Dubai - October 15, 2007 - Trading Enterprises -Honda, a member of the Al-Futtaim Group and sole distributor for Honda in the UAE, today revealed their Gecko Honda Team entry for the 2007 UAE Desert Challenge, announcing a surprise entry by local radio DJ Vicky White within their key motorcyclist line up.

Keen rider, Vicky White will join world championship FIM award winner and last year's quad bike class winner Atif Al Zarouni alongside the national Moto cross champion quad rider Obaid Alkitbe in a team organised by Honda and Dubai based company Gecko Motorcycles.

The team alongside more than 120 cars, trucks, bikes and quads from over 40 nations will clock up almost 2,500 kilometres as they tackle some of the toughest desert terrain in the Middle East, pushing their vehicles to the limit as they race into the Empty Quarter.

Sean Linton, Managing Director of Gecko Motorcycles and defending GCC Rally Champion has spent the last two months training Vicky to ride the Honda CRF450X bike that he is currently modifying for optimum racing performance.

Vicky White commented: "I only started biking on longer distances in March and have never raced before. I am very much a novice and my only aim is to try to complete the event ..... in one piece! One of the biggest challenges has been the weight of the bike that continues to increase with the modified elements added to bring it up to race standard.  So, in addition to riding at the weekends to get used to the changes, I've been working out for the first time ever!"

Linton, who is placed seventh in the worldwide rally standings on a Honda CRF 450 X in 2007, has consistently scored top three finishes in off-road Middle East and UAE Motorcycle Championships and has participated in the UAE Desert Challenge from 2001 to date on a high. In preparation for the Challenge Linton participated in the Australian Safari Rally under the Gecko Honda Team flag.

Linton, Gecko Motorcycles stated: "We built eight Gecko Honda CRF450X bikes last year for the 2006 Desert Challenge and took these recently to Australia to compete in the nine day race. In both events the bikes performed superbly. In total across the two events the all bikes raced 55,000 competitive kilometres without any mechanical problems. The reliability and ease of riding makes this Honda model the perfect choice for both on and off road, male and female riders.

No doubt, The Gecko Honda CRF450X will certainly focus in the winning line up at this year's Challenge."

Honda's legendary success and heritage in the highly competitive world of motor sport will see the brand dominate the Challenge with one quarter of the entire field choosing to ride Honda bikes. Local auto entrant Team Saluki has also chosen Honda to provide a lightweight reliable 3.5 L VTEC engine for their new hand built exotic two wheel drive dune buggy.

Honda and its Power of Dreams slogan, has long been associated with engineering excellence. Robert Klugman, Trading Enterprises ,Sales Manager, Honda Motorcycles explained: "The investment Honda undertakes in the world of motorsports whether it is bikes, cars or offshore power boats, is ultimately beneficial for our customers, because of the ongoing research and development projects it involves for engine technology, design innovations and safety technology."

Together with Gecko Motorcycles, Honda will provide a 24 hour service centre at the Desert Challenge camp with over 100,000 parts available.

-Ends-

About Trading Enterprises - Honda
Trading Enterprises - Honda is the sole distributor in the UAE for Honda cars, motorcycles and power products which are fully supported by a network of 19 separate showrooms, workshops and parts facilities throughout the UAE, as well as through power products dealers. Trading Enterprises also represents other automotive interests in the region.

For more information, please contact
Geoffrey Watson
Head of Corporate Communications
Al-Futtaim Group
Tel +971 4 228 2101
Fax +971 4 227 9801

© Press Release 2007