BOUAN
RIDES BUELL 1125R TO FIM RALLIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Buell
France Rider Wins Nine-Day Dark Dog Tour
MILWAUKEE,
Wis. (October 16, 2008) – Buell France rider Denis Bouan rode a Buell
1125R to win the Dark Dog Tour and secure the 2008 FIM (Fédération
Internationale de Motocyclisme) International Rallies Championship.
Bouan won the Expert Multi-Cylinder class and was the overall winner
with a cumulative stage time of 47 minutes 03.84 seconds. It was his
third consecutive victory in the event.
The
Dark Dog Tour is a nine-day, 3,200 km (1,988 mile) rally that began on
September 27 and concluded on October 5. The route through France
stretched from Reims to Toulon through Val de Reuil, Magny-Cours, Alès
and Corsica. The event included 17 special timed stages, on racing
circuits and public roads, including two night stages. French motorcycle
police escorted the event to ensure safety on public roads. Entry is
limited to 220 competitors in a variety of classes. Only 164 racers
completed the entire distance, which includes long stretches of riding
in transition stages with little opportunity for sleep and strict
penalties for timing errors and tardiness.
Bouan
rode a Buell 1125R to a second-place finish in the Belgian Moto Tour in
May, and that result combined with his win in the Dark Dog Tour earned
him the FIM International Rallies Championship.
“I
am so happy to have won,” said Bouan. “We had no problems whatsoever
with the Buell 1125R. We succeeded in getting quickly ahead of our
competitors, which enabled us to manage the end of the race. I took it
very seriously in spite of being the leader. My IRC victory is mainly
important for the team. This is one of the first victories at the
international level for Buell and I think it highlights the capabilities
and reliability of the Buell 1125R.”
To
learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today
and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance
only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into
www.buell.com.