Honda preparing Dakar assault

are you really ?

Now I see what your are seeing...Probably a mount for a flag for dune riding in the US..

quick work...



Nice tank stands!

Why would they still be installed in Peru? If they are dunes flag mounts, they are WAY bigger than any I've seen before.

The "inverse traction articulator" are my words for a チューンドマスダンパー. Or in simple terms, a speciic weight attached to a carefully matched spring. When the swingarm moves, a small mass compresses the small attached spring. When the swingarm stops moving, the mass catches up and then applies a force back into the swingarm a few miliseconds later. That can momentarily give you extra traction, and it slightly smooths out the work the shock has to perform as well. I don't know anything more than that, which is what Gato told me two years ago. What Honda has here probably isn't that, but it's a good story anyway!

ahh so... a tuned mass damper in other words.. BUT if you look at the newest photo the flag holders are now gone .. hogsan you speaky google translate foo well !

Pretty cool interview here with the team director.



Q&A with Team HRC Leader Yamazaki

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2013-dakar-q-and-a-with-team-hrc-leader-yamazaki

Some interesting additions on this one, certainly not a one race wonder

Great movie! (Got the t-shirt too).

A happy new year from Sam, but I'm sure his thoughts are elsewhere - promise's us some action in 2013 though

Despres with Honda next year???????

Any news on official Crf rallye suit like in the pic below?


I'd easily stump up $1000 for the gear if goretex.

Can someone with more info please advise on the reason for alloy tanks over plastic on the Crf rallye ?

Haven't we used non plastic tanks 30 years ago and learnt they were no good? (steel)

I can't figure out why Honda persist with alloy tanks. Is the reason they are still r and deeing?

See Team HRC facebook page:-

"Racing kits will be available from next year!


Team HRC for more information please write to media@teamhrc.com

Hope this helps

Only a guess but I'd say it's because everything is still being figured out. Why spend the mega $$ to make plastic until it's a set shape.
In some FBook pics you see the rear view of the X and both side tanks look to have a little box at the top tip. That was because not too long back they cut off the top few inces of tank and relocated those ounces down lower. So the side plate was left with a sharp point and they basically just filled it in. I only know because I asked "WTF?" when a couple weeks ago I saw the sharp point of the side tank. They said it was going to get filled in, but not with gas.
If that was plastic it would be huge $ to make that change.
Guestimate only.

And yes it might be HRC but there's always a budget. If there was no budget wouldn't they have supplied all their own support?
And even the little tool boxes in the bash plates are new and weren't installed until bikes were at Lima. They were made by JC's brother and in his shop a couple weeks ago.
Yes Factory HRC but...
.

i saw that as well 'teem'.. my guess is the little 'box' houses a fuel pump for the rear tank..

rear tanks HRC

another view