Turak Levente
Raced the full 2026 MT Challenge season on CFMOTO, three Romanian rounds and MT Challenge Hungary.
Budapest → Abidjan · Start 5 February 2027 · —
Two riders, two CFMOTOs, 11,000 km to West Africa
We are riding Budapest-Bamako Extreme 2027: across Europe, through Morocco, the Sahara and the savanna, to the finish in Abidjan. Self-supported, no service truck, everything we need on the bikes.
11,000kilometres
10+countries
~3weeks
2riders
The project
Budapest-Bamako is an amateur rally from Europe to West Africa. The 2027 edition, Bamako Extreme, starts in Budapest on 5 February and runs for about three weeks through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Guinea to Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire.
We ride the 4×4 Túra route, the off-tarmac line through the desert and the bush, on motorcycles. Navigation is by map and GPS points, not a marked course. There is no support vehicle: tools, spares, fuel range and the two of us are the whole team.
Both of us raced CFMOTO's own MT Challenge series through 2026. This is the long-distance version of the same test.
Riders
Fazakas István
Raced the full 2026 MT Challenge season on CFMOTO, three Romanian rounds and MT Challenge Hungary.
Follow
Live on Polarsteps, from 5 February
Our route on the map, photos and short stories from every stop, posted from the road.
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CFMOTO Romania
Photos and videos from the ride, edited and posted by the CFMOTO Romania media team.
Here, before and during
The dispatches below cover the build-up now and the rally in February. Bookmark this page.
The rally itself
Route, rules and the full field: budapestbamako.org
Coming up
3 Nov 2026
Riders and bikes locked in with the organisers
5 Feb 2027
Start, Budapest
Late Feb 2027
Finish, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Dispatches
Updated 12 Oct 2026-
12 Oct 2026
Milestone The only CFMOTO in the field
The organisers confirmed it: 18 motorcycles are entered in Bamako Extreme 2027, and ours are the only CFMOTOs.
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12 Oct 2026
Gear Navigation and comms plan set
Turak's Garmin GPSMAP 66i with inReach for satellite messaging and SOS, a rugged Android phone for the rally's satellite-imagery maps (being chosen), a tablet as backup, and Cardo intercoms between the bikes. Devices checked with the organisers.
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10 Oct 2026
Racing MT Challenge Hungary
Both riders raced on CFMOTO, closing a season of CFMOTO's own MT Challenge series that included all three Romanian rounds. We also met two rally-raid bike builders.
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7 Oct 2026
Paperwork Passports checked
Passports checked against the six-month validity rule at every West African border on the route, and a new one applied for where it fell short.
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Sep–Oct 2026
Planning Rally plan built
All thirteen organiser documents worked through: route, deadlines, costs, medical, visas and equipment rules. One plan covering both riders.
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Sep 2026
Partners Partnership proposal with CFMOTO
The project proposal, two CFMOTO motorcycles from Budapest to Abidjan with content produced along the way, went to CFMOTO Romania.
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5–6 Sep 2026
Racing MT Challenge Romania — Teams final
Round 3 and season final at TCS Racing Park, Bucharest: a team format built on strategy and coordination. Both riders on CFMOTO.
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27–28 Jun 2026
Racing MT Challenge Romania — Hard Adventure
Round 2 at Cheile Grădiștei, Brașov: the toughest round of the season, mountain terrain, orientation and endurance. Both riders on CFMOTO.
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20 Apr 2026
Milestone Entered and paid
Entry fees paid on 20 April and the entry confirmed by the organisers on 24 April: Throttle Therapy is in the 4×4 Túra category, on motorcycles.
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18–19 Apr 2026
Racing MT Challenge Romania — Mixed Terrain
Season opener of CFMOTO's MT Challenge at TCS Racing Park, Bucharest: control, low-speed technique and mixed surfaces. Both riders on CFMOTO.
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Feb 2026
Planning The idea goes on paper
First draft of the CFMOTO adventure rally project: Budapest to Abidjan, 11,000 km, three weeks.