FOLLOWING on from the events of 12 months ago, Joan Pedrero has completed the Baja Aragón rally in the Maxi Trail category bagging a 17th-placed finish on his Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250!
With dry weather preceding the event the competitors had to battle against dense dust and high temperatures, creating a stunning spectacle for those watching on, and a tough time for those taking part.
As with Pedrero’s last competitive outing on the Pan America, Harley is claiming the bike to be a bone-stock example of the new 1250 adventure motorcycle, with the only addition to the machine seeming to be off-road specific (but handbook approved) knobbly, off-road tyres.
Pedrero began his racing career in the world of enduro racing, and in 2004 made his presence in the sport felt with a runner-up spot in the Spanish Junior Enduro championship. He’s been working alongside Harley-Davidson for some time now, and his previous exploits on its Pan America 1250 include the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, where he raced the bike on a technical and demanding dirt track, the Basella Race (where he secured a sixth-placed finish), and earlier this year when he completed the demanding Baja Extremadura race.
Speaking about the race, Kolja Rebstock, Regional Vice President for EMEA said: “Congratulations to Joan and team! We have managed to compete with a fully stock motorbike in a historic rally raid like the Baja Aragon, and the result has been magnificent. The Pan America offers riders a unique experience both on and off the road, as proven once again.”
This is an updated page originally published 26th June 2023 - the original page can be found below.
Harley-Davidson is not well-known for its racing exploits in Europe. In America, it competes in the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series, and Harley has a history in American Flat Track, of course.
Additionally, Harley-Davidson is not necessarily seen as a big off-road brand. Aside from its flat track exploits, the default mental image of a Harley is pretty much a cruiser.
That, of course, was somewhat changed when Harley launched the Pan America. With a 1250, and now the 1250 Special, too, coming into the Pan America range, the famous American brand has established itself as an off-road brand of sorts, and now it is looking to address its international racing status.
To do that, it is entering the Baja Espana Aragon. This year, the race will celebrate its 38th edition between 22-24 July 2022. It is regarded as one of the most important races in the Spanish All Terrain Rally Championship, “as well as a classic in the World Cup,” Harley says.
For 2022, and this 38th edition of the race, there will be the addition of the Trail category. This will be the one which Harley’s Pan America 1250 will be entered in, with its rider Joan Pedrero. The Spaniard is a veteran of the Dakar Rally, where he has gained experience which will be vital in overcoming the difficulties of racing a stock bike from a brand not accustomed to rallying in the extreme heat of the Teruel desert, and over the difficult terrain that such a place contains.
