Honda Named An Official Manufacturer For MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica has announced that American Honda has been named an Official Manufacturer of the 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. In addition, Honda will be the title sponsor of the second round of the nine-round series – the Honda Superbike Challenge of Road Atlanta, April 17-19.
The move hopefully signals a revival for the American road racing scene, as an official Honda factory team has been absent from the series for a few years now. While it’s unlikely Honda will field a team this year, this announcement may signal Honda’s full-time return to the series in 2016. The goal, then, is to attract Kawasaki and other manufacturers to join the series as well.
Honda has also been designated the official and exclusive partner to MotoAmerica for scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), side-by-sides and generators, providing transportation and other power products to MotoAmerica and its staff for the 2015 racing season.
“We’re thrilled to have Honda as a partner in our series,” said MotoAmerica president and three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey. “Personally, I’ve had a relationship with Honda that goes back to the mid-’80s when I was fortunate enough to win an AMA Superbike Championship with them. Having them back helps make MotoAmerica complete and I know everyone in the paddock will be excited to see that Honda is supporting our series. It will also be nice to have their quality products integrated into our series operations. We’re looking forward to a partnership with Honda that will continue to grow in the years to come.”
Honda, which last year produced its 300 millionth motorcycle, has been manufacturing motorcycles since 1949 and currently produces them in 33 plants in 22 countries. Honda’s AMA road-racing heritage runs deep with 33 National Championships, including eight in the premier Superbike class.
“We’re very excited about this next chapter in American road racing, and we’re pleased to be a part of it,” said Bob Gurga, Motorcycle Division Vice President of American Honda Motor Company. “The package that MotoAmerica has put together is very promising. With the support of the other manufacturers, we hope to help MotoAmerica rebuild road racing in the U.S. That’s what we want, it’s what the industry wants and, most importantly, it’s what the fans want.”
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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