Another Hero Dies/Dakar Star Killed

[Paul in NZ]

Aw crap!

This man was (to me) almost the Joey Dunlop of this kind of mad off road riding! Fabrizio Meoni. I liked his attitude, and that he was about my age and at that ripe old age he competed in one of the toughest events ever!

Meoni was 47 and died today in the Dakar Rally. He won it all in 2001 and 2002. He was in second overall this year. He was an amazing rider and was apparently a very nice man. He had no problem telling it like it is or making a joke. He would have won last year but he went so fast (on a bike no one else could handle) that he literally melted his rear tire. Twice.

RIP dude! One of the greats!

Paul N

http://www.dakar.com/2005/us/index.html

[Sparky Bills]

I heard about that too.
KTM have pulled ALL of their factory teams out as a result.
I think there were a couple of deaths in the motorbike class.
Will try to find out more.

RIP DUDE!!
At least he went doing what he does best!

[James Deuce]

Geez another one!

Very sad - got a video somewhere of him doing some jumps off those giant Saharan dunes. Real air, not like those SMX wusses.

[Motu]

I found out when I started my computer this morning - as your Off Road Mod I was going to post it up,but today is a day from hell in the pit...I was gunna do it tonight as I thought no one else would know he had died...good on ya guys.Like Paul says,the top of his game and a legend at 47 - some better than very good riders are saying they'll never do it again and pulling out.Last I heard KTM are pulling out whilst in the lead as a mark of respect.Paris/Dakar on a motorcycle is the toughest event in the world - ride your bike in soft sand,then think of doing it at high speed daaay in,daaaaay out,tough men,and even tougher women.

[toads]

It's always tragic when a relatively young sportsman dies whilst doing what they love, not only for the waste of life but the fact their ability to acheive even greater heights in their sport is completely gone forever, at least this guy had achieved the ultimate in his sport, unlike the guy in this news item

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3152953a11,00.html

I guess anyone who does sidechair racing is asking for it though, especially the swingers, incredibly dangerous in my opinion

[Ms Piggy]

Aw crap!

This man was (to me) almost the Joey Dunlop of this kind of mad off road riding! Fabrizio Meoni. I liked his attitude, and that he was about my age and at that ripe old age he competed in one of the toughest events ever!

Meoni was 47 and died today in the Dakar Rally. He won it all in 2001 and 2002. He was in second overall this year. He was an amazing rider and was apparently a very nice man. He had no problem telling it like it is or making a joke. He would have won last year but he went so fast (on a bike no one else could handle) that he literally melted his rear tire. Twice.

RIP dude! One of the greats!

Paul N

http://www.dakar.com/2005/us/index.html

Man those reallies must be rough! I was reading in Two Wheels about a french rider Richard Sainct dying in the Pharoh's Rally in Egpt - he was only 34.

[Motu]

It's always tragic when a relatively young sportsman dies whilst doing what they love, not only for the waste of life but the fact their ability to acheive even greater heights in their sport is completely gone forever, at least this guy had achieved the ultimate in his sport, unlike the guy in this news item

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3152953a11,00.html

I guess anyone who does sidechair racing is asking for it though, especially the swingers, incredibly dangerous in my opinion

Damn,I was there Toads,but left early as it was a late start meeting,and had planned my day around a 1pm start,not a 3pm.I remember the outfit,they were starting 20mtrs back from the line,novices often do this to avoid the push and barg 1st corner,they had really nice shirts.They were riding well,seemed to have their act together.

I have seen some big prangs at speedway,and as they say,most of the time they walk away.Two of the worst involved my long time friend Trigger - one time his outfit went head first into the wall directly in front of me at full throttle,the steering head ripped out and he couldn't turn,hard to believe he got up and walked around.Another time coming onto the front straight he took the infield and flipped,the bike going over the chair,John's leg was trapped in the bike and it flung him like a doll into the air,then landed on him on the ground - this is the worst accident at speedway I've ever seen and expected the worst - but he got up and walked around.Came over and spectated with us for the rest of the meeting,then went to hospital where they found he had broken his foot.He's a tough bastard.My sympathies to Karl's family...

[Blakamin]

.My sympathies to Karl's family...

:disapint: always sad when someone so young gets cut off in their prime.... my sympathies too....

[Coyote]

:disapint: always sad when someone so young gets cut off in their prime.... my sympathies too....

At least he managed to get to the top

[gav]

Italian star Fabrizio Meoni was killed in a big crash, the Yamaha rider was lying in second place. He was 47 years old. Another rider Jose Manual Perez was killed yesterday..................grim news, RIP fellas

More info here
http://www.dakar.com/2005/us/index.html

[avgas]

yeh thats really sad.
but atleast he died on the race he loved, doing the thing he loved.
he will be remembered

[Blakamin]

threads merged

[gav]

errr, yeah, thanks for that.....

[Motu]

This must be an instruction day,Meoni goes first on a KTM950,making it look easy,then everyone else tries.Imagine riding in that stuff for days,you gotta be special...he was.

Meoni

[moko]

Local(to me)Dakar rider John Deacon,works BMW rider,died in the Masters rally in Syria a few years back,weird thing is that the bloke was a Superstar all over Europe where desert racing is really big but here he could walk down the street and not be recognised.Tough game,tough blokes.