After many months of preparation, the dirtbike.com.au GHR Honda Australia team are about to depart the country to compete in the 2011 Dakar Rally held in South America.

Based in Mittagong, New South Wales, the team represents the single largest Australian backed effort in the Rally’s moto class for two-wheeled vehicles.

The team consists of four riders – Jacob Smith, Mark Davidson, Simon Harslett and Warren Strang, with 21-year-old Smith spearheading the team.

Eight crew will travel with the Dakar convoy through Argentina and Chile, providing general and mechanical support at overnight bivouac points.

Support will be offered by team owner Glenn Hoffmann, head mechanic Simon Wade, assisted by Jake Young, Max Sullivan, Ian Drysdale, Brad Strange and Glenn Brown.

A shipping container housing the team’s bikes, spares and tools was shipped from Australia at the beginning of November and is due to arrive in Buenos Aires on 21 December.

The crew’s support truck was procured and equipped in the UK before it too was shipped to Buenos Aires. The truck’s facilities include a crane, work benches, wiring for power tools and lighting, and robust storage racks.

It’s estimated that the truck will cover 7000km over the 16 days of the event.

The first crew depart for the race gathering in Buenos Aires on 22 December to join the support truck shipped from the UK last month, and the container housing the bikes, tools and spares. Most of the remaining crew members and riders depart 25 December 2010.

Following scrutineering of bikes and setup of the support truck, the riders will cross the ceremonial start of the event on new year’s day, and the first competitive stage starts the day after on 2 January.

Visit http://ghrhonda.dirtbike.com.au for updates and watch the 30 minute daily telecast on SBS.

The event will run through 1-16 January 2011 in a gruelling journey over two weeks in duration.