Being a factory rider is a privilege that very few riders get, but that life just isn’t for Mason Klein. For the 2027 Dakar Rally, he plans to return to being a privateer competing for his family’s Klein Off-Road Racing team.

Klein raced the 2024 and 2025 Dakar Rallies as a quasi-factory rider for Kove Moto, still competing under the KORR banner but having the same access to Kove’s resources as the Chinese manufacturer’s works team members. However, both races ended wih DNFs.

He joined Hoto Motorcycle, a breakaway brand created amid a schism at Kove, for the 2026 Dakar. Alas, he and teammate Martin Michek both dealt with bike problems; Michek retired, while Klein finished tenth in RallyGP after struggling with brake, exhaust, and electrical failures.

With three straight Dakars plagued by issues, Klein’s diagnosis was that factory teams—despite offering resources and support he wouldn’t get as a privateer—had far too much oversight to ensure success. He bluntly blamed his 2025 retirement on not being allowed by Kove to use a more reliable engine and having little test time. Kove and Hoto were also new to the RallyGP class when Klein joined them.

“For the past three years, I’ve raced with factory teams, but I’ve learned that I perform best when I’m in control of my own program,” Klein explained. “Managing when parts are replaced and setting up my bike the way I need gives me the freedom to push for real results. Factory teams often limit these choices, and after struggling to find my place, I’ve decided to step away and race as a privateer.

“This is my chance to show the world that I’m capable of competing at the highest level, with or without factory support, as long as I have good equipment and the right people around me.”

Racing on his own obviously means Klein must foot the bill for logistics and other expenses, which has kept his rally career from fully taking off since winning the 2022 W2RC Rally2 title. He’s cognizant of this, acknowledging that “rally isn’t a huge sport in America so it’s hard to gain sponsors,” but he’s hopeful that he can get to the 2027 Dakar and do things his own way.

Klein has launched a GoFundMe to help cover the costs.

Featured image credit: Antonin Vincent / DPPI / ASO