KR69 World Enduro Team and Tsubaki: Season 1

For those of you who are interested in four wheels as well as two, the name Kalle  Rovanperä will surely ring a bell. The Finnish rally driver won back-to-back World Rally Championship titles in 2022 and 2023 in spectacular fashion. The more two-wheel oriented enthusiasts might have spotted his name on the Enduro GP entry list as a team owner, as the KR69 World Enduro Team made its debut this year with the talented Roni Kytonen holding the handlebars. The driving force between the engine and the rear wheel? Our renowned Tsubaki MXE chain, engineered for enduro.

Now that the 2025 Enduro GP season has ended, it’s time to figure out how the year has been for the team in its debut year.

First things first, how did the first ever season for the new team go?

The beginning is always difficult. Although the bike brand is familiar to the team and also to Roni, it took too much time to adjust the bike to the rider's will. The bike's technic itself worked perfectly.

The overall result of the season was close to what we were aiming for, but to be honest, not quite.

The team itself worked excellently. The number of personnel is sufficient and everyone has a background in enduro at an international level.

What was a highlight this season?

The season opener in Portugal gave us hope for a good season. Roni got the best points from this event. He had a good training season and races behind in similar conditions. The presence of the team owner (Kalle) certainly gave him some extra boost.

Roni is a multiple European Championship winner, how does the level in the World Championship compare to the European series?

It is in my mind completely different. The European Championship serie has a very narrow top and a lot of amateurism. The difference in the level of riders is clearly noticeable when a rider, who mainly tours in the GP serie, participates in an EC serie event for training purpose.

The organization of the events themselves has improved and is approaching the GP series.

What made Kalle decide to start an Enduro GP team, and not for example any team in a car focused sport?

Kalle is active in the field of motorsport extensively and enduro is just one of his passions.

Kalle is a good friend of Roni and has supported him for some years. When the plans for the coming year were being considered in October-November 2024, Kalle decided to establish his own team. It was that simple. All the necessary personnel were already ready also for a plan B.
 

When you decide to take part in a championship, how do you decide on the technical package / motorcycle brand you compete with?

This was decided even before Kalle decided to establish his own team. We have a long experience with Husqvarna as a bike brand. Similarly, Roni had paved his way to the international level while riding Husqvarna. And the decision was also influenced by the fact that Roni's father is a Husqvarna dealer in Finland.

Comparing your bike to the stock Husqvarna FE250 enduro bike, what would you say are the main differences?

This information is confidential. But in general, the differences are in the suspension, the nature of the engine operation and the engine’s control units. In addition, we use a lot of proven, strong special parts.

Okay, let’s talk chains. During the season you use our Tsubaki MXE chain that was developed specifically for Enduro. What was your reason to add Tsubaki to your technical package?

Our partner S3 Racing is a Tsubaki distributor in Spain and this opportunity came through them. We knew Tsubaki had a long history as a manufacturer of top quality chains and we want to use the highest quality parts and accessories on our bikes, so it was important and great to take this opportunity.

Is there a specific way of preparing your chain for enduro, and does it vary per type of stage? (eg. more slack for certain type of undergrounds, less slack for “quicker” stages?)

We always use the chain tension recommended by Husqvarna, but in sandy and muddy conditions, we take great care not tight over the chains, because in sand or muddy conditions, there can be a big difference between the chains and sprockets, and the chains can tighten up momentarily.

How many chains do you use per season?

About 11 to 13 chains depending on the conditions. Some are used in early season training. New ones are put in for every World Championship event and ISDE to ensure function and durability. After that, the chains are still used in training.

How long does it take the KR69 mechanics to change a chain?

If you get new chains, it takes about five minutes. For race weekends, chains have been shortened to the correct length, so changing the chains only takes about a minute.

It’s great to be part of such a project for us as a chain manufacturer, as it also allows us to stay on top of what chains have to go through during intense stages of enduro. And with that in mind, we also look ahead at the next season. What are your goals for 2026 for the KR69 World Enduro Team?

Our goal is to establish our position in the EnduroGp series as a professional team, whose drivers have the opportunity to achieve top results. We are expanding our operations and next season the team will have two potential riders, whose names will be announced soon.

Our intention is to continue in close cooperation with Tsubaki as well. We are very satisfied with the products and their competitiveness.