From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN BEGIN OVERSEAS ODYSSEY

The Ducati Marlboro Team arrives at Twin Ring Motegi to begin a gruelling run of four overseas races over just five weekends. Competing in the Land of the Rising Sun for the first and only time this year, the Italian squad is anxious to continue the progress made with its Desmosedici GP4 over the last few months.

Although riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss didn’t get close to the podium at the Marlboro Portuguese GP on September 5, both men rode determined races, racing through the pack from the fourth and fifth rows of the grid. But there’s no doubt that they face another tough weekend at Motegi, a Honda-owned circuit constructed by the Japanese manufacture to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1998, at a cost of US$350 million.

“We think this may be our most challenging race of the year,” says Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo. “We never test in this track and we’ve only been there once in 2003 for the Pacific GP. Last year we had a tough time at Motegi, but we really learned a lot, so we’re approaching this year’s race in a positive state of mind. Although our results at Estoril don’t look that great, our race pace was good, so I think we again showed we are improving. We know that we are heading in the right direction, so we’ll keep going in that direction.”

The Motegi track is very stop-and-go, dominated by slow-speed hairpins, so the most important performance factors are braking and low-gear acceleration. This requires a delicate compromise in set-up.

“At Motegi you need to set up the bike mostly for braking and acceleration, rather than corner speed,” says Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “But you have to be careful, because the two things usually don’t come together. If we choose the correct springs and suspension settings we can improve braking without hurting the bike’s attitude during acceleration and vice versa. Last year at Motegi we had a tough time, but it was our first visit to the place, so at least now we know what the troubles may be.”

After Sunday’s racing the MotoGP circus continues its end-of-season overseas odyssey, with the Marlboro Qatar GP two weeks hence, followed immediately by the Marlboro Malaysian GP and the Australian GP. The season concludes at Valencia, Spain, on October 31.

CAPIROSSI HOPES FOR BETTER LUCK AT MOTEGI

Loris Capirossi may only have finished seventh at Estoril two weeks ago but his ride was one of the most impressive of the day, considering he had been rammed off the track on lap one, regaining the tarmac in 19th place. At Motegi he hopes for better luck so he can display to full effect the recent improvements made to his Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4.

“I like Motegi very much,” says Capirossi. “The track isn’t particularly technical – just full throttle, brake, full throttle, brake. And all the hairpins make it very difficult for a rider to make a real difference over his rivals. But some sections are quite enjoyable. My favourite is under the bridge and then through the fast series of curves. I think the most important aspect of bike set-up is braking stability for all the hairpins. The bike gets better and better, so my current aim is to keep making progress, going for the best championship position and working to make sure we have an even better bike for next season.”

Loris’s third place of Motegi in 2002 was also the last time a two-stroke 500cc GP bike scored a podium finish.

BAYLISS RETURNS TO MOTEGI WITH A POINT TO PROVE

Troy Bayliss is looking forward to riding Motegi, after enjoying his first visit to the track last year. Unfortunately the Ducati Marlboro Team rider’s race ended after a few hundred metres, when he was taken out by another rider. So like team-mate Capirossi, the Aussie is also hoping for some help from Lady Luck at Motegi.

“I enjoyed riding the track last year,” says Bayliss. “But we didn’t really get things so good for the race, then I got taken out at the first corner, which was a bit of a bummer. Overall it wasn’t a great weekend, so hopefully we’ll have a better weekend this time around. It’s a pretty straightforward kind of a track. What you really need is good braking stability into all the hairpins because you can make up a lot of time on the brakes. And you need good low-gear acceleration and traction for the hairpin exits. We’ve had a couple of good results this year – Mugello and Donington – and we’ve made some pretty good progress, but it’s also been a bit frustrating at times. But all you can do is keep working at it.”

THE TRACK

Twin Ring Motegi is stop-and-go in character with few high-speed corners. The track features plenty of slow turns linked by medium-length straights which puts the emphasis on braking and acceleration performance. It’s not so popular with many MotoGP riders because they feel the track’s uninspiring layout doesn’t test their riding skills to the limit. On a positive note, the track is grippy, smooth and pretty safe. The venue hosted its inaugural Grand Prix, the Japanese GP, in 1999. Over the past four years Motegi’s world round has been called the Pacific GP, but this time the track once again hosts the country’s national GP.

The circuit, christened Twin Ring Motegi because it features both a Grand Prix track and an Indy oval, is one of the newer circuits on the GP calendar. The venue is located in the hills to the north west of Tokyo, between the cities of Mito and Utsonomiya. Motegi’s construction entailed a massive civil engineering project that included the razing of seven hills and the filling of two valleys.

MOTEGI DATA

Twin Ring Motegi: 4.801km, 2.983 miles
Lap record: Valentino Rossi (Honda), 1:48.885
Pole position 2003: Max Biaggi (Honda), 1:47.696

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER DATA LOGS

LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 31 (April 4, 1973)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 211 (41xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 36 (3xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Motegi 2003 results: Grid: 6th. Race: 8th

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 35 (March 30, 1969)
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP4
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 28 (27xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Motegi 2003 results: Grid: 10th. Race: DNF

From a press release issued by Honda Racing Information:

CAMEL HONDA RIDE AT HOME IN JAPAN

The forthcoming Camel Grand Prix of Japan is a crucial event for the Camel Honda team and its two riders. Both of them love the race in the land of the rising sun: especially Makoto, who rides at home, but also Max, who has close ties to the country and his Japanese fans, so much so that there is a local headquarters of his fan-club in the city of Yokohama. Beside all that, this race is a chance for him to make up for the misfortune he suffered in the Portuguese GP, whilst Makoto looks to continue the rich vein of form he finds himself in. The duo both like the Motegi track, last year Max took a brilliant victory whilst Makoto showed himself to be a competitive force.

Sito Pons – Camel Honda (Team Principal)
“The Grand Prix of Japan is a significant race for all the team, for our title sponsors Camel who have lent their name to the Grand Prix, for Honda who are at their home track, the same goes for Makoto, and also it is special for Max who took a splendid triumph there last year. For the team it was a second successive victory, given that the year before we got the same result with Barros. Our engineers have shown themselves capable of interpreting the track perfectly for the bike’s set-up, an important factor at this circuit, and so our objective is to continue in the winning ways of the previous two years.”

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin Tyres)
“To go and race at Motegi is something that will help me get over what happened in Portugal, not only because I like the track, but also because I like being in Japan, I have a lot of friends there and an exceptional fan club. As regards the GP itself, I aim to do a good race of course, as I did last year. I have worked very hard with the team on the bike, none of us have rested for a second, and we have succeeded, also thanks to the fundamental support of the Honda engineers, to get a good base set-up. The RC211V is a top level bike, and by collaborating with the factory technicians I should be able to enjoy it to its full potential.”

Luca Montiron – Camel Honda (Makoto Tamada Team Manager)
“The entire squad is happy to be going to Japan, because it is the home race for our rider, for our sponsor, for the factory we ride for and also for our tyre manufacturers! So our objective is obviously to get a great result, and everything is in place to be able to do so. The bike is going well, and the technicians have got the set-up of the RC211V working at all kinds of tracks. Bridgestone has made some significant progress and Makoto is in good shape at the moment. He likes Motegi and the fact of riding in front of his home fans and riding in his home country gives him enormous motivation, as with all the riders. We’re confident we will go well.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone Tyres)
“I can’t wait to ride in Japan. I love Suzuka and this year I missed it, but at last the Motegi race has come around. I left straight from the Portuguese GP to spend a bit of time at home but now I’m eager to get out onto the track. The bike is going well and the tyres have improved considerably, while the team know the requests I’m going to make. My aim is to get a fantastic result in Japan.”

2003 podium

1. M. Biaggi (Honda)
2. V. Rossi (Honda)
3. N. Hayden (Honda)


Pole Position
M. Biaggi (Honda -2003)
1:47.696


Official Record
V. Rossi (Honda – 2003)
1:48.885


Nº of laps
24 (115.224 km)



MotoGP Timetable:
6.00am CET
14.00 local time. (GMT + 9)




Characteristics
Length: 4,801 m
Width: 12-15m
Right turns: 8
Left turns: 6
Constructed in: 1997
Last modified: n/a

From a press release issued by FW Developments:

FW DEVELOPMENTS APPOINTED UK WISECO DISTRIBUTORS

As part of their continued development, Lancashire-based FW Developments have been appointed the UK distributors for Wiseco motorcycle four stroke road and race pistons.

Wiseco is a top quality brand well known in four stoke tuning circles and the American owned company has an ongoing commitment to the recreational and racing industries through engineering, testing and manufacturing the finest aftermarket pistons available today. It is a well known fact that Wiseco pistons are far superior to those supplied as standard in many production engines.

The company motto is “Quality People Building a Quality Product” and the synergy felt throughout Wiseco’s organisation reflects the quality, integrity and service that have become the backbone of the company’s success over the years.

Commenting on the deal, FW Developments Managing Director Frank Wrathall was delighted with the news:

“We only deal with top quality products and Wiseco pistons are the best there is in our opinion. We have supplied them to a number of top British Superbike teams whereby performance and reliability are pre-requisites and they have performed beyond all expectations. Wiseco prides itself in meeting or exceeding our customer’s expectations for each piston every time. The piston is the first line of defence against the extreme heat and pressures seen in the internal combustion engine. Good sealing, good reliability and tight clearances are of the utmost importance in making good horsepower and Wiseco wins hands down.”

Wiseco’s corporate headquarters is in Mentor, Ohio and boasts of over 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing and marketing space. Along with the Ohio location, Wiseco also has fully stocked and strategically located distribution centres throughout the USA and North America as well as outlets in South America, Africa, Australia and Asia as well as Europe, there’s little doubt as to why Wiseco has emerged as the world leader in the manufacturing of high performance forged pistons for the motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, personal watercraft, outboard marine, kart and automotive markets.

For further information, brochures and details, please contact Frank or Janice Wrathall on 01995 600680 or via e-mail [email protected]

From a press release issued by WERA:

WERA NATIONAL SERIES RETURNS TO NELSON LEDGES

GARRETTSVILLE, Oh.- After a long absence, the WERA National Series will make its return to Nelson Ledges this weekend, September 11-12, to stage round eight of the season in northern Ohio.

The Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series will start the weekend off with a six-hour endurance race at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 11. Veteran teams of the series have the advantage of having competed at Nelson Ledges in past years, including 24-hour events. New to everyone this year, however, is a repaved track surface. Teams will be faced with the challenge of learning the new surface and finding the appropriate tire compounds that will survive the quick but lengthy endurance stints.

This season, Vesrah Suzuki’s dominance in the endurance series has been challenged by both Army of Darkness, a Mediumweight Superbike-class team, and Heavyweight Superstock entrant Team Velocity Racing. A number of crashes and mechanical problems for all three teams have built up excitement at every round.

The WERA National Challenge Series sprint races will be held on Sunday, September 12, beginning at 12:30 PM. The ten-lap races will feature the top amateur motorcycle roadracers in the United States, as well as plenty of close competition.

Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey has been at the top of the field in several classes this season, including 750 Superstock, Formula One and Heavyweight Twins. Batey has become the proverbial carrot for the other entrants to chase, and the ensuing close racing and daring passes have become a trademark of WERA racing.

Other classes in the WERA National Challenge Series include Open Superstock, 600 Superstock and Superbike, 750 Superbike, Lightweight Twins and Formula 2. All of the races with the exception of Formula One and Open Superstock include both novice and expert classes, giving fans a full day of racing.

Tickets for the weekend, including an all-day practice on Friday, are available for $30. A Saturday/Sunday pass is $20, and Sunday-only is just $15 after 10:00 AM. Camping is available, as well. Nelson Ledges is located on Route 305 near Garrettsville, Ohio. Directions can be found at www.WERA.com or by calling the track at (216) 548-8551.

More information about the WERA National Challenge Series and the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series can be found online at www.WERA.com.

From a press release issued by Fastrack Riders Association:

Still haven’t made plans for the weekend or had your races cancelled??

Come on out to Barber Motorsports Park. Check out the museum too!!

Fastrack Riders is at Barber Motorsports Park this Saturday and Sunday and still have space available for all levels. Registration will open at 7:15am on Saturday morning. Three group rotation throughout the day insures plenty of tracktime for all.

For additional information for this weekend please contact us at 714-425-2159, Larry Pointer

From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

NAKANO SET TO DEAFEN TOKYO SHOPPERS THIS WEEKEND

Saturday afternoon shoppers at Tokyo’s Shinagawa Seaside Forest Oval Garden will need to take ear plugs with them this weekend, as Fuchs Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano will make an appearance aboard his Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine ahead of next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Nakano will be appearing at the Tokyo shopping centre from 2.15pm onwards on Saturday 11th September. The Fuchs Kawasaki star will take part in a one hour talk show, before signing autographs and posing for photographs with fans.

Determined to bring a little of the MotoGP pit lane ambience to the centre of Tokyo, Nakano will also be treating the assembled crowd to the sound of a 990cc inline four-cylinder engine through open exhaust pipes, when he fires up his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine on the main stage.

The noise limit for MotoGP machines is an ear splitting 130dB, which is equivalent to standing 100 metres behind a jumbo jet on takeoff, and right on the edge of the pain threshold. The Ninja ZX-RR is loud enough when it’s started and warmed up in pit lane, which is why all the Kawasaki Racing Team mechanics wear ear plugs during practice sessions, but in the confines of the Oval Garden the noise promises to be truly deafening!

For those fans unable to make the Tokyo event, Nakano will also be appearing on the KAZE and Bridgestone stands during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend at Motegi. The 26-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider, together with team-mate Alex Hofmann, will take part in a live question and answer session at the KAZE stand on Saturday 18th September at 16.00, after which they’ll sign autographs and pose for photographs before heading over to the Bridgestone stand at 16.30.

“Obviously Motegi is an important race for me as it’s the only time we race in my home country this season,” commented Nakano, who flew to Japan immediately after the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. “The build up to the race is pretty special too, and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at the Oval Garden and letting them hear just how loud the Ninja ZX-RR is close up. I hope everyone remembers to bring ear plugs!”

“The amount of support we get at every race is incredible, but there’s something extra special about racing in front of your home crowd. Motegi will be a busy weekend, both for me and for the team, but I think it’s important that we get out and meet the people who’ve travelled so far to see us during the course of the weekend. I just hope we get a good turnout at the KAZE and Bridgestone stands on the Saturday, and that we can give everyone something to cheer about in Sunday’s race,” continued the affable Japanese rider.

The Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi is the 12th round of the MotoGP World Championship and marks the start of four consecutive overseas races, taking in Qatar and Malaysia and ending in Australia on October 17th.

From a press release issued by MSS Discovery Kawasaki:

MSS DISCOVERY PAIR LOOKING TO SCOOP HAT-TRICK

MSS Discovery’s Pere Riba and Steve Allan are aiming to give the team a third successive win in the British Supersport Championship and National Superstock Championship at Oulton Park on Sunday.

The team has landed wins at the previous two rounds, in the National Superstock rounds, in the hands of team newcomer, Julien da Costa of France.

Da Costa is racing in the Bol d’Or 24-hour event this weekend and Riba and Allan want to keep the Kawasaki-backed team’s success rolling on.

Supersport ace Riba believes: “Going back to Oulton Park is a big bonus for me. It was a totally new circuit for me at the round in May and I was riding injured after a testing crash in France. This time I would really like to get myself and the Kawasaki ZX-6RR dialled in and hopefully challenge for a win.”

Riba is fourth in the championship point standings and the Spaniard knows that the final two rounds, at Oulton Park and Donington Park, offer excellent opportunities for him to take his first win of the year.

“We always knew that this year would be a little tricky with a new rider, new team and new machine,” adds Riba. “But, overall, I think we’re all pleased with the way the season has developed. I’m now looking for that to improve to another level with a good race here at Oulton Park and next week at Donington Park.”

Allan was back on the point-scoring trail with fourth place at Cadwell Park in round 10 of the National Superstock Championship two weeks ago and the Scotsman is hopeful of improving on that at Oulton Park.

“I’ve had a pretty grim middle to the year after making such a good start,” admits Allan who suffered a broken collarbone at Mallory Park in July. “But the ZX-10R is really feeling like the finished article now and I’m more than confident that I can challenge for a win on Sunday.”

Allan continues: “After taking sixth place here in May I know I can improve on that and I’d really like to keep the team’s run of wins going after Julien’s excellent performances at Croft and Cadwell Park.”

MSS Discovery team owners Stuart Simmonds (Discovery) and Nick Morgan (MSS) remain in confident mood as the season draws to a close and believe a return to Oulton Park will benefit the entire team.

Morgan says: “We went through a pretty steep learning curve at the beginning of the year with new bikes, new riders and a totally new team. Now that we’re settled in the results are beginning to come.

“We’ve won almost a third of the National Superstock races this year and the momentum is with us. Plus, we’ll hopefully have some exciting 2005 plans to announce at Oulton Park.”

British Supersport Championship points after 11 of 13 rounds: 1 Karl Harris (Honda) 197, 2 Jay Vincent (Honda) 167, 3 Michael Laverty (Ducati) 158, 4 Pere Riba (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) 110, 5 Luke Quigley (Suzuki) 91, 6 Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 87, 7 Leon Camier (Honda) 85, 8 Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 83, 9 Cal Crutchlow (Honda) and Craig Jones (Triumph) 57.

National Superstock Championship points after 10 of 13 rounds: 1 Tristan Palmer (Suzuki) 157, 2 Andy Tinsley (Suzuki) 149, 3 Danny Beaumont (Yamaha) 148, 4 Ben Wilson (Honda) 139, 5 Les Shand (Yamaha) 100, 6 Steve Allan (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) 72, 7 Howie Mainwaring (Yamaha) 54, 8 Marshall Neill (Suzuki) 53, 9 Julien da Costa (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) 50, 10 Craig Fitzpatrick (Suzuki) 44.

From a press release issued by the FIM:

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
Decisions of the Permanent Bureau

The Grand Prix Permanent Bureau, composed of FIM President Francesco Zerbi and Dorna Managing Director Carmelo Ezpeleta, confirmed the following decision taken unanimously by the Grand Prix Commission :

– Yellow Flag

“Shown waved at the flag marshal post, this flag indicates that there is a danger ahead. The riders must slow down and be prepared to stop. Overtaking is forbidden up until the point where the green flag is shown.

– Any Infringement of this rule during a practice session will result in the cancellation of the time of the lap during which the infraction occurred.

– (New:)In case of infringement of this rule during the race, the rider must go back to his position prior to the overtaking. The penalty will be first communicated to the team and then a board will be displayed for the rider on the finish line during a maximum of 3 laps. If the rider did not return to his previous position after the board has been presented 3 times, he will be penalized by a ride through (application: immediate).

– In both cases, further penalties (such as fine – suspension) may also be imposed.

– If immediately after having overtaken, the rider realise that he did an infraction, he must raise his hand and let pass the rider(s) that he has overtaken. In this case, no penalty will be imposed.

During the final inspection lap, this flag must be waved at the exact place where the flag marshal will be positioned during the practices and races”.

The Permanent Bureau also confirmed the decision taken by the majority of the members of the Grand Prix Commission:

In the MotoGP class only, in case of rain, the race will not be interrupted. (application: 1.1.2005)

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Effective immediately, quick-change equipment should be banned from the Toyota 200. Because only a few teams have access to the costly equipment. The AMA has already seen the problem and taken the initiative by disallowing its use for the Daytona 200. WSMC should do the same with the Toyota 200.

Today Stephanie Huth said the decision to ban the equipment was made due to time constraints. She went on to say there was not enough time for the teams to respond to the rule change. She was very forthright in accepting blame and said the mistake rested squarely on her shoulders.

Not enough time? I would understand if the decision were reversed. If all of a sudden quick-change equipment were to be allowed, several teams would not be ready. Additionally it is doubtful if the great majority of teams have the financial resources to acquire the prohibitively expensive equipment. For that matter, the most teams would find it difficult to justify the expense for a once a year event.

If the decision were made today that only conventional tire changes would be allowed, everyone could make their changes the old fashioned way. That, in my opinion, is fair.

If all race teams were to change tires conventionally, everyone is in the same boat.

As it is now, you have a few racers with deep pockets, or assistance from factory teams that have access to specialized equipment. That is unfair for the majority of racers.

You are a champion of the underdog–-a voice for the little people. I challenge you to rise up in defense of the privateer and fight for what is right and fair!

Tommy McComas
AMA SuperMoto #65
Los Angeles, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

By John Ulrich
Roadracing World

We are in favor of banning quick-change equipment. We are not in favor of banning quick-change equipment just five weeks before an annual race that has allowed it (and has been billed as “run what ya brung”) from its inception. Quick-change equipment should be banned for the 2005 Toyota 200, not now, especially since several privateer riders have been accumulating quick-change equipment and wheels for over a year.

From a press release issued by American Honda:

Honda unveils 2005 Motorcycle Models in Nashville

Nashville, TN— American Honda’s Motorcycle Division unveiled their 2005 product line-up at the company’s annual dealer show Wednesday night September 8 at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

Representing the continuing Honda branding strategy of “Performance First”, the new products are designed to strengthen Honda’s number one position in the American powersports market.

“This year’s convention theme is Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’,” said Ray Blank, Honda’s Motorcycle Division Vice President. “Honda has incredible momentum in the motorcycle industry. In fact, over the last five years we have added more than one million customers to the Honda family. It’s a good time to be a Honda dealer”.

Honda’s model announcements included fifteen brand new or highly revised models: a new cruiser, one super-sport motorcycle, two motocross bikes, a new off-road competition bike, one scooter, six ATVs, two personal watercraft and a police motorcycle.

Dealers who have already benefited from over 35 new Honda launches in the previous four years were delighted with the new additions. Honda’s product lineup is the broadest in the industry, with over 70 motorcycle, scooter, ATV and personal watercraft models.



2005 New & Updated Model Preview

VTX1800F – This sport custom performance cruiser adds a whole new look to the VTX line-up for 2005.



CBR600RR – This next generation super-sport motorcycle incorporates a host of upgrades to the 2004 Formula Xtreme championship-winning machine.



CR250R – A completely new engine and host of chassis improvements compliment this favorite motocross race machine.



CR125R – An all-new 125cc engine makes this bike the most potent two-stroke motocrosser in its class.



CRF450X – Start with the championship and award winning CRF450R motocross machine and create the ultimate open class off road racer, which includes electric starting.



Big Ruckus – This machine combines the convenience and comfort of a scooter with the open feel of a motorcycle for an exciting new product.



FourTrax Foreman 4×4 ES/FourTrax Foreman 4×4/FourTrax Foreman – These outstanding new ATVs deliver 500cc of big bore power loaded with Honda features such as TraxLok (2WD-4WD), ESP (Honda’s Electric Shift Program) and front disc brakes.

AquaTrax F-12X with GPScape – This exciting new turbocharged four-stroke Honda personal watercraft offers the addition of GPScape, Honda’s on-board GPS navigation system.

ST1300P – With this motorcycle, law enforcement agencies can tap into Honda’s latest technology while enjoying legendary Honda quality and reliability.



AquaTrax F-12 – A next-generation engine and jet pump keep the three-person AquaTrax F-12 at the forefront of the personal watercraft market.

FourTrax Foreman Rubicon – A favorite among many riders, the FourTrax Foreman Rubicon now comes equipped with TraxLok, front disc brakes, new SUV styling and more.

FourTrax Recon ES/FourTrax Recon – New suspension, ergonomics and SUV-type styling make the best-selling mid-size ATV even better.

TRX400EX – This high-performance sport model now features reverse and new, stylish bodywork for 2005.

About Honda
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and personal watercraft in the U.S. American Honda’s Motorcycle Division conducts the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through Honda authorized dealers.