Honda CRF450 Rally

Back in July, Honda announced that in 2013 it would be entering a works team in the gruelling Dakar Rally for the first time since 1989.

Now, at the Intermot show in Cologne, the firm has unveiled the motorcycle that Team HRC will be competing with. Called the CRF450 Rally, it’s based on the existing CRF450X enduro racer.

Honda CRF450 Rally 2013 Front Side

Honda CRF450 Rally 2013 Instruments

As expected, there are extensive bodywork changes, but there are modifications beneath the skin, too. Perhaps the most significant of these is the use of an electronic fuel injection system for the single-cylinder engine, instead of the CRF450X’s Keihin carburettor.

Honda CRF450 Rally 2013 Rear Side

The CRF450 Rally is due to make its competition debut later this month in the Morocco Rally. Then it’s onto the Dakar Rally, which takes place in January and runs through Peru, Chile and Argentina. Johnny Campbell, Javier Pizzolito, Helder Rodriguez, Sam Sunderland and Felipe Zanol have been confirmed as the rider line-up for both events.

Related posts:
Honda to tackle 2013 Dakar
Honda XTREME editions
2013 Honda off-roaders

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts:

Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson

Image
Saab has got experience of producing special editions in honour of rally driver Erik Carlsson, having previously named versions of the 900 and 9000 after him during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Now it has decided to do it again, this time to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Swedish driver’s first win in Britain’s RAC Rally, which was achieved at the wheel of a Saab 96. Thankfully, the company has resisted the urge to just bung some fancy alloys and a few other extra bits onto something like a mid-range diesel model. Instead, it appears to have resurrected the limited edition Turbo X from a couple of years ago, as the new edition similarly features a turbocharged 2.8 litre petrol V6, Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive system and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The result is the 9-3 Aero Carlsson saloon, which turns out to be a very rapid car. With 276 bhp (205 kW / 280 PS) and a healthy 400 Nm of torque, the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) dash takes just 6.9 seconds. But it’s in the mid-range t...
Read more

American spec Fiat 500

Image
Fiat has released the first details and images of the North American specification 500. The tiny city car will be available in Pop, Lounge and Sport trim levels, and is distinguished from the European version by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, bigger grille and flared sills. Another unique feature is the engine. Fiat has decided to use the 1.4 MultiAir unit currently found in models such as the Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo. Perhaps it felt that using the forthcoming two-cylinder TwinAir in the American 500 would have been too much for markets there to take? There’s no word yet on what power output the MultiAir will have, although in its current applications it comes with either 103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS), 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS). Similarly, prices have yet to be confirmed, but hopefully both details will have been sorted out by the time the order book for the 500 hatch opens later this year. For convertible fans, the 500C is due ...
Read more

i10 N Line versus the Up! GTI

Image
Hyundai has confirmed specifications and pricing for its sporty i10 N Line. This new variant – which arrives at dealers later this month – benefits from some cosmetic tweaks, unique suspension components and a more powerful 1.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine.
Read more