Triumph Motorcycles was excited to announce their return to the off-road endurance racing world with accomplished stunt rider and racer Ernie Vigil riding the groundbreaking Scrambler 1200 XE at this year’s NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally.
Vigil is one of Triumph’s official factory riders, an experienced off-road racer, and now fully recovered and fit for action following an injury suffered during training in October 2018. Vigil has spent the last three weeks in Southern California with the race-ready Scrambler 1200 completing his final preparations for this gruelling challenge.
Vigil’s Scrambler 1200 XE is in near-standard condition, with only the addition of a desert racing seat, lights, grips and extreme profile sand tires. Vigil, who was selected for both his experience and his incredible commitment to this project, and has now been in full training to prepare for the race. Vigil Said “After nine months of training, the injury, and over 6,000 off-road miles in the saddle, I’m excited to be getting to the final stage of prep for one of the most challenging off-road races you can do. I literally can’t wait to get to that starting line and fire the Scrambler up! The bike has been performing amazingly well and I’m raring to go.”
The NORRA Mexican 1000 started in 1967 and will happen this year on April 26-May 3, riders are challenged to over 1,000 miles of rugged Baja terrain. This year’s race begins in Ensenada, Mexico, and is broken up throughout stages on the 1,000 mile route. This is considered a bit of a homecoming for Triumph as it was the same harsh Baja terrain that made the Scrambler so famous in the 1960’s.
Paul Stroud, Triumph’s Chief Commercial Officer said “Everyone at Triumph is rooting for Ernie, his commitment to returning to race fitness following his injury has been amazing and we just can’t wait to see the Scrambler 1200 in action. Baja desert racing has played such a big part in the history of scrambling and it was the spark that kicked off of our whole iconic Scrambler line-up.”
