Quinn Cody has conquered nearly every major off-road race in North America, with four overall wins in the Baja 1000 and a win in the BITD Vegas to Reno riding solo to his credit. He even grabbed 9th place in the Dakar Rally on his very first attempt.

After countless accomplishments in his long racing career, he’s now looking for a new challenge. He’ll be racing the final round of the Hare and Hound desert racing series, one of the most technically challenging races in off-road motorcycle competition. The majority of the field will be mounted on lightweight 250cc-450cc Enduro Bikes but Quinn will be riding a 1200cc, 520+ pound Adventure Bike — the KTM 1190 Adventure R.

Of course Quinn Cody is no stranger to the National Hare and Hound series — he won the 4-stroke championship back in 2004, and we all know the KTM 1190 Adventure R is a capable Adventure Bike in the dirt for its size. But the Austrians never designed the bike for anything like this! With a course filled with gnarly ruts, high-speed whoops, treacherous hill climbs, deep sand and miles and miles of rocks, there’s plenty that can go wrong. Just getting the big KTM through the punishing course will take a huge effort.

Most of the bikes on the grid will be half the weight and have significantly more suspension travel to suck up the rugged California desert terrain. If Quinn is even able to complete the race, it will be a true testament to the capabilities of the KTM 1190 Adventure R.

Hundreds of dirt bikes will compete in the 100s MC National Hare and Hound race. One thing they won’t expect to see is a KTM 1190 Adventure R on the starting line. (Photo Courtesy NationalHareandHound.com)

One advantage Quinn will have is roughly three times more horsepower than the bikes he’ll be competing against, which should make for an interesting start to the race. One of the unique things about Hare and Hound races is that dozens of riders take off from the start in a long line, all at once, in a huge frenzy of dust-filled action. The first riders to make it to the front of the pack have an open field in front of them, before the course funnels down into a tight technical trail.

It should be interesting to watch Quinn on the big ADV Bike as he launches off the line at the start. We expect there will be many surprised looks from competitors as his powerful KTM grabs the holeshot. What’s more, Quinn won’t need to pit for gas during the 95-mile race with the 1190 ADV R’s big 6.1 gallon tank, saving him some valuable time.

But Quinn’s primary motivation to enter the race isn’t just for the challenge, it’s to raise money for the Kurt Caselli Memorial Scholarship. Every dollar raised will go directly into a scholarship fund for former racers pursuing higher education. You can show your support by making a small donation to this great cause. And while you’re at it, wish Quinn Cody good luck during the race!

The 100s MC National Hare and Hound race occurs October 23, 2016 in Lucerne Valley, CA. For more information on how you can participate or spectate, go to the National Hare and Hound website.

Update 10/26/2016

Congratulations to Quinn Cody for finishing the final round of the National Hare & Hound series on his KTM 1190 Adventure R last weekend! It was a grueling four-hour race but he was able to manage 78th place overall out of 132 racers. Now that’s impressive considering he was carrying around roughly 250-300 pounds more weight than his competitors!

“It was a bit of a struggle but I managed to bring the big girl around all three loops of today’s National Hare and Hound season finale and I actually had some fun along the way.”
– Quinn Cody

And it was all for a good cause… Quinn is very close to meeting his goal of raising $5,000 for the Kurt Caselli Memorial Scholarship. You can help him get there. It’s not to late to make a small donation!

1190R throwing stones. #readytorace #ktm1190adventure #ktm #1190adventure @ktmusa @kc66foundation @fasstcompany @wp_usa @rentrvfun @seatconcepts 📷kato

A photo posted by Quinn Cody (@quinncody) on Oct 24, 2016 at 9:02am PDT

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 Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.