KTM RALLY FACTORY TEAM 2005
22 December 2004 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Rally sport nowadays is one of the greatest challenges for man and machine combining sport and adventure.

Rally means riding through spectacular sceneries on remote desert pists, experiencing sand storms, suffering from stinging heat during the day and chilling cold during the night, sleeping in tents and working in the sand with basic equipment. Endurance and good navigation are as important as good riding skills. Not the fastest rider will win, but the most complete one.

The rally season starts in mid winter with the Dakar, the mother of all rallies, and is followed by a World Championship series consisting of eight rallies throughout the year.

The KTM Factory team varies from 6 to 8 riders throughout the season. On the Dakar the maximum amount of riders will be present, twelve pilots in three different teams. The mechanical and logistical base is Mattighofen, but from the start on the teams race indepentently with their own structure and fight each other.

There will be two classes in the World Championship 2005 - up to 450cc and more than 450cc.

OVERALL TEAM MANAGER - HANS TRUNKENPOLZ:
After so much successes, what appeals you to compete again as a team manager at this Dakar? In the open class, so to speak the formula one of the rally sports, we compete with our KTM 660 Rally. The world elite of rally pilots fights for the crown of rally. Without exaggerating it, we have developed the best motorcycle here and we aren’t afraid of any competitor. Technically, the 450 cc class will be the biggest challenge again, since we only start with one rider and many other brands declared war to us. Contrary to the open class, the regulations here allow to change the engines arbitrarily. That makes it somewhat easier for our competitors, because we follow the objective that every pilot of us has to reach Dakar with only one spare engine. However, we are optimally prepared with our new 450 and I am really happy to see the machines and pilots after months racing again.

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