazine recreate the earliest days of the Dakar Rally for their latest film