Nicola Dutto is a professional motorcycle racer. During his career, he won many races, with the Italian and European Baja Championships in 2008 and 2009 as highlights. His life changed completely in March 2010 when he broke his spinal cord in an accident during the Italian Baja, prostrating him in a wheelchair. With the races in her DNA and incredible determination, in November 2011, nine months after leaving the hospital bed, Nicola launched a challenge: to return to the races.
He surprised everyone by showing up at the start of the legendary Baja 1000 in a Polaris Buggy, modified for his needs. After this race, he announced a major challenge that no one could expect: competing again on a motorcycle. It seemed an impossible challenge but against all odds and encouraged by the passion for offroad and surrounded by the support and trust of the people around him, starting with his wife Elena, always with him, and KTM Italy, in 2012 Nicola competed . In the 500 km long, Baja Aragón becomes the first pilot of paraplegic motorcycles.
This was just the beginning of a bigger project: to compete in the Dakar. Nicola never stopped dreaming and working hard and developed a kit to allow her to run. Needless to say, he encountered many obstacles in his path. He confronted them one by one as a professional driver, as he is. Six years later, he can finally say that he did it. On January 6, 2019, Nicola Dutto will start the Dakar Rally, one of the most gritty editions, on his KTM 450.
“I’m going to compete with a KTM equipped with a special roll bar to protect my legs, which I’ve developed, and on the handlebar I have the buttons for the front and rear brake, the gearshift and to accelerate. I will not be alone I will share this adventure with 3 other drivers who will escort me in front of the front, one on each side and one behind me It is a team effort We have competed together in the Dakar Series as the Merzouga Rally and the Morocco Rally. I take the motivated start to give the maximum, I am fascinated by the idea of spending many hours on the bike pushing my physical and mental limits, scared, nothing scares me.
The bike also needed a lot of work. Your KTM 450 EXC-F has undergone a transformation to allow the Italian to feel comfortable on the bike. Dutto uses an electronically controlled gear lever, as well as an automatic Rekluse clutch. The master cylinder of the rear brake has also been moved to the handlebar. His legs are secured and guarded by a frame. Other important parts in Dutto’s exclusive KTM are the seat and backrest of Vicair with a three-point harness attached. “When comparing my current Dakar motorcycle with the one I built for the first time to get back on two wheels, it could be said that many things have changed. In the old bicycle, the roll cage was quite large and bulky, and in my new motorcycle has returned to a very minimalist design. It allowed us to shed some weight from the bike, which helps control it. It is also worth noting that the KTM enduro engine is also much better. The characteristics of the engine and the fact that it has a six-speed gearbox is perfect for me. “Obviously, Nicola had to adapt his driving to the new situation.In his own words, now it feels like a normal ride without using his legs. “It is quite difficult to explain how I have to ride a motorcycle now. It is a very complicated way to drive, and it has taken a long time to find out what works and what does not. Working to make the suspension work for me was interesting, because I can not take it anymore to withstand the blows.”
