Mo's Dakar: An Ordinary Guy Races in the World's Toughest Motorcycle Rally - Paperback

by Barbara J. Hart (Author), Morrison Hart (Author)

"Going to Dakar was a true challenge. I've had some pretty grand ideas, but doing that race

might be. The. Dumbest. You question everything. You question your existence. You question,

'This is what I do for fun? This is what I choose to do with my money?"

-Mo Hart

This is the story of one man's attempt to be one of the first from the U.S.to finish in the hardest

division of the world's most difficult off-road motorcycle rally.

Since 1978, racers in off-road motorcycle rallies have dreamed of racing in The Dakar, formerly

known as the Paris to Dakar Rally. Now held in Saudi Arabia, the race features competitors in

several categories and vehicles, competing in a grueling two-week event. In the most difficult

category, the Original by Motul, a select number of motorcyclists compete unsupported by

mechanics, sleeping on the ground in tents, and repairing their bikes after racing across the

desert for ten hours or more.

Before the 2023 Dakar, no U.S. racer had finished in the Original by Motul class.

In 2023, Mo Hart, admittedly not the fastest off-road rider, joined the largest group of American

racers to ever compete in the ObM. In an attempt to finish, he experienced exhaustion and

extreme weather while riding for up to ten to twelve hours a day, returning to camp to repair and

maintain his bike, and getting up at 4:00 a.m. to start it all again.

It's the story of a guy living in California: a sailor, an IT security consultant, a surfer, a mountain

biker, and a motorcycle enthusiast who battled his inner demons and his exhaustion in his

attempt to finish the race. Yes, it's a book about off-road motorcycle racing. It's also a book

about perseverance, helping others, accepting help, and overcoming hardship while knowing

exactly who you are and what you need to do.

His stories and descriptions, told with honesty and self-deprecating humor, focus on his

challenges and the people who helped him in the months leading up to the Dakar and during his

time in Saudi Arabia.