The Australasian Safari is an annual off-road rally for motorbikes, four-wheel drives, side by sides, and quad bikes set in outback Western Australia.
This extreme motorsport event attracts some of the best competitors from around the globe. Considered Australia‰Ûªs answer to Dakar, it is renowned as one of the toughest and most challenging motorsport events in the world.
GHR Honda riders Jacob and Todd Smith will be riding their CRF450X's again chasing the outright victory. The Honda brothers went 1st and 2nd Outright at the Condo 750 rally and then backed it up with 1st and 2nd Outright on their CRF450R's at Finke. For this cross country rally they are back on their CRF450X's and hope to replicate previous Safari results of 1st and 2nd outright.
Yesterday saw the ceremonial start while today, Friday the 20th of September, will see the riders attack Prologue.
Competitors will depart from Perth and head north to Geraldton, up into the Gascoyne region, around the Kennedy Ranges before heading out to tropical Carnarvon. Turning south again the course moves through Kalbarri before finishing in Geraldton on the 27th of September.
The event covers approximately 3000km of Western Australian terrain. After the rave reviews and success of 2012‰Ûªs course, this year's Safari will again feature some spectacular coastal Stages along WA‰Ûªs Coral Coast.
The team recently held a test session on the east coast before all the infrastructure was shipped across to Perth, where team manager Glenn Hoffmann was happy with how both the boys and the bike were progressing.
"Testing went well and Simon has again done a great job with the bikes." Hoffman stated. "The boys are very happy with their Honda 450X's and now that they are passed scrutineering it is just a waiting game to get the race really started."
"Yamaha and KTM have strong rider line-ups and there is even a Aprilla this year." Hoffman continued. "However Jacob and Todd have been swapping Outright wins in the desert all year long on both their GHR Honda 450R's and 450X's - so hopefully it is one of the boys.
"The Safari is a very cruel race to man and machine and I think the person who is best prepared and has the least downtime will do well. As a race Dad you cant play favourites, but obviously I hope the winner is on a Honda and surname is Smith!".
