Cyril Despres signs with Yamaha

Joining Olivier Pain and Michael Metge on YRF's YZ450F-based machines, the Frenchman hopes to emulate the success he has enjoyed with KTM. If he wins the Dakar in 2014 or beyond, Despres will equal the record of the legendary Stephane Peterhansel, who won six Dakar motorcycle titles for Yamaha in the 1990s.

"I'm very motivated by the prospect of wearing the blue of the Yamaha team," Despres said at the press conference. "I used to dream about it when I was a young boy. We've started this partnership with a shared goal, which is to continue with success and meet the challenges of my predecessors with a victory on the Dakar 2014.

"As a mechanic, I've also learned how to develop a bike and I know that in this way it will also be an enriching challenge to try and win with a new constructor."

Prior to the Despres/Yamaha announcement, Honda announced they'll be boosting their assault on future Dakar rallies, recruiting Paulo Goncalves and young star Joan Barreda to the Honda HRC squad.