Branch joins Hero Motorsport
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday February 5, 2022 06:00
Branch was with Yamaha for two years after joining the Yamaha Factory team in 2020, as he became the first local biker to go fully professional.
At the time he had done enough in his first two Dakar Rally appearances to draw Yamaha’s attention.
This week, ahead of his third season as a professional rider, Branch said his time with Yamaha had ended and he was joining a new team.
“I am thrilled and extremely honoured to be joining a team that’s making the headlines for all the right reasons,” Branch told motorsport online magazine enduro21.com.
“I’ve been tracking the growth of Hero MotorSports for the last couple of years, and have often been amazed at how quickly this young team has made it to the top league,” he added.
“I’m joining the team at a great time, and I hope I’ll be able to do my best to deliver great results.
I look forward to riding alongside some of the best and promising riders in the sport, who are also my good friends.
I thank Hero MotoCorp for putting their faith in me, and I consider it a great honour to be representing the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters at some of the world’s toughest races!”
Earlier in the week, Branch posted a messaged thanking his former team.
“I can’t thank this team enough.
They believed in me from the start and gave me the best opportunity to live my dreams and chase my goals, you helped me grow into a better rider and gave me everything I needed to give it my best over the past two seasons,” Branch said.
The rider posted pictures of him, alongside fellow bikers and the 2022 Dakar Rally Monster Energy Yamaha Rally team supporting staff, while he also included snapshots of his time on the Yamaha bike over the last two years.
Branch has had a sweet-sour stay with Yamaha. Over the last two editions, Branch failed to complete the Dakar Rally. He, however, made his debut in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and emerged with a stage win at the Kazakhstan Rally.