Toby Price

There’s always a seat at the Desert Gateway campfire for Toby Price

The Dirt Bike Dream

To meet this guy as a kid, he probably would’ve passed as any other dirt loving, motorbike mad country kid from the rural town of Roto, 740km west of Sydney. Like most, he was living his best life playing around in the dirt on his peewee 50.

King of the Desert

Yet over years passed, this prodigy has worked at what is his passion every waking moment. Toby Price is the King of the Desert, having won two Dakar titles in 2016 and 2019, raced 7 Finke Desert Races on both two and 4 wheels (winning 2021 Tatt’s Finke in 1:39:15), 5 Hattah Desert Races, FIM World Rally Championships and I don’t reckon he even knows where the brake is. It seems 2022’s goal is to nail the Iron Man Finke Double and we can’t wait to see what unfolds in Baja. He’s known as the face of the KTM Factory Red Bull Racing Team but most of all he is known and loved by all as one of the nicest Aussie blokes you’ll ever meet. When I met him at Finke last year, I must confess I may have fan-girled, just a bit!

Toby was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for 2021. What does that mean to Toby? Well as he reflected in his interview with Mick from the Torque and Chatter Experience, he didn’t even know what the OAM was, and so deleted the email notification thinking he was being hacked. After they followed Toby up and held him accountable as a recipient, he reckoned ‘No Way! How can someone like me, win something like that?’ Referring to himself as is just a guy who rides a dirt bike, with a mullet. Humble on all accounts!

Toby Price Inspires to Live Life, Full Gas

However, Toby has had an impact on many, and not only because he’s the one that spins the wheels the fastest, but because throughout his life has displayed how to persist, be resilient, have courage and work bloody hard for the dream. His book Endurance describes the pain of loss and heartbreak having lost his beloved sister, mentors, as well as sustaining injuries that have near left him paralyzed. In the face of adversity, Toby only gets stronger. The flame of determination burns hotter. In his story he describes the importance of family, of mateship and being true to yourself. Having read his awesome book, I’ve been inspired to not be a podium winner, but be a better man, to be accountable and intentional about achieving goals and living life, full gas.

Toby Price #2022 Sheer Grit Award

At Desert Gateway Dirt Bike Tours, we pull that throttle hard but for us its about making memories that will last a lifetime. Our goal is to bring likeminded people together and provide an endurance adventure experience that will have everyone feeling alive. Toby, we won’t ever be as fast as you, but there will always be a seat for you at the outback Queensland Desert Gateway campfire mate. Until then, we will keep it warm, with the day’s winner of the Toby Price #18 Sheer Grit Award! See ya soon mate!

https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/toby-price-prior-2022-dakar-campaign-interview

https://www.facebook.com/tobyprice87/

https://www.facebook.com/torqueandchatterexperience/

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/endurance-the-toby-price-story-9781761043871