Heartland Honda: March 2011

Honda's trademark? Innovation.

Aside from staying on top of technology and safety, Honda is always looking to the future. Currently in development and even some in test markets are two of Honda's newest innovations: electric motorcycles, and motorcycle seat belts. Read on to see why Honda is the forerunner on two-wheeled technology.

Honda Starts Lease Sales of the EV-neo Electric Scooter

The EV-neo is an electric scooter developed for businesses such as transport of heavy goods or delivery services and which delivers a clean and quiet ride without compromising powerfulness. The vehicle qualifies as a first-class motor-driven cycle in Japan, for engine displacements of 50cc or less.

Honda plans to deliver about 100 monitoring vehicles between December 2010 and March 2011 to cooperating businesses in the monitoring program^*1 for collecting riding data and other useful information and to start lease sales of the EV-neo to general businesses and individual business owners in April 2011. The wide range of data collected from actual business use together with the data obtained from test operations^*2 of 10 prototype vehicles, conducted since October 2010, is expected to be used in future development of electric scooters and motorcycles.

On top of the excellent environmental performance offering a clean and quiet ride worthy of an electric scooter with zero CO₂ emissions while riding, the EV-neo leverages a motor that, even with cargo loaded, generates high torque even in the low-speed range to achieve a powerful starting and hill-climbing performance. An in-house manufactured motor and a lithium-ion battery that apply Insight technology have been adopted, and an exclusively developed quick charger enabling full recharge in 30 minutes in a 25°C environment allows charging to be conducted at convenient intervals during the working day. The EV-neo has been developed as a complete electric scooter that can be used in a wide variety of business situations. A body design, which features a wide and flat loading space that enables easy loading, and a flat floor that makes it easy to get on and off the vehicle, ensures ease of use in delivery services and other business situations. The EV-neo PRO, which is based on the EV-neo and will be put on sale simultaneously, adds a large rear carrier that is convenient for delivery of newspapers and other items, and a standard-equipment bracket that can further enhance load capacity by attaching a basket in front.

By offering products with outstanding environmental performance to more customers, Honda is committed to advancing its contribution to reducing CO₂emissions on a global scale.

Honda Developing Motorcycle Seat Belt

Yep, you read it right. Honda is working on a system of seatbelts for motorcycles.
Seems crazy, but it looks like a serious project from the patents Honda has filed for the system. Designed for bikes like the Goldwing, where the rider won't be hanging off or moving around much in the seat, the belt arrangement is designed to make sure an airbag can work more and to reduce the chances of injuries, particularly in the sort of accident where the bike comes to a sudden halt.
However, the firm has recognised that in a lot of accidents it's better to be away from the bike rather than attached to it, so it's new seatbelt system also has elements of ejector seat in the mix. When the computer senses that the bike is irretrievably tipping over it releases the entire seat, with the rider still attached, and inflates an airbag backrest. The idea is that having ejected you slide down the road in a sitting position, with the seat betwixt your hide and the asphalt. Sort of extreme tobogganing.

To be fair, when bike airbags were first mooted the idea seemed mad, and they've worked out pretty well on the Goldwing even if the idea hasn't spread elsewhere yet. Perhaps with enough development this could turn out to be a real safety boon. But we don't suggest you throw out your leathers just yet.

Honda Red Rider: #22 Chad Reed

For as long as he can remember, Chad Reed wanted to be the world’s best Supercross racer. Like so many other impressionable kids his age, he spent hours on end dreaming about being a factory rider and someday racing in America in front of stadiums packed with cheering fans. It’s a youthful dream shared by many, realized by few...and even fewer Australians. In Chad’s mind there was never a doubt that it was his destiny to be the next King of Supercross.

It wasn’t long before Reed had won all there was to win down under and after successfully defending his Australian Supercross Championship in 2000, Chad headed to Europe. Reed headed first to Europe to race the FIM World Championship series. The venerable series proved to be the perfect showcase for Reed’s natural talent and desire to win. He finished the year 2001 ranked as the second fastest 250cc motocross racer in the world, and it was clear that he’d soon reach his dream of racing in America.

Reed came to the States with one mission; to win the AMA Supercross Championship. He won the 2002 125cc East Coast Championship in his first year, which quickly propelled him into the factory Yamaha team and racing in the premier 250cc class. Even his first year against the best-of-the-best in 2003 was incredible when he won the World Supercross Championship.

Reed won his first Supercross title in 2004 by taking 10 victories for the season and finished 2nd in that year’s motocross season. 2005 saw the epic battle between Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart in Supercross. Reed finished the season with multiple wins and placed 2nd in the championship standings. Reed was again very competitive in 2006 despite suffering a level three shoulder separation in mid-season. Going into the final event of the season, Reed and Carmichael were tied for the points lead, making the 2006 season the closest AMA Supercross championship in history. Reed finished the season 2nd in points by only a 2 point margin.

For 2007 Chad Reed created his own team set-up under the Yamaha L&M Racing Team name and again piloted the number 22 factory YZ450F. The season kicked off with the usual battles between the three giants of Supercross; Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, with Reed winning the opening round of the World SX Championship in Toronto, Canada. Reed battled injury for much of the season, but still managed to finish on the podium at every round, with just one exception. This consistency delivered him the runner-up trophy in both the AMA and World SX Championships for 2007.

Reed entered 2008 Supercross season with a more relaxed approach and a renewed desire to win races. He won the opening event of the season and never looked back, going on to dominate a total of 9 Main Events and taking his second AMA and World Supercross title. The Aussie completed one of the gutsiest rides ever seen in the history of AMA Supercross when he remounted his bike and took to the grid only hours after being hospitalized with after a practice crash left him with internal injuries and severe damage to his shoulder.

Chad battled hard during the 2009 AMA Supercross Championship, narrowly losing the title to Stewart by 4 points. He elected to race the 2009 motocross season after a 2 year hiatus and clinched the title at round 10 of 12 rounds and accounted for 5 wins. In 2010 Chad began the year on board with Kawasaki. He battled injury and illness through both the Supercross and Motocross season. 2011 is a brand new year for Chad and his newly formed TwoTwo Motorsports team racing. Chad, entering the 2011 season aboard a Honda, is happy, healthy, and in championship contention.

Honda Red Rider: #41 Trey Canard

Without a doubt, the grueling and thrilling sports of professional Supercross and Motocross racing remain a young man’s game. But even within an endeavor loaded with young athletes who possess seemingly unbounded talent, the superlatives flow freely whenever the name Trey Canard pops up.

Canard got a brief first taste of professional racing at the end of the 2007 Motocross season, and his three subsequent years of full-time competition have not only honed his racing skills but also made him a champion twice over. Riding for the GEICO Powersports Honda team aboard his CRF250R, Canard captured the 2008 AMA Supercross Lites East Championship and the 2010 AMA 250 Motocross title. Moreover, when Canard filled in for an injured rider during the 2010 Supercross season, he capitalized on the timely opportunity to try his hand in the elite big-bike series aboard a Team Honda CRF450R by finishing on the podium five times in a row. Sure, many people were hoping he would do well, but five consecutive podiums mid-season on a new bike? Let’s just say that even more people were simply shocked to witness such a high level of success so quickly. Furthermore, Canard topped off the 2010 season by helping Team USA win the overall victory at the FIM Motocross of Nations held in Lakewood, Colorado—all in all, quite a meteoric rise in only three years! Now only 20 years old, Canard steps into the bright-shining limelight as one of two riders on Team Honda in 2011.

“As an amateur racer riding Hondas for the Factory Connection team, it was my dream to one day make it onto the Honda factory team, and to be given this opportunity now is a real honor,” said Canard. “I’ve been a part of Honda’s racing program for a long time in both my amateur and professional careers. I’m pumped to be able to continue that relationship into the big-bike class.

“I’ve been riding Hondas since my amateur days, so the transition from the CRF250R to the CRF450R felt very natural to me; you can definitely see and feel the family resemblance between these two bikes. Obviously, there’s more power to deal with when riding the 450, but I think that makes riding it even more fun. Despite being a bigger bike it handles incredibly well, and I can’t say enough about the support the team gives me; they are just great. And now that we’ve had more time to get the bike dialed in to my riding style, things have really come together well.”

“To be honest, I’m kind of blown away at how quickly Trey got a handle on racing the CRF450R,” said Erik Kehoe, Motocross Team Manager. “Not everyone can make the jump to the bigger bikes easily, but pretty much right off the bat Trey demonstrated his ability on the Honda CRF450R. Actually, his earning five consecutive Supercross podium finishes in the middle of the season last year was quite exceptional. And it wasn’t only his results that impressed me, it was also how quickly he came to grips with the new bike and got up to racing speed in the 450 competition, riding a new and bigger bike against the best riders in the world. A lot of credit has to go to Trey’s nature; he works incredibly hard and he’s very coachable, always willing to stay late and learn more.

“He showed a great deal of racing maturity last year in winning the 250 Motocross championship. He had to overcome a points deficit from early in the season, but he just kept focused on doing what he had to do and slowly but surely chipped away at the points gap, getting stronger and stronger as the season wore on. The title chase came down to the last race in the season, but Trey never got flustered; he just kept charging, and he made his own destiny and became a champion for the second time in three years.”

Now the young racer faces a new challenge, his biggest yet. Will he win a third championship in 2011 aboard a new bike, riding with the factory team? Well, judging from the rocketship arc of his racing career thus far, a title in the 450 class is certainly within his grasp.

Honda Red Rider: #14 Kevin Windham

Many knowledgeable race watchers consider Kevin Windham to be one of the most naturally talented riders the sport has ever seen. Now a veteran at age 32, the GEICO Powersports Honda racer's textbook riding style has blended with all his experience to carry him to the forefront of title contention. Windham remains at the top of his game, finishing second in the 2008 Supercross series and fifth in 2009. Despite battling stiff competition from younger competitors, he continues to defy all odds in this young man's sport, running up front race after race—much to the delight of the stadium crowds.

"As long as I'm still enjoying myself out on the racetrack and I'm still competitive up front, I'll continue to race," says Windham. "I was successful in finishing on a number of Supercross podiums last season and only twice missed finishing in the top 10—I’m happy with those results. I had some ups and downs, but I was able to stay fairly consistent."

In 2010, the Mississippi native again tackles the Supercross Championship aboard his Honda CRF450R, but he will opt out of the outdoor season this year as he did in 2009. Many Windham fans wonder why he has chosen to opt out of Motocross, especially considering the abundant success he's enjoyed outdoors in past years—he was the series runner-up for six years between 1999 and 2006.

"I love Motocross racing, but there comes a point in every racer's career where you have to pull back and reduce your schedule in order to increase your longevity and be able to stick around for a few more years," he explains. "I did race a few outdoor races last year mainly for the enjoyment of racing Motocross, and that was a lot of fun. But my focus will remain on the Supercross series in 2010."

As a veteran leader of the GEICO Powersports Honda team, it is only fitting that his younger, less experienced teammates look up to him and draw from his wealth of racing knowledge.

"It's great to have some of the younger guys around, especially on the Lites program," says Windham. "I enjoy helping them out when I can. Their willingness to learn brings a youthful essence to the team, which I enjoy. I learn from them, they learn from me, and it works well. I'm also looking forward to having Mike LaRocco overseeing things this year. He is definitely going to be a big help to the younger riders."

Off the track, Windham remains dedicated to his wife Dottie and his four children. Being a family man has changed the way he views racing and his life.

"I’m very lucky to have a supportive family that encourages me to keep on racing. Knowing they are proud of my achievements both on and off the track, and always having them here for me after each race, is important. When I am done riding at the end of the day, they come out and go for a ride with me on the bike, and that makes me proud. I wouldn't want my life any other way."

Could this SuperX season have any more drama?!

Wow! Another great weekend of Supercross racing, this time coming to us from Toronto, Canada last Saturday 3/26. This was the 12^th race of the 17-race championship series, and it followed in Jacksonville’s footsteps, yet again shaking up the points standings. At this point, with only 5 races to go, it could really be anyone’s game.

Right from the start, we saw French rider Fabien Izoird take the holeshot, and again James Stewart found himself on the ground before one lap was complete, taking points leader Ryan Villopoto with him. Last year’s champion, Ryan Dungey, was able to maneuver through the mess and take the lead by the end of the first lap, and keep himself there through the entire race.

With Villopoto and Stewart still playing catch-up, the finished the first lap in 9^th and 13^th, respectively. This, however, wouldn’t last. Stewart attempted a pass, the two made contact, and went down yet again. Stewart jumped back up to attempt getting through the field for a place, but Villopoto had to take a pit stop to address an issue with his bike.

James Stewart would be able to weave through the field to finish 4^th, while Villopoto was only able to make it up to 9^th by the finish. In the midst of those two hammering it out fruitlessly, Ryan Dungey held steady in the lead, warding off Chad Reed and Trey Canard, who took 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively. This was Dungey’s first win of the season, and 9^th turn on the podium. The reigning champion still has a lot to prove in order to repeat last year’s success, and he is sitting third in points now.

While Stewart and Villopoto can’t seem to keep their competitiveness in check long enough to finish a race without crashing, the other riders are making their way to the top of the points standings and shaking the entire series up. Some of those riders just happen to be on Hondas, in fact, including the current points leader Chad Reed. GO HONDA! Here’s a peek at the points standings going in to this weekend at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX.

Gas prices, AH!

Watching those gas prices rise got you breaking a sweat? How about hitting the open road and catching some wind, and anywhere from 50 to 114 miles per gallon. Sound better? It may be time to consider ruling the road on two wheels. Depending on your level of experience and personal taste in size and power of machine, I bet we have an answer. We’ve created a great starting point for you, and compiled a list of average fuel economies for current Honda lines. Take a peek at how much money buying a TOY could save you (that’s also a good arguing point if the old ball-n-chain isn’t immediately keen on the idea)! Just trying to help.

Keep in mind these are estimates. Where we could, the estimates came straight from Honda specification listings. Other estimates are based on “first rides” from various motorcycle magazines and reviews, or actual owner miles per gallon estimates.

Enter disclaimer:

Honda’s fuel economy estimates are based on EPA exhaust emission measurement test procedures and are intended for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you ride, how you maintain your vehicle, weather, road conditions, tire pressure, installation of accessories, cargo, rider and passenger weight, and other factors.

Honda leads the industry in safety technology.

You may have heard about Honda’s industry-leading innovation and technology. There are many ways in which Honda strives to stay way ahead of other manufacturers, and safety is one of them. You can rest easy when you throw a leg over a Honda machine, knowing that years of research and only the best technology and quality parts were used to build it. Want proof? Let us count the ways…

Honda developed the Dual Clutch Transmission with automated clutch and shift operation to deliver the same riding enjoyment as a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic, for enhanced comfort and sporty performance.

The HFT (Human-Friendly Transmission) is Honda’s new automatic transmission system for motorcycles. Until now, use of automatic transmissions in motorbikes was confined mainly to scooters. The automatic transmissions used in scooters could not be used in general motorcycles because of differences in the structure of the vehicle frames.

Electronically Controlled Combined ABS is the world's first electronically controlled braking system for super sport bikes. All levels of licensed riders can experience a new level of advanced braking performance on a large motorcycle simply by applying the brakes normally and firmly. The system is designed to electronically distribute front and rear braking forces to facilitate smooth braking without wheel lock.

Honda changed the industry standard when it developed production airbags for the 2006 Goldwing.

Based on an analysis of crash data indicating that many motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities occur when the rider collides with another vehicle, the road, or other objects after a frontal collision, Honda determined that the role of a motorcycle airbag should be to reduce the forward momentum of the rider.

This resulted in the development of an oversized, V-shaped airbag that offers increased stability as the rider comes into contact with it. Honda unveiled its production motorcycle airbag technology in 2005, followed by the release in 2006 of the Gold Wing Airbag, a production bike equipped with the world’s first motorcycle airbag.

While this is by no means a comprehensive list of Honda’s motorcycle technologies and innovations, it sure highlights why Honda leads the industry in its research and development. Honda only puts those wheels on the road that are fully backed by proven power and extensive testing. So what’s next? Well, we can never be sure until they are released, but there is a rumor going around that Honda is working on developing seatbelts for the larger touring bikes. Of course, we may not see them for quite a while (research and development, you know), and they would most likely be controversial at best. However, you can be sure that if Honda puts its name on something, you can trust it to be the best there is.

Supercross is heating up!

WOW, what a race last weekend in Jacksonville! Coming into race 11 of 17 for the season, we already had a points favorite in Ryan Villopoto, with James Stewart and Chad Reed trailing him by over 20 points. He’s also already taken the podium in 8 out of the 11 races now ran, and been in the #1 spot 5 times. James Stewart hasn’t let him get too far ahead, taking the podium 7 times so far, and grabbing the title spot 3 times.

Points Standings after 10 rounds (pre-Jacksonville)

Ryan Villopoto - 221

James Stewart - 195

Chad Reed - 192

Ryan Dungey - 183

Trey Canard - 169

BUT…. If you were watching last Saturday night, you saw how the mayhem played out. Neither Villopoto nor Stewart made the podium. In fact, neither one of them completed an entire lap in the final.

James Stewart won his qualifying heat, no surprise there. Ryan Villopoto, however, crashed in the first lap of his heat. He had to go the LCQ and, incredibly enough, crashed out of the LCQ race TWICE. Starting in last place twice after remounting, he can only make it back up to 8^th place before the end of the six-lap race, and does not make the main.

With Villopoto out of the main event, we could be looking at quite a race for the podium spots. They all line up; take off, and on the first straight of whoops there is all of a sudden a huge pileup. James Stewart finds himself at the bottom and has to limp off the track, to be taken away by stretcher on the medical cart.

The race turns out to be quite a battle between Trey Canard and Chad Reed (both Honda riders!), with Ryan Dungey staying just behind in third place. Canard will just hold off Reed through the final turn to take the win.

This has completely shaken up the points standings, and we can’t wait to see what happens this week in Toronto! Releases have been published stating that James Stewart suffered no serious injuries, and will be resting up and healing in anticipation of racing in Toronto. We hope he comes back strong in the sport of good racing, but we still have to say… GO HONDA!

Points Standings after Round 11

Ryan Villopoto - 221

Chad Reed - 214

Ryan Dungey - 203

James Stewart - 198

Trey Canard - 194

Daytona Bike Week 2011!

One of our Parts & Accessories associates, Jerrod, made the ride down to Daytona Bike Week this year. He went with a customer of his, and they had a blast! We decided to give him the vacation time to go, but insisted he share his pictures with us when he got back. Enjoy the show!