Bangalore , 05 Dec 2014

Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team for Dakar 2015

Taking its rich racing heritage to another level, TVS Racing, the racing division of TVS Motor Company and Sherco Motorcycles, a French motorcycle manufacturer, specialising in off-road motorbikes have associated to participate in the 2015 Dakar, under the banner of Sherco TVS Rally Factory team.

TVS Racing began operations in 1984 with 50cc TVS mopeds and soon began winning in every category of racing. Over the years TVS Racing have participated in and won several road racing, motocross and dirt track events. Till today, TVS Racing has maintained an average record of 90% wins in all events the team participates in.

During the year 2014, TVS Racing participated in around 30 racing championships and events and maintained a winning record of around 90%. Some of the major events include winning the prestigious Group C up to 165cc modified four stroke category of the National Road Racing Championship and Group D up to 130cc four stroke category. TVS Racing also won the Dakshin Dare, Raid De Himalaya, Monsoon Rally and the Indian National Rally 2014. The team also participated in and won three major scooter rally events, riding a modified Wego. TVS Racing emerged winners of this year's Sigiriya, Fox Hill and Gunners Supercross racing events, held in Srilanka.

Sherco Motorcycles are known for their extremely popular trial bikes, enduro and supermoto bikes. Under the association, two international riders namely Alain Dulcos and Fabien Planet, both of French origin will don the colours of the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team and compete in the forthcoming Dakar.

Announcing the association at a press conference in Bangalore, Arvind Pangaonkar, Head of TVS Racing said, "We are building further on the success of TVS Racing. The racing motorcycles, christened RTR 450, will be more competitive, lightweight and equipped with highly reliable 450cc engines developed and manufactured by the team at Sherco Motorcycles along with TVS Racing specifically for the 2015 Dakar Rally. The bikes will have a better overall design with a new fairing and several additional upgrades that enhance the bike's ride handling. Under this special racing arrangement, engineers from TVS Racing will be working alongside the team from Sherco and its racing affiliates (Mac Racing, Michelin, Selle Dalla Valle, Moto Master, Exact and F2r) at the 2015 Dakar."

The 2015 Dakar is scheduled to be held between 3rd January 2015 and 17th January 2015 in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. "The Dakar Rally is the ultimate motorcycling challenge. Nothing is really tougher than racing for two weeks across these incredibly hostile environments. Learnings are bound to be huge. Through this arrangement, our engineers will get hands-on experience and deeper understanding of international racing programs and improve the competitiveness of TVS Racing. TVS Racing experience is the basis for developing high performance motorcycles for our customers." Pangaonkar added.

Both riders of the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team have been practicing hard and are confident of an emphatic showing at the 2015 Dakar.