See what’s missing and make it happen. Bergamasco doc, Simone Agazzi, realized that international rallies lacked a real alternative to KTM as far as the motorcycle scene was concerned. Thanks to his experience as a rally raid driver and motorcycle dealer, he set to work, creating a dedicated racing kit for the Honda CRF 450 Rally, winner of the last two editions of the Dakar with Ricky Brabec (2020) and Kevin. Benavides (2021).
Third at the Africa Eco Race 2019 with the prototype he built himself, Simone Agazzi, 45, is today in the Dakar as team manager and owner of the RS Moto Racing team which lines up five bikes at the start with the Italians Francesco Catenese and Giovanni Gritti, the Swiss Nicolas Monnin and the French Kevin Durand and Julien Barthelemy, all on Honda CRF 450 Rally RS.
With two Dakars behind you, the podium at the Africa Eco race and many international rallies, how do you feel as a team manager?
“My secret dream was to produce something of my own for this great passion which is called rally raid. I come from enduro, but I trained at the Dakar school and I saw what was needed. My greatest satisfaction is to have a team all mine of assistance for Italian drivers, but not only. Ours is an international team “.
How long do you miss running?
“A lot, but being a rider I know what is needed and for this reason my greatest satisfaction is to see the RS Racing riders calm and pampered”.
How big is the structure?
“For five riders we have two dedicated mechanics, a team manager, a logistics manager and a masseur who worked fifteen years in MotoGP with Doctor Costa’s Mobile Clinic. We bought a new 6×6 service truck to assist up to eight riders. “.
To date there is no Honda Rally Replica produced by the Japanese manufacturer for sale. What does the RS Racing Kit consist of?
“The Racing Kit RS aims to transform the Honda CRF 450 Rally available in the shop into a motorcycle for racing the Dakar and rally raids in general. The Racing Kit RS consists of four tanks for a range of 28 liters (the standard bike comes with an 8-liter tank), the instrumentation tower, the rear wheel with flexible coupling, the 320 mm front brake disc for better braking, a dedicated exhaust unit, rally seat cover, carbon guards, oversized footpegs and many other details important “.
How important were Honda’s two consecutive victories at the Dakar in 2020 with Ricky Brabec and in 2021 with Kevin Benavides?
“They have given a huge boost to the project with requests from all over the world. Despite the difficult 2020 for obvious reasons, we have already delivered 30 RS Racing Kits. The main market remains Italy, but we have sold kits in America, Canada, Japan and Europe “.
The podium at the Africa Eco Race confirmed the reliability of the project, which is also interesting in terms of price.
“My idea stems from the desire to offer a valid alternative to the Austrian manufacturer. With two consecutive victories, the Honda CRF 450 rally proved to be truly the bike to beat. There is interest and demand and we wanted to be competitive also in the budget A new Honda complete with kit, therefore ready to race a Dakar, costs 23,000 euros [10.000 euro meno della KTM Racing Replica], so a competitor can use the ten thousand euros saved for registering for the race, for example. The complete kit alone costs 14,000 euros “.
What is the climate at the bivouac?
“The Dakar is becoming an increasingly important race worldwide. Budgets have grown and in my opinion the risk is to become a bit snobbish and far from the private driver. My structure wants to be a second family on the Dakar. A reference point. . A place to feel at home. In addition to the department for working on the motorcycles, there is a hospitality corner, the masseur’s tent. We sit together for a briefing, but also for a coffee or to eat together. We laugh, we joke, and you work “.
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