HP motor racing, Reisersberg/Passau, D

After his sensational start and second place finish on the HP2 Enduro at the ICC race in Malandrone/Italy at the Easter weekend, Simo Kirssi this time faced up to the notorious "Hard Enduro" course at Reisersberg near Passau on his factory HP2.

The first race of the Austrian Cross Country Series started in magnificent weather and the mighty Finn was quickly able to work his way into the top ten of the 18-man field of top class motorcyclists in Professional Class 1.With its steep climbs and downhill passages, narrow forest sections, stone and mud hole sections, the route not only demanded everything of the machines but in particular required great endurance and refined riding technique during a race lasting a total of two hours.

Without technical problems, Simo mastered the entire racing distance and once again showed the competitive power of the off-road flat twin, some 70 kilos heavier than the single cylinder sports enduros - even over highly challenging terrain.

The fact that Kirssi finished "only" two minutes behind winner Rudi Pöschl in an outstanding 6th position was partially due to the fact that overtaking and lapping was very difficult with the powerful flat twin machine in the deep grooves and at key technical points.

Simo has set himself an ambitious goal for the first German Cross Country race next weekend on the sand track at Tollwitz near Leipzig: "A place among the first eight on the HP2 Enduro would be really great," said the likeable Finn.