At the age of sixteen, Dane Munsters lost his lower left leg in a scooter accident. Now, years later, the native of Den Bosch is working on a special goal: in 2027 he wants to be the first motorcyclist to complete the grueling Dakar Rally with one leg. Not for a podium spot, but to prove that a disability does not have to be a limit. “If you really want to, you can achieve anything,” he says firmly.
The accident in his early years changed his life completely. “I was in the hospital for three months and had eighteen operations,” says Deen (26). “Luckily they were able to save my knee. That means I still have enough mobility to be able to ride a motorcycle.”
Motorcycling has always been his passion, and that has never gone away. “When I lost my leg, I immediately knew that one day I would cross again,” he continues. “Through a foundation, I came into contact with people who could help me. Ultimately, I bought a modified motorcycle, got my motorcycle license and started riding again. I have been training and racing again for the past five years.”
Deen does this with a specially developed prosthesis. “This is still a concept, but it is already working well,” he explains. “There is a knee brace so that my knee remains fixed. I click my stump into the prosthesis, which gives me an extra firm fit. This way I can drive safely.”
Also his dirt bike has been modified. “Of course I can’t shift gears with my foot, so an electromagnet does that for me. I can shift up and down using buttons on the steering wheel. I also operate the road book with my thumb. Sometimes that is difficult, because everything is on one hand, but you get used to it. The driving itself is the same, only the operation is different.”
“After a few hours of driving, my stump starts to protest.”
To prepare for his big dream, Deen took part in the Rally du Maroc in October, one of the toughest desert rallies in the world after the Dakar Rally. “That was a really big test,” he says. “It was tough, but I made it to the finish and that was my main goal.”
A great achievement, but it was not easy. “I fell a few times and injured my shoulder, even tore a tendon. But I still rode 300 kilometers through the dunes on the last day. My engine broke down on the last kilometer, but with the help of others I still reached the finish.”
“Everyone in the Dakar Rally has their own pain.”
The experience in Morocco has especially strengthened his belief that he can complete the Dakar Rally: “Everyone says that the Dakar is three times as tough, but that doesn’t scare me. If there is a will, there is a way.” Yet it demands a lot from him physically. “After a few hours of driving, my stump starts to protest and then I have to rest. But that’s part of it. Everyone in the Dakar Rally has their own pain. This is mine.”
For Deen, participating in the Dakar Rally is more than a sporting challenge or a dream. It’s a mission. “I want to show people that there is more than a limitation or setback. It’s what you do with it that matters. If you really want something, you can achieve it.”
He will train daily until 2027 and drive several rallies to prepare. “I’m working on it day and night. Just a few more races, more hours on the bike, and then I’ll be ready for the Dakar. Finishing is my goal. No podium, no ranking. Just show that it’s possible.”