Skyler Howes, one of the fastest rally raid riders from the US in the past decade, has a new job with a new team. He’s moving to the Monster Energy Honda team, the factory squad that already employs fellow American Ricky Brabec.

It’s a huge deal for Howes, wholeft the Husqvarna teamat the end of June with no real explanation as to why. At the time, some fans speculated he’d been unhappy with his deal with Husky and that Honda had offered him more money, but it really was a mystery at that time, with no replacement deal announced afterwards.

Now we know, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story, or at least some of it. And even though Howes made his mark on Husqvarna/KTM machinery over the past few years, including a third at Dakar in 2023 after leading much of the race, he says he is happy to be riding with Honda again, as that’s where his roots are:

I learned how to ride on a XR75 when I was 3 years old and I began my rally effort on a CRF450X so my roots are deep with Honda. To also have the support of Monster Energy is huge for me and I’m super excited to see what the team and I can accomplish together. After a podium at the Dakar my focus remains the same, have as much fun as possible, and continue to reach for the top step of the podium.

It’s a big move for Honda, who also has Spanish rider Tosha Schareina signed (but not to the factory team). Schareina looks ready to break out as a star at Dakar, and Howes can not only hold his own in the Saudi desert showdown, but he can alsoperform well at the other stops of the FIM Cross Country Rallies circuit, and train at home with Brabec in the off-season. Will Big Red take back some rally raid trophies in 2024? They’ve got the riders; now, it comes down to luck.