Get ready for the 4th Annual BAJA RALLY running this week from October 10th-15th. Competition is fierce this year with 80 racers from 13 countries. The action begins in Ensenada as the flag drops on Tuesday October 11 at 9:00 AM PDT. The race features 5 days of Dakar Rally-style staged racing as riders blaze down the Baja Peninsula nearly 1,500 miles!

This year’s BAJA RALLY has doubled in size compared to last year’s edition and the field will be stacked with seasoned competitors vying for the victory. We’ll be paying close attention to the invitation only “ADV Expert” class, which features modified adventure bikes ranging from 700cc-1000cc. Competitors include Lawrence Hacking on the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin, Brian Englund on his KTM 950 Super Enduro, Keith Billings on a KTM 990 Adventure R and Casey Hilliard on a BMW HP2.

It has been a hectic two days getting this awesome bike ready for the Baja Rally! Special thanks to Lorry Gombos of outback motortek for his support and installing the engine guards. We will post a video of what did so far special thank also to @sturgesscycle for getting the Africa Twin in my hands in time to ship today.

A photo posted by Lawrence Hacking (@lawrencehacking) on Sep 29, 2016 at 4:24pm PDT

Canadian Dakar Rally finisher and moto-journalist, Lawrence Hacking is excited about the challenge of racing the new Africa Twin in this year’s BAJA RALLY. However, the experienced pilot is cautiously optimistic about his objectives. “I have to be realistic, my goal is simply to finish and based on my experience with the new Honda and from what the course was like last year, I think it’s entirely feasible. I can’t wait to face the the challenge head on.” said Hacking. Hacking has been training regularly in the off-season in Portugal with 10-time Dakar rally rider Simon Pavey.

It will be interesting to see how well the big adventure bikes perform compared to the rest of the competition on dedicated rally bikes. Which manufacturer will you be rooting for?

Racing in the pro class this year are Baja 1000 legends Quinn Cody, Steve Hengeveld and Cameron Steele, along with Dakar Rally veterans like Bill Conger and Kevin Heath. Top international teams fielding multiple riders include the Desert Rose Racing, Motoden UK and Austria’s Team Yamaha. It’s one of the fastest growing motorsports event in North America, so make sure to tune in!

The BAJA RALLY will be offering Live Streaming and Tracking Pages on their website to ensure you don’t miss any of this year’s exciting competition. You can also check out photo, news and video updates on the Baja Rally Instagram and Facebook pages.

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Mexico, Africa, Europe, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.