Hero Motorsports 'excited' for 2021 Dakar Rally following win at BAJA Portalegre

Close on the heels of an exciting win at the BAJA Portalegre, Hero MotoSports Rally, the team representing the two-wheeler manufacturing giant, on Tuesday unveiled its plans for the 2021 Dakar Rally.

The team will go to Dakar with the 2020 FIM Cross-Country BAJAs World Cup winner Sebastian Buhler, 2019 Pan Africa Rally winner Joaquim Rodrigues and ace Indian rider CS Santosh.

This will be the second official appearance for Buhler in Hero colours at the Dakar, while it will be the fifth appearance for both Rodrigues and Santosh.

The riders will take on the Dakar challenge on a new Hero 450 Rally bike, which now features a 450cc engine and an evolved chassis.

The engine, developed especially for rally sport, offers improved top speed and acceleration.

“With an optimum weight balance, better rider ergonomics, more voluminous fuel-tank, improved suspension and cooling system, the new bike is built for juggling the dual roles of covering long strides at a heightened pace,” the company said in a press release.

“The team will also be seen in a new livery, sporting a futuristic “Barcode” inspired design aesthetic, to showcase the technical edge of our rally team.”

Hero MotoSports Rally team manager Wolfgang Fischer said: “While we were away from racing for quite some time due to the pandemic, we utilised the time to develop the new bike.

“We conducted thorough testing sessions with our riders, keeping the team engaged and motivated in the most challenging times.

“We are excited for the next few weeks as we aim to sustain our momentum and garner good results this year. The new bike is performing well and the team looks stunning in the new livery.”

Hero MotoSports made its debut at the Dakar Rally, the world’s biggest, in 2017.