Jake Holden and All-New CBR1000RR win AMA Superstock race in Fontana!!

AMA Superstock Series
Round 3: Fontana, California
Auto Club Speedway
April 27, 2008

It’s been a long time coming, but the wait’s been worth it. And the results also show just how hot Honda’s new CBR1000RR is. Corona Extra Honda's Jake Holden won the AMA Superstock race at Fontana on Sunday, the first win for Honda since the class started using 1000cc machinery.

Superstock is arguably the best head-to-head measure of stock 1000cc bikes, and Holden showed that the Honda CBR1000RR is one of the best. The race was hard-fought, with Holden starting in fifth and working his way up, lap after lap, until he took over the lead on lap 14 of the 16-lap event.

About the last-lap action, Holden said, "I put my head down. I made a couple of mistakes and I knew [Aaron Yates] was going to make a run for it in that corner." The move he was talking about was a dive Yates made trying to get inside, but which Holden held off.

The win puts Holden and his CBR second in points. In fact, the series will likely be much closer than it looks now: Holden had a disastrous Daytona, but finished second at Barber just last week.

Game on for the 2008 Championship!

Chad Johnson Arenacross Champion 2008!

Arenacross

Ladies and gentlemen, you have your first Honda champion of the year: Chad Johnson has just won the 2007 AMA Arenacross title on his Honda CRF250R.

The Arenacross series actually started at the end of 2007 last year and ran throughout the winter. Going into the final event last weekend in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Bad Boy/TUF/Honda rider had a healthy lead in the season’s points, including seven overall event victories. Still, racing is racing, and the championship came down all the way to the series closer. Johnson didn’t need to win, and he rode smart.

“It’s hard to put into words how great I feel right now,” said Johnson. “All the hard work over the summer to prepare for this year paid off. And the last-minute deal Dave Antolak put together to get me on the Bad Boy/TUF/Honda team was also a big help. Winning it a night early, in front of my family and friends here in Wisconsin, just made it that much better.”

Johnson finished the night on the podium in third after running second for most of the race. It was a smart, easy ride for Johnson, who finishes the year with a 20-point cushion at the end of the season.

Congratulations, Chad, from everyone at Honda on your second AX championship!

2008 Honda CBR1000RR Here Now!!! A must see, c'mon down!

Second shot fired! Cycle News crowns the new CBR1000RR the King in there 2008 Open Class Shootout!

First Shot Fired! Motorcycle Smackdown shoot-out by www.motorcycleusa.com crowns the new CBR1000RR the Winner!!*

All-New 2008 TRX700XX Muscle Sport ATV here now!!

Honda's Largest Sport ATV due to arrive shortly!! Own Honda's biggest, baddest sport ATV first!

Overview:

Welcome the all-new 2008 TRX700XX, a.k.a. the biggest, baddest sport ATV we've ever built. Powered by a new 686cc SOHC liquid-cooled fuel-injected, four-valve, four-stroke engine; riding a double-wishbone suspension with dual-spring front shocks and independent rear suspension and piggyback rear shocks, the TRX700XX is living, big-bore proof that bigger is definitely better.

Specifications:

ENGINE

Engine Type 686cc liquid-cooled SOHC dry-sump single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore and Stroke 102mm x 84mm
Induction Keihin PGM-FI with a 44mm throttle-body fuel injection system
Ignition CD with electronic advance
Starter Electric


DRIVE TRAIN


Clutch Manual

Transmission Five-speed with reverse

Driveline O-ring-sealed #520 chain


CHASSIS / SUSPENSION / BRAKES


Front Suspension Independent double-wishbone with dual single-rate springs provide 9.3 inches travel

Rear Suspension Independent double-wishbone with piggy-back reservoir shocks provide 10.6 inches travel

Front Brakes Dual hydraulic 174mm discs

Rear Brake Single hydraulic 200mm discs

Front Tires 21 X 7R 10

Rear Tires 22 X 9R 11


DIMENSIONS


Length 73.9 inches

Width 46.3 inches

Height 45.4 inches

Wheelbase 49.8 inches

Seat Height 33 inches

Curb Weight 508 lbs (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and a full tank of fuel—ready to ride)

Fuel Capacity 3 gallons


OTHER


Available Colors Metallic Black/Silver, Metallic Black/Red

Model ID TRX700XX


FACTORY WARRANTY INFORMATION


One year

Tokyo Review: Honda EVO6 Concept bike inspires awe!

High Output Naked Cruiser concept stuns the Toyko Motor Show crowd!! 1800cc Flat-Six with automatic transmission. Very cool. Now would this turn heads on your street? Check out that single-sided rear swingarm. Notice the attention to detail in sliming down and integrating the tail section, radiator, headlight, gas tank, and that cool exhaust! You could expect respectable horsepower and BIG torque making this a fun street machine. Think of these new breed nakeds as a Big Ole' Hot rod with a Big Block motor!! This class is growing with the upcoming all-new Yamaha V-Max, the just released Suzuki B-King, the BMW K1200R and ???. What is next? Time will tell. Come on Honda, make this machine!! Were waiting!!

UK & Japan Confirms DN-01 as 2008 Model! Will the USA get it in 2009?

Well we talked about this bike over two years ago when it was just a concept, now here is production version of the awesome new Automatic DN-01! Here is what Honda has to say about there all new automatic transmission....

[check out this cool link from Honda UK...

http://www.youtube.com/hondabiketv

and http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/2008/index.html

http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/2008/DN-01/index.html

Honda Develops HFT, a New Automatic Transmission System for Motorcycles

TOKYO, Japan, October 4, 2007–Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it has developed the Human-Friendly Transmission (HFT), a new automatic transmission system for motorcycles using Honda’s own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. Easy to operate, the HFT realizes outstanding relaxed riding comfort, riding feel with direct response and excellent transmission efficiency. The HFT will be installed on the DN-01, a new motorcycle scheduled for market launch to be introduced at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show.

With Honda's own infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission, this HFT realizes the lightweight and compact configuration required for motorcycles. To meet the wide range of rider needs, HFT offers a selection from two fully automatic shifting modes—D mode for ordinary riding and S mode for a sporty riding experience—or the 6-speed manual mode, which gives riders the option of riding with a manual transmission feel. The HFT creates a unique riding feel through easy operation, ranging from relaxed and laid-back riding to nimble and sporty with direct throttle response.

With the aim of providing products useful in the every day lives of customers, Honda has developed and sold motorcycles equipped with easy-to-operate automatic riding technologies. As a pioneer in the era of automatic systems, Honda launched the Super Cub C100 in 1958, equipped with an automatic centrifugal clutch mechanism, which allowed riding without the need of clutch operation. The Eara (750cc), released in 1977, was a first large-sized motorcycle featured a torque converter in Japan. In 1980, Honda put the Tact on the market, a machine equipped with the Honda original continuously variable transmission, the V-Matic, and Honda has continued to develop a variety of new mechanisms up into the present.

[ Characteristics of the HFT ]
A transmission system with a wide range of functions in a single unit, the HFT is a compact and highly efficient infinitely variable transmission system encompassing functions for starting, power transmission and shifting, all on a single shaft. The basic configuration of the system consists of an oil pump for converting engine power into hydraulic pressure, and an oil motor for converting the hydraulic pressure back into power for output. Both are made up of multiple pistons, a distributor valve and a swash plate for piston operation, while the cylinders are integrated into the output shaft, forming the characteristic structure of the HFT.

The HFT also features the world’s first* lockup mechanism for an infinitely variable hydraulic mechanical transmission. When cruising, this lockup mechanism works to minimize transmission efficiency losses, contributing to improved fuel economy.
* Based on Honda research

Will the USA get this incredible Euro-only All-New CB1000R in 2009?

Were hoping that this all-new model just releasing in Europe mid-summer this year might also be a USA model in 2009. We can hope right? Class leading power-weight ratio naked street-fighter style motorcycle. See photo-gallery for more pictures. Check out the single-sided rear swingarm, 2007 CBR1000RR motor-powered, 2008 CBR1000RR brakes, wild cool styling, and much more. Here is the official lingo from Honda UK....

2008 CB1000R

Stunning Performance Naked style, breathtaking acceleration, light, responsive handling and invigorating thrills at every twist of its throttle. The new CB1000R packs full-blooded litre-class Super Sports performance into a compact, spare and muscular-looking form that speaks of good times and fast friends, blasting down the avenue in search of excitement in the bright lights.

Specifications
Type Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4
Displacement 998cm³
Fuel capacity 17 litres (including 4-litre LCD-indicated reserve)
Dimensions 2,090 x 775 x 1,090mm
Tyre front 43mm inverted HMAS cartridge-type telescopic fork with stepless preload, compression and rebound adjustment, 120mm cushion stroke
Tyre rear Monoshock with gas-charged HMAS damper featuring 10-step preload and stepless rebound damping adjustment, 128mm axle travel
Clutch Wet, multiplate with coil springs

Features
New design crankcase covers feature eye-catching nickel-plated bolt heads
Short, compact and lightweight seat and tail cowl
LED taillight integrated under tail cowl
Advanced gravity die-cast aluminium Mono-Backbone frame
256mm rear disc brake with compact dual-piston calliper
Attractive new cast aluminium wheels feature swept 4-spoke design
Monoshock rear suspension with adjustable HMAS damper
Lightweight and powerful 998cm3 liquidcooled fuel-injected inline-4 engine based on 2007 CBR1000RR Fireblade
310mm floating front disc brakes feature same radial-mount callipers as new Fireblade
Combined-ABS version features 3-piston front brake callipers
Fully adjustable 43mm inverted front fork same as new Fireblade
Triangular multi-reflector headlight with distinctive LED position lamp
Honda Ignition Security System (HISS) helps prevent ride-away theft
Small and stylish 3-section LCD meter panel features wide-throw multi-segment LCD tachometer

Dallas Supercross 2008

AMA Supercross Series
Round 13: Dallas, Texas
April 5, 2008

The Dallas Supercross once again was the scene of some fine racing, but some of the most exciting competition is shaping up not at a single race but at the finish line of the entire series. The fight for third in the championship is down to a single point separating two Honda riders. And will Trey Canard win the Lites championship in his rookie year? Dallas moved the answer one race closer.

In the first heat of the night in the Supercross class, Andrew Short on the Honda Red Bull Racing CRF®450R finished fourth. Heat two had some pretty heavy talent, with Honda Torco Racing Fuels’ Kevin Windham, Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps, and Chad Reed all in the same heat—Windham won, and Millsaps rode home in fifth.

In the main, the Honda riders’ positions were reversed—by the end of lap one, Millsaps (fifth) was leading Windham (eighth), with Short one spot behind. Both Windham and Millsaps started moving up, though, with Millsaps third by the end of the third lap and Windham fifth. Millsaps held third for the rest of the race, but on lap 10 of 20, Windham got around Tim Ferry for fourth—a position he also held for the balance of the race.

Andrew Short had shadowed Windham for much of the race since the start, but he never managed to get around Ferry as K-Dub did. That meant he finished the night in sixth. With three places separating Short from Millsaps, Millsaps moved within a single point of third overall in the championship, 204 to 205. Windham has 260 points, and is in a pretty secure second place

Lites
In the Lites class, Trey Canard maintains his lead in his quest for the championship. Canard had some tough breaks in Dallas, but then they just showed how tough this young, never-say-die Red Rider is. In his heat, Trey crashed in the second turn and lost valuable time restarting his bike, and that forced him to ride the LCQ, which he easily won. Still, he had to gate on the outside at the start of the main, which is certainly nobody’s first choice.

In the main, bad luck struck again: Canard got tangled up in an opening-lap crash as he blitzed to the first turn from the outside starting position, and by the time he was back and running he was way back in 20th.

Meanwhile, Josh Grant had ripped a terrific start, and led the first two laps before moving into second. Grant maintained second for the balance of the race, never really challenged and riding well.

Canard, though, doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit, and was charging forward. He put his head down and started reeling in riders lap after lap. By the midway point in the 15-lap race he was already in sixth, and started closing in on the leaders. By lap ten he’d broken into the top five, and on lap 13 he moved into fourth. That’s where he finished, ending the night with a 17-point lead over Ryan Villopoto.

With just two rounds remaining in the AMA Supercross Lites East series, if Canard settles for two fourth-place finishes and Villopoto wins, Canard will still take the championship due to his spectacular first-half of the season. But just about everyone is betting he’s going to do a lot better than fourth. The 17-year-old has shown an amazing degree of maturity along with his blinding speed, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

Monster Energy Supercross
Dallas, TX
April 5, 2008
AMA Supercross
1.Chad Reed(YAM)
2.Josh Hill (YAM)
3.Davi Millsaps (HONDA)
4. Kevin Windham (HONDA)
5. Tim Ferry (KAW)
6.Andrew Short (HONDA)
7. Charles Summey (YAM)
8.Paul Carpenter (HONDA)
9.Troy Adams (HONDA)
10.Travis Preston (KAW)

AMA Supercross Class Season Standings

1.Chad Reed YAM) 287
2.Kevin Windham (HONDA) 260
3.Andrew Short (HONDA) 205
4.Davi Millsaps (HONDA) 204
5.Josh Hill (YAM) 173
6.Tim Ferry (KAW) 167
7.Nathan Ramsey (YAM) 147
8.David Vuillemin (SUZ) 123
9. Paul Carpenter (HONDA) 120
10.Nick Wey (KTM) 117

Working Magic: Honda Racing’s Supercross Suspension Mods

4.12.2006

AMA Supercross competition is arguably the most thrilling spectator motorsport ever created. While thousands of spectators repose in stadium-style comfort, racers frantically leap through the air, often 60 to 90 feet at a time, and somehow land without scattering their bikes—and themselves—across the track. Moments later they slam into another steep jump face, generating huge G-forces before once again launching themselves into the air. When they aren’t stressing every part of their machines and their bodies to the max, they’re merely engaged in close-quarters combat with energy-draining whoops, devilish stutter bumps and high-banked sweeping turns that would consume mere mortals.

It’s an entertaining spectacle. But what isn’t easily viewed is the remarkable state of tune these racers and their machines must maintain throughout each race. Lap after lap, man and machine must work in perfect harmony to survive - let alone win - in this high-pressure style of competition. It may be said that professional motocross racers are the best-conditioned athletes of any sport in the world. It is surprising, however, just how close to stock their race bikes really are.

To get a better idea of how Honda Racing sets up the production-based Showa front and rear suspension for the mighty CRF450R and CRF250R, we asked Shane Drew, Honda Racing’s Chassis/Suspension Technician, to share a few insights with us. Drew is no stranger to Supercross and motocross. His extensive knowledge in chassis and suspension tuning and development dates back to the days of his own pro-level motocross career. While serving over the years as Mike LaRocco's race technician, he did such a stellar job that Honda brought him “inside” in 2005 to work for the factory team. Now in his second year at Honda, Drew’s understanding of race bike set-up is so acute that he can often predict the changes the Red Riders will need before a rider can tell him.

Drew confirms that the Honda racing machines carry over a large percentage of stock components. For example, according to AMA regulations, box-stock frames must be used. “What is amazing to us on the team is just how good the stock suspension really is,” he says. “The quality of the materials, the machining and the overall assembly is first-rate. And it has to be if the bike’s going to hold up throughout a race. It’s hard to describe the beating these parts take.”

Drew offers an example. “We use suspension telemetry in our testing to help us better understand what is happening on the track at a race pace. In the whoops, we learned that the rear shock shaft speed can be as high as six meters per second—six meters per second! That’s 10 times faster than the shock on a road racing machine works. Imagine what goes on inside the shock with that kind of agitation. Yet the oil does not aerate, and the shock does not cavitate or overheat. The shock does its job or the rider is on the ground.”

We asked Drew what makes suspension set-up for Supercross different from outdoor motocross. “Riders hit the G-outs and land the big jumps hard in Supercross and that requires very stiff settings. Whoops just swallow tires, so stiffer suspension is the way to go here too. Outdoor motocross tracks, on the other hand, have long courses, high speeds, and ruts and bumps everywhere. There we set the suspension up to be softer initially so that the wheels and tires can soak up bumps.”

With the increasing popularity of competition four-stroke machines such as Honda’s CRF450R and CRF250R, has there been a change in the way the team sets up a bike’s suspension? “In Supercross, the instant power that’s available with a four-stroke causes the bike to pitch front-to-rear more than a two-stroke during throttle transitions, so we usually set the front springs a little stiffer. The four-stroke power also means the guys are riding harder today. They hit the jumps fast and hard and stay low, spending as little time in the air as possible. So we often dial in more compression and rebound damping to cope with this.”

One might expect that each rider has his own style of riding and that suspension set-up varies greatly from rider to rider. “Not necessarily,” says Drew. “The compression and rebound damping settings on the 450s, for example, are almost the same for all the riders. We just use different springs, depending on the rider’s weight.”

And do the settings change much from track to track? Here again, the differences are subtle. “We establish certain baseline spring rates and settings for each rider in practice, and although we may vary a bit from track to track, it’s not as much as people probably think.”

The next time you watch the Red Riders in competition, pay attention to the furious action of the front and rear tires. You might need a DVD recorder or a TiVo with slow-motion to really see what’s going on. If the expertly tuned suspension is doing its job, then the rider can do his job. And since the components are much like the pieces found on your Honda CR/CRF motocrosser, rest assured that your next day at the track is going to be every bit as entertaining.

1991 XR680RN Baja Monster: Monster-Mashing the Baja 1000

6.10.2005

In person, the 1991 XR680RN Baja Monster is as intimidating as any motorcycle you'll ever set eyes on. The bike is huge in every dimension – the cylinder and head are nearly the size of a beer keg. Why did Honda build this?

Some history first. Since the first officially sanctioned Baja 1000 in 1967, Honda motorcycles have dominated, with 15 overall victories. In the 1990s, though, big-bore two-strokes ruled the day, and Honda met the challenge as it does with most: experimentation, to find new ideas for future four-stroke off-road bikes. The monstrously huge XR680RN you see here is the result of one of those experiments. Let Bruce Ogilvie – current team coordinator for Honda's Off-Road Team, two-time winner of the Baja 1000 and five-time victor in the Baja 500 – tell the story.

"In 1991 we developed the bike nicknamed The Monster," Ogilvie says. "We were looking for a way to gain a horsepower edge over the big two-strokes, so we took an XR600R and bored and stroked the engine to 680cc and put in a hotter cam. Boy, that thing ran hard! You really had to recalibrate your brain and change your riding style, because you would hit things so fast, so much sooner than you were used to.

"It was faster than all the two-strokes of the time, but we had pumped it up so much we were grossly exceeding the design limits of the entire bike.

Durability became an issue. The 680 made so much horsepower it would just crack the center cases horizontally. Then we started exploding rear wheels, bending swingarms, stuff like that. It sure was fun to ride, though. It was incredibly fast. The Monster never finished a race, but we learned a lot."

Ogilvie's riding partner back then, and now manager of Motorcycle Sports, Chuck Miller, also recalls The Monster fondly.

"We were racing XR500s and then we went to racing XR600s with an HRC kit that pushed displacement to 628cc. But we were always searching for top-end speed because we were racing against big-bore two-strokes. So Japan built this bike, and we nicknamed it 'The Monster' because it was a 680 and it was so fast. I think we did 115 or 117 mph in the dirt, and we went a little more then 120 mph on the pavement. The bike was trick; it had all the Gucci stuff. The problem was that the engine would blow up like clock work somewhere between 180-190 miles. The engine was designed as an XR500, then grew to a 600, so we were really pushing the envelope at 680cc. After that, we toned down the Baja motors and settled on a 105-106 mph motorcycle that could go the distance.

"But the bike was incredible to ride. Anytime you wanted you could roll the throttle on and power-wheelie the thing anywhere. Back then, four-strokes were heavy, and hard to jump and wheelie through whoops and rough sections.

This bike you could just roll on the throttle and you could wheelie through five, ten, 20 whoops at a time. It was a really fun bike to ride.

"I remember in the early '90s going to a meeting in Japan with Dan Ashcroft and Bruce Ogilvie. The Honda engineers there asked us what our dream machine would be. We told them it would be a liquid-cooled four-stroke with motocross-type suspension, better brakes, lighter weight, better handling – everything the XR650R has now. All the stuff we have now we only dreamed about back in the '80s and early '90s."

The Monster's impact on Honda's success in Baja is clearly seen in the record. After The Monster experiment, Honda XRs would put a hammerlock on Baja, including winning the long-distance event eight years straight from 1997 to 2004 – including the 2000 race, which was 2000 miles long.

For now, though, The Monster squats malevolently in an American Honda warehouse, like a mad scientist's creature waiting to be unleashed again.

2007 AMA Formula Xtreme Series Josh Hayes Formula Xtreme Champion!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the 2007 AMA Formula Xtreme series Champion: Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes and his CBR600RR. Hayes scored his seventh FX win in nine starts, locking up his second-straight Honda-powered FX title at Road Atlanta with a full race still to run in the season.

Zemke Clinches Third in AMA Superbike Championship

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Temperature: 20 degrees
Weather: Cool, sunny

Zemke Clinches Third in AMA Superbike Championship

American Honda's Jake Zemke clinched third place in the AMA Superbike
Championship after holding a podium position until the final laps of
the final race of the 2008 season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Starting from the front row, Zemke got away with the lead Suzukis of
Mat Mladin and Ben Spies, the teammates who were racing for the
championship. Zemke kept the pair in sight for the first 10 of 28
laps before slightly slipping back. Still, he was comfortably in
third until the 26th of 28 laps when he was passed by Aaron Yates (Suzuki).

But Zemke wasn't conceding the position. The Californian fought back
in traffic, but Yates was just slightly quicker at the end, and also
in the signature Corkscrew turn, and bested Zemke by little more than
half a second.

But the fourth place finish gave Zemke the points he needed to finish
third in the championship.

Spies defended his championship title by beating Mladin. The
difference after 19 races was a single point.

Now the American Honda team has a short break before preparing for
the 2008 season. Testing begins in October with Miguel Duhamel, who
was injured over a month ago and missed this race, and former World
Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson, who joins the team in '08.

Jake Zemke, 4th Place
We kept them (Spies & Mladin) in sight for ten laps at least. You
know, I was actually surprised. I thought their pace was going to
be a bit quicker in the beginning like they normally do. It didn't
seem like they were going flat out from the beginning. It seemed like
they were playing cat and mouse with each other and just kind of
hanging out to see who was going to do what, I think. While I was
chasing them, I was really happy with my bike. The crew did a great
job. I think that's probably where we would have been or should have
been back in July (at the USGP) when we were here. Aaron (Yates) just
seemed to have a couple tenths a lap on me. I could see him coming,
see him coming. Then he made a mistake. Then we got into lappers and
he caught back up pretty quickly. There, the last three, four laps,
when he got by me, we got into a couple of lappers and I just kind of
got out of rhythm and I ran a couple slow laps there in a row and the
last lap I picked it back up, but it was too late. He was going good.
He did a good job, but my guys did a great job this weekend. We had a
good bike all weekend.

Team Manager Ron Heben
Jake (Zemke) rode really rode well this weekend, from the beginning
of the weekend. Started out in practice and got up there with some
really good competitive times and qualified on the front row, which
is a real plus. Makes his life a lot easier for him out there on the
race track. Got a good start. Raced with Mat (Mladin) and Ben (Spies)
for a while and little at the end had a couple little hiccups, but
overall not a bad way to end the season. For Jake, he ended up
finishing third in the championship. That's not what we started out
to do, but it's also better than some of the other riders and
programs out there. We'll learn from what happened this year and
start regrouping and get ready for '08.

Superbike:
1. Ben Spies (Suzuki)
2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki)
3. Aaron Yates (Suzuki)
4. Jake Zemke (Honda)
5. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha)
6. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki)
7. Jason DiSalvo (Yamaha)
8. James Ellison (Honda)
9. Jake Holden (Suzuki)
10. Matt Lynn (MV)

Final Point Standings:
1. Ben Spies (Suzuki) 652
2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki) 651
3. Jake Zemke (Honda) 468
4. Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 465
5. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki) 454
6. Jamie hacking (Kawasaki) 403
7. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha) 362
8. Miguel Duhamel (Honda) 360
9. Jason DiSalvo (Yamaha) 359
10. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki) 344

Honda Officials Announces the end of the 2-stroke MX bike is 2007 Model!!

It's official! 2007 will be the last year of the 2-stroke from American Honda.

If you didn't already notice that the tracks are now full of the 4-stroke bikes and the 2-strokes have become the minority, then you really need to get out and ride one of the new 4-stroke MX bikes. This year Honda introduced the awesome new CRF150R which is replacing the CR85R. That now rounds out a entire line of incredible high performance 4-stroke MX bikes with the CRF150R, CRF250R & CRF450R all replacements for the CR85R, CR125R, and CR250R.

As a dealer we have noticed a huge disparity in sales between the 2-strokes and the 4-strokes with almost a 30-1 ratio of 4-strokes over 2-strokes sales. So if we notice that, were sure that Honda did too. And now with 4-strokes to replace all the sizes they have come to the decision to end the 2-stroke super long run supreme in sales. Never thought we would see the day eh?

Some of the FreeStylers still prefer the 2-stroke snap at the end of a jump, but 99% of all the other track riders will admit that even though the new 4-strokes don't "feel" as fast, they actually are giving them faster lap times, and that is what it is all about! Having power in a much larger powerband allows the rider to run it deeper and get on the power sooner.

Now if your that last 1% who still want a 2-stroke, move fast that time is coming to a end, so get yours now while you still can!

Kent Stotz: Motorcycle Drag-Racing's Clark Kent

6.10.2005

Kent Stotz has re-written the book on motorcycle drag-racing. The four-time AMA Prostar champ and the first racer to set the 200mph record in Street Bike Shootout competition has taken the class to new heights on his Honda Rider's Club of America-sponsored, turbo-charged CBR1100XX.

In 2005, the forward-thinking Stotz will once again take motorcycle drag-racing into uncharted territory. He has collaborated with the NOPI (Number One Parts, Inc.) Drag Racing Association (NDRA) to launch the organization's first foray into 500-horsepower street-tire motorcycle drag-racing.

"NOPI is known for its wildly popular sport-compact drag-racing series," said Stotz. NDRA events draw tens of thousands of fans not only for their incredible four-wheel drag-racing action, but also for the added attractions of car and bike shows and big-name concerts. "With the announcement of the Honda Rider's Club of America as sponsor for the Pro Street Tire Bike class in 2005, NOPI will become the newest venue to showcase the excitement of high-tech 500-plus-horsepower motorcycles to drag-racing fans everywhere."

Stotz is the perfect statesman for the new series. The affable businessman from Schaumburg, Illinois is known throughout the motorcycle drag-racing world as the best development rider in the paddock. His record speaks for itself. In AMA Prostar competition, Stotz earned his first championship in 1995 aboard a 1989 Suzuki GSX-R1100 – the first electronically-fuel injected turbocharged motorcycle to win the title. He repeated the feat in 1998 on a 1995 turbocharged, water-cooled GSX-R1100. Both bikes were the product of Stotz's ingenuity and endless hours of development time with his sponsors.

The homegrown racer and his outrageously powerful motorcycles came to the attention of American Honda in 1999. With sponsor support from the Honda Rider's Club of America, Stotz put his magic to work on Honda's CBR1100XX and soon the Blackbird was cranking out serious horsepower – and championships. Stotz dominated Street Bike Shootout competition and took home the title in 2001 and 2002, despite rules changes designed to minimize the advantage of his technical expertise. By the beginning of 2004, alcohol and intercoolers were not permitted, and turbo inlet diameter was restricted to 64mm. Stotz was undaunted; his mighty CRB cranked out 505 bhp on racing gasoline alone.

"Honda's support was what we needed to get to the next level," said Stotz. "They build a bulletproof engine. I still can't believe that we are generating this kind of reliable horsepower on a virtually stock engine with 30 pounds of boost."

The 2004 season saw Stotz set the quickest time or fastest speed in five of the eight Prostar races. Fierce competition with his former teammate Barry Henson saw the class ET record drop by nearly .4 seconds, from 7.64 to 7.25 seconds. At the finals in Gainesville, Stotz clocked the fastest quarter-mile ever at 200.49 mph in 7.256 seconds – just .002 seconds behind Henson, the eventual series winner. For 2005, Stotz will be competing in selected AMA Prostar events in the renamed Pro Street class.

Stotz is optimistic about the NDRA's new Honda Pro Street Tire-Bike class, where he will face stiff Suzuki and Kawasaki competition at four scheduled motorcycle drag-racing events on the NDRA's 12-city tour. "There are secrets to winning at this level," confided Stotz. "Making reliable power is one, and we have that with Honda. Controlling all that power, both through tuning and from the seat of the bike, are two more. We'll be ready." He stopped talking and smiled; the glint in his eye was the only clue that he has developed another advantage.

One thing is certain. Racing fans are in for a treat when Stotz shows the four-wheeled world what two wheels and 505-plus horsepower can do in the hands of one of the best drag-racers to ever straddle a motorcycle.

Will Honda's new Adventure bike make it to the states in 2008?

Another very cool for Europe only new bike in 2008 that we think American Honda should petition to get in for the USA! With the growing market of adventure bikes, this seems like a logical new motorcycle to sell here in the states. Based off a very reliable V-Twin that Honda has been producing for years, we hope American Honda for there 2009 50th Anniversary will surprise us with this one. Here is the official lingo via Honda UK...

Dynamic new Adventure Sports styling really sets the pace for the all-new 2008 XL700V Transalp. Powered by a new fuel-injected V-twin engine that carries it down the road with impressive power and confident cruising speed, the new Transalp reasserts its position as Europe's most versatile midsized motorcycle.


Specifications
Type Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve SOHC 52° Vtwin
Displacement 680.2cm³
Max power 44.1kW / 7,750min-1 (95/1/EC)
Max torque 60Nm / 5,500min-1 (95/1/EC)
Fuel capacity 17.5 litres (including 3-litre reserve)
Dimensions 2,250 x 905 x 1,305mm
Kerb weight 218kg (F: 105kg; R:113kg)
Tyre front 100/90 R19M/C (57H)
Tyre rear 130/80 R17M/C (65H)
Clutch Mechanical; cable-actuated, Wet, Wet, multiplate with coil springs

Features
Wide-coverage handlebarmounted knuckleguards
NNew aggressive, more compact Adventure Sports bodywork design
Slimmer, more contoured seat for easier reach to ground
New sleekly designed resin rear carrier integrates pillion hand grips
Progressive Pro-Link rear suspension
New 130/80-17 radial rear tyre mounted on lightweight black-anodised aluminium wheel rims
New catalyser chamber located below swingarm pivot for low centre-of-gravity
New 680cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 8-valve V-twin engine delivers smooth, strong performance
New Combined-ABS version with 3-piston callipers
New smaller 19" front tyre mountedon lightweight black-anodised wire-spoke wheels
Dual front disc brakes with dual-piston callipers and drilled rotors
Long-travel 41mm hydraulic leading-axle front fork
New, more compact front cowl with over/under dual headlight