In the Spirit of Legend: Sons of Dakar Veteran Josef „Beppo“ Loder to Participate in Dakar Rally 2024

In 1985, Josef Loder participated in the race as "Assistance Rapide" in a Puch G for the BMW Motorrad Team. The Assistance Rapide vehicles were designed to race if necessary but to be quickly on-site to assist motorcycles or riders.

Max and Laurence Loder were deeply inspired by their father’s stories and the close friendships and adventures of that time. Last year, the two decided to painstakingly rebuild their father’s vehicle as faithfully as possible to honor the achievements and spirit of the past.

With the support of experienced racing colleague and former BMW Formula 1 technician Achim Grauert, the car was rebuilt from the ground up in 10 months of meticulous work. No costs or efforts were spared—even an elaborate conversion from a five-door body to the original three-door variant was undertaken by the siblings. The G was successfully completed just under three days before the technical inspection in Barcelona. A fun fact: The vehicle used back then was identical to the Mercedes G except for the logo, but under the circumstances at the time, a Mercedes was out of the question for BMW.

In January 2024, the brothers will tackle the challenging 8000 kilometers through the Saudi Arabian desert, enduring the hardships of the Dakar Rally. Their endeavor focuses on a return to the roots of off-road racing, experiencing adventures, and embracing the spirit of the Dakar Rally.

Shortly before departure to Barcelona, some members of the original team gathered to inspect the homage. Among them: Dietmar Beinhauer—legendary team manager of BMW Motorrad from 1980 to 1986, Josef Loder and Alois Schenk, congenial pilots of the 2 Puch 280GE in the BMW Paris-Dakar Team 1985, Georg Gattinger – truck racer (1985 on a MAN in the BMW Team and back for Dakar in 2024).

The Dakar Rally has evolved over the last 39 years, but the fundamental principles remain the same: reaching the finish line is more important than the result. Beppo Loder, the proud father, hopes to see his two sons unharmed on January 20, 2023, in Yanbu. The Loder family’s story will thus be continued in the annals of the Dakar Rally.