I’ve been riding for three and a half years and only owned one bike, this one. It had been in storage for 30 years before I got it, and I completely restored it. It was perfect. I moved to Manhattan in March, and the bike was in hibernation in Brooklyn until May. I had to street-park it at my new place, but there were tons of bikes street-parked, and a lot of nicer, newer bikes than mine. I had a chain lock, a disc lock, and a cover.
I signed a contract on Labor Day weekend with a parking garage for storage beginning October 1. Three days later, I came down from my apartment at 7 a.m., and the bike was gone. When I finally filled out the report, the police told me the bike was probably already cut up for parts, that 5 percent of vintage bikes are ever recovered.
They ran the plate and pulled a photo of a male riding the bike over the FDR Bridge at 6:45 a.m. without a helmet. Someone who was definitely not me. I didn’t understand how any of this was possible. I had two locks on the bike, and the night before I had drained the oil so I could do an oil change the next day. The officer said he would send the case over to a detective, but since it was just a picture of the back of someone’s head, I shouldn’t get my hopes up.
I was gutted—angry at myself for not putting it in the parking garage sooner and defeated.
Two and a half weeks later, I got a call from a detective. He said, “I just picked up your file for the first time, and I know who did it.”
The kid had been pulled over on Staten Island for speeding and for not wearing a helmet. They just gave him a ticket and sent him on his way, but they had the plate and his address. The detective gathered some footage from my neighborhood. He’d approached the bike around 3 a.m., then came back later with a white box truck. The crazy part is he didn’t cut the bike up for parts. He kept it. They found it at his house and towed it to an impound lot.
I had to pay $600 in cash before they’d even let me see the bike. I’d brought my helmet and gloves, ready to ride. Maybe that was a little naive. He’d had a pretty high-speed crash. The clutch lever was completely gone, and the left side of the bike was all crunched in. My right exhaust pipe was gone for some reason, despite all of the damage being on the other side. I had to pay to have it towed to my shop.
My mechanic says it’s a brick, that it’s maybe worth $700 in the shape it’s in. The worst part is, I was ready to move on from this bike before it was stolen, ready to sell it and buy something else. I’m not sure I can fix it. Every time I see a new scuff, it would just bring up all these memories.
We’re standing on a side of the road in Redondo Beach, California, next to Honda police bikes, lights flashing. We just pulled over a couple who made an illegal left turn on a quiet street near an elementary school, but my partner for the day, motor officer Bill Turner, is in his usual jovial spirit. He hands them a warning.
It’s Tuesday morning, two weeks before Christmas. Dispatch chimes in on the radio, a 211 call, police code for a robbery. A man in a black Audi snatched a purse containing $10,000 a few miles east of us. It’s a desperate time of year for some. We listen attentively as drama unfolds.
Since we’re on bikes, I presume we’d be the ones to pursue. But Turner says it’s too dangerous, and even though the villain is a couple of miles across town, slogging through endless South Bay traffic lights is a drag. We’ll get the next guy.
We’re riding CRF1000Ls. Mine’s stock, his a custom-outfitted Africa Twin built by Roland Sands Design. The Redondo Beach Police Department wanted to try something different from the standard-issue ST1300. The department has six of them sitting idle in the garage.
“I always thought, ‘What are we doing as policemen riding these huge touring bikes when there’s other platforms out there?’ ” Chief Keith Kauffman says. “Everything seems to be better for the application that we actually use it for, especially in a municipality.”
Kauffman makes a valid point. After all, the 6.2-square-mile seaside city is well away from the dangers of parked rush-hour traffic or after-hour high-speed chases.
“We’re not on freeways like the California Highway Patrol. We’re not traveling at high speeds, catching up with cars over long distances.”
Enter Honda’s Africa Twin. The RBPD has two of the machines already and two more on order in an effort to upgrade its motorcycle fleet. Redondo Beach officers have been turning to bikes for patrol duty since 1914.
Posted at a busy intersection on the north side of town, we’re hunting speeders. After 25 years on the job, Turner has a keen eye for drivers with lead right feet. Because it’s hearsay without evidence, he pulls out his lidar-enabled speed gun—and the batteries are dead. Sgt. Steve Sprengel hands him the batteries from his gun, but those are out of juice too. “Be right back,” he says before running to the station to get fresh AAs.
Locked and loaded, Turner takes aim at a low-slug car. “Aim for the front license plate,” he tells me before squeezing the trigger. The gun beeps, displaying the driver’s speed: a few mph over the 35 mph limit.
“If they’re only a few mph over, we let it slide. Your turn.”
Despite hundreds of hours of Duck Hunt experience, it takes me a few tries to remember how to play this game. A black BMW zooms toward us. I aim and squeeze the trigger. The display flashes 57 mph. On go the lights and siren, and away we go. Well, away Turner goes. I fumble with the controls. Click-click-click. The battery’s dead.
Turner handles business before coming back to check on me and my stranded CRF. “I told you not to leave the key on,” he chuckles, only half joking. Sprengel calls over the radio, and a few minutes later another officer in a Ford Explorer pulls up with a battery charger.
While we’re waiting, I ask if the person in the BMW received a warning.
“The people who get warnings are generally folks who are honest,” he explains. “If you stop someone for doing 60 miles an hour and they go, ‘No, I was doing 35. You must have had a different car.’ Well, you’re the only car on the road, versus someone who says, ‘Yeah, I was going downhill, and I let the speed get away from me.’ Cars are so smooth nowadays, it’s easy to happen.
“The poor guy earlier who made the left turn, he actually said, ‘I was going to make a U-turn, and then I saw you guys and panicked and made the left turn, and I looked up and saw the sign.’ ”
The woman in the BMW received a speed infraction. After another couple of minutes, my Africa Twin fires up, and we’re back on the road, en route to a fender bender.
We’re second on the scene. Thankfully, there are no injuries, but the crumpled Prius is clearly going to need a tow. The first responding officer says he’ll handle it, so we head for lunch.
The RSD-outfitted Africa Twin looks menacing compared to Sprengel’s Honda ST. With its slim rear end, the holstered AR-15 rifle hanging off the back of the ADV machine is especially fearsome.
“Before the North Hollywood shootout, only SWAT guys were carrying shouldered rifles,” Sprengel tells us. “After that, almost all agencies in Southern California began going to a rifle in addition to a shotgun in their car. That incident was one of the biggest events in law-enforcement history to change the way we do stuff.”
But bank-robbing maniacs dressed in black aren’t the only things that motor cops have to worry about. Consider the open-air environment of a motorcycle, and a lot of things can happen when you’re on patrol.
“Our job is dangerous enough,” Kauffman says. “Law enforcement is typically blinded by tradition. That’s why I want to give our men and women the best tools possible for the job.” That includes riding gear.
“A lot of departments are transitioning to them,” Sprengel says of his $600 armored Motosport Kevlar pants. He pairs them with an equally functional pair of Sidi boots.
“Now we actually have a good motorcycle boot and pant. If you go down in these things, they say at 100 miles an hour, you won’t burn a hole in them.”
When it comes to hand protection, however, motor officers are more fickle. Outright protection isn’t as big of a priority as the ability to work a trigger.
“It’s important to keep our hands free,” Sprengel says. “Instead of trying to pull off a typical motorcycle glove, these deerskin gloves shake off easily. So, safetywise, it’s better for us, yet still gives a little protection. It’s hard to get your finger in the trigger wall with most gloves that include hard knuckle protection.
“Of course, we’ll practice at the range that way, but it’s better to shoot without gloves,” he adds.
Turner and I ride in staggered formation as we patrol the south side of town. It’s everything I can do to keep pace with my partner, even at the speed limit on a moderately busy thoroughfare.
“I think I got my first dirt bike in ’83 or ’84. I started racing Ascot, but I sucked at it,” Turner laughs. “I quit for a while when my parents stopped paying for it. Later on, I got back into it. I was about to get hired here, but I destroyed this finger (he waves his all-important trigger finger). Finally, my doctor said, ‘Aren’t you trying to get hired as a cop? You need to stop racing.’ ”
Despite doctor’s orders, Turner returned to racing after joining the department in the fall of ’93.
“I started again after I got hired,” he says with excitement. “But it’s just goofing off for fun now. The last race I did was a couple of years ago at the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix.”
Out of nowhere, he fires up the lights and sirens, and we pull in behind a small beat-up pickup truck, the bed sagging with tools and equipment. As we approach the vehicle from the driver’s side, I ask what the driver did. “He ran a red light,” Turner replies. I never saw it.
The driver owns up to it, citing the heavy load as the reason why he didn’t slam on the brakes. Turner lets him off with a warning.
“It’s an expensive ticket,” he grins afterward.
The rest of the day is a blur of citations and fender benders, drivers either not paying attention or purposefully trying to skirt the rules of the road. Finally, Turner navigates us to Redondo Dog Park, where he aims his Africa Twin at the sidewalk.
The afternoon sun lights up the grass as we cruise through, saying hello to local dog owners who are either taking a late lunch or skipping out early from work.
“Believe it or not, a lot of cars are broken into during the day here,” he says.
His eyes scan the area as we do a quick lap through the top and bottom parking lots. The coast is clear, so we head back toward the station, rounding out an eight-hour day in the saddle.
“It’s something I’ve just always wanted to do ever since I was a kid,” sums up the sarge when we’re back at the station. “There’s ups and downs to it, but it’s a good profession. The community engagement, the camaraderie, the friendships you make, and the opportunity to do different things, it just makes for an incredible time,” he says.
“If you’re going to work hard and put yourself out there, on the line, you’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing. We’re pretty lucky.”
Just what you need to ride in stealth mode around the urban landscape.
And if you wear camo pants, jacket and helmet, the zombies won’t see you!
Camo paint
Camouflage paint is often used on prototype motorcycles so that when the manufacturers take it out on public streets for testing, it disguises the shape of the motorcycle.
Gannet designer Ulfert Jansson says their aim was to produce a completely new appearance mainly by changing the proportions and handlebar position.
So it seems a little strange that Gannet would hide its custom work that radically changes the shape of the Honda.
“The contemporary camouflage graphics on the tank and the paneling was created by precise painting work and was gradually built up in seven layers,” Ulfert says.
“By using paint layers, we could control each single element and place it without any deformation you would get by using foil. Therefore the result is very precise and you can clearly see the impeccable paint job by Walter (Oberli).”
Building process
The bike was built by Stefan Fuhrer, a former MotoGP racing mechanic and his crew at Fuhrer Moto and was fitted with422 Corse parts such as Rotobox carbon fibre rims and CeraCarbon carbon forks.
The project started with initial loose sketches and design studies by Ulfert.
“Many people underestimate the importance of balance and proportion in a custom build,” Ulfert says.
“Just by changing the stance, angles and position slightly, you get an entire new perception and attitude of a bike.”
“The front is incredibly beautiful and hot,” Stefan says.
“Through CNC milling, we have created a new fixation design for the front light and the mini windshield.
With the new three-piece CNC mechanism, we can now change the height of the headlight and adjust the windscreen to any angle.
“The front headlight has been moved forward by 60mm and slightly lowered.
“This new special fixation together with the Multiclip, the triple clamp, and the carbon fork give this bike a very technical and cool visual impression like in a Transformer movie.”
Light forks and wheels
The carbon forks also feature Dyneema and a unique patented Ceramic technology to make them stiffer, lighter and more durable.
A typical 43mm steel front fork inner tube weighs about 1kg, while the CeraCarbon is only 237g.
It is 75% lighter than the conventional steel front fork inner tubes, and reduces the unsprung weight by 1.5Kg on the complete forks.
The decision is based on a joint study by Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP which concluded that automatic emergency brakes would lead to a 38% reduction in real-world rear-end crashes at low speeds.
With motorcycle companies such as Honda and others now considering this sort of technology, we have to wonder whether motorcycles will be the next with mandated auto brakes.
Emergency brakes rumour
The Honda Goldwing rumour is based on some patent images that allegedly show two forward-facing cameras.
It is suggested these could only be used for monitoring traffic in front to avoid a rear-end collision.
They would be connectedto an Adaptive Driving Assistance System (ADAS) to slow the bike, prompting the rider to activate the brakes, possibly with extra assistance.
The auto system would be connected to the Goldwing’s combined braking system and Inertial Measurement Unit.
It sounds like a similar system to the one used in Honda’s Civic and CR-V cars.
The car system also monitors lane position, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and speed limiting, so these could also be added to the Goldwing.
There is no confirmation from Honda of the emergency brakes rumour, nor when it would likely be introduced.
Honda added a vast array of electronic wizardry: electric windscreen, seven-speed automatic transmission, hill start assist, idling stop/start, traction control, smart key, electronic suspension, four engine modes, LED lighting, auto-cancelling indicators and Apple CarPlay that allows iPhone users to use their device.
Yet it has a smaller fuel tank, almost a third less luggage space and shed up to 48kg in weight.
Showa SFF forks – Slipper clutch 6kg lighter – Arriving March 2019 in Australia
Honda Australia have announced that the 2019 CBR650R and CB650R will arrive in Honda dealerships in March, with pricing set at $9,999 MLP for the CB650R and $10,299 MLP for the CBR650R.
Both of the new 650s – the CB650R and CBR650R – are LAMs approved, with the full power version not to be available in Australia at this point in time. The CB650R is available in Graphite Black and Candy Chromosphere Red and the CBR650R is available in Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic and Grand Prix Red.
Honda’s CBR650F was launched back into 2014, along with its naked sibling the CB650F, offering a traditional four-cylinder offering with a sports-touring lean and strong value proposition. It would further evolve in 2017, with new styling, more power and improved forks and brake calipers.
2019 Honda CBR650R
For 2019 the model further evolves, and now claims the CBR650R moniker, with styling based on the brand’s iconic sportsbike, the 2018 CBR1000RR Fireblade, and comes in lighter, more powerful and with a revised chassis. The LAMS version coming to the Australian market in early 2019 will just boast the styling and chassis refinements, while retaining the 35kW output.
The riding position has further been adjusted to move the rider’s weight more forward, and downward, while all lighting is LED and the new LCD instrument display now includes a Gear Position and Shift Up indicator.
2019 Honda CBR650R
6kg has been shaved from the chassis compared to the CBR650F, thanks to revisions to the frame, fuel tank and footpegs. A 41mm Showa SFF USD fork, radial-mount four-piston calipers and floating discs are new additions. The wheels are also redesigned.
A new intake and exhaust, plus cam timing change and increased compression ratio are responsible for the engine’s 5% peak power boost and smoother, stronger torque delivery through the mid-range. It also now revs to 12,000rpm, an extra 1,000rpm.
2019 Honda CBR650R
For 2019 an assist and slipper clutch is now fitted to ease upshifts and manage fast, successive downshifts, while Honda’s Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) maintains rear wheel traction.
2019 Honda CBR650R features
Aggressive sports styling of the CBR1000RR Fireblade
Lighter frame plus other savings shave 5.6kg from kerb weight
41mm Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF) USD front suspension
Radial-mount brake calipers and floating discs
Full LED lighting and new LCD instruments
Clip-on handlebars now mount below the top yoke
5% more power above 10,000rpm, 1000rpm higher redline
Torque delivery smoothed and boosted
New intake and exhaust designs flow more gas, and enhance the engine note
Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) feature
Assist/slipper clutch
LAMS legal 35kW model for Australia – Early 2019
Lighter, sportier and more stylish
While its four-cylinder power unit is still firmly on display, the CBR650R’s new wrapping ramps up the sporting appeal, with dual LED headlights emit a penetrating, uncompromising stare, and the upper and extended lower fairings blending with sharp, slim lines and angles.
2019 Honda CBR650R
The seat unit, too is more compact and truncates the rear of the machine, adding to the harder-edged sense of purpose. The aggressive riding position starts with clip-on handlebars that now mount beneath the top yoke; they’re 30mm forward and lower than the CBR650F, and footpegs are 3mm further back and 6mm higher. Seat height remains 810mm.
2019 Honda CBR650R
The steel diamond frame is updated for 2019 with pressed (rather than forged) swingarm pivot plates; it’s 1.9kg lighter than the previous design and uses twin elliptical spars with a rigidity balance specifically tuned (stiffer around the headstock and more ‘flexible’ in the spar sections) to deliver balanced handling characteristics with high levels of rider feedback.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Kerb weight is reduced at 207kg thanks not only to the lighter frame, but also savings to both fuel tank and new super sport-style footpegs.
Also new is the 41mm Showa Separate Function front Fork (SFF) USD fork. Adjustable for 7-stage spring preload the single-tube monoshock operates directly on the curvaceous gravity die-cast aluminium swingarm. Rake is set at 25.5° with trail of 101mm and wheelbase of 1,450mm.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Four-piston radial-mount front brake calipers work on 310mm wave-pattern floating discs, matched to a single-piston rear caliper and 240mm disc. Two channel ABS is fitted as standard. The cast aluminium wheels are a brand-new design and mount 120/70-ZR17 and 180/55-ZR17 front and rear tyres.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Honda’s development engineers wanted to create the most enjoyable mid-sized four-cylinder performance possible for the rider. So the 649cc, DOHC 16-valve engine has been tuned to eliminate a slight torque dip at 5500rpm, and deliver 5% more power above 10,000rpm with a redline raised 1000rpm. Peak power of 70kW arrives at 12,000rpm with peak torque of 64Nm delivered at 8500rpm.
2019 Honda CBR650R
The net result out on the road is a motor that spins harder, and for longer at high rpm, with a smooth, linear torque delivery that builds strongly as revs rise, and sounds great in the process. A 35kW version is also available in some markets, and will be coming to Australia as a LAMS model, so it remains to be seen how the engine refinements translate into restricted performance.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Direct cam actuation makes for a compact cylinder head; bore and stroke is set at 67mm x 46mm with compression ratio raised to 11.6:1 (from 11.4:1) and combustion chamber shape optimised by use of a revised piston design. The valve train has been reinforced and valve timing revised; iridium spark plugs are also now employed.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Asymmetric piston skirts minimise bore contact and reduce friction. Ferrous spines on the outer surface of the cylinder sleeves reduce oil consumption (and friction) with improved heat transfer, and a silent SV cam chain reduces frictional losses by using a Vanadium coating on its pins. Internal water channelling from cylinder head to cylinders does away with most of the exterior hoses.
2019 Honda CBR650R
New twin ram air ducts feed the airbox from either side of the fairing with a larger volume of air, as opposed to the single, central duct of the CBR650F. They also produce a throaty intake roar. The exhaust now features a larger bore tail pipe – from 35 to 38.1mm – inside the muffler to flow more gas and, with its exit pipe angled upwards, to transmit the evocative howl more directly to the rider.
2019 Honda CBR650R
The engine uses a compact internal architecture, stacked six-speed gearbox and starter layout with the cylinders canted forward 30°. An assist/slipper clutch is a new addition and eases upshifts (with 12% less lever load) while managing rear-wheel lock up under rapid downshifts. Also, for 2019 #honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) is fitted to manage rear wheel traction; it can be turned off should the rider choose.
2019 Honda CBR650R
Fuel consumption of 20.4km/l (WMTC mode) gives a range of over 300km despite the 15.4L fuel tank.
A range of Genuine Honda Accessories is available for the CB650R, including Front Fender Panels, Side covers, Seat cowl (aluminium parts or aluminium inserts), Wheel Stripes, Tank bag and seat bag inherited from the CB1000R, Quick shifter, High Screen (2 versions: clear, smoked), 12V socket, Heated grips.
Honda have announced the new 2019 CRF250F arrives this month at a competitive MLP of $6,499. The affordable and realiable trail bike is nower powered by an all-new 250cc four-valve SOHC long-stroke; air-cooled engine with Keihin electronically controlled fuel injection.
2019 Honda CRF250F – Arriving for $6,499 MLP
The mass-centralisation philosophy of the next generation CRF MX line up has been carried over to the new CRF250F, with the muffler positioned closer to the centre of mass. The aims to provide riders with a lighter feel, intuitive responsiveness, and confidence-inspiring handling, especially on corner entrances, making for a great learning platform while also providing capability that many riders will never outgrow.
Mass centralisation ensures an easy and responsive ride
Pro-Link rear suspension system puts the smooth power to the ground and the Showa 41mm fork works with the new frame’s steering geometry provide maximum front-wheel traction.
Pro-Link suspension joins Showa forks
Braking is handled with new petal-style rotors for improved modulation, heat transfer and mud clearing and the CRF race-inspired aggressive, compact bodywork allows improved rider/machine interface.
Boasting Honda reliability, the CRF250F is designed to suit a wide range of riders
The 6L steel fuel tank contains an internal fuel pump with a reserve level sensor; a bar-mounted “low fuel” indicator light means no more reaching down to switch the tank’s petcock to reserve.
The 2019 pre-season has been different to any other before it for reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez after a substantial shoulder operation in early December.
Marc Marquez
With some trepidation, Marquez rolled onto a track in Alcarràs, near his home in Cervera, to see if the shoulder was ready for the demands of a bike. The young Spaniard reported that even though he was on a low performance machine he still much has strength to regain in order to cope with braking forces.
Marc Marquez
Now the attention turns to the Sepang Test on February 6 – 8 when Marc Marquez and the Honda RC213V will meet again as they prepare to defend the Triple Crown.
Marc Marquez
“I needed this!” beamed Marquez after his first run. “I touched my elbow on the ground! Riders in general need to have their minds clear. At least on the trip to Malaysia, which is 14 hours long, I will be thinking I have ridden a bike, got on the brakes, felt the throttle and the clutch. We have done a few laps that have helped me to see where things are. This week we have to work on it. It was pretty much what I expected, the large force under braking – especially left-handers, where I have to support my left shoulder was problematic. That is where we have to continue working, have patience in Malaysia and get to March at full fitness.”
Marc Marquez
Marquez had extensive surgery in order to resolve a recurring dislocation of his left shoulder. The issue had persisted throughout the 2018 season, and the winter break was the down-time period available to try and repair the damage.
Marc Marquez
With recovery predicted to take many months, Marquez and his team set about building a plan to strength the shoulder and prepare for the Sepang Test on February 6 – 8.
Marc Marquez
Hours of work with his physiotherapist Carlos J. García and highly targeted training in the gym became Marquez’s new winter routine. But, the seven time World Champion kept his focus, pushing to be as fit as possible for Malaysia.
Marc Marquez
The goal of returning to racing his Honda RC213V remained his motivation throughout and each week offered a new milestone. First, ride a mountain bike and then return to training with motorcycles. A practice bike would be the shoulder’s first test of 2019 and on January 29 – just under two months after his operation – Marquez was back on track.
Honda Australia celebrates its 50th birthday this year, marking half a century since the company was established locally on February 4, 1969.
Although Honda products had been imported and distributed around Australia by a variety of private companies since the 1950s, the brand’s official local presence began when Honda Motor Company in Japan sent Mr. Hidehiko Shiomi to Melbourne to setup a unified, national representation for Honda in Australia.
Honda in Australia for 50 years
“Honda Australia was a Honda subsidiary set up primarily to sell cars, but it has since grown with the global Honda brand to deliver a wide range of products and services that help make people’s lives more enjoyable,” said Honda Australia Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Hiroyuki Shimizu.
From cars and motorcycles to generators, lawn mowers and marine engines, Honda’s diverse range of products have been enjoyed by millions of Australians over the last 50 years.
Honda in Australia for 50 years
To mark such a significant milestone, a unified Honda Australia has created a one-off collection of some its current iconic performance products, resplendent in striking gold bodywork as the traditional symbol of a 50th Anniversary.
“We thought about how we could celebrate our birthday and our unique diversity in a bold and fun way. I mean, who has ever seen a golden mower or generator before?” said Mr. Shimizu.
“To Honda, performance means more than speed – each product is designed to perform at a level that exceeds the expectations of the customer. We’re looking forward to showcasing these amazing golden products around the country throughout 2019, so stay tuned for more information on that front.”
Honda in Australia for 50 years
The Honda Australia ‘golden era of performance’ lineup covers everything from generators to supercars, featuring seven of Honda’s latest and greatest products:
NSX hybrid supercar
Civic Type R high-performance hot hatch
CBR1000RR Fireblade motorcycle from the Supersport range
CRF450L next-generation motorcycle from the Enduro range
CRF50F Kids Fun bike, Honda’s best-selling off road machine
HRU19 Buffalo Premium lawnmower, proudly designed and assembled here in Australia
EU22i Generator, the world’s best-selling Super Quiet, leisure generator
Honda in Australia for 50 years
The celebratory golden collection of products will be used throughout the year to inspire, thank and connect with Honda Australia customers.
“Achieving 50 years of longevity and continuity in business is a significant milestone, but none of this would be possible without our people. Our team at Honda Australia and our dealer network across the country are exceptional at what they do and I thank them for their contribution”, said Mr. Shimizu
“Most importantly though are our customers. Honda would be nothing without our customers – both long-term customers and new customers all contribute to making this brand what it is today. I am very proud to be a second-generation Managing Director of Honda Australia and incredibly grateful to all our customers for their ongoing loyalty, trust and belief in the Honda name.”
Honda in Australia for 50 years
Honda Motorcycle and Power Equipment Managing Director, Mr. Robert Toscano, is pleased to see both Honda subsidiaries partner for this special milestone.
“Honda products have been instrumental in shaping the landscape of modern Australia over the last 50 years – take the CT110, more commonly known as the Australia Post, ‘postie bike’, which has helped deliver the mail to Australians all across the country for generations,” said Mr. Toscano.
“I am proud to have been a part of the journey so far and it’s fantastic for us to celebrate this together, we all look forward to the future and the next 50 years of Honda in Australia.”
Honda in Australia for 50 years
Creating the golden products
Honda Australia has partnered with Melbourne-based specialists Vinyl Wraps and Graphics to conceptualise and produce the striking gold bodywork on each of the products. A gold chrome film was laminated with a clear satin film to help disperse reflections, resulting in a unique and refined finish that changes tone with the prevailing light source.
Honda in Australia for 50 years
Honda in Australia for 50 years
In 1969, Hidehiko Shiomi established Honda Australia from his flat in South Yarra – a Honda subsidiary set up primarily to sell motor vehicles
Honda Australia’s car range rapidly grew from quirky microcars to state-of-the-art hatchbacks, sedans, sports cars, people movers and SUVs
Honda quickly became known as leaders in engineering, reliability and quality, all values which remain today
More than five million Honda products have found homes across Australia over the 50 years
Honda vehicles have won more than 50 local automotive awards during the 50 years, including six Wheels Car of the Year awards
Honda Australia is part of one of the most diverse mobility portfolios in the world, ranging from generators through to jet aircraft
Honda has been the number one motorcycle brand in Australia, consecutively for over 15 years
Honda still manufactures and assembles lawn mowers in Australia today
The year was 1969, John Gorton was the Prime Minister of Australia, a dairy farm hosted a festival called Woodstock and Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, declaring it “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, working in a modest South Yarra apartment, Hidehiko Shiomi and David Morwood were making a giant leap for the Australian car industry by creating what we now know as Honda Australia.
Honda Australia’s early start-up range of quirky microcars, the 360cc and 600cc-engined Scamp, were quickly followed by the Life and Z360 models. These simple but reliable and beautifully built small cars set the scene for a broader range of bigger, more sophisticated cars.
The Coupe 7 and Coupe 9 models, with their air-cooled 1.3-litre engines, showed Honda meant business, while the critically acclaimed Civic that debuted here in 1973 proved that Honda was indeed a genuine player in the local market.
Honda in Australia for 50 years
The Civic launched here initially as a two-door sedan priced at just $2,199 but it was also available with a popular and practical hatchback option for an extra $70! It was fitted with a 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine and was a major turning point for the company, going on to become one of Honda’s most enduring model lines.
Over the next decade, Honda Australia went from strength to strength. The bigger, more luxurious Accord hit the market in 1977 and almost immediately won the Wheels Car of the Year award, the first Japanese car to do so – but not the last Honda to claim the prestigious title.
Since then, the innovative Prelude 4WS sports coupe, NSX supercar, Odyssey MPV, Accord Euro sports sedan and CR-Z hybrid sports coupe all won the coveted Wheels COTY crown, with Drive Car of the Year, Australia’s Best Cars, Wheels Quality Awards and Australian International Design Awards trophies joining them in Honda’s display cabinet.
Meanwhile, the motorcycle market in Australia in the early 1970s enjoyed the much anticipated and hyped release of the CB750, the model that revolutionised high performance bikes across the world. The CB750 was the first bike to offer a front wheel disc brake, electric start and an inline-four engine as a mass-produced product, all at an affordable price.
The CB750 quickly became a well-established model down under, amassing a cult like following that still exists today. It ultimately then paved the way for the high performance, mass-produced Superbike movement that ultimately resulted in Honda’s famous CBR Fireblade dynasty.
Honda CB750 Four – 1969
In the off road scene, Honda released many key models that revolutionised their respective market segments, including but not limited to: the XL and XR ranges, the CR range and kids fun bikes, like the QR50, XR50 and CRF50.
2019 Honda Monkey
Models like the Z50 and Honda Dax became household names right through the ‘70s and now reimagined versions of these classics have been released, with the new 125cc Monkey hitting showrooms in July 2018 and C125 Super Cub in January this year, further highlighting Honda’s continual appeal to Australians of all ages.
Honda Super Cub C125
As the car range grew in size and popularity, Honda Australia’s operations base also grew to meet the demand. A new national headquarters building, the company’s current power base, was opened in Tullamarine, Victoria, in 1981.
Not long after, Honda continued to move upmarket with the arrival of the flagship Legend in 1986, a true large luxury car powered by a sophisticated 2.5-litre V6 engine. The Legend was soon joined soon by the sports inspired twin-cam Integra and then later, the Civic-based CRX sports coupe – both capitalising on the engineering success that Honda was enjoying in field of Formula One.
The advent of VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) was one of Honda’s most well-known technological advances. It was an entirely new approach to engine design, solving the dilemma that had plagued engine design for over a century – where improvement in one area (performance at high engine speeds) could only be achieved at the expense of another area (drivability at low engine speeds).
The 1989 Integra was the first global model powered by a VTEC engine – it combined superior everyday drivability with a specific output of 100 horsepower per litre of engine capacity, at the time an unheard of feat in a production engine. The NSX supercar was the first Honda model in Australia to be equipped with VTEC, when it launched locally in early 1991.
“Honda Australia is part of one of the most diverse mobility portfolios in the world, with Honda products covering a broad spectrum from generators and lawn mowers, through motorcycles and cars, to jet aircraft,” said Honda Australia Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Hiroyuki Shimizu.
“Over the past 50 years, well in excess of five million Honda products have been purchased by Australian customers, which is a huge accomplishment for our business.
“Honda Australia started with just one employee, but today we have over 300 associates, are represented by 106 automotive dealerships and more than 800 motorcycle and power equipment distributors around the country, so we are extremely proud of the contribution we have made to Australian society.”
The product diversity in the world of Honda
Honda Australia continued to expand, not only with its model offering but also in capability for local production. In 1986, a small team explored the concept of starting a lawn mower assembly and production line to produce mowers for the local Australian market. By late 1987, Japanese engineers arrived in Australia to assist with setting up the assembly line and soon after HMA (Honda Manufacturing Australia) was born. The original assembly line team consisted of seven workers – two of those workers still work at Honda today.
On February 17, 1988, the first Australian made lawn mower rolled off the local assembly line, a HRU194PU (push mower). Staff were tasked with naming the new mower and settled on ‘Buffalo’, a name that is still in use today across the expanded mower range. In May 1989, the first self-propelled mower, the HRU214SU, rolled off the production line. Australian Honda mowers quickly gained a strong reputation for their quality and reliability, to the point where Honda had an 80 per cent share of the commercial mower market.
Mowers were not the only top seller for Honda in the Australian market, with quality Honda engines powering products since the 1970s. The ‘GX range’ of engines came to market in the early 1980s and are still found on virtually every type of Australian made product of commercial and domestic capacities – including pumps, generators and construction equipment in Australia.
With this growth and diversity in the product line up, it was clear Honda Australia needed to expand. In late 1991 the Honda Motorcycle and Power Equipment Company, known as Honda MPE, was created as a subsidiary of Honda Australia, supplying equipment to industry, private users and motorcycle riders.
Almost every Australian home was touched by a Honda on a daily basis – every time the ubiquitous red Honda CT110 ‘Postie Bike’ delivered the mail, in fact. It has proven to be such a popular machine that a Postie Bike Grand Prix is held each year in the NSW town of Cessnock, while the Variety Club uses the diminutive bikes for an annual charity fundraiser.
The Honda Cross Cub 110 ‘CC110’
Over the last 50 years, Honda has continued to produce a motorcycle for every Australian, from enthusiastic kids and commuters, to fully-fledged Supersport fanatics and agricultural four-wheeled product, purpose built for farmers. If there is a need, Honda will build it and build it well, garnering an enviable reputation for quality and reliability no other brand can boast.
Safety and training are also a big part of Honda’s history globally and in Australia, with HART (Honda Australia Rider and driver Training) opening its doors locally in 1989. HART is considered the leading motorcycle trainer in the country, training over 25,000 students each year.
“Our customers are just as passionate about our products as we are – we would not have been the No.1 motorcycle brand in Australia consecutively for over 15 years if this wasn’t the case and that is something we are really proud of. Honda is a brand many Australian consumers truly rely on and have done so for the last 50 years,” said Honda Motorcycle and Power Equipment Managing Director, Mr. Robert Toscano.
“Our products fit so well into daily life, be it our motorcycles, our two and four-wheeled farm products that help power the Aussie farm industry, right through to our industrial, domestic and commercial customers that use our engines. It’s been a very successful and rewarding 50 years for Honda in Australia and we are certainly looking forward to the next 50 years.”
Honda’s TRX500FA6
Striving to be a company that society wants to exist
Honda Australia also showed it had a social conscience to parallel its technical, sporting and corporate achievements when, in 1992, it founded The Honda Foundation to help fund and empower disadvantaged Australians and organisations that are focused on helping others.
Funded by contributions from Honda Australia, private donors and more than 100 dealerships across the country – for every new Honda vehicle sold in Australia, the dealership donates $5 and Honda Australia donates $10, taking the total to $15 per vehicle.
Over the past 27 years, The Honda Foundation has donated close to 11 million dollars to hundreds of worthy causes, charities and organisations, including providing relief for victims of natural disasters and supporting the development of new technologies and research to fight disease.
During the tenure of Honda Australia’s third managing director, Mr. Kazuo Shimizu (father of current Honda Australia Managing Director, Mr. Hiroyuki Shimizu), Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy. The Federal Government asked Honda Australia to supply as many generators as possible to alleviate the shortage of electricity in the city.
The company supplied every generator in stock and they were flown by C-130 Hercules to Darwin. Honda Australia also donated $50,000 worth of small generators, which were used for single-person accommodation.
Honda Australia has also provided funding over the years to the Bushfire Appeal in Victoria, while most recently it donated $100,000 to Rural Aid Australia, via The Honda Foundation, to assist farmers in drought-affected communities.
Honda’s environmental desire: To leave blue skies for our children In 2001, Honda introduced the world’s most fuel-efficient petrol-powered production car to Australia. The pioneering three-door Insight coupe was first petrol-electric hybrid car to be achieve compliance for the Australian market.
It used a highly efficient 1.0-litre three-cylinder VTEC ultra-low emission (ULEV) engine in concert with an ultra-thin electric motor. Called Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), the petrol-electric powertrain was the key to the Insight’s revolutionary fuel efficiency, which achieved a world-best 2.8 litres per 100km on the highway cycle and 3.6 litres per 100km city cycle – about half the fuel consumption of a Honda Civic.
To prove its efficiency, one of the first Insight vehicles to arrive in the country was driven from Brisbane to Melbourne on less than one 40-litre tank of petrol, using just 37.75 litres for the 1,700km journey and setting a new Australian fuel consumption record in the process.
A second-generation Insight, in a new five-door hatchback design, arrived in 2010 and was followed by a number of other hybrid models, including the multi-award-winning CR-Z sport hybrid, Civic hybrid, Jazz hybrid and Accord hybrid.
The cutting-edge, second-generation NSX is the latest hybrid model in Honda Australia’s model lineup. It was the world’s first supercar to utilise hybrid electric motors to enhance and elevate every element of its dynamic performance: acceleration, braking and cornering.
A technological tour-de-force, the NSX is Honda’s flagship model and the ultimate expression – in series production form – of the company’s vision for sporty and advanced vehicles. It represents a critical step in re-establishing Honda’s passion for performance enabled by advanced technologies.
In a bid to ensure impact on the environment was minimised in as many engines as possible, Honda lead the motorcycle industry by being the first manufacturer to stop production of the two-stroke engine due to concerns about their environmental impact.
Furthermore, all Honda marine and power products sold in Australia have only ever contained four-stroke engines. Mower manufacturing in Australia also saw positive change following an edict by company founder, Mr. Soichiro Honda, to utilise powder-coated parts in place of chrome plating, as the latter impacts people just as much as the environment.
Without racing, there is no Honda
Since the days of its founding, Honda has been engaged in various motorsports activities in the pursuit of being the best in the world. By competing in various types of racing, Honda has been refining its technologies and human resources, and sharing the fun, joy and inspirational experiences with many fans and customers.
Wayne Gardner – 1987 World Champion
Honda has been involved in Formula One, either as an entrant, constructor or engine supplier, for various periods since 1964. When the Australian Grand Prix became a round of the FIA F1 World Championship in 1985, the race was won by Keke Rosberg in a Williams-Honda.
Mick Doohan – Honda NSR500
Locally, Honda Australia has most recently been involved in the Australian Rally Championship, claiming both the driver and manufacturer championships in 2012 and 2013 with Eli Evans in what was affectionately referred to as the “world’s fastest Jazz”.
Australian riders Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner became household names after winning eight 500cc GP and MotoGP World Championships between them onboard Honda’s famed NSR500 and RCV211.
Casey Stoner – Valencia 2011 – Image by AJRN
Seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle world champion, Marc Marquez, currently races the latest RC213V.
Mick Doohan and Marc Marquez
Honda has also achieved great success in the Australian Superbike Championship, holding the most titles of any manufacturer with 11 crowns, including the current 2018 title with Tory Herfoss on board the CBR1000RR SP Fireblade.
Penrite Honda – 2018 ASBK Superbike Champions – Image TBG
In the Australian Supercross Championship, factory Honda Racing has won the last three championships, as well as five titles in a row across the 250cc and 450cc classes on board the CRF250R and CRF450R.
Justin Brayton and Penrite Honda teammate Brett Metcalfe – Australian Supercross 2018
The next 50 years
The future for Honda Australia will be one focused on advancing the joy of our customers in their daily lives through mobility. Honda will continue to develop and bring to market advanced technologies, creating value and mobility like no other brand.
“We are striving to be leaders in the areas of environment and safety, and will continue to invest heavily to become a company that leads efforts to realise a carbon-free and collision-free society,” said Honda Australia Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Hiroyuki Shimizu.
“What is crucial to us in the midst of the technology evolution, however, is that we don’t lose the human touch. Electrification, connectivity and autonomous developments are all in the future, but we must always ensure that we connect with our customers and deliver an experience that reflects the heartbeat of Honda.
“Delivering joy and connecting with our customers will always be a priority for Honda Australia.”
Lofty goals, yes, but Honda has always believed in the power of dreams.
Reigning Australian Superbike (ASBK) champion Troy Herfoss is out for redemption on the world stage in the opening round of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this February 22-24.
Returning as a WorldSBK wildcard for the second year in succession, the soon-to-be 32-year-old says the difficulties he and his team had in 2018 serve as motivation to really get amongst it in 2019 – in a field that will contain superstars such as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki), Alvaro Bautista (Ducati), Tom Sykes (BMW), Alex Lowes (Yamaha), Leon Camier (Honda), Leon Haslam (Kawasaki), Chaz Davies (Ducati) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha).
Troy Bayliss and Troy Herfoss raced wheel to wheel in the ASBK season opener at Phillip Island – TBG Image
“The original plan was to do a WorldSBK wildcard in my second year with Deon (Coote), but we got a bit excited and jumped straight in the deep end last year,” said Herfoss, who was raised in Goulburn (NSW) but now lives on the Gold Coast. “As a result, we were underdone but on the flipside we learnt a lot of things which we can bring to the table in 2019.”
Troy Herfoss – Winton ASBK 2018 – Image by TBG
Melbourne-based Coote took ownership of Honda Australia’s official superbike team at the start of the 2018 season and, while the WorldSBK wildcard campaign was eventually scuppered by mechanical problems last year, Herfoss had a great year in the domestic series and went onto win his second ASBK title in three years – adding to a stellar CV already embedded with national supermoto (2006) and supersport (2010) titles.
Troy Herfoss celebrates the 2018 title victory – Winton ASBK 2018 – Image by TBG
However, the disappointing WorldSBK wildcard in 2018 is something that Herfoss is determined to redress, and he says all the elements are in place to make that happen.
“The whole team have put in a lot of effort to build a bike that’s capable of running a lot further up the field,” said Herfoss, who competed in the recent RoadNats cycling titles alongside his partner, Emily.
Penrite Honda – 2018 ASBK Superbike Champions – Image TBG
“We know we are going to be competitive with a more complete package and a wealth of knowledge that we gained last year. If I can get the bike fully up to speed I want to be in that 8-12 group pace – and who knows what can happen after that once tyre life and all those variables come into play.”
Troy Herfoss – Image by Colin Rosewarne
Herfoss is particularly looking forward to the new WorldSBK ‘triple treat’ formula, which will make its debut at Phillip Island with a 10-lap sprint race at midday on Sunday, sandwiched between the traditional pair of 22-lappers at 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Troy Herfoss – Winton ASBK 2018 – Image by TBG
“The sprint race is a similar distance to the ASBK races, so it’s something that I’m used to,” said Herfoss. “It’s a great concept and is certainly going to make for a hot pace – it’s going to be interesting to see how it all pans out.”
Troy Herfoss – Winton ASBK 2018 – Image by TBG
The opening round of the 2019 ASBK title will also be held alongside the WorldSBK round, but Herfoss is unfazed by the double duties. He said: “I enjoy racing the world championship and ASBK class at Phillip Island, and I deal well with the physical and mental pressures. It really helps me get into a groove.”
Troy Herfoss – TBG Image
In total, 13 races will be held at Phillip Island across Saturday and Sunday, with supersport and production 300 the other two national classes supporting the world championship categories: WorldSBK and WorldSSP.
Goulburn teenager Tom Toparis is the Aussie wildcard in WorldSSP – and just like Herfoss is backing up from 2018. Toparis was 15th in last year’s WorldSSP race on a Kawasaki, but will be riding a Yamaha in 2019.
Tickets now on sale
A three-day general admission for the WorldSBK round is $120* secured in advance, and includes FREE Paddock Access. Add four nights camping to your purchase and the total cost, including event entry and Paddock, is $230* .
If you feel like splashing out, step up to a Bar SBK ticket at $265* (with camping $375*) and enjoy undercover facilities at Doohan Corner, Siberia and Lukey Heights.
World superbikes is free for kids 15 and under, and so is your bike. For all ticket and racing information, visit www.worldsbk.com.au or Ticketek.
David Johnson joins Ian Hutchinson at Honda Racing
South Australia’s David Johnson will line-up next to Ian Hutchinson on the roads, as the Honda Racing team prepares for the start of the 2019 road race season.
The pair will lead Honda’s charge on the roads at both The International North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT.
Both road experts will contest the Superbike and Superstock 1000 classes aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, with the team also preparing a CBR600RR Supersport machine for Ian.
Jonny Twelvetrees – Team Manager
“I’m really pleased to have ‘Davo’ with the team for this season, he’s been a strong contender since his debut in 2010 and I know it won’t be long before he’s on the TT podium. He had a good season last year with two 4th places at the TT and a podium at the Ulster, so I’m excited to see what he can do on the Fireblade this year. With Hutchy we’re certainly going to see a huge difference compared to last year. Since the TT he’s had a lot of quality bike time, both on-track and also road riding, as always he’s training hard and will be coming into the season right back up there; so I think we’re in for some good racing. I’m looking forward to getting everyone together at the first test so we can start pushing on. It’s a long time between the races so the competitiveness has time to build up!”
Honda are hoping to put more Fireblades back on the Superbike podium at TT 2019
‘Davo’ made his debut at the TT in 2010 aboard Honda machinery where he claimed the accolade of fastest newcomer that year. The Australian has since racked up three 4th place finishes at the Mountain Course and was close to a podium last year in the Superbike race. His best result at the Ulster GP has been 3rd (2018) and 7th at the NW200.
David Johnson
“I am really happy to join the Honda Racing team for this season. Over the years they have been incredibly successful on the roads and won a lot at the TT; I feel that I will gel with the Fireblade, so I’m very excited to get started and ride the bikes. With Hutchy getting fitter from his injuries I think we’ll work together well and I will have some great people around me in the team. I can’t wait to get back to the UK and start testing!”
David Johnson – Image Russ Colvin
Teammate ‘Hutchy’ continues with Honda after a valiant return last year, while recovering from injury. Displaying incredible drive and determination throughout 2018, the ‘Bingley Bullet’ is coming into the new road racing season with more bike time under his belt as he looks to return to winning form.
Ian Hutchinson
“I’m feeling confident coming into this season on the roads. Last year was about building back up and learning the Fireblade again. The results were a little disappointing, as they didn’t reflect the hard work that went in behind the scenes. But since the TT I have been out on a track Fireblade and also my road bike, so with that mileage and the testing programme we have for this year, I think we’ll be in a strong position when we arrive at the North West 200. I’m keen to get started and looking forward to the team’s first test.”
Ian Hutchinson on his way to victory in the 2010 Senior TT on a Honda Fireblade
The Honda Racing team will now embark on a comprehensive testing programme before tackling the road circuits, starting with the North West 200 over May 12-18 before the TT which runs from May 25 through to June 7th.
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