This morning’s pre-season MotoGP test at Sepang was plagued by bad weather, but that didn’t stop Champ Casey Stoner from setting the fastest time. 2:01.761 was 0.675 seconds faster than Lorenzo and 1.484 faster than Rossi, but still off the Australian’s unofficial lap record of 1:59.607. Still, it’s a rare opportunity to ride onboard for a complete lap with the fastest rider in the world, riding the fastest bike in the world. :continue:
Until now, the mural you see here has been top secret, hanging 100 feet long inside Honda’s closed-to-the-public R&D facility in Raymond Ohio. It was uncovered by our friend David Folch who, after hearing rumors of it, spent months tracking it down. Honda’s communication department was unaware of its existence. R&D isn’t allowed to communicate with outsiders. But, he eventually found the artist, John Frye, who agreed to exclusively share it with HFL.
Artwork: John Frye :continue:
The 2012 Honda CBR1000RR gains fancy new suspension and revised aerodynamics. The former won’t carry over to the already incredibly high-spec world of SBK racing, but the aerodynamics should. Peak under the chin of this new Castrol Honda and you’ll see the same tiny spoiler, designed to reduced lift, as the production bike, as well as the new-for-2012 layered fairings and their use of a low pressure area to draw cooling air through the radiator and smooth airflow over the rider. :continue:
Honda will become the first major manufacturer to enter the electric racing fray when its satellite company, Mugen, enters an all-new electric motorcycle in the Isle of Man TT Zero this summer. With huge historical significance, the company will race alongside electric innovators like MotoCzysz in an effort to set the first-ever 100mph average lap of the 37.7-mile Mountain Course aboard a zero-emissions motorcycle. :continue:
One of the stars at last weekend’s The One Motorcycle Show in Portland was this 1986 Honda VFR1000R built by the guys at Icon. Sort of a post-apocalyptic, comic book take on a police interceptor — the Main Force Patrol would feel right at home — the Magnificent Bastard is at once reminiscent of extreme function while being relatively functionless. That’s a continental knobby designed for a dirt bike’s rear wheel mounted on the Bastard’s front. :continue:
Like the avatar on his custom helmet, Englishman Matt Wadsworth is blind as a bat. From what I understood overhearing him describe the sensation, the accomplished lutenist sees only vague impressions of light when looking at the sun. Regardless, he is determined to set a 100-foot world record for distance jumping on his Honda CRF450R. Together with his trainer, two-time AMA Motocross Champion Micky Dymond, the two have developed a simple system of communication that already has Matt reaching just over 60 feet. There are no training wheels, no fancy balancing devices, no computer-assisted guidance system for the bike, just Matt and Micky talking over a two-way radio. Watching a few feet from the massive earth mound as they practiced, I felt like I was a kid in the ’60s witnessing some strange guy named Evel do the impossible for the first time. Click below for the feature.
Starting at just $6,999 and available with an optional Dual-Clutch transmission and ABS, the 2012 Honda NC700X is going to be an extremely practical entry-level all-rounder. That’s $1,300 cheaper than its nearest competitor, the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 and $900 cheaper than the Kawasaki Versys. Over the Suzuki, the Honda brings that optional transmission, as well as way-more-practical 17-inch wheels. This is a lot of bike for very little money, even if does make less power than either rival.
Update: The DCT and ABS package brings the price up to $8,999. :continue:
Back in the late 1980s, the sportsbike market was very different than it is today. Sure, there were 600s and 1000s, but bikes like the GPZ600R were more budget all-rounders than the high-end race-replicas of 2011 while large-capacity bikes like the GSX-R1100 were incredibly fast, but heavy and erred towards stability over agility. The race replicas of the period were the 750s — GSX-R, OW-01, ZXR — but Honda’s entry into that category was the etherial and expensive RC30. How could Honda combine power and handling for the street at an accessible price? Enter this Honda CBR750RR, a never-before-seen prototype that eventually birthed the Fireblade. :continue:
On March 20, 1954, Soichiro Honda addressed this letter to all employees of his motor company. In it, he announces his intention, for the first time, to go racing. It’s a moment in time. It’s history being made. It’s the world changing. Totally and forever. It’s also a call to action, asking his company to be inspired by his actions into elevating Japanese industry to new levels. :continue:
Snapped by Flickr user 246-You at the Tokyo Motor Show, these photos bring us up close and personal with the Honda RC-E. Presenting a new twist on retro futurism that’s neither trad nor hackneyed, the concept presents an idea for an electric sportsbike with 250cc-equivalent performance that looks like 2011 and 1968 got together and had a motorcycle baby. :continue:
