Greg Gilson’s 1980 Honda Honda XLS 125 has been approved by SCORE for the Baja 1000 in November. He intends to run the full distance solo as an Ironman rider.

While the bike uses a 125cc engine, Gilson will install a bore kit that increases displacement to 200cc. He had also used the kit at the Morocco Desert Challenge in April.

Gilson received the good news on Monday from SCORE officials Christine Wait and Lawton Shank. In an email to Gilson, Wait explained SCORE’s management and technical department will allow him to race the bike so long as he stresses in official race documents that it is technically a 200cc motorcycle.

His bike will certainly be one of, if not the oldest in the field. However, that’s just the way he likes it.

He acquired the bike in 2018, which has remained mostly stock save for some modifications excluding the bore kit. In 2019, Gilson entered the Honda into the Rallye du Maroc and finished 12th in Enduro despite a broken collarbone. He’s also used it in Morocco’s national rally raid championship and the FIM Enduro World Championship.

The Frenchman first expressed interest in racing the Baja 1000 last November, soon after finishing 25th in class at the Qatar International Baja. Last month, he placed 14th overall at the Morocco Desert Challenge with the Honda.

Gilson explained in a post to the Pro Moto Baja Racing Facebook group that he hopes to “Show to people that, even if they can’t afford the last high tech bike, they can start their adventure anyway.”

He is documenting his efforts to prepare for the 1000 via a video series titled Road to Baja. The first episode released in March.