Sherco-TVS Announces Factory Team For Merzouga Rally

The Merzouga rally is all set to kick off on 7th May 2017 and Sherco-TVS Factory Rally Team has announced their contenders for the event. The rider line-up includes Abdul Waheed Tanveer, who recently won the 2017 India Baja event which made him eligible for both the Dakar and Merzouga rallies. Tanveer is accompanied by fellow Indian rider Aravind KP, Juan Pedrero from Spain and Frenchman Adrien Metge.

The team will be riding the RTR 450 Dakar-spec motorcycles specifically tuned to meet this rally route’s requirements. The 135-kg Dakar machines use 4-stroke DOHC 4-valve engines which produce around 65.9PS of peak power. The rebound and compression settings on the front suspension have been tuned to help the motorcycle get better traction on sand dunes while the rear suspension is multi-adjustable. The powerplant will also be equipped with high-velocity ports, redesigned camshaft, modified crankshaft and re-tuned Engine Control Module (ECM), all of which will ensure better performance.

This year’s Merzouga Rally is the 8th edition and will consist of 6 stages. All the finishers will have the assurance of being able to enter the Dakar. The objective of the Merzouga Rally is to prepare the teams for the main event- the Dakar Rally. The rally also serves a springboard for the amateurs who want to try their luck on the adventure that is the Dakar. For Dakar, this rally will be a benchmark to evaluate the technical and physical skills of the riders.

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Speaking about the team members, Abdul Wahid Tanveer was crowned champion in the National Supercross and National Rally 2016. He has also been awarded by FMSCI as Supercross Champion in Group A category and Rally Champion in Superbike up to 600cc category. Aravind KP is the first Indian rider for Sherco TVS Rally Factory team to participate at Dakar Rally 2017 and has won 17 championships in the domestic and international circuit. Juan Pedrero has participated in Dakar 8 times, out of which he has secured a position in the top 11 slots four times. He stood 13th at Dakar this year for the Sherco-TVS Factory Rally team. Adrien Metge has been the Brazilian Enduro and Rally Champion in 2014 and 2015. He stood 22nd at Dakar this year for the Sherco-TVS Factory Rally team.

Also read: Sherco TVS 2017 Dakar Bike Ridden