are raced . Originally called the Africa Race , organisers wanted to make the race more environmentally friendly , so all bivouac and paddock areas are kept very clean and no rubbish is to be left behind on the course . As well as that , entrants donate all of the used and unused tyres , and oil and unused fuel to locals . Where the motorcycles in the Dakar are limited to 450cc single cylinder racers , the Africa Eco Race allows unlimited capacity and multiple cylinders . This has made it a natural proving ground for the latest adventure bikes , specifically Yamaha ’ s Tenere 700 and Aprilia ’ s Tuareg - just like the good old days of the Paris-Dakar with road-going adventure bikes being raced . As well as the mid-weight machines , this year ’ s event saw Harley Davidson entering a Pan America ridden by Juan Pedrero Garcia . This year ’ s event ran from Dec 30 to Jan 14 with 12 stages covering some 4000km of tough racing . Both Yamaha and Aprilia fielded teams for 2024 , which battled on a daily basis to take both class and outright honours . The Tenere
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