Bore and Stoke Ep 26: Ricky Brabec – From the Desert to Dakar
Ricky Brabec’s path to the top of rally racing didn’t happen overnight. Brabec started desert racing in 2011, winning the Baja 1000, Baja 500 and San Felipe 250 in 2014. Brabec made his debut at the legendary Dakar Rally in 2016, finishing 9th overall. In 2020, Brabec became the first American racer to ever win the Dakar Rally, and won it again in 2024. Brabec also represented the U.S. at three International Six Days Enduros.
In this episode of Bore and Stoke, we talk about his roots in off-road racing, the journey to becoming a Dakar champion, and the lessons learned along the way. We also reflect on one of the closest finishes in Dakar history — not as a headline, but as part of a bigger story about resilience, growth, and the pursuit of perfection in rally racing.
We’d like to extend a special thank you to our podcast sponsor, the Honda Gold Wing. If you’re gonna ride, ride something legendary. Learn more about the Honda Gold Wing here.
Listen to 😴 Bore & Stoke 🤙 on your favorite platform:
Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
More by Troy Siahaan
Comments
Join the conversation