Helmut Dähne

Helmut Dähne (also rendered as "Daehne" or "Dahne", born 29 November 1944 in Altenmark, [ "Total frustrierter Sieger", part of the series: The Race of my Life, Auto Bild Motorsport 14/2007 of 13.07.2007 [http://www.autobild.de/artikel/serie-das-rennen-meines-lebens_318686.html] ] Germany) is a German former motorcycle racer, active not in Grand Prix races, for which the rather tall Dähne (190 cm [Bio at MEHRSi e. V., an initiative for "more safety" [http://www.mehrsi.org/prominente,helmut_d1aehne.html] ] ) is not well suited, but in endurance racing with production machines, comparable to touring cars and rallying with automobiles. From the 1970s to the 1990s, he was active on the longest circuits of motorcycle racing, the over 20 km long Nürburgring Nordschleife, and the over 60 km long Snaefell Mountain Course of the Isle of Man TT.

Dähne, who in 1961 as a teenager began working for BMW motorcycle department as a mechanic, then since 1976 developed motorcycle tyres for German brand Metzeler and provided service at race tracks to customers, is now a PR manager, a "Works BMW motorcycling legend" ["Helmut Daehne - Works BMW motorcycling legend; always a contender at the Isle of Man TT and a worthy winner in 1976." - Goodwood Festival of Speed website [http://www.goodwood.co.uk/fos/intro/stardrivers_AF.htm] ] and known for "his trademark red and white leathers". [BMW legends – Helmut Dähne, at World of BMW news, 21/08/2007 [http://worldofbmw.com/content/article.asp?article=873&artDate=21/08/2007%2008:30:21] ]

From 1965 to 1971 he entered off-road contests, starting road racing in 1968 with a hillclimbing win at Sudelfeld in the Bavarian Alps. From 1972 to 1986 he started 23 events at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. [Competitor Profile: Helmut Dahne (with photos) [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/competitors.aspx?ride_id=2859&filter=D] ] In 1976, he and partner Hans-Otto Butenuth ["Total frustrierter Sieger", part of the series: The Race of my Life, Auto Bild Motorsport 14/2007 of 13.07.2007 [http://www.autobild.de/artikel/serie-das-rennen-meines-lebens_318686.html] ] were the fastest finisher [3h 48min 50.8 sec, TT 1976 Production TT Results, [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT76&race_seq=1] ] in the "Production TT" with a 900cc BMW R 90 S. Being one of the few non-British riders who could keep up with the locals, Dähne came second twice, in 1986, [TT 1986 Production Class B Results [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT86&race_seq=6] ] and in 1984 by only 2 seconds. [TT 1984 Production 251-750cc Results [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT84&race_seq=10] ]

He also entered the German "Seriensport" [Was versteht man unter "Seriensport" ? [http://www.seriensport.com/was-ist-was.html] ] championship, a series of contests for road legal machinery, were he could test and showcase the products of his employers. In 1973 he won the first of these "Rally" German Championships in the 1000cc class, [1973 Helmut Dähne - German Championship - Rally 1000cc [http://www.metzelermoto.com/web/experience/community/routes_and_racetracks/racing_heritage/1960_80.page] ] 15 in total, the last in 1993. The 1000 km Hockenheimring, an Easter Saturday event for a team of two riders doing a long-distance reliability run concluded with a timed raced, was won by Dähne and his partners 18 times in 26 entries, the last success coming in 2001. [Langstreckenrennen 1000 km Hockenheim, from MOTORRAD 2001 / 10, [http://www.motorradonline.de/archiv/1000-kilometer-von-hockenheim.85655.htm] ] Dähne also entered more competitive series, like the Endurance world championship series, in which he finished 3rd in 1980, [Motocyclisme - Championnat du Monde endurance Podiums annuels - premier: Marc Fontan/Hervé Moineau FRA, second: Christian Huguet FRA/Richard Hubin BEL, troisieme: Dähne FRG/George GBR [http://www.sportquick.com/techlist.asp?SearchResult=Envoi&list0=Motocyclisme&list1=Championnat%20du%20Monde%20endurance&list2=&shot2=T&shot3=Champion] ] riding a Honda privately tuned by Eckert. [Interview mit Roland Eckert, 64, ehemaliger Honda-Händler, MOTORRAD 2005 / 10 [http://www.motorradonline.de/test/interview-mit-roland-eckert--64--ehemaliger-honda-haendler.232764.htm] ] [Photos "Helmut Dähne Eckert Honda" [http://www.xs4all.nl/~holstejw/750+.html] ] [Photo: Helmut Dähne (D), Eckert Honda / Nordschleife 'Brünnchen' [http://www.motoclix.de/galleries/old%20days/Nuerburgring/slides/daehne%20eckert%20honda.html] ] In the 8 Hour race at the Nürburgring, then still 22.8 km long, he and partner Alois Tost finished second behind a factory-entered Honda RCB. [J.C. Chémarin, (F) Werks-Honda, 8 Stunden Nürburgring, Brünnchen [http://www.motoclix.de/galleries/old%20days/Nuerburgring/slides/chemarin%20honda%20rcb.html] ] ["Gralsritter - Das letzte Rennen auf der Nordschleife", excerpt of article in MOTORRAD 1996 / 17, at motorradonline.de: [http://www.motorradonline.de/archiv/das-letzte-rennen-auf-der-nordschleife.86529.htm] ]

The last Grand Prix races on the long and dangerous circuits took place in 1976 at the Isle of Man, and in 1980 at the Nürburgring. The German track was shortened from 22.8 to 20.8 km in 1983, and the modern 4.5 km GP track was opened in 1984, in order to host competitive racing in a safe environment.

For enthusiasts still willing to ride the "Green Hell" of the Nordschleife, timed contests were offered as the Seriensport "Zuverlässigkeitsfahrten" ("Zuvi", reliability runs), which contained a single lap time trial run from standing start, thus eliminating at least the danger of riders colliding when racing for position. Also, street legal bikes and tyres were required to keep costs and speed down.

Dähne set the first of his record there in August 1988 with a Suzuki GSX-R at 7:55.07. Then, with a 750cc Honda RC30 VFR750R, he subsequently lowered it to 7:53.08 in July 1990, to 7:50.71 in June 1992, and on 23 May 1993, using Metzeler ME Z1 [Last motorcycle race: 1994, Lap record motorcycle: 7:49:71 by Helmut Dähne, 1993 (on Metzeler ME Z1), at metzelermoto.com [http://www.metzelermoto.com/web/experience/community/routes_and_racetracks/nurburgring/default.page] ] tyres, set yet another record, with 7:49.71. ["Mein Rekord mit 7:49:72, aufgestellt am 23. Mai 1993, ist immer noch nicht alles. Ich weiß daß mit dem gleichen Motorrad auch 7:45 möglich sind." - Foreword by Helmut Dähne to Ulrich Thomson: Das Nürburgring Fahrer-Handbuch, 1997, ISBN 3-89365-533-6 [http://www.amazon.de/dp/3893655336 at amazon.de] ] After the 1993 event, an onboard-video was produced ["7:49,71 - Der Ring. Der Dauerbrenner von Futura. Erleben Sie Helmut Dähne mit der Honda RC 30 auf seiner Rekordrunde auf der Nürburgring-Nordschleife. 7.49.71 die Rekordzeit, die bis zum heutigen Tage von keinem Motorradfahrer gebrochen wurde". Onboard-Video (VHS/DVD) by Futura Video, reenacting the record setting ride [http://www.futura-media.de/html/fs0.htm by futura-media.de] ] ["7:49,71 Der Ring" DVD, with infos as given on sleeve, [http://www.netleih.de/titledtl.php/7-49-71-der-ring-23511.html netleih.de] ] in which Dähne did another lap, about 10 secs slower, carrying camera equipment on his back.

On 2 July 1994, Dähne did not take part in the "Zuvi" (which was won by Herbert Mandelartz with 7:55.78 min [according to Mike Frison, Nürburgring local, Seriensport rider, and 200832.com forum host, in a 2002 post at [http://www.ghbiker.de/forum/thread.php?postid=327&sid=efe07df81b5a040d5945bd5e2a0bb113#post327 ghbiker.de forum] ] ) as he instead returned to the Isle of Man TT for his 24th, 25th and 26th TT races. He scored a personal best of 19:45, but then fell and shattered his lower leg, causing a one year break.

In 1994, not only Ayrton Senna was killed, but also riders were fatally wounded on the Nordschleife. No motorcycle contests on the Nordschleife were held after 1994, and with the track homologation for motorcycles not being renewed, no organizer can offer officially sanctioned contests there anymore. Thus, Dähne, holding the track record since 1988, will "forever" be the holder of the official record of 7:49.71 he had set in 1993.

Dähne, while riding for a magazine report, crashed in 1996 at the fast Fuchsröhre section of the Nordschleife. He continued to be a front runner in circuit racing, but finished only 3rd in the championship standings in 1997 and 1998, dropping further down the order later. While he won two more victories in the 1000 km Hockenheim in 2002 and 2001, another crash in 2004 ended the competitive career of the 60-year-old. Helmut Dähne has appeared in several other videos or magazine articles, comparing bikes to other bikes or cars, and still is active in public relation events.

In recent years, riders with modern, more powerful and advanced machinery (often 1000cc or more, compared to Dähne's 750cc) claim to have bettered Dähne's time unofficially, even in public riding sessions when the general public has access to the track and speed limits are in effect. As no full laps can be done, estimated laps times are given, or only the so called Bridge-to-Gantry time, without a 1700 m section of the main straight. Despite being officially banned at the Nürburgring, videos are recorded and published on the net.

ee also

*Nordschleife
*Nordschleife fastest lap times

References

External links

* [http://www.classic-motorrad.de/wbb3/wbb/datenbank/datenbank-motorrad-rennfahrer/677-helmut-d%C3%A4hne/ classic-motorrad.de] bio with photos
* [http://www.autobild.de/artikel/porsche-911-gt2-gegen-honda-cbr-1000-rr_422642.html autobild.de] Dähne vs. Walter Röhrl
* [http://www.hondavfr.de/2006/10/23/rc30-eine-legende/ Dähne jumping with a RC30 on the IoM]
* [http://www.ring-freunde.de/ring_freunde/Fakten/fakten.html Dähne in his red-white leathers, doing a wheelie]
*http://www.seriensport.com/ - Website of the German Stock Sport series