With SCORE International continuing to accept bikes commonly used for rally raids, Kove Moto will enter the sport with factory backing for the first time at the Baja 1000 in November.
Besides bringing the new Kove 450 Rally EX bike, the Chinese manufacturer will also provide factory support for the #801X led by rally veterans Mike Johnson and Jim Pearson. As of this article’s publication, Dustin Davis‘ #805X and Scott Purcell‘s #834X teams are also entered in the class on Koves.
SCORE introduced Pro Moto Adventure for the 2024 season, which is reserved for bikes with up to 450cc engine displacement and a navigation tower like those used at the Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship. Every entrant in the category so far has been on a Kove 450 Rally, who offers prize money for the top three regardless of their marque.
“KOVE Motorcycles is planning a show of support to the SCORE Pro Moto Rally Class,” reads an excerpt from the latest issue of the SCORE Journal. “The Asian Motorcycle company is sending new EX450 Rally Motorcycles for an international team made up of American, Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese racers.”
Johnson is the owner of Rally Comp, which produces metering devices used in tandem with roadbooks. In 2023, he finished third in the National Enduro class at the W2RC’s Sonora Rally in his first race on a Kove, then backed it up with a second in Pro Rally at the NORRA Mexican 1000 a week later. He also has Dakar experience, racing the 2014 edition. Pearson made his Dakar début in 2023 as a solo rider in the Original by Motul class, but retired with a mechanical issue.
The #801X will also have Marco Molinar, Jordan Huibregtse, and Sergio Vega on the roster. All three are familiar with rallies, with Huibregtse also competing at Sonora.
Davis currently leads the Pro Moto Adventure standings with 185 points to Purcell’s 120. Paul Hart, Mark Bechtold, Steve Hatch, and Austin Cummins are on the #805X team.
Purcell will have NORRA star Matt Sutherland on his #834X stable; Sutherland won the 2023 Sonora Rally in Malle Moto followed by the Mexican 1000 overall as part of the Ultimate Ironman Challenge. Will Swanson, Mark Vanscout, and Rob Barnum are also involved.
The Kove 450 Rally EX made its competition début at the 2024 Dakar Rally with Mason Klein, marking Kove’s first time competing in the premier RallyGP class.
The Baja 1000 will kick off on 15 November.
