Hey everyone, it's contest time again!  We will be giving away a $50 gift card to Motorcycle Superstore for the month of July.

The contest will run from 6/19/2009 until 7/19/2009.

In order to be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Obviously, be registered at the site.
2. Have a vehicle in the site garage.
3. Have at least (10) posts in the forums.
4. Have not won a previous giveaway in the last (6) months.
5. Reside in the US or Canada.  (Due to shipping I can't ship overseas or out of the states)

It is free and easy to be eligible and to enter this contest.  If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Simply reply to this post to be entered into the giveaway.

Good Luck!

Earlier this week, Honda made an announcement that they will be withdrawing factory support from AMA Road Racing.  This comes as a shock after not more than a week ago they made a statement that they were not planning to pull support from other motorsports after announcing they were dropping Formula 1 support.  In their press release, Honda stated:

"The primary factor contributing to this decision is the current global economic situation and its impact on Honda. This was an extremely difficult decision to make as the racing spirit reaches to the very core of Honda.  While it is unfortunate that the current economic conditions led us to take this action, rest assured that Honda¹s deep-seated passion for racing has not been, and will never be, diminished."

Fortunately, The Erion Honda Racing and Corona Honda Racing teams will continue to receive support from Honda for at least the 2009 season.  The move will not affect Supercross or Motocross.  This just leaves us wondering one thing, what is to happen to already contracted rider Neil Hodgson for the 2009 AMA Road Racing season?

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/14/honda-pulls-out-of-ama-roadracing/

A Japanese news station, Mainichi, is reporting that Honda is in the works of producing a hybrid motorcycle due on the market in 2011.  The Japanese manufacturer is confident they can shrink their hybrid engines enough to fit into a motorcycle frame.  The new bikes will be available in displacements of 200-1000cc and are expected to achieve 50 percent better fuel efficiency.  Honda is also going to produce a line of smaller electric scooters with an engine size of 50-125cc.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20080927p2a00m0na020000c.html

Motorcycle News has reported the revealing of the 2009 CBRs.  They are very similar in design with a few extra features including a slightly modified body work; this is what we have come to expect from Honda every two years into a models production.  The 2009s will come stock with ABS, that's right, ABS on a sportbike!  Along with ABS and the few aforementioned differences, we also get all brand new colors.  Actually, no more graffiti or any of the previous 07+ colors.  The available colors include:

• Phoenix
• Graphite Black / Italian Red
• Graphite Black / Bright Lime Green Metallic
• White / Red / Blue ’Tricolor’ (Limited Edition)
• Pearl Sunbeam White (See update below)

I'm beginning to like Honda's more radical designs.  Would I buy one of the LE sunbeam's white models?  More than likely not, but I still like their willingness towards the market.

Specifications and more details after the jump...
Full Article from MotorcycleNews.com

UPDATE: It appears that the 'Sunbeam White' model we previously reported on is not on Honda's website for an official available color.  I don't know where this picture came from, possible a European model?  I am not sure, but in any case, it is not on the Honda website and instead we have discovered a 'Phoenix' color scheme.  This one is white with a Phoenix logo on the side.  Picture updated above.

More from Honda.com

I just found a part of Honda.com that is devoted to CBRs.  No, not a sales page, although they kinda incorporate it.  This is more of a user focused site where you can get CBR history as well as design your own CBR wallpaper and browse other ones users have created.  I think this is a pretty neat little application that Honda didn't have to make available, but am I glad they did.

http://cbr.honda.com/

Last weekend we had a pretty tragic accident out in the hill country down here in San Antonio.  I just learned of this today, but two very experienced riders hit head on and were both killed instantly.  I knew one of the riders, not very well, but enough to really hit home.  This just goes to show you never know, and I just want it to be a reminder of the unexpected things that can happen on the street.  Be safe and keep it shiny side up gentlemen.

Links to news articles:

Link, Link 2

This weekend I received a tip from the director of a documentary series on Discovery Turbo entitled, "Twist the Throttle".  This documentary is, I quote, "an inside look at 8 of the major and/or most famous motorcycle manufacturers in the world."  I took a look real quick and it looks like there will be some pretty intriguing information/footage to check out.  Would be nice to take a last look at the US plants before they move production over to the super plant in Japan later this year.

I suggest you guys make the jump at the end of the press release; FYI, the site is not very FireFox friendly.  IE seemed to work okay with it.

Here is the press release:

Lake Elsinore, CA (March 4, 2008)—Presented for free in full HD on Discovery Turbo Online starting Monday, March 10th, Twist The Throttle delivers an extraordinary, behind-the-scenes perspective of what makes eight of sport motorcycling’s legendary brands tick.

With over four hours of material online, Twist The Throttle takes its audience inside Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta, and Bimota like never before. Multiple webisodes encapsulate each manufacturer’s remarkable tale: Starting with a trip back in time to reveal the brands’ magical histories, the films evolve to explore never-before-seen footage behind the closed doors of their manufacturing facilities, design centers, and R&D departments, offering an incredible insight into the past, present, and future of the motorcycle world.

Cry Havoc Productions, an award winning independent documentary company which has produced Speed on Two Wheels, Driving Design, and Top Marques, uses their unparalleled knowledge and passion for motorcycling to capture it all in crystal-clear, high-definition video with the kind of quality the sport deserves.

Filmed during a remarkable 36,000-mile journey to four countries on three continents, Twist The Throttle is the most comprehensive documentary series to ever showcase the inner-workings of today’s premier sport bike brands. Completing the adventure, Cry Havoc’s producers take the viewer’s trip full-circle, offering firsthand accounts of what it’s like to ride each brand’s premier sportbikes on some of the best motorcycle roads and racetracks in the world.

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast—no matter what your discipline of choice—Twist The Throttle is a must-see series. Be sure to visit www.turbo.discovery.com (http://turbo.discovery.com/twist-the-throttle/twist-the-throttle.html) starting March 14th for the exciting ride!