Bike& team
A Honda CRF 450 Rally, thumb-press shifting and a team that takes care of everything. This is how Deen heads for the Dakar finish on one leg.
Honda CRF 450 Rally
My rally bike is a Honda CRF 450 Rally, built and maintained by HT Rally Raid. A fast and reliable 450cc machine, made for racing day after day through sand, rocks and dunes.
- Powerful fuel-injected 450cc engine
- Rally kit with navigation tower and long-range fuel tanks
- Top speed of around 160 km/h
- Rally2 class, with a valid FIM Rally2 licence
In numbers
The Honda CRF 450 Rally450ccFuel-injected engine
± 160Km/h top speed
2Shift buttons on the handlebar
Rally2Class
Shifting with a thumb
Riding with one leg means the standard foot shifter is not an option. That is why my Honda is fitted with a Translogic powershifter. Two buttons on the handlebar let me shift up and down without my left foot and without the clutch.
It is an electronic shift system originally built for racing, adapted here to make rally raid possible with a prosthesis. It lets me keep my focus on the roadbook and the terrain. Shifting is a simple thumb press, stage after stage.
The team
Together to the finishHT Rally Raid
The professional Dutch rally-raid team of Henk Hellegers, founded in 2005. The team takes care of the bike, logistics and assistance at every race, so I can focus on one thing: riding.
Frank Jol
Prosthetist to top athletes around the world. Together we develop a sports prosthesis built specifically for rally raid. Frank travels to Dakar as part of the support team, so any issue is solved within hours, not days.
Össur
World leader in prosthetic technology. Össur helps build a prosthesis that can handle heat, sand, vibrations and hard impacts, stage after stage.
Training five to six days a week
Preparing for the Dakar means living with full focus.
- 3× a week at the gym for strength and endurance, always before work
- 1× a week personal training with Bart Nelissen, built around riding with a prosthesis
- 1 to 2× a week on the bike: motocross or roadbook navigation
- Training camps at Wim’s Motor Academy in Portugal
Ride along as a partner
Partners help fund the bike, the travel and the entry fee for the Dakar 2027. There is always room for a tailor-made deal.