Issue 49

Transcription

Issue 49

Insurance as reliable as your Honda
• 3 year replacement vehicle if your Honda is a total loss • Manufacturer genuine
approved parts for the first 5 years • Lifetime guarantee on authorised repairs
• Australia wide claims service • Protection of your No Claim Discount
For a FREE quote contact your local Honda dealer or call 1300 780 964
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apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision regarding this product and whether it is appropriate for your needs.
To obtain a copy please contact Honda on 1300 780 964. Honda dealers are either authorised representatives or insurance distributors of GIO.
HN0474/IFC
Insurance
|
WINTER/SPRING 2010
Welcome
2
Headlines
3
Kids’ Best Friend • Honda Foundation
4
GET INVOLVED!
Brand New Honda Cr-Z
Ireland by Internet • Travel
16
Satoshi Matsuzawa
20
4
6
6
• Honda Profile
The Greatest Race? • Adventure
24
Sweet Success Story • Technology
28
Step Back in Time • Honda Collector
32
This is Personal • Honda Accessories
36
Quality Street • Honda Motorcycles
40
Taking Centre Stage • Honda MotoGP 44
A Question of Balance • Honda Superbikes
48
Power Surge • Honda IndyCar
52
Type R Makes ARC History • Honda Rally
55
Technician of the Year • Honda Awards
56
Dealer of the Year • Honda Awards
Showroom • The Complete Honda Range
57
58
Dealers
60
Average Net Distribution
October 2009 to March 2010
152,718
Keep in touch at the
touch of a button:
check out Honda’s
website at
honda.com.au
for all the latest on
model changes, media
releases, and all that’s
new in the world of
Honda.
Editor Stuart Sykes, ScotSport
Executive Editor Mark Higgins
Art Director Chris Payne
Account Director Stuart Wilson
Design, Art & Print Production
Mightyworld
Honda Magazine Editorial Office:
Suite 101 34 Queens Road
Melbourne VIC 3004.
Tel: 03 9820 9942
Email: [email protected]
For general enquiries regarding
Honda motor vehicle products or
services, contact Honda Australia.
Tel: 03 9285 5555
Email: hondamag@
hondathemagazine.com.au
Neither Honda Australia nor the
magazine’s editorial staff accept
responsibility for unsolicited
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illustrations. They will not be
returned unless accompanied by a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
We reserve the right to edit all
correspondence for publication.
The views expressed in the
magazine are not necessarily those
of Honda Australia.
20
40
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Honda Magazine • honda.com.au
ISSUE 49
1
The car industry is a global business
with product direction influenced by
the large mature markets of North
America and Europe and in more
recent times, the emerging markets
of China and India.
In North America and Europe, global
warming issues continue to be top
of mind.
In Europe the EEC has set tough new
emission regulations for passenger
cars with a CO2 reduction to 130
grams/km, to be phased in from 2012
to 2020.
While European markets are
dominated by diesels, most European
manufacturers are now rapidly
developing hybrid alternatives.
Although diesels can deliver high
fuel efficiency, there are significant
challenges in achieving CO2 reductions
due to the chemical composition of the
diesel combustion process.
In the USA, the new CO2 regulation
has been set at 156 grams/km and is
to be phased in from 2012 to 2016.
These international standards will
continue to drive the market towards
smaller, highly efficient vehicles and
influence the Australian market.
2
Locally, the Federal Government is also
committed to introducing a compulsory
CO2 target for all passenger and light
commercial vehicles, including more
stringent emission standards. Both
factors will have a profound impact on
the types of cars Australians will drive
in the future.
The introduction of pure electric
vehicles is also a much heralded
catchcry as we head towards low CO2
emission vehicles.
Honda’s President and CEO Mr
Ito recently announced our future
vision to take the company through
to 2020 based on the advancement
of environmental technologies to
significantly reduce CO2 emissions
and to make this technology more
affordable.
This included a number of emissions
reducing technologies and alternative
power sources to propel our cars in
the future.
Honda produced an EV during the early
2000’s and has real world experience
in this arena. While many claim they
have achieved “new age” electric
technologies, many are quite similar to
our 2000 model EV car.
Our research has discovered that
although there are issues to be
addressed, such as driving range
and recharging time, battery electric
vehicles do have the potential to
create a new market for zero CO2
(during operation) vehicles.
A new plug-in hybrid system is
currently being developed for the US
and Japanese markets and will be
introduced in 2012.
Other new technologies include the
introduction of a smaller capacity
diesel engine for Europe.
In the longer term there remains little
doubt that fuel-cell electric vehicles
provide the ultimate zero emissions
solution. Honda leads the world in this
field with the FCX Clarity that is a zero
emission vehicle fuelled by hydrogen.
The battle to achieve sustainable
CO2 reductions, as you can see, is
extremely complex and the next few
years promise to be equally exciting
and pioneering as all manufacturers
strive for a solution.
Having introduced hybrid motoring in
Australia with the original Insight in
2001, we will expand our hybrid model
range to include the second-generation
Insight, due for launch later this year
and the sporty CRZ hybrid, (featured
in this issue) and other hybrid models,
including a new Civic Hybrid after that.
All our hybrids will provide you with
the dependability, affordability and
joyful driving experience you expect
from Honda.
Lindsay Smalley
Senior Director, Honda Australia
If you’re lucky enough to be
You’ll love this one: the P-NUT is Honda’s Personal-Neo Urban Transport concept model, a
forward-looking answer to the problems of easy movement in constrained urban settings. Unveiled at the last Los Angeles
Auto Show, P-NUT builds a central driving position and rearward powertrain into an ingeniously spacious body with futuristic
lines and very groovy look. Dave Marek, director of advanced design for Honda R&D Americas Inc., said: “A new generation
is discovering the benefits of living in urban centres that provide convenient access to business, entertainment and social
opportunities. The P-NUT concept explores the packaging and design potential for a vehicle conceived exclusively around
the city lifestyle.” It’s not all about the driver, either: the P-NUT has two rear seats as well, while its engine bay can house a
conventional engine, a hybrid system or a battery-electric one. The car is just 3.4m long, 1.75m wide and 1.439m high. l
No, we’re not
being rude: that’s
exactly where Stuart
Strickland is going to be
in the very near future
after relinquishing the reins
of Honda MPE, the company’s motorcycle and power
equipment division which he has led with such distinction.
There have been many highlights during Stuart’s tenure,
but he takes particular pride in a few: “Starting off the
company was a great thrill in the first place,” he told us,
“and seeing us now as leaders in just about everything
we sell is a source of great satisfaction. On top of that,
building a great team has been perhaps the most
important thing – it’s all about the quality of the people
we employ.” Travelling, both overseas and here at home,
is top of the agenda for Stuart as he finds time for a
personal life again. “I’ve had contact with a thousand or
so dealers in my time at Honda, so I’ll be keeping an eye
on what the boys are doing – but it also means there
will always be a place to hang the hat while we’re on our
travels. I’ve got my eye pegged on quite a few places I’ve
been to but never had the time to really enjoy.”
We wish Stuart and his family a long, healthy and happy
retirement – that’s after he finishes his immediate role as
a consultant with Honda, of course! l
in New York in the next few
months, you could do worse
than pop in to one of the
many Smithsonian Institution locations in that great city and
see Honda at the heart of things. The Cooper-Hewitt
National Design Museum is staging its fourth Triennial Program with a special
exhibition theme, ‘Why Design Now?’ It features design ideas and projects focusing on
human and environmental
practice, and one of the items on display is Honda’s
Bodyweight Support Assist
system/Walking Assist Device.
This ingenious aid is aimed, for instance, at workers who
spend long hours in back-breaking
positions or climbing stairs. One of
the products of the Fundamental
Technology section of Honda R&D
in Japan, the BSA is an exoskeleton
for the lower body designed to
reduce the load borne by the legs,
hips, knees and ankles. Consisting
of a seat, a frame and a pair of
shoes the user straps on like the
pedals on an exercise bike, it uses
computer-controlled motors to
direct the assisting force to the
user’s centre of gravity. Honda
foresees potential use with the
elderly as well as for workers
in everyday situations like an
automotive assembly line. The
‘Why Design Now?’ exhibition
runs until January 9, 2011, at
the Cooper-Hewitt National
Design Museum at Fifth Avenue
and 91st Street, NYC.
For more information check out
www.cooperhewitt.org l
Positioning
Honda for
sustainable
growth
towards
2020
3
The children are allowed to feed and
care for animals at the farm during
regular supervised sessions, helping
to develop trust and empathy with
the animals as well as other people
in their lives.
The donation from The Honda
Foundation will be used to purchase
a barrier system, called a cattle
crush, to improve safety for staff,
volunteers and children involved in
the program, as well as the animals
themselves.
“The staff at Menzies and Sages
Cottage Farm work with some of
the most vulnerable children in our
community,” explained Mr. Lindsay
Smalley, Chairman of The Honda
Foundation. “The Animal Assisted
Therapy program enables these
children to bond with animals in a
safe environment, so they are better
able to handle the problems in their
own lives. I commend Menzies Inc.
for their program,” he said.
The property in question
4
is Sages Cottage Farm at Baxter, on
Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Here animal therapy is being used to let children exposed to violence, abuse or
neglect discover that life does have its gentler side and that animals are a wonderful introduction to it.
The Honda Foundation and Travis Honda in Frankston have donated $6000 to community organisation
Menzies Inc. to upgrade its facilities for participants in its animal care program. That means the stars in the
organisation’s Animal Assisted Therapy program, Chloe the pig and Chelsea and Mac the cows, are better
equipped to welcome their young visitors.
 Sages Cottage Farm
CEO of Menzies Inc. Holly Reid said,
“We are grateful for the support of
The Honda Foundation as we know
how much of a difference this service
can make in the lives of the children
who come to Sages Cottage Farm.” l
Dealer Network
Saunders Honda
Courtney & Patterson Honda
Hunter Honda
Capital Honda
Travis Honda
Burswood Honda
Collins Honda
Torque Honda
Nordic Honda
Hornsby Honda
Northside Honda
Eastern Honda
Yarra Honda
New World Honda
The Honda Foundation aims to provide assistance to local communities and foster
goodwill among Honda Australia, Honda Motor Vehicle Dealers and the public.
It draws funding from Honda Dealers and Honda Australia, who donate $15 ($5
and $10 respectively) for every Honda car sold.
for more information go to hondafoundation.org.au
Animals, we know,
can have a major
influence on human
behaviour. The
Honda Foundation
is supporting
a special place
where animals help
children find
a happier life.
Fred Hollows Foundation
(Continuation of Program) NT
$25,000
Uniting Care Singleton
Disability Respite Services NSW $3,000
Carinya Society
VIC $2,500
The Spastic Centre
NSW $4,900
Koolamon Fellowship Inc.
ACT $7,000
Menzies Inc.
VIC $6,000
Cystic Fibrosis Association WA $3,000
Spinal Cord Injuries Aust.
NSW $6,877
Breakaway Inc
QLD $3,349
The Society of Saint
Hilarion Inc.
SA
$8,800
St. Lucy’s School
NSW $4,995
Guide Dogs Queensland
QLD $9,000
Onemda Association Inc.
VIC $7,185
Foundation Boroondara
VIC $4,953
Concern Australia –
Hand Brake Turn Dandenong VIC $8,800
NRMA CareFlight patients in New South Wales
can now breathe more easily, thanks to a recent donation of $30,000
from The Honda Foundation and Trivett Honda in Parramatta.
The donation was used to purchase an Elisee™ 350 Ventilator, which
mechanically breathes for a patient who is physically unable to or is
breathing insufficiently.
The lightweight Elisee™ 350 Ventilator has extensive patient monitoring
capabilities and diagnostic and monitoring functions required in
an Intensive Care Unit setting. Its compact size makes it easier for
CareFlight doctors to move with patients from the scene of an incident
while maximising patient comfort and care.
Providing one of the world’s leading rapid response emergency helicopter
and medical retrieval services, CareFlight has treated and transported
over 18,000 patients since its inception in 1986.
On call to the NSW State Emergency Services, NSW Ambulance Service,
Australian Search and Rescue and the NSW Police, CareFlight trauma
doctors deliver pre-hospital emergency treatment to patients around the
state. The organisation also has comprehensive research and training
arms, along with a disaster response capability and international air
ambulance services.
Lindsay Smalley said: “The Honda Foundation is proud to support the lifesaving work being done by CareFlight and its rapid-response critical care
team. Through this donation, we can keep CareFlight equipped with the
most up to date equipment to assist its emergency medical missions.” l
 Chloe the pig at
Sages Cottage Farm
Menzies Inc. is a not-for-profit
organisation providing a broad range
of programs and services designed
to support young people who are no
longer able to live with their families.
Menzies also assists young people to
develop the skills they need to lead
independent, fulfilled lives.
Applied in a number of healthcare
sectors and most effectively with the
elderly and children, animal therapy
takes advantage of the positive
physical and emotional benefits
provided to human beings by animals.
Often regarded as part of the
family, pets can help reduce stress,
loneliness, grief, fear and pain.
Available to children aged eight to
12 years, Menzies Inc.’s Animal
Assisted Therapy program aims to
help participants build and maintain
a positive self-image and interact
positively and effectively with others,
allowing ongoing personal growth
and development.
5
BRAND
NEW
Honda
CR-Z
P I C S
M A R K
B R A M L E Y
Set to
arrive
in 2011,
Honda’s
CR-Z is
a living
paradox:
a hybrid,
earthfriendly
car that’s
designed
to get real
drivers
involved.
6
7
German
greenery
flashing
by, corner
ahead.
Trees make themselves mostly, as
Dr Tim Flannery likes to explain,
from carbon dioxide gas. So do other,
lesser plants. But the forests and
fields flanking the CR-Z test route
in Germany would have made a
meagre meal of the Honda’s tailpipe
emissions. And this is a good thing,
as nature’s appetite for this major
greenhouse gas can’t keep up with the
rate at which we’re dishing it up.
So the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere is increasing, and the
greenhouse effect of this gas (and
others) in the atmosphere threatens
climate-change calamity.
Cutting the CO2 serving size
associated with driving is the reason
hybrid technology makes sense. Over
the cradle-to-grave lifetime of a car
the vast majority of CO2 emitted is
created by burning fuel.
Driving, in other words.
8
shedding speed and pressing the front
tyres into more intimate contact with
the bitumen. Turning the three-spoke
steering-wheel, the connection
between car and road can be clearly
felt, accurately judged. Now aiming
for the corner’s apex, the car leans a
little on its suspension and settles into
curving stability. As the corner’s arc
opens, follow suit with the accelerator.
Hear the eager little engine’s sound
sharpen as speed begins to rise once
more. Glance at the meters to the left
of the big central instrument,
analogue tachometer and digital
speedometer combined. Battery charge
level is high, so the electric motor is
delivering full assist.
Yes, this car is petrol-electric powered.
But Honda’s newest hybrid, the CR-Z,
is also a car that steers, stops and
handles the way real drivers like.
The sporty-looking three-door 2+2
seat hatchback isn’t blindingly
fast in a straight line, but it is a
communicative little coupé with an
eager spirit. It’s an involving drive
on the right kind of roads. And those
through the verdant countryside
outside Frankfurt, home of Honda R&D’s
German operation, were that sort.
A Honda study attributes 78 percent
of lifetime CO2 emissions of its cars
to fuel. Making the raw materials,
transportation of components and
cars, servicing and eventual disposal
accounts for another 16 percent,
production only 6 percent. Studies by
other car makers, by the way, paint a
very similar picture.
As CO2 is created in direct proportion
to the amount of fuel burned, much
improved fuel efficiency is the most
effective way by far to reduce a
car’s overall environmental impact.
And that’s what hybrid technology
does. But, so far, nearly all purposedesigned hybrids (Honda’s firstgeneration Insight is the exception
here) have been ruthlessly efficient
and thoroughly logical. Sensible
number of seats, reasonable cargo
capacity, and excellent fuel efficiency
(if not performance).
Honda’s
newest hybrid,
the CR-Z, is
also a car that
steers, stops
and handles
the way real
drivers like
Left foot the
clutch, back a
gear. Right foot the brake,
9
What’s missing
is driving’s
traditional
array of sensual
pleasures. Things like
10
precise, communicative steering and
responsive, well-balanced handling;
the stuff that adds up, in the end, to
driving fun.
Honda’s ambition with the CR-Z was
to create a hybrid with genuine driver
appeal, even if it meant sacrificing a
little efficiency on the way. Revealed
as a concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor
Show, the CR-Z’s exterior design
referenced an earlier generation of small
Honda coupés without being at all retro.
Or looking especially hybrid, either.
Today’s production version has lost
some of the typical show car touches,
but the key lines remain. The wedgy
body is a tightly tapered fit around
a cabin that packages two full-size
seats, two occasional seats for (very)
small people or children, and a useful
luggage compartment.
CR-Z’s body structure is based,
like Insight, on that of the Jazz.
Strengthening gussets around the
front suspension have been added and
the floorpan behind shortened. Other
changes aimed at improving the CRZ’s handling precision, responsiveness
and all-round agility are the adoption
of forged aluminium A-arms (instead
of pressed steel) for the front
suspension struts and an additional
H-shaped rod to stiffen the rear of
the chassis, in the area around the
torsion-beam rear suspension. Both
front and rear tracks are widened,
compared with Insight.
While the CR-Z is, like all Honda’s
hybrids, built in the company’s Suzuka
plant in Japan, suspension and
steering tuning development of the
CR-Z was done in Europe.
Honda’s
ambition with
the CR-Z was
to create a
hybrid with
genuine
driver
appeal
Although
driving a
hybrid
can be
involving,
it’s
usually
the same
sort of
buzz as
learning
a new
computer
game or
mastering
a fresh
piece of
software.
11
Under the
bonnet
is a CR-Zspecific
84kW
version
of the
i-VTEC
1.5 litre
engine
from the
Jazz.
12
raising swirl in the inrushing charge
of fuel and air. Bolted to the engine’s
crankshaft is the slim 10kW electric
motor (like Insight’s) that’s the heart
of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist
technology. To the other side of the
IMA motor is a six-speed manual
transmission and its clutch. This
layout means that the CR-Z cannot
ever run solely on electric power, as
the Insight is able to do at low speeds
and light loads. But the CR-Z is the
only hybrid in the world with a manual,
and the first ever with a six-speeder
(the first-generation Honda Insight
was offered with a choice of fivespeed manual or CVT auto).
Although a manual transmission was
selected to satisfy drivers (mainly
in Europe) who want maximum
involvement, there will also be a CVT
auto version of the CR-Z. When the
car launches in Australia in July, both
transmissions are to be offered.
In manual form the CR-Z achieves a
5.1L/100km (and 117g/km CO2) result
in the official European combined cycle
consumption test. This is more than
the larger Insight (4.4 or 4.6L/100km,
depending on specification), but the
CR-Z is a significantly quicker car.
the CR-Z is the
only hybrid in
the world with
a manual, and
the first ever
with a sixspeeder
The major
change is that
a new 16-valve
cylinder head
allows one of
each cylinder’s
pair of inlet
valves to be
closed at low
revs, promoting efficiency-
13
2
3
1 Eco mode
smooths and blunts
throttle response to
improve efficiency,
and cuts back on
air-con.
2 Normal strikes
a balance between
efficiency and
performance.
3 Sport sharpens
throttle response,
delivers maximum
motor assist more
often and reduces
the level of electric
steering assistance.
14
From the
driver’s
seat, the
manual
CR-Z’s
powertrain
feels,
well,
different.
The feel of the engine (and more)
can be altered by the driver. ‘Eco’
mode smooths and blunts throttle
response to improve efficiency, and
cuts back on air-con. ‘Normal’ strikes
a balance between efficiency and
performance, while ‘Sport’ sharpens
throttle response, delivers maximum
motor assist more often and reduces
the level of electric steering assistance
for meatier feel through the wheel.
Altering the settings does make
a difference you can notice. And
appreciate. Although ‘Sport’ did make
driving through the woods in Germany
a little more enjoyable, it was the CRZ’s sweet-handling chassis that was
the greatest source of driver pleasure.
And that’s something you couldn’t say
about any other hybrid... l
Total ‘system
output’ of the
engine and
motor together
is 91kW at
6100rpm, which
isn’t a massive
amount. But maximum
torque is a healthy 174Nm,
delivered low down at 1000 to 1500rpm,
thanks to the electric motor’s healthy
boost in this part of the rev range. This
characteristic endows the CR-Z with
an easy elasticity in city driving, while
at high revs it displays typical Honda
eagerness. The manual, too, is typically
Honda; light, precise and quick.
1
15
T r a v e l
 The old whaling station at
Keem Bay on Achill Island
|
S T O R Y
Sitting
at the
crossroads
with rain
pattering
at the
windscreen,
+
P I C S
W I L L
G R AY
we suddenly came to a halt. In the
middle of nowhere, surrounded by
wide expanses of eerie fog-covered
moorland, we were all alone – and
we had no idea which way to go.
Just one day into our unplanned tour
of Ireland, we had found our way into
one of the few ‘Gaeltacht’ areas where
Gaelic is still the official language –
and the signpost ahead offered just
two options, to An Dúchoraidh or An
Clochán Liath.
With only our car hire company’s
large-scale English language map
to guide us, we were at a loss. So
I reached for my mobile phone …
and Googled. Through the wonders
of Wikipedia, we quickly found not
only the Gaelic translation of our
planned destination Dungloe (which,
incidentally, was An Clochán Liath),
but also a range of interesting
attractions in the town and around it.
We were back on track – and we had
just invented ‘wikitouring’.
With no idea of how to read Gaelic and fewer clues about where
to go, Will Gray turned to modern technology to navigate his way
through Ireland – and discovered a world wide web of wonders
16
17
The craic
In County Donegal it is not unusual to stumble upon a party however quiet
the surroundings seem. In Ardara, our online ‘guide’ alerted us to a unique
opportunity to experience the famous Irish ‘craic’, and sure enough the streets
were filled with people, music emanating from every pub.
This was the Cup of Tae festival, named after an Irish dance and run in early May
in honour of a renowned player, John ‘the tae’ Gallagher. It draws in musicians
from all over Ireland for recitals and competitions during the day followed by free
sing-along sessions in the town’s pubs late into the night.
Nights in Westport and Clifden certainly offer a chance to experience this
endearing culture, but it also revealed an increasingly sophisticated side to some
of these small but more touristy locations, with a mix of traditional pubs, fine
dining and modern quayside bars.
Portnoo
Sligo
Belturbet
Westport
 Which way now?
 A lake in County Cavan
Clifden
Galway
 The dramatic cliffs of Slieve League
IRELAND
Steered by a few local tourist
pamphlets and our own intuition, we
aimed to stay off the beaten track and
began our route in the lake district of
County Cavan, a wild and rarelypromoted area where tight twisty
roads wind around endless lakes, each
dotted with beautifully remote houses
typical of the classic Irish countryside.
This well-kept secret is just two hours
north-west of Dublin and claims to
have a lake for every day of the year.
Most are surrounded by private land,
making a road trip the best way to take
in their beauty, but in Killykeen Forest
Park, we were able to lace up the
boots and head off-road to experience
it first-hand.
18
After an overnight near Belturbet, an historic riverside settlement with one of the
higher pub-to-people ratios in Ireland, we moved further north. Past the barren
Cuilcagh Mountains, home of the mystical source of the Shannon along with
numerous stone circles, tombs and lakeside ruins, we plotted a route towards
County Donegal.
Towering cliffs
our
wikitouring
technique
proved that
even without
a plan, it
is easy to
stumble upon
something
special
In just over two-and-a-half hours, having passed through a small scenic section
of Northern Ireland alongside Lough Erne and followed the road around the pretty
South Donegal coastline, we arrived at one of the most dramatic spots in the
entire country: the cliffs of Slieve League.
Almost three times higher than County Clare’s famed Cliffs of Moher, this remote
and rugged spectacle is hard to seek out, but it is well worth the effort. “It’s
stunning up there,” promised the landlady in the Teelin pub, who pointed us to a
gated and unsigned side road when asked for directions. “Just be careful of the
drops, and remember to shut the gate after you so the sheep don’t get out.”
Once we reached the top, we stood, unprotected, right on the edge of a breathtaking
230m drop, staring down to the crashing North Atlantic waves below. Pinned back
by the notorious wind, which consistently whips strongly up the cliff edge, we opted
against the terrifying one man’s pass, which plots a course along narrow ridgelines
up to the summit, and instead took a shorter bushwhack trail through soggy wet
moss and prickly bushes to a spectacular view over the barren headland.
Uncovered gems
Back on the road, our refined wikitouring technique began to unearth some real
gems as we headed deeper into Donegal.
Without it, we probably would never have set foot on the Cruit Island Golf Club, a
stunning wild windswept links course offering nine of the most picturesque golf
holes in Ireland. The windy, drizzly day made it less appealing, but the stunning
drive just to get there was worth the trip, and the scenery continued as the mobile
internet steered us across towards deserted Glenveagh National Park, buried in
the rugged Derryveagh Mountains, and Glenveagh Castle, a 19th-century lakeside
mansion in the middle of the park surrounded by the ornate Glenveagh Gardens.
Fly into Dublin early
on Day 1 and get
straight on the road;
fly out of Galway at the
end of Day 6.
Day 1: Dublin to
Belturbet via
Cavan Lakes 2hrs, 140km
Day 2: Belturbet to
Portnoo via
Slieve League
Cliffs
4hrs, 220km
Day 3: Portnoo to
Sligo via Cruit
Island, Glenveagh NP
and Glencar
3.5hrs, 220km
Day 4:Sligo to
Westport via
Achill Island
4hrs, 220km
Day 5: Westport to
Clifden via
Connemara
Loop,
Connemara NP
(North)
1hr 45mins, 100km
Day 6: Clifden to
Galway via
Connemara NP
(South)
1hr 15mins,
80km
 A traditional Irish shindig
 The view over Ireland’s only fjord
 Kylemore Abbey on the edge of Connemara
 Waters flowing into Keem Bay
Seaside scenery
As we headed further south, the well-signed 19km Atlantic Drive loop led to one
of the most picturesque bays in the country.
Just outside the small community of Achill Sound, a wild and exposed black rock
shoreline welcomes in the Atlantic waves, which boom and shatter with full force.
At the end of the windy road, the jewel of Keem Bay awaits, a perfect horseshoeshaped beach penned in by the cliffs of Benmore, Croaghaun mountain and
Achill Head. Further south, on the border of County Mayo and County Galway, the
Connemara loop was our next web suggestion, with a round circle route taking in
Ireland’s only official fjord in Killary Harbour.
Into the mountains
 The jagged black coastline
of Achill Island
Wikipedia now led us to Kylemore Abbey, which once owned much of the
2957-hectare Connemara region. Described as Ireland’s most romantic castle, it
had more than 70 rooms and became an abbey in 1920, with the nuns running a
school until it was recently closed.
Once out of the national park it is just a quick hop to Galway, a small but busy
university town that seemed more like the big smoke after this remote, rugged,
barren and beautiful trip around the North West coast of Ireland.
Our wikitouring technique had proved that even without a plan, it is easy to
stumble upon something special. l
 A fishing boat awaits the tide rise
Shimmering lakes
Dublin
19
PICS MICHAEL WEARNE
|
Honda Profile
That’s how
Satoshi
Matsuzawa
sees things,
anyway.
Matsuzawa-san
is the latest
Managing
Director and
CEO to grace
the halls
of Honda
Australia, a
long-time
Honda
man with a
touch of
whimsy to
add to his
impeccable
credentials
for the job.
20
21
Mr Matsuzawa says it was “maybe
a little bit funny”. He is an engineer
by training, and thereby hangs a tale.
“Why did I do Mechanical Engineering?
Because I like airplanes – maybe much
more than automobiles, and I still do!”
he told us with the twinkle in his eye
that is typical of his approach to life.
22
drive, turn,
stop: that is the
core value of
the automobile
and in those
areas our basic
performance is
very good
“Initially, I was involved in the design
team of a tiller transmission; we had
a team to develop the riding type
tractor and I was involved in that
team, in charge of the hydraulic
system. After that I was involved in
other tractor driving system designs.
We transferred design to the US and
I was also transferred there for five
and a half years.”
As an aside, Mr Matsuzawa already
sees many similarities between the
USA and the country which is now
his home, at least for the next few
years: “Yes, very close. Two things
are better: one is right-hand drive,
the other is no tipping when you go
out to a restaurant! Seriously, in both
countries there is a heavy reliance
on automobiles as transportation,
so that’s why this industry is very
important – to provide convenience
to the customers.” Which takes us to
our next point...
at the heart of
Honda
We all know Honda’s reputation for
tireless research and investment
across a number of fields, whether
it be robotics in the shape of the
astonishing ASIMO, aeronautics with
the HondaJet, or motor sport, where
excellence on two wheels and four
is a Honda trait. But ask Satoshi
Matsuzawa what Honda means and
the answer is unequivocal.
“Honda’s core business,” he says at
once, “is automobiles. That means
personal transportation including
cars and motorcycles. But we must
see them also as a focus for energy
management systems, by which we
mean the solar energy system, home
usage types of system in the power
equipment business. Overall, Honda is
aiming to provide products for personal
use in general, for transportation
and energy generation. Ideally energy
creation products provide energy for
the transportation products, so that is
the direction of Honda.”
When he speaks passionately about
the cars, the feeling comes from
personal and very recent experience.
“The core value of the products is very
strong,” he underlines. “Since I came
here, every weekend I have driven a
different Honda for 200-300 km each
– and every time I feel our products
are very good. Drive, turn, stop: that is
the core value of the automobile and
in those areas our basic performance
is very good. Recently maybe some
features have been lacking, touches
like Bluetooth or rear cameras or
navigation systems, but still the core
value is great, that’s my feeling.”
But Matsuzawa-san is not blinded to
the challenges ahead. “The weakness
is how to tell the customers about this
good value,” he explains. “Because
you cannot see it through brochures or
TV advertisements. You can only feel
a Honda by driving it for yourself. The
value of the product is very difficult to
tell instantly.”
And there is another problem – one
Honda has created for itself, and one
which, in a way, is a nice problem to
have. Once again, personal experience
is the key to what Matsuzawa-san
says: “When I went to Coffs Harbour
in May, in the service station I met a
customer who drove a 1997 Accord.
It had done 230,000 km already with
no problem, he said, and was still
in very good condition. So he very
much appreciated that, and I agreed,
but also I complained about it! Our
product is good – maybe too good,
which means we lose opportunities.
So I told him, please buy a new Honda
again! If we can offer a better value
car to the customer who is driving
a car that’s still in good condition,
that is our responsibility. Recently
our focus has also been on the
environmental area so we have to
offer less fuel consumption. Compare
vehicles today and 10 years ago there
is improvement on fuel consumption
– that’s something we can offer to
the customer, something he can offer
to the Earth. If evolution stops we
are out of this business. We always
provide best quality cars, that can
survive 10-15 years, a million km,
but meanwhile we have to develop
advanced technology with better value
to the customers.”
australia through
fresh eyes
Initial impressions of the workplace
Mr Matsuzawa has entered have
also been favourable. “Seeing is
always believing,” he reminded us,
“which is why I have already been
to the major cities and met many
different people. It’s a challenge but
it’s exciting. The challenging spirit is
the core of Honda. Because of the
long history, I think Honda Australia
is very well established and well
organised, everything seems to be very
systematic and working very well,” he
told us. “But essentially I think my role
is as fresh eyes.”
As for his customer base, he has
a keen eye there as well: “The
Australian people’s consciousness of
environmental issues is relatively low,
lower than other countries, so maybe
it’s not a good idea only to appeal to
their environmental responsibility.
Behind our first priority, value, we
also provide Earth-consciousness
so automatically we can spread
those better performance cars.
We cannot force people, we have
to follow the natural trend of the
Australian people.”
Since cars are Honda’s core business,
what are the cars at the core of that
business, we asked? “The first thing
to understand,” says Matsuzawasan, “is that last year was a time
for patience after the GFC, which
means this year should be a time for
renewed expansion. I want to have the
momentum for that recovery. This year
the new Insight is one of the products
that will give us that momentum and
it will also tell people about advanced
Honda technology. Then, the following
year, we have big expectations of
CR-Z, as you can see from our cover
story. I think this car is a very good
example of the Honda direction. Honda
is going to offer low fuel consumption
cars, but on the other hand we will
not forget the spirit of the sporting
line. CR-Z represents a very high-level
balance between low fuel consumption
and sporting performance, so that too
should be a very good demonstration
of Honda technology.”
horses for
courses
Let’s finish on another whimsical note.
As well as getting a taste for Vegemite
and Australian wine, Matsuzawa-san
has been eyeing up the recreational
possibilities when his family arrives
mid-year. There’s not much room for
the veggie garden he loved in Japan,
but the Great Outdoors beckons in
another way. He has already turned
his attention to the Snowy Mountains
and an alternative to his professional
preoccupation with cars: “All of us will
learn horse riding!” he said. “I have
been reading about the Snowy River
and a horse riding trail where you
can go for 3-4 days and camp out. If
global warming is getting serious, then
maybe the auto can’t exist and some
portion will be back to old-fashioned
transportation systems. Maybe in
future horse riding will increase! So
that’s why Australia is a very good
place to learn riding. Of course, I
want to do so for pleasure, but the
side effect is to learn if a horse is
applicable as a transportation system
today!” See what we mean? l
Whimsy? Well,
when asked
about his
arrival, 28
years ago, as a
new recruit at
Honda in his
native country,
“I always wanted to learn to fly,” he
went on. “But when I first became
such an enthusiast, at that time
already my eyes were not so good. So
that’s why I gave up trying to become
a pilot. Essentially I wanted to be flying
by myself but that wasn’t possible, so
then I thought I might try to become an
airplane engineer instead.
“When I was in 4th grade at university
I was thinking about entering one of
the airplane manufacturers in Japan,
but all of them are just one division
of a huge company and that didn’t
appeal to me. Then I changed my mind
again and thought about becoming a
mechanic with an airline. So I knocked
on the door of Japan Airlines and had
an interview with them but I was
declined. I didn’t know it at the time,
but I was about to get the opportunity
that really gave me wings. I hadn’t
thought about companies like Honda
because I was so obsessed with flight.
But on a friend’s recommendation, I
contacted the company – and realised
at once that this was an engineering
environment in which I could be happy
and successful. So my arrival at
Honda happened in a roundabout way,
but I never looked back – and that was
28 years ago.”
Nearly three decades later, his time
in Research & Development remains
the highlight of his career with the
company so far: “Fortunately, through
that I have experienced many different
things,” Matsuzawa-san told us.
23
|
S T O R Y
+
P I C S
W I L L
G R AY
Calleva had
spent more
than a week
battling through some of the most
spectacular but unforgiving terrain on
the planet – and the last few had been
the toughest of their lives.
After running out of food, a shortcut had put them off track and, lost
in the mountains, they had been
forced to take on an arduous route
across glaciers and through virtually
impenetrable forests of twisted trees
in a desperate effort to survive.
Nine days earlier, the group of four –
three men and one woman – had set
off from the famous Torres del Paine
National Park to start their bid for glory
in a spectacular and challenging event
that is run every year to promote and
protect this remote virgin region of
southern Chile.
Competing purely for pride and the
achievement of simply making the
finish, which on this occasion was at
the Cross of the Seas on Cabo Froward,
at the southernmost tip of the American
continent, the entrants were to do
battle over hundreds of kilometres on
bikes, in kayaks and on foot, between
a series of checkpoints that mark out
an otherwise undefined route.
A d v e n t u r e
24
Exhausted, sleep
deprived and
without food for
the last four days,
the American team
in the Wenger
Patagonian
Expedition Race,
Team Calleva,
was facing a
monumental
dilemma. Standing
on the Straits of
Magellan, within
a stone’s throw of
the finish but with
no safe way to
reach it, they had
two options: call in
for a rescue or take
on a treacherous
ice swim and free
climb route to try
and escape...
25
CALL FOR HELP
ARGENTINA
CHILE
Torres del Paine
CHILEAN PATAGONIA
Cabo Froward
Chilean Patagonia presents a wilderness like no other.
Spiky summits tower over dense forests while ice fields send glacier fingers along steep valleys and into channels of water
once plied by legendary explorers like Ferdinand Magellan and Charles Darwin. The climate can change in an instant, with
the incessant winds that blow riders off their bikes also opening up blue skies out of snow clouds to sparkle over the ice like
diamonds. In this race, mental strength, navigation and teamwork skills are tested to the absolute limit.
26
EARLY STAGES
THE LONG TREK HOME
Calleva had gone well in the opening
kayak, a favoured discipline of theirs,
establishing fourth before the section
was shortened due to 3m-high waves
that tested some competitors beyond
their limits. A long mountain bike ride
to a rope ascent was the next test, and
those with the stamina then continued
without a break up the 100m cliff face
and into what would be a gruelling hike.
Equipped with a handful of satellite
map print-outs (complete with clouds)
and no GPS, the teams had to navigate
the first of several impenetrable
forests on the route. Most endured a
cold night in the woods before the first
teams slowly emerged out the other
side almost 24 hours later.
When Calleva finally came out of the
woods, they were still in fourth and
desperate to make up time. After a long
bike ride along a wind-swept gravel
road and a day’s kayak across one of
the many fjords that slice through the
land mass of western Patagonia, they
began what should have been a threeday 120km trek to the finish.
Five of the nine teams that started had by now thrown in the towel, putting
Calleva dead last of those remaining. Suffering severe sleep deprivation and
exhaustion, only a stubborn determination to make the finish could drive them on.
But things went bad from the start of the final trek, when the wrong route on
the first mountain pass forced Calleva to camp on the summit above a glacier
overnight, during which time an inch of snow covered their tent. From there, a
hastily re-grouped route dropped them into a nightmare forest-filled valley.
“The conditions were absolutely miserable,” recalled Druce Finlay. “It was so
cold and so windy. We had tents and were smart enough to have some soup
but our gear was only just adequate to survive and we were shaking frozen ice
particles out of our socks. We got lost on the mountain and had to make our way
down steep cliffs but we were in the wrong valley so we had to coasteer for six
kilometres to get to the main canyon, and we were falling well behind.”
They were also running out of food, so to gain the energy they needed (estimates
say 250 calories per hour for this kind of exertion, and that is when the body is
at its best) they ate wild berries from the bushes in the forest and rifled through
their trash bag. “We were living off those berries for three days but were so
ravenous we literally opened up every piece of trash we had,” said Finlay. “You
would be surprised how many calories you can find in there.”
Determined to find their own way out, rather than using their satellite phone or
pushing the SOS button on their GPS tracker, they took a short-cut just as they
faced a third night in the wilderness.
Travelling over a mountain pass
instead of returning to the bramblefilled forest proved a good move – until
it left them with a virtually impossible
route to the finish around a coastline
of steep cliffs.
“We were on the coast, there was
no fresh water and we had cliffs on
either side, so we decided to call it,”
recalled team captain Mark Lattanzi.
“I unwrapped the satellite phone and
tried to call in our position, but there
was no signal.”
In such a remote region, they found,
the skies are not fully covered with
communication so it was another long
cold night of survival before they tried
again, only to stumble into their next
disaster: “In the morning the satellite
phone was dead. We’d left it on and it
had used up all the charge trying to get
a signal during the night.”
With the rest of the remaining teams
safely through the finish, preparations
were being made to begin a search for
the stranded Americans. Out in the
wilderness, Team Calleva had no other
option but to push on, opting to take to
the freezing waters of the channel to try
to swim and climb their way to safety.
“It almost killed us,” admitted Finlay.
“It was freezing water and after we
got out we shivered all night. I couldn’t
dress myself, I just couldn’t operate
my hands and I didn’t know what to
do. I thought I was going down.”
A lack of food and water saw two team
members succumb to hypothermia
and after another failed attempt to call
for rescue by setting off flares, Finlay
and team-mate Sara Percy took on the
death-defying ropeless climb which
finally led them to the finish.
“The very end climb, we got a lucky
path,” admitted Finlay. “It had some
steep sections but we were able to
skirt around cliffs. I would have gone
alone but it was much nicer having
someone there – we were on some
slippery steep cliffs, no ropes, just
grabbing onto thin grass here and
there. Once we were close to the finish
we were just tearing through the bush
again, like 700 miles an hour, going
like an animal to get there.”
Beaten by the cut-off time, and with
the finish deserted, they collapsed by
the cross and waited for two hours
before, on a whim, they reset their
SPOT tracking unit. In doing so, it
automatically sent an SOS via the
United States to the event organisers,
who had already mustered a helicopter
rescue team.
The 2010 Wenger Patagonian Expedition
Race took place in February 2010.
For more info on the 2011 race go to
www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com
BACK FOR MORE
I love the
rough terrain.
The views are
epic, it’s like
being in a
fantasy novel
but you get
to live a little
piece of it
A year later, Finlay and his team-mate Valentin Chapa, were back in Patagonia.
“I love the rough terrain,” he explained as he prepared for February’s 2010
edition. “The views are epic, it’s like being in a fantasy novel but you get to live a
little piece of it. That’s why I came back. Val and I are from different sides of the
States and when we meet at the airport I get a thrill in my blood because I know
it’s time for another epic adventure!”
With memories of their epic experience in 2009 firmly wiped, the pair took on the
2010 event in Chilean Patagonia as Team Eddie Bauer with Druce’s father, Robert,
an ex-Marine, and a nurse. The course steered them on an exhausting trek-biketrek-bike-trek south through Tierra del Fuego, where a mammoth hike through the
virtually unexplored Darwin Range was the big draw.
The flat plains rose to high glacier-clad mountain passes, watched over by
sparkling stars, making all the hard work worth every exhausting breath. But as
British team Helly Hansen-Prunesco, the returning champions from the 2009
race, eased to a second consecutive victory, it was all too much again for the
American team.
“We just missed a cut-off this time,” explained Finlay after dropping out having
completed more than 400km of trekking and mountain biking over four days.
“I really wanted to do that Darwin trek, it’s what I am good at, I can go over
mountains in rough terrain about as fast as anyone, so it was a bummer not to
get that,” mused Finlay. “So I guess I’ll just have to come back again. I need
redemption...” l
SOUTH AMERICA
27
|
S T O R Y
+
P I C S
J A M E S
M c E WA N
Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology is
revolutionising the way Queensland’s sugarcane
farmers go about their business – and the impact
they have on their local environment.
28
It’s cutting
season
up in the
Burdekin
region of North
Queensland. Tall, waving strands of
sugarcane are flowering in the lush
fields along the highways, and the
cane harvesters are at their usual,
noisy business.
Trundling along under glowering
tropical skies, these mechanical
monsters crunch relentlessly through
the rows of green cane like predatory
yellow insects. Drivers hurry to get the
crop in before the afternoon dump of
tropical rain.
The roaring of the engines is combined
with the crackling as the rotating
augers feed cane stalks into the
machines’ various knives and cutters.
Neatly sliced into 20cm pieces, the
cut stalks, or ‘billets’, go into the
trailing outloaders, while the chaff is
blown out to settle on the ground much cleaner and greener than past
practices.
Te c h n o l o g y
29
Engineer Clark Croucher 
Cane farmer Bryan Granshaw 
GPS has made
the difference
between
Somewhat predictably, there is
little nostalgia amongst today’s
farmers for the hard graft of
yesteryear where sooty canecutters, their long knives flashing
through the burned stalks, hacked out a living. There are only cautionary tales of
dodging angry snakes, formidable rats, disease and biting insects. The only fond
memories are the family stories of the tough men and women who came here
from every continent to work the cane fields.
The first revolution in cane farming arrived with the Australian-designed and built
Austoft mechanical harvester in the 1970s, which allowed a leap in productivity
that saw the cane knives hung up for good.
Today, there is a second revolutionary change happening in the industry as cane
farmers - and agriculturalists per se - embrace Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
technology.
30
success and
breaking even:
it’s like having
a different
farm
Cane farmer Bryan Granshaw was one
of the first to adopt the US-designed
Trimble GPS system on his farm at
Dalbeg, near Ayr in North Queensland.
Granshaw has a cheery outlook on life
in general and cane farming in
particular.
“I tell people that I’m in the food, fibre
and energy production business,” he
says with a grin.
“When they hear I’m a cane farmer,
they think we are a bit backward.”
That said, it is a little difficult to see
the cutting-edge technologist behind
the man in the cab of his harvester
when he looks like a professional
rugby league player in his usual
working kit of bare feet, t-shirt and
footy shorts.
“My father John, brother Terry and I are
the third generation on this property.”
Granshaw says.
“Even just the more efficient use of haulout trucks running in forward and reverse
gear saves 1.7km of useless traipsing around per hectare, reducing fuel costs by
30 percent,” he adds.
“Soil health is improved by the minimum use of fertilizer and better application of
water and nutrients. It’s environmentally more efficient, (and) we get more output
of crop per megalitre of water. We don’t want to put one more kilo of fertilizer or
litre of nutrient on the land than we absolutely need to.
“There is a strong expectation in the local community in this part of Queensland
that we will act responsibly in the way we treat the land and the water. We are all
aware of just how close and how sensitive The Great Barrier Reef is. We just want
people to look at farmers differently – as a community asset for the future.”
Engineers researching and installing GPS technology are like magicians pulling
applications out of electronic hats; as one new use is found, it leads to completely
new ways of solving seemingly impossible problems.
One engineer applying the latest techno-miracles is Clark Croucher of Brisbanebased Trimble Systems. Croucher, 41, holds a bachelor of engineering degree from
the prestigious Manchester Polytechnic and worked, naturally for an East Anglian,
in agricultural machinery with New Holland in England.
“I started as a technician with New Holland on their large agricultural machinery
and harvesters, eventually working on Quality Control before coming to Australia
in 1993,” he explains.
“In eight years, I’ve seen the widescale use of GPS in agriculture and the price for
systems reduce by half, all due to the adoption of technology by farmers.
“My job is primarily in agricultural
applications, however, I look at all
the new research in construction and
mining, both surface and underground,
from the latest independent 3D control
of tractor and grader blades to the
simpler systems fused by sugar mills
to locate their trucks, stop traffic
jams and maximise the use of their
resources.”
Croucher says there are now examples
of pilot control systems being used on
harvesters where, without the operator
even touching the steering, the
machine remembers the appropriate
sequence of gear changes, speeds
and braking points as it goes about
its work.
“Drivers are at the controls between
12-14 hours at a time – they used
to end up buggered, and their
concentration was shot,” he says.
“Once our system is installed and set
up, it reduces the workload on those
guys and improves their productivity.
“We are currently installing new
advanced farm systems like Crop IQ
and Weedseeker, which use cameras
mounted on a tractor’s planter bar
or fertilizer bar which look at the
chlorophyll levels in plants. The
cameras then determine which
individual plant needs a spot-spray
to deliver the right amount of water,
nutrients or weedicide; the savings
in expensive chemicals alone are
considerable.”
So what of the future? Croucher says
future gains in GPS will come from
groups of satellites which he calls
“constellations” leading the way to
more accuracy and a faster rate of
position update.
“There are 32 American GPS satellites
at present, and the Russians
have their GLONASS (Global’naya
Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya
Sistema) with 21 in orbit,” he explains.
“The European Galileo, and the
Chinese and Indian systems, will lead
to a more enhanced super GPS.” l
“The farm has gone from producing tobacco to beans and even cotton before we
decided to do cane.
“We adopted the hands-off GPS autopilot system on one harvester five years ago,
and we have been refining it ever since. In the first 12 months, we had a positive
result, and we now have satellite receivers on a further two haulouts and two
tractors. At a combined cost over $200,000, the results have to be worth the risk.”
Granshaw says the gains made in production are “amazing”.
“I see the output and input costs every day, and GPS has made the difference
between success and breaking even: it’s like having a different farm,” he says.
“What GPS brings to farming is the sheer accuracy we can work to. The steering
system is accurate to 20mm – less than an inch. All of our machines have
the same two-metre tracking between wheels, so we run all of our harvesters,
loaders and tractors in the same wheel ruts season to season, which is a 60
percent reduction in soil compaction.
“We need that kind of precision; humans aren’t good enough.”
Granshaw says increased accuracy in the application of water and nutrients has
helped to lower costs while extending the crop cycle by two years.
31
Honda Collector
|
S T O R Y M A T T H E W C L A Y T O N • P I C S I A N M ac P H E R S O N
If you
believe Rick
Grima, it’s
his father’s
fault.
32
The son of a Maltese migrant who
came to Australia in the 1960s, the
young Grima was just six years old
when he threw his leg over a Honda
trail bike for the first time – and that’s
when, as he puts it, “this” all started.
“This” is Grima’s property in Lidsdale,
just outside of Lithgow in New South
Wales, which doubles as a family
home and an extraordinary living,
breathing Honda museum of seemingly
anything imported into Australia before
1962. There’s trail bikes, road bikes,
mini trucks, toolkits, manuals, even
generators; the 34-year-old has so
many Honda pieces on his property
that he’s not sure how many there are
altogether. Which begs two questions:
why such a collection, and why
Honda?
A family home just outside of Lithgow in New South Wales doubles as the site of
what might be Australia’s quirkiest collection of Honda product from a bygone era.
Rick Grima shared the story of his obsession with Matthew Clayton.
33
34
“I remember my Dad’s youngest
brother – my uncle – had a little
Honda 50, and as a six-year-old, that
was my goal, to get on one of those.
They just collected and collected, and
they started with smaller bikes – the
Honda 50 step-throughs and the
Honda Dream. Between my father and
his brother, they probably had 50-60
bikes, and they were only ever Hondas
– they never wanted anything else.”
The impressionable young Grima was
taken by the dedication of his father
and uncle, so much so that by the time
he was 14 years old, he had a handful
of bikes of his own.
“We’ve never had any other make of
bike in the family – Hondas were just
something we always had,” he says.
“They’re uniform, and they’re
predictable to understand … I can
pull something apart on a Honda and
it all makes sense to me. It’s always
been just so easy and logical to work
on them, no matter whether you’re
working on a Honda bike, a car, a
generator … it doesn’t matter.
“Once I was old enough to collect my
own, I found that I had a fondness for
the earliest of anything Honda I could
find. There’s so many variants on each
particular model, so you just want to
keep on building.”
Grima leaves few stones unturned
in an effort to make his alreadyimpressive Honda collection more
extensive. He searches nationally
rather than internationally, with
his criteria being that any Honda
product he has was, at some stage,
it was my job
(to) write down
all of the part
numbers, so
to this day,
I can still
recite Honda
part numbers
like most
people can
recite phone
numbers
imported into Australia from Japan. He’s constantly searching online, in classified
advertisements and in wreckers’ yards, and has a wide support network of people
he’s met who contact him if they find something he might want. And Grima is a
collector who knows exactly what he’s after.
“I remember Dad, when I was a kid, buying all sorts of boxes of old Honda stuff
from dealers – he was only ever after one or two things, but you had to buy things
in bulk, so we had all sorts of bits laying around,” he says.
“It was my job as a kid to go through the stuff Dad didn’t want and write down
all of the part numbers from the different models, so to this day, I can still recite
Honda part numbers like most people can recite phone numbers.”
Somewhat predictably, Grima’s hobby temporarily gave way to more typical
teenage pursuits – mates, girls – when he was 17, but he admits that his
fledgling Honda collection was never far from his mind. It was a frank chat with
his girlfriend Theresa – who was later to become his wife – that saw a 19-yearold Grima decide to try to turn a pastime into a profession.
“I really didn’t like the job I was in at the time, working in a factory, so Theresa
suggested that I try to make something of what I loved. At the time, I was always
out in the shed in my spare time working on these bikes,” he recalls.
“We looked in the Yellow Pages for companies that did restorations, and there
were only four or five places in the whole Sydney metropolitan area, so I didn’t
think it would ever happen. But I got a job with one of them, and started to learn
everything about restoring the types of cars that had literally been abandoned
in paddocks for years to show-quality cars – everything from mechanical to
electrical as well as fixing the interiors. Combined with what I’d taught myself
with the bikes, it was perfect.”
Working five days a week in restorations for nine years and studying for his
professional qualifications in the same field wasn’t enough for Grima. He wanted
to restore one of his own bikes to showroom condition, and admits now that a
negative experience over a decade ago gave him the motivation he needed.
“I remember going to a bike show in 1999 and feeling like I was a bit of an
outsider because I was a younger bloke and into Hondas rather than British
bikes, so that gave me a bit of a stir to do something. I ended up spending a
year restoring a particular Honda Dream, a 1958 model, that was one of the first
Honda imports into Australia. I joined the VJMC (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle
Club), and they couldn’t believe I’d done that amount of work to a bike that was
20 years older than most people realised had even been in Australia.
“The response I got meant that after
that, my goal was to try to own the
earliest possible model of every Honda
that I could get my grubby little hands
on, which is why I consider anything
past 1962 as ‘late’. Probably 98 per
cent of my collection is pre-1960.”
Stepping onto Grima’s Lidsdale property
is like taking a trip back in time.
There’s 15-20 bikes at the house,
which Grima calls “my heart and soul
– they’re like my second kids”. There’s
a Honda E300 portable generator in its
original box complete with brochures
and instruction manuals that he
located in Western Australia, some
original Honda signage from various
eras, and toolkits that came with each
model of bike as they were imported
into Australia over 40 years ago. And
then there’s his trucks …
“In the manuals and books my Dad
had when I was a kid, there was one
for a Honda T500, a tiny little truck,”
he explains.
“I always wanted one, but I discovered
that the only people who brought them
into Australia were the Honda dealers
themselves. Since I was 12, I’ve been
searching for these trucks in Australia,
and now I have four of them. There’s
one that I haven’t restored that I drive
around the paddock with the kids.”
While the arrival of children can often
stop adult hobbies and pastimes in
their tracks, Grima has – predictably
– given 16-year-old son Blake and
eight-year-old daughter Monique
every chance to maintain the family
tradition. The kids have their own
bikes, and Grima jokes that his wife
Theresa has seen parts of Australia
she never knew existed because of his
Honda obsession.
“Even on our honeymoon, we drove up
to Brisbane – and I stopped in at every
wrecking yard from Sydney to Brisbane
searching for Honda stuff,” he laughs.
“We had another trip where I wanted
to get hold of an original toolkit for a
bike from a bloke I’d located in Leeton,
near Wagga Wagga. He said I could have
it for $10 and that he’d post it to me,
but it could have gone missing in the
mail. So we drove 16 hours just to get
a toolkit. I combine trips like that now
with the family. We’ll stay somewhere
along the way and see some of the
country, so everybody’s happy.” l
“My dad always
had them,” he
explains simply.
35
We live in the age
of personalisation.
|
PIC MICHAEL WEARNE
Few things in our
society define
us better than
the cars we own.
Honda’s Modulo
suite of accessories
allows you to
personalise your
Honda, so why not
go beyond?
36
 Honda Civic
Honda Accessories
You think of yourself as a person of
fashion and quality, someone pretty
switched-on; you’ve had a new suit
tailor-made in Savile Row or its local
equivalent. It’s the ultimate expression
of your personal taste. And then you go
and spoil it all by adding a cheap and
cheerful briefcase or handbag or other
accessory. It doesn’t fit, it doesn’t look
right, it doesn’t work.
The same process applies to your
car. You’ve bought a Honda. You know
all about the passion that inspires
everything Honda does and creates.
You want to go beyond and make your
Honda exactly that: your Honda, not
anyone else’s, the car that matches
you to a T. And only Honda Genuine
Accessories can help you do that.
37
Modulo
accessories are
extensions of
the car itself,
not just an
add-on or an
after-thought
 Honda Jazz
The Modulo suite
of accessories is
the perfect way to
match your Honda
to your own
personality.
Why is that?
Because Modulo goes through the very
same process that a new Honda model
goes through. Tying design, function
and quality inseparably together,
Modulo produces accessories –
spoilers, sports grille, alloy wheels and
more – that are not just parts, but part
and parcel of the Honda experience.
Modulo accessories are extensions of
the car itself, not just an add-on or an
after-thought.
 Honda City
modulo design & testing
38
1 Sketching
2 Evaluating
3 Clay Modelling
4 Drawing
5 Testing
6 Simulating
Our design team creates a series
of concept sketches.
The sketches are evaluated to
select the best design for
the model.
The sketches are transformed
into clay models to confirm
suitability and fitment.
Computer designers develop
technical drawings using 3D
CAD software.
Detailed inspections are carried
out and each component is
tested thoroughly to ensure
accuracy of shape and fit.
Computer simulations measure
resistance and durability before
production begins.
From freehand sketch to 3D concept
drawing to computer simulation to fullscale model, each Modulo accessory
undergoes an exhaustive progression
to ensure its fit, guarantee its
lifecycle and fulfil Honda’s worldwide
reputation for excellence.
In the testing process, robots – tireless
workers that they are – are used to put
parts through a protracted open-andclose examination; the parts are then
put under the microscope to check
their physical resistance to that ordeal.
But most importantly of all, the
accessories are tried and tested on
the road, in a range of conditions, with
particular attention being paid to the
alloy wheels and the impacts they are
expected to withstand.
The whole idea is to go beyond. The
customer is encouraged to become
part of the design process, using
some or all of the Modulo accessories
available – three types of spoiler, side
skirts, sports grille and alloy wheels –
to complete the picture.
Modulo: like all Honda Genuine
Accessories, it does three crucial
things. It fits, it looks right, and it
works – for you. l
Introduced back in 1996, Modulo now
boasts a 15-year pedigree. In a parallel
process with the actual design and build
of the vehicle, Modulo accessories are
created through a system of regular
feedback from the vehicle and its own
road-testing progress to the Accessories
Research and Development Design
team. Accessory design teams use
stringent evaluation techniques to
ensure the parts they produce match
the precise specification of the vehicle
you are buying.
 Honda Accord Euro
 Honda Civic
39
H o n d a
M o t o r c y c l e s
|
S T O RY
K E N
W O O T T O N
In this silver anniversary year of the VFR series, Honda has
struck gold with the dramatic new VFR1200
40
There seems to be a belief that a
European motorcycle can justify
a price of $25,000, but not a
Japanese model.”
The above words belong to
outgoing Honda Motorcycles’
Managing Director Stuart
Strickland, and when Stuart’s fired
up it pays not to argue. “If it’s got
the technology and the quality,
why should a Japanese model
automatically be expected to be
cheaper than something out of
Europe?” he added.
Stuart’s got a point. In years gone
by some of the Europeans got by
on reputation and badge snobbery
alone, but these days it’s bang
for the bucks that counts – and
the market has never been more
competitive. Honda’s challenge
is not in justifying the new bike’s
$24,990 (plus on road costs)
price tag, but in educating the
market that the iconic VFR
nametag is now attached to a
far different motorcycle to the
VFR750/800 series the new
VFR12 supplements.
“Why
shouldn’t
a Japanese
motorcycle
carry a
price of
$25,000?
41
There’s no
doubting that the
VFR1200F is a
quality piece of
kit. It oozes class. The paintwork
42
is flawless, the panel fit is superb, the
welds of surgical precision and the
quality of the aluminium castings of
the highest standard.
Behind the distinctive two-layer
fairing the VFR12’s 1237cc engine
bristles with MotoGP-derived
technology and clever thinking.
It truly is a stunning motorcycle.
The opportunity to sample that
technology came firstly with a day
ride along NSW’s famed Putty Road
north of Sydney, and then secondly
for two weeks in Melbourne. Both
samplings included damp roads as
well as dry, so the test period was
thorough to say the least.
It may have 50 percent more
engine capacity than the VFR800
it supplements, but the 12’s riding
position is exactly the same as the
well-regarded VFR800 with the
relationship between seat, handlebars
and footpegs identical. However, the
12 is actually narrower between the
legs due to its more compact engine.
With a claimed wet weight of 267kg,
the VFR1200 sits squarely in the
sector occupied by BMW’s K 1300S
($25,750) and Kawasaki’s ZX-14
($19,999) territory – the heavy hitters
of the sports-touring category. It’s the
former of that duo that the VFR12 hits
head-on, rather than the more touringfocused category occupied by Honda’s
own ST1300.
there can be no
doubting the
high quality
or real-world
performance of
the VFR1200F.
The attention
to detail
is evident
everywhere
There’s a glorious bark from the dual-outlet stubby muffler as the ‘flapper’ valve
opens around that 5000rpm zone, and you’re never left in doubt that it’s a V-four
you’re on rather than an in-line four. From idle through to the 10,200rpm redline
the engine is a ripper. The engineers have factored in some V-four ‘feel’ rather
than try and tame the beast totally. There’s a bit of mongrel about the VFR12.
There’s plenty else to like about the VFR too. The brakes are immensely powerful
with plenty of initial bite, the Combined Brake System (CBS) is unobtrusive and
the ABS undetectable in normal usage. The days of those early ABS systems
‘pulsing’ at the lever are a distant memory.
The 12’s chassis is strong, stable and flex free, with the Putty’s bumps and
patches putting it and the suspension to the test. I found the rear suspension a
tad harsh at licence-preserving speeds, even with my 94kg torso on board, but
at Autobahn speeds it will no doubt begin to function more compliantly. There’s
adjustment for preload and rebound.
One thing that can’t be disputed is the VFR12’s sure-footedness, a damp section
on the Putty amplifying the real-world abilities of the bike.
Controls are typically Honda, in that they are light and precise. Clutch take-up is
progressive, with the slipper design assisting on downchanges when things get,
errr, somewhat sporty.
I found the standard screen is a tad low for my 187cm of lankiness, although an
extension is available in the options catalogue for $358.
The separate rear grab-rails offer good purchase for the pillion passenger, and
genuine hard luggage is available for $1670 for panniers and $1497 for a topbox.
Aussie-spec bikes come with a centre-stand as standard fitment.
There can be no doubting the high quality or real-world performance of the
VFR1200F. The attention to detail is evident everywhere. For example, the precise
fit of the front fairing panels comes courtesy of special rectangular-shaped
fasteners that locate the body panels tighter than would otherwise be possible
with conventional fasteners.
Study every component of the VFR1200F and it’s easy to justify Honda’s $25K
asking price. Even the seat hasn’t escaped Honda’s pursuit of quality excellence,
thanks to a new process that literally bonds the seat cover (which has a special,
tactile surface) to the seat foam.
The VFR12 is the sort of motorcycle that will engender pride of ownership long
after the purchase cheque has been handed over.
Strickland says the VFR12 is aimed at riders aged 40-plus who value quality
and luxury, enjoy sophistication, and have a high disposable income. That’s
unfortunate, as a far wider demographic deserves to sample and enjoy the
VFR12. Quality carries a price. l
VEE POWER
The VFR1200F’s 1237cc,
liquid-cooled, 76-degree
V-four engine bristles
with technology drawn
directly from Honda’s
RC212V MotoGP
program.
The rear two cylinders
are located inboard
in the centre of the
crankshaft, the front
cylinders outboard,
narrowing the rear
section of the engine,
centralising the mass
and making the 1237cc
engine more compact
than that from the
VFR800.
The VFR12 uses a unique
ignition sequence
of 104 degrees–256
degrees–104
degrees–256 degrees
between cylinder firings;
a single overhead
camshaft directly
actuates two intake
valves per cylinder, with
roller rocker arms with
screw-type adjusters
actuating the two
exhaust valves. Honda
claims the Unicam
system saves weight and
space while still allowing
a 10,200rpm redline.
From MotoGP comes the
VFR12’s sealed
crankcase system: a
scavenging pump pulls
oil and gases out of
the crank chamber,
and this reduction in
atmospheric pressure
reduces resistance for
the reciprocating engine
elements – crankshaft,
pistons and
connecting rod.
The VFR1200F scores a
Throttle By Wire (TBW)
system whose ECU
processes information
from sensors which
monitor engine speed,
manifold pressure, gear
position, vehicle speed,
engine coolant and
intake air temperatures,
and throttle position.
The VFR1200F can be
had with a standard sixspeed manual gearbox
with slipper clutch,
or with Dual Clutch
Transmission.
CLUTCH THIS
The DCT offers three
operating modes: two
full-auto modes (D-mode
for regular operation and
S-mode for sporty riding),
and a six-speed gear-select
manual mode for full rider
control via paddle-shiftertype controls.
DCT employs independent
clutches for the oddnumbered gears (1st,
3rd, 5th) and the evennumbered gears (2nd, 4th,
6th), respectively, with the
two clutches operating
alternately to effect gear
changes.
Honda claims the
advantage of DCT is that
riders of less experience
and skilled riders alike have
one less task to deal with,
which means more brain
power to focus on all the
other joys of sport riding.
Okay, so the VFR1200 looks good – but how does it go? Open the throttle on the
VFR12 and it really boogies. The V-four pulls strongly from 3000rpm in sixth, but it’s
around 5000rpm that things really begin to happen. That stands to reason with
Honda claiming that 90 percent of the maximum torque is already on tap at 4000rpm.
Honda claims max power of 127kW at 10,000rpm – or 171 horses in the old
language – with max torque of 129Nm at 8750rpm. That’s nearly 50 horses more
than Honda’s own ST1300, and around 50 percent more torque. Impressive.
43
H o n d a
M o t o G P
|
S T O RY
M AT T H E W
C L AY T O N
 Andrea Dovozioso
44
Valentino Rossi’s injury-enforced absence has
opened the door for a trio of MotoGP young guns
to step into the spotlight this season.
MotoGP had a vacancy for a
new king. So far, the heir to the
throne looks to be Yamaha’s
Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard has
stepped into the spotlight vacated
by the nine-time world champion,
dominating the early part of a
MotoGP season that has offered an
early glimpse into the future of the
sport when Rossi eventually hangs
up his helmet.
Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have flown the flag valiantly for Honda in
the early stages of the 2010 season, with Pedrosa proving to be his compatriot’s
most consistent challenger with a victory in Italy to go with two pole positions and
three fastest laps. Dovizioso has come of age in his second MotoGP campaign,
the 24-year-old Italian earning four podium finishes and a strong third place in
the championship, but despite the best efforts of the Honda duo, Lorenzo has
been all but unstoppable at the front since Rossi broke his leg in practice at his
home GP in Italy.
With reigning
champion
Valentino
Rossi out of
action with a
broken leg,
45
Stoner,
2007
World
MotoGP
Champion
will join
Honda
Racing
in 2011,
after four
seasons
with
Ducati.
Watch out
for our
feature
story in the
next issue.
It was Australian Casey Stoner*
who initially showed his hand with a
brilliant pole position under lights at the opening race in Qatar, but an early-race
fall by Stoner – and some canny riding by Rossi in the middle stages against an
on-song Dovizioso – saw the 31-year-old Italian take first blood. Second in that
opening race, Lorenzo quickly hit back at Jerez in Spain in round two, stalking
pace-setter Pedrosa before scything past his compatriot on the final lap, and
he disappeared into the distance after overtaking Rossi on lap 10 at Le Mans in
France, marking himself out as the man to catch even before Rossi’s fall in the
following round.
In front of a subdued Italian crowd after their hero’s serious accident, Pedrosa
unexpectedly gave Lorenzo some food for thought with a masterful display at
Mugello, starting from pole and then streeting the field before easing up to win
by four seconds. While Lorenzo admitted that he was taken aback by the raw
pace of Pedrosa in Italy, describing the Honda rider as being “impossible to beat”,
he was quick to strike back at Silverstone, which was hosting its first motorcycle
Grand Prix since 1986. The 23-year-old started from pole and wasn’t seen for
dust after lap one in the race, and a repeat performance six days later at the Dutch
TT at Assen saw him installed by most experts as the World Champion-elect.
Lorenzo then made it three victories from pole in as many races when he won at
home in Catalunya, cruising home after a hard-charging Dovizioso crashed just
after half-distance while within 0.4secs of the Spaniard for the lead.
 Dani Pedrosa
 Toni Elias
46
Lorenzo
admitted that
he was taken
aback by the
raw pace
of Pedrosa
in Italy,
describing
the Honda
rider as being
“impossible to
beat”
The win gave Lorenzo a 52-point lead
in the title chase after just seven races,
making Rossi’s expected mid-season
return virtually irrelevant, one-third of
the way through the 2010 campaign.
While Lorenzo comfortably leads the
points standings, it’s a set of numbers
sported by Pedrosa and Dovizioso
that could yet pay dividends over
the remainder of the season. Each
MotoGP rider is permitted to use just
six engines for the season, and the
Honda duo, along with satellite Honda
rider Marco Simoncelli, were the only
riders in the field still to be using their
original two engines from the opening
race in Qatar after round six. Any rider
needing to use more than six engines
over the course of the season must
start the next race from pit lane and
10 seconds behind the rest of the field.
Rossi’s injury, added to the races
missed by the likes of Honda duo
Hiroshi Aoyama and Marco Melandri
after crashes, has seen as few as 15
MotoGP bikes take to the track this
season. Such small entry lists are
no such problem in the all Hondapowered Moto2 undercard. The firstyear series has replaced the 250cc
class as the middle ground between
the top flight of MotoGP and the entrylevel 125cc category, and with a 600cc
Honda engine and control Dunlop
tyres mandatory to keep costs under
control, equally-matched fields of 40
bikes have produced some spectacular
racing in the first half of the year.
MotoGP discard Toni Elias said before
the season that he was keen to use the
new category as a launch pad back into
the premier class, and the Spaniard
has been as good as his word, winning
two of the first three races and scoring
consistently to head the standings by
17 points after seven rounds.
The equality of equipment has made
for some white-knuckle racing, and
in round two at Jerez, Elias won a
thrilling race where the top nine riders
were separated by less than four
seconds at the finish. Italian Andrea
Iannone took pole-to-flag wins at
home at Mugello and at Assen to vault
into title contention, but it was Elias’
consistency – the one-time MotoGP
race-winner had finished in the top five
in all but one race as we went to press
– that was proving decisive. l
*Casey
47
MOTOR SPORT
World Superbikes are the stage for production-based racing machines to strut
their stuff – and Honda seems to have its own production line of winners.
Honda Superbikes
|
PIC MICHAEL WEARNE
48
Honda’s flagship World Superbike
team, Ten Kate, made their own
pilgrimage to a place known fondly as
‘The Cathedral’, but the devotion on
display was purely secular. And the
trip was well worthwhile, for Ten Kate’s
lead rider came away with both race
wins (each Superbike round has two
races) on an encouraging weekend for
the family-run team.
The ‘cathedral’ in question is the
motorcycle racing circuit at Assen,
south of Groningen in the Netherlands.
That country is also the home of Ten
Kate Honda – their Nieuwleusen HQ is
only about 60 kilometres south of the
Assen circuit.
Assen is used for both Superbikes and
the world’s premier series, MotoGP,
and at the 2010 edition of the latter
category the circuit celebrated the
80th anniversary of the Dutch TT.
Visited any
cathedrals
lately? Earlier this year
49
 Max Neukirchner
While Dani Pedrosa spearheads
Honda’s assault on MotoGP (see separate story), the
50
lead rider for Ten Kate is Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Rea. Now 23, Rea began
his road-racing career in the British 125cc series and was then runner-up in the
British SBK championship in 2007 – the year James Toseland was winning the
WSBK crown with Ten Kate Honda.
Rea, from Larne, moved to the world stage in 2008 on a Honda CBR600RR and
was runner-up to his team-mate that year, Australia’s Andrew Pitt. Jonathan then
graduated to the full-scale Superbike scene in 2009, when two race wins and six
other podiums helped him to a laudable fifth place overall.
For Ten Kate, the chance to test at Assen just before this year’s WSBK round, the
fourth on the calendar, proved invaluable after a steady if unspectacular start to
their season. Rea had been in the top six in all but one of the six races to that point.
“We completely re-evaluated the balance of the bike,” he said after the Assen
test, “and tried shifting a lot of weight to the rear, which helped in delivering grip
as it’s accelerating out of corners.”
It certainly worked: the first day at the Assen round was, said Rea, “maybe one
of the best I’ve had in Superbikes. With the grip of the qualifying tyre I was able
to open the throttle earlier and the lap time even surprised me. But my team are
really pulling out all the stops at the moment.”
Starting from pole position, the Irish rider then produced his first double-winning
race weekend. “Probably the smartest I’ve ever ridden,” he observed. “I never got
frustrated or caught in traffic and when it was time to pull the pin, I did.”
One man who was frustrated, though, was team owner Gerrit ten Kate himself.
sometimes in
the morning
I might
lose some
motivation,
then I have
a beer in
the evening
and the next
morning my
motivation is
better
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 Jonathan Rea
“We live in two worlds,” said the
experienced Dutchman wryly as he
noted Rea’s team-mate, 27-year-old
German Max Neukirchner, in 20th
and ninth spots in the two races.
Coming back from severe injury in
two 2009 falls – his right foot will
take at least a year and a half to
recover completely – Neukirchner has
had his ups and downs on the way
back, but one comment could come
straight from an Australian mouth.
“Sometimes in the morning I might
lose some motivation,” he said, “then
I have a beer in the evening and the
next morning my motivation is better!”
Neukirchner is back on a Honda for
the first time in five years and, by his
own admission, feeling his way on the
CBR1000RR.
So much so, in fact, that both he and
his younger team-mate had struggled
to reproduce that Assen form by the
midway point of the season. In an
age of ‘twittering’ and ‘tweeting’ and
electronic gossip of all kinds, it was
a phenomenon called ‘chatter’ that
was perplexing everyone at TKH as
the season rolled on. That’s not the
words riders exchange, by the way;
it’s persistent bouncing at the front
end of the bike, which can be caused
by problems with the suspension
settings, the chassis balance, even the
front tyre itself. Whatever the cause,
it had been plaguing the TKH riders as
we closed for press.
“It’s unbelievably frustrating to be held
back by this problem,” said Rea, who
had made just one visit to the podium
in the four rounds since Assen, “when
it wasn’t that long ago that we were
winning together.”
Gerrit ten Kate was just as puzzled, but
he was quick to point to better days,
referring to “the racecraft displayed by
Jonathan at Assen, Monza, Kyalami,
when rider and machine seemed to be
in a perfect balance.”
As Neukirchner, himself a veteran of
over 100 race starts, points out, “The
level of competition in Superbikes is
much higher now so it’s easy to be a
long way down even if the lap times
are not so far behind.”
With the experience at their fingertips
and the CBR1000RR at their disposal,
it seems only a matter of time till TKH
get back to the front. l
51
I n dyC ar
|
ST ORY
In a career that has
endured more than
its fair set of speed
bumps, 29-yearold Australian Will
Power is making a
late run at the tag
of ‘next big thing’
in IndyCar racing in
the United States.
52
it’s the first
year that I’ve
been in a big
team that has
the resources
to win, and it’s
a good chance
for me to show
people what
I’ve got
MAT T HEW
C L AY T O N
Breakout
years aren’t supposed to
happen like this. Not when you’re
closer to 30 years old than 20. Not
when you’re recovering from a broken
back. And not when you’re in your first
full season with a top-flight IndyCar
team after years of being passed
over for younger, wealthier drivers.
But Will Power has never done things
the easy way. Now, by combining his
natural talent with no small amount
of determination, the aptly-named
29-year-old is the top dog in American
open-wheel racing – and is finally
making up for lost time.
An open-wheel racing star in Australia
in the early 2000s, Power, like so many
young Aussie drivers, went to Europe
to make his mark internationally. But
the money and opportunities dried
up, and he switched his sights to the
United States in 2005. By 2007, the
Queenslander was a front-runner in
Champ Car, and just when it looked
like he was set to challenge for the
championship, the series collapsed
and was merged with the more popular
IndyCar series in 2008.
Power, with little experience of oval
racing and forced to learn how to
drive a different type of car, was back
to square one. He finished just 12th
in the series in ‘08, and started last
season without a job. When a stand-in
role at the front-running Penske team
came up as the season progressed,
he knew it was a make-or-break
opportunity.
Power was sounded out to deputise
for Helio Castroneves, one of Penske’s
regular drivers, at six races as
teammate to fellow Australian Ryan
Briscoe. He didn’t need to be asked
twice. A win in Edmonton, Canada,
two other top-three finishes and a
credible fifth in the Indianapolis 500
showcased Power’s talents, and
even after the Australian suffered a
season-ending injury when he broke
two vertebrae in his back in a lateseason accident at Sonoma, team
owner Roger Penske had seen enough
to search for funds to expand his team
to three cars once Castroneves came
back full-time for 2010.
While Power may have been,
nominally, Penske’s third driver,
he didn’t take long this year to
push his claims for top spot in the
championship. He won the opening
two races in São Paulo, Brazil and
St Petersburg, Florida, took pole
position in the following two races, and
retained the series lead after the Indy
500, where a promising second spot
on the grid turned into a disappointing
eighth-place finish largely thanks to
two botched pit stops.
Hon da
53
was initially disappointed with his
performance in the biggest event
in American open-wheel racing; 12
months before, he was happy to
simply be on the grid at all. Power
says the security of being guaranteed
a full season of races has changed his
approach significantly this year.
“The biggest difference now is that
I feel much more comfortable in the
team and in the series,” he says, still
sporting a Queensland drawl that
hasn’t been eroded from eight years
away from home.
“I can have the car set up much more
for the way I drive, whereas last year
when I was basically filling in, I just
got in and drove it the way it was. I was
quick enough, but I never really felt like
I had my ideal car underneath me.”
Power says the seat with Penske
finally gives him the opportunity to
54
demonstrate his skills after years of
false starts and forks in the road.
“Last year was the first year since
’03, when I did only part of the season
in British F3, that I had to sit out and
watch some of the series that I was
actually competing in,” he says.
“Now, it’s the first year that I’ve been
in a big team that has the resources to
win, and it’s a good chance for me to
show people what I’ve got. The whole
package is there; in the past, I’ve never
really had that. I feel like I’m back to
where I want to be and should be now.”
Something Power has had to get used
to – and quickly – is racing on ovals in
the US. The 17-race IndyCar schedule
features nine regular or street circuits
(which the Americans refer to as ‘road
courses’) and eight high-speed ovals,
Will Power’s story of belated career success
has many parallels with that of Aussie Formula One ace Mark Webber, who is enjoying
a career-best season in 2010 after breaking through for his maiden wins last season.
But there’s more to the stories of Power and Webber than simply coincidence.
The Red Bull Racing F1 driver has been a staunch supporter of Power in his efforts to
make it outside of Australia, and when Power first went to Europe in 2003, Webber
assisted the then 22-year-old in more ways than one.
“When I went to race in Europe, (Mark) helped me with his own money,” Power says.
“It’s cool to be doing so well knowing that he’s helped me to get to where I am. I
don’t know if I’d be here driving in America or for Roger Penske without Mark’s help.”
A chance meeting at a British Formula 3 event in 2003, a race Power was forced
to miss because of a lack of funds, saw a friendship develop between the pair, and
Webber contributed a sum towards Power securing a drive in the Formula Renault
3.5 series, the same series that today features the man most likely to be Webber’s
successor on the F1 grid in years to come, young West Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
Power won two races in that category in 2005, setting the ball rolling for a move to
the US to compete in Champ Car, which paved the way for his recent success.
Power says he’s enjoyed watching Webber’s on-track exploits from afar this
season, and knowing that Webber’s own path to the top was a rocky one gives him
motivation – and belief - for the future.
“Both of us have fought pretty hard to get into a team where we can show we can do
the business,” Power says.
“Sometimes people don’t get the opportunity in their career to show that, so when
you get that opportunity, you have to give it everything you’ve got.” l
which require a totally different driving style. While being first to the chequered
flag is the end goal in both formats, Power admits that the relentless speed of
oval racing – and the ramifications of a mistake – weigh on his mind, and he
knows it’s an area where he needs to improve.
“I’m getting better at ovals the more I do them, but I still think road courses are
tougher as you have a lot more to do as a driver,” he says.
“It’s not as hard to be fast on an oval like it is on a road course, because racing
on a road course is more technical. But the speed on ovals is a lot higher and it’s
a lot more dangerous. You always have that in the back of your head while you’re
going around in packs of open-wheel cars doing 350km/h, and you learn where to
position your car and how to run in traffic. Mentally, it can be hard if you consider
what could happen to you if you get it wrong and end up in the fence.”
Power has undoubtedly been the surprise success story of the IndyCar season
so far, but with fewer road courses than ovals remaining on the 2010 schedule,
many experts in the States expect him to fade as the season progresses. Power
himself isn’t looking that far ahead, and it’s little wonder that he keeps a shortterm focus when you consider how his career has panned out. Capitalising on
opportunities if and when they arise has served him well in the past, and he sees
no need to change that mantra now.
“I’ve only really got my first chance with a big team now, when I’m 29,” he says.
“It was frustrating at times, but I kept trying to stay positive and work hard, and
show that I had the speed when I had a chance to race.
“I reckon it’s all worked out in the end. Whenever you’re in a car and find yourself
in a situation to perform when you don’t have a full-time drive, you have to nail it
and show what you can do. That’s what I did last year – and that’s put me in the
position that I’m in now.” l
July 19 Toronto: Will Power won Round 10
from Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti. As we
went to print Power was leading the series
with seven races to go.
Honda’s Civic Type R has taken Eli Evans and Glen Weston to
a little piece of Australian rallying history – with some ups and
downs along the way!
Hon da
Au st ralian
Rally
C h ampion sh ips
Elsewhere in
this issue Honda
Australia’s new CEO, Satoshi
Matsuzawa, speaks of the ‘challenging
spirit’ that drives his company’s
ambition. Matsuzawa-san specifically
mentions the Australian Rally scene,
where a normally-aspirated twowheel-drive Civic Type R is taking on
the big, turbo-charged names in the
national championship.
“Two-wheel-drive, no turbo – that is
a big challenge,” he says, but then he
adds: “But challenge IS Honda.” And
living up to that challenge is the twoman crew of that Type R, Eli Evans and
his co-driver Glen Weston.
In round four of six, Rally SA, the
Evans/Weston Type R took third place
on the podium in Heat Two and a fine
fourth place overall. Not for more
than 20 years had a two-wheel-drive
machine helped its crew to a podium
position in the Australian Rally
Championship.
“Third overall for this heat, it’s a big
relief. It’s what we were aiming for,
to have a consistent run and make no
mistakes,” Eli said. That consistency
was demonstrated on the Angaston
showgrounds, in a tricky Sunday first
stage through Mount Crawford 3, and
a fine finish in fifth place on the Charleston Plus stage to cap it all.
As Evans pointed out, “The last stage is great. It’s 34 kilometres and we’re in top
gear at 185 at five or six different points in the stage, that’s how fast it is. I really
enjoyed it, we just kept it steady when the corners were tightening up. Once we
crossed that finishing line it was big smiles.”
Earlier, in Western Australia’s round two, the Type R was going nicely on the Friday
night but engine pulley problems halved its Saturday outing. Back in action for the
final day, the twosome finished 13th overall but still found positives in the weekend.
“Wow, this car is so much fun to drive,” Eli enthused. “There’s no question that
the spectators thought that our car was the most spectacular one in the field.
It sounds awesome and looks so fast when it’s on a stage.
“This was always going to be our toughest round in this year’s championship due
to the ball-bearing gravel that covers the roads in WA. Being car two on the road
didn’t help either as there wasn’t a clear swept driving line like the cars behind us
had to drive on. We learnt an awful lot this weekend on car set-up.”
Round three, though, the Coffs Coast Rally where Evans was the defending
champion, caught the Honda crew out when an over-enthusiastic approach to a
corner ended their event on its final stage.
“We thought, neat and tidy, this stage is obviously tough,” Evans explained.
“I was carrying a little bit too much speed and I got wide and wasn’t able to catch
the car and ended up in the trees and rolling.”
Bruised but otherwise unbowed as the J.A.S. Motorsport-built Honda proved its
strength, Evans again found solace in the car’s performance: “It’s disappointing,”
he admitted. “I was building my confidence all weekend. But we definitely
improved pace so that’s a positive thing.”
With the remaining two rounds of the 2010 ARC scheduled for Queensland at the
start of August and Victoria in November, Eli was lying sixth overall on 131 points
for the season to date. l
It says much for
how far Power
has come that he
55
Awa r d s
Honda Technician of the Year Geoffrey Mentiplay is, in
many ways, exactly what you would expect. In others,
he’s a bit of a surprise.
56
The
unexpected?
That
remarkable
name, for
starters: we thought
it must be French or something
similarly exotic. Being Scottish
ourselves, we were duly surprised
to learn that it comes, in fact, from
Edinburgh and a family of fishermen.
One popular genealogical website
we checked out claimed there were
seven Mentiplays born in the UK in
the 1800’s – and just four in the 20th
century, which if true would make
Geoff a very rare bird indeed.
He’s never had time, he says, to
research the family background
fully – small wonder, as he spends
a great deal of his time acquiring the
knowledge that goes into becoming
Technician of the Year. “My family
came out here in 1843 or something
like that,” he says. “Two brothers
came out and settled at Williamstown,
but I’m a Mornington Peninsula
man myself. I made a big shift in
1958: from Rye to Rosebud [both
coastal towns on the eastern side of
Port Phillip Bay], and I was born in
Hastings, so what hope have I got?”
The rest of Australia’s loss is
Peninsula Honda’s gain, for Geoff
has worked with Honda for 25 years
and moved only from a dealership
in Frankston to his current employer
Peninsula, in the town of Mornington.
Go into the dealership’s Service
Reception and the first thing that
hits you is the handsome trophy
Geoff received for winning the 2009
Technician of the Year competition.
Take a closer look at the walls around
you and you will find no fewer than
10 certificates (among 13 on display)
showing how long and consistently
Geoff has been achieving excellence in
his area of expertise.
Which brings us to another question:
what’s the difference between a
‘technician’ and a ‘mechanic’? The
answer, says Geoff, is simple: “As a
technician you have not just to fix this
or grease that, you have to be able
to diagnose systems and understand
how they work. We are very lucky
at Honda with the training that we
receive: we will regularly go to new
model releases, for example, or attend
briefings on innovative systems like
Video Communications Interface, the
latest one I have been involved in.”
Another surprise: Geoff’s admission of
how he came to be a Honda technician
in the first place. “I’m a failed
mechanical engineer!” he says with
a self-deprecating laugh. “I attended
Caulfield Technical College, as it then
was, in Melbourne, but I discovered
wheels, and girls, and I just didn’t
study hard enough at the time.” He’s
made up for it since, and he retains
enough of that original knowledge to
explain very simply why he has stayed
so loyal to the Honda Brand. “I picked
an excellent product,” he says. “You
learned very quickly that the grass
really is greener on the Honda side.”
Naturally, Geoff has watched the
industry change rapidly over the length
of his span with Honda. “I worked
on models like the Scamp and the
Life when I first started,” he recalls.
“There were still a few of those
around, although by that time Accord
and Civic had been released. In terms
of personal favourites to work on, I’d
mention the 1993 Prelude. But the
point about Honda is that all the cars
are beautifully engineered. They are
also up-to-date and cutting-edge,
and if Honda spots a problem, it gets
nailed – quick-smart. It’s an exciting
product to work on, too.”
As a driver, his personal choice would
be his previous Accord. “It had been
maltreated, but once I got it the car
served me well for another 150,000
kilometres, and it had already done
that much by the time I got my hands
on it!” Saying that, Geoff underlined
his own view of how to look after your
car: “regular servicing and TLC.”
As those certificates and trophies
show, there’s a bit more to it than
that. For the Technician of the Year
competition Honda’s Technical Training
Department, headed up coincidentally
by another Scot, James Kerr, compiles
three rounds of 20 questions drawn
from workshop manuals and training
materials in particular. Interim prizes
after the first two rounds encourage
contestants to go on to round
three. The best are then brought to
Honda’s National Training Centre at
Tullamarine, Melbourne, to compete
in five further modules, four of them
practical, one theory-based.
Here’s another surprise: Geoff told his
wife and his dealership manager that
he didn’t think he’d done very well
at all! “Although I’ve been a finalist
several times,” he explained, “it’s just
as nerve-racking every year. This time
I told myself to chill out, not get too
worked up… but then I thought I had
really made a major blunder and taken
the wrong approach entirely to one of
the modules. In fact I came outside
and lay down on the grass to try and
de-stress!”
But, as the saying goes, it was all
right on the night – the evening of the
award presentation, that is. It’s done
a little bit on the Brownlow Medal
system of progressive scores. By
the end of round four Geoff was on
top, but when his name was finally
called out he was, he insists, “totally
surprised”. Shocked, in fact – so
shocked he forgot to mention the other
competitors in his acceptance speech,
an omission you can see causes him
real embarrassment in hindsight.
You sense they would forgive him,
because the things you did expect
about Geoff Mentiplay – that he would
be self-effacing, modest and a Honda
man through and through – are all
quite true. Just to underline that fact,
the trophy is at the dealership, not at
home; the new laptop that was part of
the prize will undoubtedly be used to
further his knowledge of all things
Honda; and the tool voucher that also
came with it is unspent because he’s
waiting for something to arrive so
that he can make sure it will work on
Honda cars before he buys it.
And will the experienced, awardwinning Mr Mentiplay be having
another crack at the Honda Technician
of the Year title in 2010? “Always!” is
the immediate answer. Geoff has an
old-fashioned rule of thumb that has
guided him through his entire career.
“If you stop trying to learn,” he says,
“you may as well pack up your toolbox
and go home.”
It will be a while yet before Geoff
Mentiplay, Honda Technician of the
Year 2009, does that. l
The 2009 Honda
Apprentice of the
Year is Ryan Mackie
of Honda Central
Tasmania
Honda Dealer of the Year for 2009
is West Australian company Burswood
Honda, whose Dealer Principal Bob
Peters (above) has been a long-term
champion of the Honda brand.
Burswood Honda in
WA changed its name a
decade ago – but not the high-class
way it does business.
It was originally Auto Classic, which sold Honda
and one other quality automotive brand, but this
dealership has focused on the Japanese marque
exclusively in that time.
As Peter Dyer, the General Sales Manager at Burswood
Honda, told us, winning this coveted title is not just a
matter of selling more Hondas than anyone else.
“It takes a lot of focus, and a great deal of attention
to detail,” explained Peter, originally from the Isle of
Wight in England, who started his career with Honda,
left, but is now firmly back in the fold. His wife, by the
way, is a Honda owner, so as Peter points out, he not
only sells the product, he firmly believes in it!
“There are a lot of criteria you have to satisfy across
sales, service, parts and accessories. It’s not all
about performance in sales; you score points in
different areas.”
Customer surveys and ownership experience surveys
are all part of the process, and it was particularly
pleasing for Burswood Honda to be named Number
One for customer satisfaction as well. So what’s next
for a company, now with 83 people on board, that
had previously won this award in 2007?
“Well,” says Peter, “it was one challenge to get to
number one in the first place, and as any great
sportsman or team will tell you, it’s harder to maintain
that position. All we can do is look at the bigger
picture: to be number one as a car dealer in a more
general sense, and then as a corporate entity.” l
H o n d a
57
People are the driving force behind Honda, so it’s no wonder
that Honda has an array of vehicles to answer every driving
need. For full specifications, please go to honda.com.au/cars
JAZZ VTi
GLi Features plus
1.5 litre 88kW
SOHC i-VTEC engine
Cloth trim
6.4 man / 6.7 auto L/100km*
Front/side/curtain airbags
Steering wheel audio control
JAZZ
CITY
CIVIC
CIVIC HYBRID
CIVIC Si
58
ACCORD VTi
Features
2.4 litre 133kW
DOHC i-VTEC engine
Dual zone climate control
8.8 L/100km*
5-speed auto
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
ACCORD VTi
LUXURY
VTi Features plus
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
Sunroof
Power driver seat
Front fog lamps
Rain sensor wiper
Automatic headlights
ACCORD EURO
Features
2.4 litre 148kW
DOHC i-VTEC engine
8.9 man / auto L/100km*
6-speed manual
5-speed auto
17" alloy wheels
ACCORD EURO LUXURY
Euro Features plus
18" Alloy wheels
Front & rear parking sensors
HID headlamps
8-way power driver &
Electric sunroof
passenger seats
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
ODYSSEY
Features
2.4 litre 132kW
DOHC i-VTEC engine
5-speed sequential shift
16" alloy wheels
7 seats
8.9 L/100km*
ODYSSEY LUXURY
Odyssey Features plus
Power 3rd row seats
Tri-zone airconditioning
Sunroof
6 CD audio
8-way power driver’s seat 17" alloy wheels
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
Aero package
CR-V
Features
2.4 litre 125kW
DOHC i-VTEC engine
RealTime 4WD, ABS & EBD
10.0 man / auto L/100km*
6-speed manual
5-speed auto
CR-V SPORT
CR-V Features plus
17" alloy wheels
Sunroof & front fog lamps
Dual-deck cargo
5-speed auto
6 CD audio
ACCORD
CITY VTi Features
1.5 litre 88kW
SOHC i-VTEC engine
Anti-lock brakes & EBD
6.3 man / 6.6 auto L/100km*
5-speed manual
5-speed auto
Tilt steering adjustment
CITY VTi-L
VTi Features plus
Fog lamps
16" Alloy wheels
Leather steering wheel †
Tilt & telescopic steering
adjustment
CIVIC VTi Features
1.8 litre 103kW
SOHC i-VTEC engine
6.9 man / 7.2 auto L/100km*
5-speed manual
5-speed auto
CIVIC VTi-L
VTi Features plus
6-CD stacker
Climate control airconditioning
16" alloy wheels
60/40 split rear seat
Steering wheel audio control
CIVIC HYBRID
Features
1.3 litre 85kW
SOHC i-VTEC with
i-DSI engine
Integrated Motor
Assist (IMA)
CVT Transmission with
grade logic control
4.6 L/100km*
CIVIC Si
Features
1.8 litre 103kW
SOHC i-VTEC engine
6.9 man / 7.2 auto L/100km*
6-speed manual
5-speed auto
CIVIC TYPE R
Features
2.0 litre 148kW
6-speed manual
DOHC i-VTEC engine
Limited slip differential
Parking sensors
18" Alloy wheels
9.3 L/100km*
CIVIC TYPE R
JAZZ VTi-S VTi Features plus
Sports body kit
16" alloy wheels
Leather steering wheel †
Sports cloth trim
ACCORD EURO
CIVIC SPORT
VTi-L Features plus
2.0 litre 114kW
DOHC i-VTEC engine
17" alloy wheels
8.3 man / 8.4 auto L/100km*
Leather seats †
Electric sunroof
Fog lamps
ODYSSEY
15" alloy wheels
Fog lamps
CR-V
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
Deflation warning system
LEGEND
Deflation warning system
LEGEND
Features
3.7 litre 226kW
V6 SOHC engine
Satellite navigation with
reversing camera
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
11.3 L/100km*
ACCORD V6 LUXURY
Features
3.5 litre 202kW
V6 engine with VCM
HID headlights
10 L/100km*
5-speed auto
Satellite navigation with
reversing camera
Leather trim †
8-way power driver’s seat
Heated front seats
4-way power passenger seat
Sunroof
ACCORD EURO
LUXURY
NAVIGATION
Luxury Features plus
Reversing camera
Satellite navigation
5-speed auto
CR-V LUXURY
CR-V Sport Features plus
8-way power driver’s seat
Leather trim †
Heated front seats
Reverse parking sensors
Automatic headlights
5-speed auto with paddle shift
& grade logic control
Super handling All Wheel Drive (AWD)
Active front lighting system
Active noise cancellation/sound control
For prices, please contact your Honda Dealer.
† Leather includes some PVC vinyl material.
* The fuel consumption figures quoted are based on ADR81/02 combined test
results. You may experience different results depending on driving conditions and
the condition of the vehicle.
JAZZ GLi
Features
1.3 litre 73kW
5-speed manual
SOHC i-VTEC engine
5-speed auto
Anti-lock brakes
Front/side airbags
& Electronic Braking
Distribution (EBD)
5.8 man / 6.6 auto L/100km*
59
Thinking Honda? Think Honda Dealers – there are over
100 of them countrywide, but our list should help you find
one in your area.
60
NEW SOUTH WALES
Rosebery
Albion Park
Shellharbour Honda
(02) 4257 2800
Scone
Albury
Baker Honda
(02) 6041 8400
Sutherland
Armidale
Hardman Honda
(02) 6772 8411
Tamworth
Artarmon
Scotts Honda
(02) 9431 2333
Taree
Ballina
Honda East
(02) 6686 7186
Wagga Wagga
Batemans Bay
Alan May Honda
VICTORIA
(02) 4472 1100
Bairnsdale
Pace Honda
Warwick Farm
Bathurst
Bathurst Honda
(03) 5152 0150
(02) 6332 9440
Ballarat
Ballarat City Honda
Wollongong
Bega
Bega Valley Motors
(03) 5331 5000
(02) 6492 2333
Bendigo
Innes Motors
Blacktown
Trivett Honda (03) 5443 9633
QUEENSLAND
(02) 8822 1111
Bentleigh East
Astoria Motors
Atherton
Brookvale
Col Crawford Motors
(03) 9579 1988
(02) 9941 1390
Berwick
New World Honda
Bundaberg
Coffs Harbour
Fitzroy Motors
(03) 8794 0000
(02) 6652 3122
Brighton
Robert Lane Honda
Cairns
Dubbo
Sainsbury Automotive
(03) 9563 9999
(02) 6884 6444
Collingwood
Yarra Honda
Caloundra
Gateshead
Macquarie Honda
(03) 9288 9000
(02) 4947 5000
Doncaster
Eastern Honda
Cleveland
Gosford
Central Coast Honda
(03) 9856 1333
(02) 4324 5744
Essendon Fields Essendon Honda
Cooroy
Goulburn
Geissler Motors
(03) 9374 8000
(02) 4823 0900
Ferntree Gully
Ferntree Gully Honda Gladstone
Griffith
Griffith City Motors
(03) 9758 9888
(02) 6969 5010
Frankston
Travis Honda
Gympie
Hamilton
Kloster Honda
(03) 9786 1022
(02) 4922 0592
Geelong
Rex Gorell Honda
Hervey Bay
Homebush
Larke Hoskins (03) 5223 1633
(02) 8789 6888
Heidelberg West Courtney & Patterson Indooroopilly
Hornsby
Hornsby Honda
Honda (02) 9472 2100
(03) 9287 1588
Ipswich
Kingswood
Great Western Honda
Hoppers Crossing Westside Honda
(02) 4736 5555
(03) 9974 5555
Kunda Park
Leichhardt
Rick Damelian Honda
Horsham
Wilson Bolton Honda
(02) 9560 1000
(03) 5382 0157
Mackay
Lismore
Ireland Honda
MilduraAutoSynergy (02) 6621 2662
(03) 5022 0927
Maryborough
Maitland
Hunter Honda
Mornington
Peninsula Honda
(02) 4999 6710
(03) 5975 9755
Mount Isa
Moss Vale
Southern Highland Oakleigh
Garry & Warren Smith
Honda (03) 9564 6666
Newstead
(02) 4868 1477
Prahran
John Blair Honda
Narellan
Macarthur Honda
(03) 9529 1255
North Lakes
(02) 4636 8000
Ringwood
Ringwood Honda
Nowra
Nowra Honda
(03) 9871 6888
Nundah
(02) 4422 0111
Shepparton
Darryl Twitt Honda
Orange
Honda Auto Centre (03) 5821 9477
Rockhampton
(02) 6362 7169
Traralgon
Gittins Valley Honda
Parramatta
Trivett Classic Honda
(03) 5173 3999
Southport
(02) 9841 8888
Warragul
Warragul City Honda
Port Macquarie John Patrick Honda
(03) 5623 5633
(02) 6584 1800
Warrnambool
Coast Honda
Springwood
Rockdale
Collins Honda
(03) 5561 1300
(02) 9599 4888
Larke Hoskins (02) 9313 8833
Saunders Honda
(02) 6545 9822
Tynan Motors
(02) 8545 8888
Woodleys Motors
(02) 6763 1555
Manning Valley Motors
(02) 6552 1088
Wagga Motors
(02) 6933 0100
Peter Warren Honda
(02) 9828 8111
Wollongong City Motors
(02) 4227 3799
Redding Honda
(07) 4091 1344
Bundaberg Honda
(07) 4153 3288
Trinity Honda
(07) 4050 5040
Caloundra City Honda
(07) 5491 5522
Keema Bayside Honda
(07) 3383 1333
Daddow’s Honda
(07) 5447 6133
Motorworld Honda
(07) 4971 5777
Pacific Honda
(07) 5480 5222
Bay City Honda
(07) 4124 0000
Westpoint Honda
(07) 3000 2500
Blue Ribbon Honda
(07) 3280 3400
Sunshine Coast Honda
(07) 5409 1500
Carlisle Honda
(07) 4957 0700
Maryborough City Honda
(07) 4123 0000
Malouf Honda
(07) 4743 8866
Austral Honda
(07) 3364 1700
Torque Honda
(07) 3384 5700
Northside Honda
(07) 3635 5200
D C Honda
(07) 4999 1200
Warren Von Bibra Gold Coast Honda
(07) 5556 2900
Highway Honda
(07) 3808 1111
Toowoomba
Townsville
Tweed Heads
Warwick
Woolloongabba
Peter Roberts Honda
(07) 4637 5555
Pickerings Honda
(07) 4726 5555
Von Bibra Twin Towns Honda
(07) 5523 7400
Graeme Collins Honda
(07) 4661 2533
Southside Honda
(07) 3895 3895
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Albany
Albany Honda
(08) 9842 5522
Bunbury
Bunbury Honda
(08) 9721 1000
Burswood
Burswood Honda
(08) 9311 7555
Geraldton Midwest Honda
(08) 9921 2966
Kalgoorlie
Goldfields Honda
(08) 9021 7310
Mandurah
Peel Honda
(08) 9582 6200
Melville
Prestige Honda
(08) 9317 5700
Osborne Park
Honda North
(08) 9449 9000
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide
Glenelg
Modbury
Mt Gambier
Tanunda
Nordic Honda
(08) 8223 2355
Dave Potter Honda
(08) 8294 3444
Formula Honda
(08) 8265 9555
Carlin & Gazzard Honda
(08) 8723 8881
Lynas Valley Honda
(08) 8563 2045
TASMANIA
Burnie
Hobart
Launceston
Motors Honda
(03) 6430 2482
Honda Central
(03) 6234 0300
Greg Crick Honda
(03) 6331 8411
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Alice Springs
Peter Kittle Honda
(08) 8952 5500
Darwin
Darwin Honda
(08) 8981 3827
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Belconnen
Rolfe Honda
(02) 6253 3899
Phillip
Capital Honda
(02) 6221 5200
Buying a Honda Approved Used Car
means you can buy with confidence.
Every Honda Approved used car undergoes a thorough one hundred point mechanical
examination to ensure only the best Honda used cars become Honda Approved Used Cars.
Every one also comes with the assurance of 12 months Premium Roadside Assistance*.
As a Honda Approved owner you become a HondaONE Member which entitles you to
rewards, privileges and exclusive offers. That’s the Honda difference.
Find out more at honda.com.au/usedcars
*For full details please refer to the above website.
HN0474/IBC

Issue 49

Transcription

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