Monster Energy Honda Team rider Ricky Brabec (#9) became the
first American to win the Dakar Rally with his fully race-prepped
CRF450 Rally racer, when he completed the 42nd edition of the
world’s toughest rally raid event on 18 January 2020, eight years
after the squad’s return.
The 2020 Dakar Rally also marked the first occasion that the event was held
in Saudi Arabia with over more than 7,000 km (of which 75 percent was in the
desert), in 13 days.
In doing so, he broke the incredible 18 year stranglehold KTM owned on this
race.
28-year-old Brabec rode his first Dakar Rally in 2016 with Team HRC, making
2020 his fifth attempt.
Honda first competed in the third Paris-Dakar Rally in 1981. Its first
victory came in 1986 on an NXR750, which was followed by three consecutive wins
up to 1989. Honda left the Dakar the following year, and in 2013, decided to
race once again, with its new CRF450 RALLY factory bike. Despite finishing
runner-up in 2015 and 2018, victory had eluded Honda until in 2020, the 8th
attempt.
Based on Honda’s 450cc production dual-sport, Brabec’s racer has been treated
to an extensive number of top-shelf, race-grade modifications including:
- custom suspension developed by Brabec and Showa
- two tanks carrying a total of nine gallons of fuel
- a custom rubber MX-style Noguchi saddle
- trick GP-style switchgear
- full Dakar-style bodywork complete with navigation tower
- relocated oil-cooler
- LED lighting
- Termignoni exhaust system
- specially engineered gearbox, cases and internals