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Honda Reveals 50 Years of WGP History

2009 marks the 50th anniversary of Honda’s participation in World Grand Prix racing and to commemorate this event the Japanese manufacturer is showcasing its racing heritage with previously unseen footage and images, as well as ringtones and wallpaper downloads, added on its global website.

“Honda is proud to have such an unrivalled history in two-wheel Grand Prix racing and this website is a superb celebration of this history, as well as a fantastic resource for motorcycle enthusiasts,”
Steve Martindale, General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles, was quoted as saying by the European Motor News.

Honda first participated in the World Championship Racing(WGP) Isle of Man TT Race in 1959, with the RC142 motorcycle, fitted with an air-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, 2-cylinder 125cc engine.

The WGP debut was made with a three-rider team of Honda associates. In the final, Naomi Taniguchi came in 6th, Giichi Suzuki on 7th, and Junzo Suzuki finished 11th, with the team taking the Constructor’s Prize.

For the past two years, a Honda team has been working on restoring a RC142, based on the original blueprints and photos. The motorcycle was recently road tested at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, where Naomi Taniguchi, now age 73, gave an impressive riding performance.

Fans of the renowned brand can explore the ‘50th Anniversary of Racing’ dedicated area here, where they can see footage and images with the legendary Honda race machines, as well as stories from Honda’s fifty years progress in the two wheel grand prix competition.
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