Deen Munsters’ life took a turn when a scooter accident resulted in the loss of his lower left leg. Despite the amputation, he still hopes to race the Dakar Rally in 2027. If things work out, he will compete on a Honda CRF450RX for HT Rally Raid.

Munsters plans to enter the Rallye du Maroc in October followed by the 2026 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Besides being desert events like Dakar, both are part of the World Rally-Raid Championship and the Road to Dakar. Finishing a RtD rally earns points that bolster his chances of being accepted for Dakar.

With Morocco not for another five months, he is in South Africa this week for the W2RC’s South African Safari Rally to learn the inner workings of rally raid. He had planned to enter the race to qualify for the 2026 Dakar Rally, but was advised by Dakar director David Castera that it would be better to “approach the process differently.”

“Most people with two legs would not dare to dream of Dakar, and I do it with one,” said Munsters on Monday.

Munsters is a Dutch motocross rider who grew up racing pit bikes. While riding his scooter in Ammerzoden, he swerved to avoid an oncoming car and collided with a concrete bollard. He underwent approximately 18 surgeries before his left leg was amputated below the knee.

Despite the injury, his research while in the hospital found that he could continue riding as long as he kept his knee. He uses a prostheses to walk and ride.

Once he was physically fit to ride again, he resumed competing in motocross. In March, Stork Films released a mini documentary titled Dakar with One Leg about his life and goal to race at Dakar.

There certainly have been cases of amputees competing at Dakar, though those are often in cars. For example, Race2Recovery was a team of wounded British and American war veterans who did the 2013 and 2014 Dakar Rallies. Four-time Dakar champion Mathieu Baumel is also on the hunt to compete at Dakar again after losing his right leg in an accident earlier this year.

Dakar Rally with One Leg

Featured image credit: Stork Films