Celebratory golden collection to be showcased around the country.
Image: Supplied.
Honda Australia and its motorcycle division are celebrating 50 years since the Japanese manufacturer established itself locally in the country with a series of gold motorcycles, cars and power equipment, including the CRF450L and CRF50F.
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 Hidehiko Shiomi to Melbourne to set-up a unified, national representation for Honda in Australia.
“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 and CEO Hiroyuki Shimizu.
“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?
“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.”
The celebratory golden collection of products will be used throughout the year to inspire, thank and connect with Honda Australia customers.
Celebratory golden collection to be showcased around the country.
Image: Supplied.
Honda Australia and its motorcycle division are celebrating 50 years since the Japanese manufacturer established itself locally in the country with a series of gold motorcycles, cars and power equipment, including the CBR1000RR Fireblade.
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 Hidehiko Shiomi to Melbourne to set-up a unified, national representation for Honda in Australia.
“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 and CEO Hiroyuki Shimizu.
“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?
“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.”
The celebratory golden collection of products will be used throughout the year to inspire, thank and connect with Honda Australia customers.
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.
The Motorcycling Australia (MA) Alliance has been fully operational under the MA Alliance Agreement since August 2018 when 6 State Controlling Bodies (SCB) (excluding Motorcycling Victoria) and MA signed the agreement.
The Alliance Leadership Team, consisting of a representative of each Alliance participant and two from MA, have been meeting fortnightly by teleconference since November 2018 to ensure a number of critical alliance projects are progressed as quickly as possible. These projects include the following:
Strategic review if what the MA federation should look like in the future.
Designing a completely new financial model for the MA federation.
Getting all our affiliated clubs operating on RiderNet before the end of 2019 – membership, events, on-line entries and ensuring all services to riders and participants are exclusively delivered online through RiderNet.
What should the MA federation look like in the future?
In this bulletin, we deal with the first of these projects, largely by putting to you the range of options.
What is the optimum insurance structure for the future?
Those of you who have participated in MA for a long time will recall that in 2001 the public liability insurer, HIH, went into liquidation, making it almost impossible for sporting clubs to obtain suitable public liability and other insurance. At the time, MA and the SCBs took the historic decision to establish a captive insurer, MA Insurance Limited (MAIL). That visionary and courageous decision has served this organisation very well since 2002. But will the current insurance structure serve us as well into the future? Some of the critical strategic questions we need to address are the following:
How should MAIL recover the costs of $1.8 million per year for public liability insurance that covers every club, every committee member, every official, every volunteer and every rider or participant from legal liability? Part of that cost must be recovered through, variously, affiliation fees, event permit costs and fees to participate in events. And what should the mix be?
Should personal accident insurance that costs the organisation $1.1 million per year (ie the insurance that covers riders for the cost of injury) continue to be compulsory? Or is there a case for making that insurance optional?
Should MAIL offer income protection insurance and on what terms? Should that be mandatory or optional?
Should MAIL insurance products be offered to non-members as a way of attracting those outsiders onto the MA community as members.
What should membership look like?
Currently, clubs are the primary members of the SCBs, SCBs are the primary members of MA and all club members are MA members by virtue of those primary memberships. A MA licence of any sort also confers membership on the licensee. But should we create an opportunity for any individual to acquire direct membership of an SCB and/or of MA for a modest membership fee in exchange for individual membership benefits (eg industry discounts, discounted major event tickets etc.).
Should MA remain a dominantly racing organisation?
Or should we also expand our operations into recreational riding in which the family can participate together. As an organisation, we have a very great advantage in that we, mostly though our clubs, have many and varied venues for motorcycling, albeit at the moment focussed on competition. How can we facilitate wider commercial opportunities for our clubs to accommodate purely recreational activities under rules and insurance that are very different from what applies to competition? How can we create more and varied opportunities for our riders, and the non-member public to ride at many more venues?
What are the mutually beneficial opportunities for MA and SCBs to better cooperate with the motorcycle industry?
Whilst we are all familiar with the way in which we currently interact with industry through sponsorship, industry-supported teams etc, what other ways can MA provide benefits to the industry in exchange for more revenue into clubs, SCBs and MA?
All ideas are welcome
There are a lot of questions here and these are only the main questions with which the MA Alliance is wrestling. In the course of the ALT’s considerations of these important strategic issues, we invite any member anywhere to submit to the Alliance via MA any ideas you have about MA’s future in writing. We assure you that the ALT will fully consider any sensible ideas, even radical ideas you wish to put.
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.
After having look at one of Kawasaki’s most famous race bikes in my last column, the two-stroke 750cc triple-cylinder Kawasaki KR750, I thought it would be interesting to have a look at a more modern Grand Prix machine from Kawasaki, this ZX-RR MotoGP racer as piloted by Alex Hofmann in 2004.
2004 Kawasaki MotoGP ZX-RR
Kawasaki’s entry into the new MotoGP class came towards the end of the 2002 season with riders Andrew Pitt and Akira Yanagawa.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
Andrew Pitt took the best result of that season for Kawasaki with a 12th place in the last race of the year at Valencia.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
For 2003 Pitt was joined by Garry McCoy and Alex Hofmann, the newcomers finished a disappointing season in 22nd and 23rd places. Pitt’s 2003 was as equally disappointing, taking only four championship points over the entire season.
2004 Kawasaki MotoGP ZX-RR
For 2004 Shinya Nakano joined Hofmann and went on to score the ZX-RR’s first podium, a third at the Japanese GP. He finished the year in 10th position, with Hofmann in 15th.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
The following year Olivier Jacque scored a second place finish in the Chinese GP, which together with Nakano’s second in Assen in 2006, and Randy de Puniet’s second at the 2007 Japanese GP were the bike’s best results.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
This Kawasaki’s ZX-RR had a claimed output of 240hp, with a dry weight of 145kg and a reported top speed of 320 km/h.
2004 Kawasaki MotoGP ZX-RR
It was also the loudest and nastiest sounding of all the MotoGP machine in that era.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
Kawasaki retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2008 season and instead elected to focus on World Superbike.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-RR MotoGP racer
This pictorial features one of Alex Hofmann’s 2004 bikes that I photographed in Germany.
Yamaha finance brands back Supersport 300 and R3 Cup classes.
Image: Foremost Media.
Yamaha Motor Finance (YMF) and Yamaha Motor Insurance (YMI) have repositioned their support for the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) by redirecting its sponsorship behind the series’ feeder categories.
The YMF/YMI partnership will continue into 2019 with the Yamaha Motor Insurance Australian Supersport 300 Championship and their return to the Yamaha Motor Finance R3 Cup/
Providing ideal stepping-stones into the larger classes, the two feeder categories will continue to produce exciting, elbow-to-elbow racing as the ultimate support act during selected rounds of the 2019 ASBK season.
“We support the philosophy of encouraging youngsters into the sport so they can step up through the R-family range and become a Yamaha customer for life,” said Yamaha Motor Australia director and COO Brad Ryan.
“Yamaha Motor Finance offers packages that gets riders onto an R3 Cup bike with minimal hassle. Finance is often a barrier for young racers to fulfil their potential, we want Australian riders to know that help is not far away.”
Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Doyle commented: “Having a relatively low-cost pathway for young riders to learn is so important for the growth of motorcycling in Australia, and it’s only with the support of companies like YMF/YMI that we are able to bring young talent through the ranks.”
The ASBK heads to Phillip Island in Victoria this weekend for the first and only official pre-season test, with the opening round set to take place at the venue on 21-24 February in conjunction with the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).
World championship still to be operated by Youthstream leaders.
Image: Supplied.
Promoter of the MXGP World Championship and Monster Energy Motocross of Nations (MXoN), Youthstream, has been acquired by sports marketing company Infront
Youthstream is the owner of the exclusive television, marketing and global promotional rights to the MXGP World Championship until the 2036 season, with the acquisition providing little impact at this stage of the agreement.
The deal covers several other events including the the Women’s Motocross World Championship, the Snowcross World Championship, the European Motocross Championship and the Motocross of European Nations.
The management of the Monaco-based company will remain unchanged under the direction of president Giuseppe Luongo together with David Luongo as CEO and Daniele Rizzi as COO.
“We have been successfully building this company over more than three decades and are now very much looking forward to continue to further develop our ambitious vision for motocross together with Infront as one of the leading players in global sports business,” Youthstream president Giuseppe Luongo explained.
“This agreement comes at the right moment for the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship and allows Youthstream to accelerate its international development. I am sure that the synergies we will generate will be of great benefit for all properties we represent.”
Infront’s president and CEO Phillippe Blatter said: “We are very glad to welcome the Youthstream team to the Infront Group. Under the proven management and expertise, the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship has become the premier event of off-road motorsport.
“Following the successful ownership and management of the FIM Superbike World Championship from 2007 to 2012, this acquisition provides us once again with a long-term property ownership in international motorsport further strengthening our comprehensive portfolio. We will collaborate very closely to further optimise fan experience, content offering and ultimately grow the global community in motocross.”
Infront is a leading sports marketing company managing a comprehensive portfolio of top properties. Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events, including the distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production, event operation and digital solutions.
Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of more than 1000 staff working from 39 offices across more than 14 countries, delivering 4100 event days of top class sport around the world every year. The opening round of the 2019 MXGP World Championship is scheduled to take place at Neuquen in Argentina on 3 March.
Dyce and Brewster make up two-rider squad in MX1 and MX2 categories.
Image: Marc Jones.
SB Motorsports and Suzuki Motorcycles Australia will form a new-look SB Motorsports Suzuki Ecstar Race Team for the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championship, the Victorian operation has confirmed.
The squad will field 2017 MX Nationals MXD champion Cody Dyce in the premier class for his maiden outdoor campaign in MX1, while Josh Brewster will pilot the all-new 2019 RM-Z250 in MX2 as a potential third rider is still to be determined.
“This is a big year for me stepping up to the MX1 class” Dyce explained. “I am excited to be working with Suzuki and the SB Motorsports team to have the opportunity to show everyone what I can do on the RM-Z450 against the best riders in the country.”
The new partnership with Suzuki and its genuine oil Ecstar is an exiting new platform for team manager Scott Brewster, which will see the outfit navigate its support through local dealerships Byrners Suzuki and Vern Graham Suzuki.
“It’s a great fit for us to be partnering with Suzuki for 2019,” Brewster commented. “We were searching for a partner to represent and grow a relationship with long-term, and Suzuki has been great to work with over the off-season creating this program, offering us a great platform through two of their largest dealerships to go racing this season.”
The opening round of the Pirelli MX Nationals is scheduled for 17 March at Appin in New South Wales, which commences the 10-round series that will be hosted over eight weekend.
Jawa Motorcycles have returned with such a vengeance in India, there could be pressure to export to other markets and delay the revival of BSA.
Currently, owners Mahindra Motorcycles are only licensed by the original Czech Jawa company to make and sell the bikes in India.
However, that could change in the next few years judging by the success of their three new Classic Legends models unveiled in India last November.
The bikes are currently sold out until November 2019 and caused such excitement that competitor Royal Enfield registered their first sales decline in several years in December.
Jawa Forty Two
BSA revival delayed?
Mahindra has released the bikes under the new brand called Classic Legends Private Ltd.
However, the revival of the British BSA brand could be held up while the company tries to cope with demand for its Jawa bikes.
The company had set up a website for Jawa orders but had to take it down after crashing from demand.
Jawa say they wanted to sell 90,000 bikes a year, but it could be more.
That will place huge pressure on their manufacturing resources and could delay the release of the BSA revival.
New Classic Legends
Perak bobber, Jawa and Jawa Forty Two
The new Indian-made Jawa motorcycles, currently only available for domestic sale, are the Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and Perak which will follow later this year.
The Jawa and Perak feature the traditional “egg-shaped” headlamp with integrated instruments. The Forty Two has a separate offset instrument pod.
Jawa
Forty Two
Other iconic features include a tool box, dual shocks, twin peashooter exhausts and flat bars.
Indian prices are Rs 1.64 lakh, Rs 1.55 lakh and Rs 1.89 lakh, respectively. That’s about $A3130-3600 ($US2280-2600, £1780-2050).
All are powered by a new 293cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which has been styled to resemble the original air-cooled motor.
It has a very modest output of 20kW (27bhp) of power and 28Nm of torque.
The bikes come with a disc brake on the front with single-channel ABS and a rear drum brake. To be considered for global exported, Mahindra will first have to update to all discs and two-channel ABS.
Jawa Classic Legends tech specs
Jawa
ENGINE: 293cc Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, Liquid Cooled, DOHC
BORE STROKE: 76 x 65
COMPRESSION: 11:1
POWER: 20kW (27bhp)
TORQUE: 28Nm
Jawa Forty Two
TRANSMISSION: Constant Mesh 6 Speed
FRAME: Double cradle
TYRES: 90/90 – 18; 120/80 – 17
SUSPENSION: Telescopic Hydraulic Fork; gas canister dual hydraulic shocks
BRAKES: 280mm disc with floating caliper and ABS; rear 153mm drum
