Honda CR Electric Makes Racing Debut
Impressive first showing in All Japan Motocross Championship
Honda’s electric dirt bike prototype made its racing debut this weekend in Round 8 of the All Japan Motocross Championship in Saitama, competing against 450cc gas-powered motorcycles in the IA1 class.
Trey Canard, Team Honda HRC advisor and test rider, rode the Honda CR Electric Proto as a wildcard entry, setting the second fastest time in the opening practice session and qualified in fifth overall on Saturday.
On race day, Canard finished second in the first of three motos behind reigning champion Jay Wilson of Yamaha. Canard’s fastest single lap time was 1:37.195, which was the second overall behind Wilson’s 1:36.503.
The second and third motos were less successful, with Canard crashing out early both times. Still, Canard was able to take the holeshot on two out of the three races.
“This weekend was definitely a big challenge for me, but it was a great race for our development,” says Canard. “Each time I was on the track, we improved the motorcycle and the CR Electric Proto team adapted to the challenge.”
Ultimately, the results mattered less than collecting data in a real racing environment. Still, taking two holeshots and setting competitive lap times in its first event makes for an impressive debut the CR Electric Proto.
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Nice! Let’s get this on the market Honda! I’d love to see a CRF300L level performance and price equivalent on the market; I’d be a buyer at that price and range point, even if it means overnight charging.
I would, and I don’t think I’d be the only one.