“This bike has the potential to win”
RIDER FACTS
- One of the most talented young bikers in rally-raid, Mason Klein was encouraged to take up riding by his father Larry. Larry rode dirtbikes for many years then switched to offroad racing so he could get his sons Mason and Carter involved.
- Mason cut his teeth at iconic US events like the AMA Hare & Hound and Best In The Desert, winning the BITD championship in the 300 Pro class in 2019 and 2020. Such was his passion that he even went to pick up his high school diploma on a motorbike!
- In 2020, while still a teenager, he entered his first rally-raid event at the Sonora Rally, with a wiring issue dropping him to 26th. In 2021 he improved to fifth at Sonora before topping the Rally2 class at the prestigious Rallye du Maroc.
- In the early days, Mason used to make his own roadbooks and even built his first roadbook holder out of a carboard box, pencils and rubber bands.
- 2022 was a breakout year. The California native came ninth overall at his first Dakar, winning the top rookie prize, then dominated the Rally2 class in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
- His Dakar 2024 was an absolute rollercoaster. Entered as a privateer on a new Kove, Mason only received his bike on the morning of scrutineering due to a hold-up at customs. He opened brilliantly on Stage 1, finishing third, but a host of mechanical issues forced him to retire in the Empty Quarter.
- At Dakar 2025, the 23-year-old will be competing alongside Neels Theric for the Kove Factory Racing team on a new 450Rally EX.
- Mason also hopes to bring his brother to the Dakar one day. He accompanied Carter to the recent Rallye du Maroc, where he finished eighth in Rally2.
- The number 98 is a nod to Mason's great-great uncle J.C. Agajanian (1913-1984), a promoter and Hall of Famer who has been described as 'one of the most influential men in American motorsports history'.
2025 AMBITIONS
M.K.: “I took Carter to Morocco because it's the best way to understand what you're training for ahead of the Dakar. He didn't do anywhere near as well as I expected, but now when he's riding at home he'll know what matters most. Next time he'll be ready. Getting the bike to the rally will be much easier than last year! Working with the Spanish guys has been the most important thing, they've been doing a lot of hard time, helping me do all the bike development and testing the engine. It's pretty confidence inspiring. It's the best bike I've ever rode, so I'm pretty stoked about that. It has a completely different engine, a different frame, everything. It's my bike again, and it will be built the right way for Dakar. There are still little things we're trying to figure out, but the base is really good. This year I've been racing with Honda in Brazil. I did the rally championship out there and ended up second. It was pretty tough for me because it's a completely different sport. The type of racing and terrain is very different out there, it's like Spain. I wanted to do it to improve my all-round riding. I wanted to get better with line choice and drifting, and I'd say I'm even better at navigation now. I'm excited. I just want to ride all the days at Dakar 2025, and I want to ride fast. If I had to take things easy, I guess I'd be ok with the Top 10. But to be honest, if I'm not up there fighting for a podium, I'll be pretty upset. This bike has the potential to win. To win you still need some luck, I realise that now. If not this year, then next year it will be the bike to race on. I've ridden a factory KTM so I know what a top bike should feel like, and I see the Kove many steps ahead.”