Honda Shadow Motorcycles, page #72

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Press launches - the ugly truth. Part 3

So with an afternoon of sightseeing completed (a rare luxury on most launches) it's back to the hotel for the press conference. These are you usually long winded, tooth pulling affairs with Japanese technicians insisting on speaking their bestest engrish which only serves to elongate the proceedings. Nothing kills a presentation more than reading every word of a powerpoint slide verbatum, even thought the viewers can read exactly the same words (and probably a lot faster).  The Crossrunner presentation was mercifully brief and snappy followed by dinner in the hotel and a reasonably early night as everyone had already been up for twenty hours.

Video: Honda Crossrunner v mountain pass

This road (the one in the video) was a previously unseen, super-steep mountain pass which needed first gear for the hairpins and second between them with an occasional grab at third on the quicker sections. It was the sort of road that pumps up your forearms and makes you crane your neck to see what's coming next (mainly cyclists). The surface was rubbish.

Press Launches - the ugly truth. Part 1

For the nosey amongst you, you might be interested to know what goes on during a 'press launch'. The phrase is used in passing in new model reports as if you should all know what it is. Like some kind of given.

MotoGP 2011: 'Expert' Predictions

What's instore for the 2011 MotoGP season. Anticipation for exciting racing that's more likely to be largely dull, one-horse races. Here are the Visordown predictions for the top three this year: Ben Cope: Stoner Lorenzo Pedrosa James Whitham: Stoner Lorenzo Rossi Niall Mackenzie: Pedrosa Rossi Spies Mark Forsyth: Stoner Spies Lorenzo Robin Goodwin: Stoner Pedrosa Spies Barring Mackenzie and his far-out choices, it's a unaminous Visordown support for Casey Stoner on the Repsol Honda.

Japan Needs Your Help

By now, we’ve all seen pictures and video of the devastation in Japan following the March 11 earthquake and the ensuing tsunamis. Japan, of course, has contributed much to motorcycling, with the Big Four of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha, as well as tire manufacturer Bridgestone, helmet companies Arai and Shoei and many other motorcycle industry stalwarts all coming from the Land of the Rising Sun. Jon Bekefy and Greg Hatton, two motorcycle enthusiasts, industry employees  and above all, humanitarians, have set up a fundraising campaign benefiting the Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan.

Schoolboy Heroes

A wet and grey day in Calais in 1992 wouldn’t be the obvious situation for a life changing experience, but for a 11 year old lad on a boring booze cruise from Dover this is exactly what happened. Pockets bulging with funny money I headed to the Tabac for the obligatory bangers, dirty playing cards and some sweets.  Then it happened, I stood in front of the magazine rack and reached up, as if drawn by an external force.  At the time I wasn’t tall enough for Playboy or L’ Escort so settled for a copy of Moto Verte, the French motocross mag.  Life would never be the same again. Inside there was a double page spread, with a fresh faced Jeremy McGrath resting a leg over his #15 Honda CR125.  Sporting a pair of fluro MX trousers with a, now retro, bright white surname emblazoned jersey, and casting an eye over a seriously vast motocross park.  I stared at this Sinisalo advert all the way home, partly because all the articles were in foreign, but also because I was transfixed.  What and how do I become a motocross champion?

Old boys up front and where are the new 600 Gixers?

As I’ve been gagging for the new race season to kick off so it was almost a pleasure getting up at stupid 0 clock to watch the World Superbike Championship  opener at Phillip Island last weekend. I have to say Messrs Burnicle and Whitham were on form although I was disappointed there were none of the usual verbal attacks on each other that always add to the entertainment.    I’m sure they will put things right soon but the world superbike regulars must have been disheartened that Moto GP veterans nailed five of the six available rostrum slots.

Flaming World Superbike Crash at 130mph [Video]

Get the Flash Player to see this player. Here is some spectacular footage of Castrol Honda World Superbike racer Jonathan Rea crashing during a pre-season test at Australia’s Phillip Island ciruit. Rea’s Honda CBR1000RR Superbike went up in flames just before he highsided at turn three at Phillip Island.

Japanese Motocompo Anime

Last week we revealed that Honda are likely to launch the new Honda Motocompo - over 30 years since the first version. I must admit, I'd never heard of it before we ran the news story, so I got onto YouTube and tried to find footage of a very efficient and humble Japanese businessman unloading one out of the boot of a Honda Civic in order to minimise their carbon footprint, but no... I couldn't find one.

Ducati vs. Honda vs. Suzuki: MotoGP porn

For all you lovers of perfectly welded titanium, amazingly machined aluminium and lovingly crafted fasteners; this blog's for you. These pics were shot at the Sepang MotoGP tests where the bikes were presumably being warmed up, ready for action. Take a look at that Suzuki, it's a work of art.