Honda debuts production Dakar Racer CRF450 Rally

The Dakar Rally Raid is a spectacle unlike anything else in motorsports. With a course that tracks its way through some of the most unforgiving and forgotten areas in South America, the event is challenging enough for those who tackle the race on four wheels. The guys who make for the dunes on motorcycles, however, are simply our kind of insane.

Honda has chosen to honor this year's factory team with a production version of the race bike. The CRF450 Rally debuted at the 2012 International Motorcycle, Scooter and Bike Fair in Cologne, Germany, and is based on the standard CRF450.

Honda swapped in programmable fuel injection in place of the old carbs, bumped up the total fuel capacity and incorporated a new navigation system. Engineers also worked in new changes to both the chassis and bodywork to increase durability and protect the drivetrain from damage. Honda will first test the CRF450 Rally in the Morocco Rally later this month before putting it to task in the Dakar Rally in January. Take a look at the full press release below for more information.