Since the KTM 450 Rally’s victorious debut on the Rallye du Maroc,
development has continued at the same hectic pace that saw the bike go
from the drawing board to competition in just six months. Immediately
after the bike’s first competitive outing Cyril Despres’ bike was
meticulously examined by engineers back in Austria, and once they had
given the all clear, Team Red Bull KTM mechanics built up the two
bikes in record time ready for final shake down tests in Fontjoncouse
track (France). Here the whole Red Bull KTM team: Cyril Despres and
support rider Ruben Faria, mechanics Roland Bruckner and Sébastien
Fortanier and team staff Alex Antor, Chris Evans, Denis Gardette,
Harald Leichtfried and Benjamin Melot, the same personnel as for 2010,
were all able to come together one last time before they meet up again
late December in Buenos Aires.
Commented Cyril Despres, “As always the lead up to getting the
bikes in the boat has been pretty busy, but everything has been
remarkably trouble free. Testing went well and it was great to see the
team as united and as motivated as ever. Plus the tests Ruben and I
did at Pre-Sport in Perpignan proved we are as on form as our bikes.
Unveiling the new bike at the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show with all the
top KTM management was also a proud moment. Now we won’t see the
bikes again until we go and fetch them from the docks in Argentina, so
for fans of off-road motorcycle racing the world over we have produced
another short video clip showing the bike in greater detail. It’s a
really nice bike...!!!”
Discover "KTM 450 Rally - Ready for Dakar 2011" video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gCXTGYCXg0
(credits: www.carrota.com)
