Honda preparing Dakar assault

Don't forget that most of the bikes in Sardegna were lightweight enduro, short liaisons and stages and the BF team had low number draws which was a massive advantage there.

Yes they have good riders, but the Dakar will be a very different test as you know better than most, but without a doubt they will be up there.

If the new bikes hold up, all round it's going to be a great event.

The only issue is that it's still 5 months away !

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At last years Dakar the BF camp looked very, very, very low budget compared to KTM. Sadly a part of the race is money so unless BF is putting a much larger effort into it I dont foresee them being competitve with KTM. Just my two cents. But who knows, maybe with them hiring new riders and the bike development they intend to throw mega $'s at the race..time will tell.

Okay... the official entry acceptances have been dealt out, we've got three major teams throwing a hat in the ring, plus the usual mix of star studded supporting cast of privateer teams/bikes...

So when's the book being started and what odds are being given on who...?

I've still got people that owe me from last year...

Ted, my understanding is that last year was a "see what we need year" and this year they are pulling the trigger on the money gun. But of course, time will tell for sure.

That would be cool as last year they didnt seem like they threw much more money at it than "our" team. Although they did have those fancy bike covers..and a pressure washer, no rags and bottles of water for their PBC (Professional Bike Cleaner )





You'll also note the lack of duct tape on their easy up

Hey, it's an Italian team, they would make a dog turd look like a piece of fillet steak


But what will it taste like? D

There's an article in the new issue of Trail Bike Magazine (in the UK) which backs up your understanding, and suggests the money gun has plenty of ammunition.

want

A few bits and pieces from the TBM article on Bordone Ferrari...

- Mr Ferrari is a Milanese architect, and the 'passion' behind the team
- Mrs Bordone is a 'successful businesswoman whose grandfather was involved in the motorcycle business between the wars', and the money behind the team.
- Have apparently already spent 'millions' of Euros on the project
- Put three riders on KTM 450RRs into the top ten at the 2012 Dakar
- A lot of their mechanics came from the Farioli KTM EWC team
- Rumoured to have offered Juha Salminen half a million Euros to ride for them in EWC
- The lack of *any* sponsor branding is deliberate - planning to keep the identity of the brand clean and professional until the 'right' deal can be done with a big outside sponsor, not someone that will give them 'five sets of kit'.
- Have had meetings with the ASO about raising the profile of the Dakar in Italy
- There will be a small production run of the BF rally bike.

One of their mechanics is Romeo Feliciani, he was Fabrizio Meoni's historic mechanic and close friend

Hell, if you buy 20 sets of wheels with the wrong talon hubs and instead of returning them just say 'could be handy for the enduro team' , you prbably have enough budget...

And the BF stocks just went up 1500%

BF's rally bike model number is actually a little play on letters if care to look close..

Renato Ferrari is a huge fan of MEONI

Look for them on this side of the pond..

Ok, but what ever happened to the Honda this thread started about?

It will be coming to a Sand Dune near you soon !!!
Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I know for the moment is that Hélder is doing extensive tests on a Honda, not saying that it is on THAT Honda we saw designer pics of...

Him and the other honda team riders except Ze zelio be in california the end o this week .

Trailtrick, you mixed Brazilian riders.
HRC driver is Felipe Zanol; Ze Helio is doing Brazilian off road championship on a car (a Mitsubishi L200 pick up)

Zanol will be doing the Rally dos Sertoes from next week on.

End of next week

Pizzolito is flying to USA, so he is going to take part of the training Hog prepared for them!!