Last updated on 11. November 2026
Series: Dakar 2027
The Dakar is set to get its own motorcycle class for twin-cylinder production bikes of up to 450 cubic centimetres. It was announced at the presentation of the Dakar 2027 at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. According to Dueruote, rally director David Castera made the announcement on the evening of 4 November 2026. The class is due to start in 2028. As of 10 November 2026, no official regulations from the organiser A.S.O. or the world motorcycling federation FIM had been made public. The details therefore come from media reports, which contradict each other on some points.
What has been reported about the class so far
The Brazilian rally Sertões, Dueruote, Roadbook and Enduromagazine all report twin-cylinder 450cc motorcycles that are available on the market. Frame, electronics and swingarm are said to remain in production specification.
The reports disagree on the engine. According to Sertões, the engine and ancillaries may be prepared for the demands of a rally, as may the suspension. Roadbook and Enduromagazine, by contrast, write that the engine must remain original. Dueruote lists suspension, wheels and brakes as permitted modifications, Enduromagazine suspension, brakes and fairing. Sertões mentions larger fuel tanks, a water tank and the navigation tower, the mount for the roadbook and navigation devices, as permitted modifications. Which version applies will only become clear once regulations are published.
Debut in Morocco in 2027 or only at the 2028 Dakar?
The reports also differ on the first outing. Sertões names the 2028 Dakar as the planned debut. According to Dueruote and Enduromagazine, the new class is to debut as early as the 2027 Rallye du Maroc. Enduromagazine, which cites A.S.O. as its source, also reports a separate world championship for manufacturers in this class to follow. Other reports reviewed do not mention this.
Whether the class will be part of the W2RC World Rally-Raid Championship and run under FIM rules is open. Sertões considers this likely, but it is not confirmed. According to Sertões, the class also does not yet have an official name.
According to Roadbook, the 2028 Dakar is to be counted as the 50th edition and return to Saudi Arabia. The 2027 Dakar was moved at short notice to Portugal and Morocco.
Why production bikes
Sertões compares the plan with the Stock class for cars, in which prepared production vehicles compete. According to Sertões, the new class is intended to offer a cheaper alternative that is more accessible to ride. In the RallyGP and Rally2 classes, prototypes built only in small numbers currently race. According to Enduromagazine, one could in future buy such a dual-sport motorcycle from a dealer, modify it and enter the Dakar with it.
Roadbook and Dueruote expect the class to attract mainly manufacturers. They name BMW, Kawasaki, CFMoto, QJ Motor and Sherco, among others, as brands with suitable models. Roadbook describes the Mondial Mud as the best-suited model at present. Whether manufacturers will actually take part with factory support is not known. These are media assessments, not commitments from the manufacturers.
Sources and picture credits
- Sertões: “Motos de produção vão ganhar nova categoria no Rally Raid a partir de 2028”, 9 November 2026
- Dueruote: “Clamoroso: la Dakar apre alle 450 bicilindriche!”, 5 November 2026
- Roadbook (Mario Ciaccia): “Dakar 2027, la Paris-Dakar è diventata Algarve-Marrakech”, 5 November 2026
- Enduromagazine: “Las Trail bicilíndricas de 450cc podrán competir a partir del 2028 en el Rally Dakar”, 5 November 2026
- Photo 1 (symbolic image): adventure bike at a trail event. Photo: Artracing, according to the picture credit from Enduromagazine. Original source: Enduromagazine. Date of photo not known.
- Photo 2 (archive image): Ricky Brabec at the 2026 Dakar. Photo: A.S.O./Charly Lopez. Original source: Enduromagazine. Taken on 17 January 2026, according to the file name.