Hero MotoCorp ties up with Speedbrain, enters motorcycle racing

NEW DELHI: Country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today forayed into motorcycle rally racing by forming a strategic partnership with German off-road racing specialist Speedbrain.

The newly formed ' Hero MotoSports Team Rally' will make its debut at the Merzouga Rally in Morocco later this month, a Dakar series race, Hero MotoCorp said in a statement.

"In the recent past, we have rapidly expanded our global footprint and also made significant investments in enhancing our R&D capabilities. Motorsport is a natural progression for us, as it will allow us to bring value-added products with top-of-the-line technology for our millions of customers," Hero MotoCorp Chairman, MD and CEO Pawan Munjal said.

This initiative is also reflective of the company's consistent support to sports and sportspersons, he added.

The Hero MotoSports Team Rally will be riding on the upgraded version of the successful Speedbrain 450 rally bike. The Merzouga Rally will be held from May 21 to May 27.

The team will also participate in international rallies across the globe, leading up to the Dakar rally 2017. The company has roped in riders CS Santosh and Joaquim Rodrigues.

The team will be under the direct supervision of Markus Braunsperger, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Hero MotoCorp and will work in close collaboration with his team at the Hero Centre of Innovation and Technology.

The team will also assist in development and testing of new Hero vehicles concepts, using the data collected from the races.

"After several successful years in the rally raid sport, collecting tons of experience and creating a very specialised, motivated and loyal race team and the conceptual skills on how to build an efficient and competitive bike, we are more than happy to form a new, strategic partnership with Hero MotoCorp, to realise our common vision for the future," Speedbrain GmbH Managing Director Wolfgang Fischer said.