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Honda Rider's Club of America™
If you own a Honda motorcycle or ATV, chances are you already know about the Honda Rider’s Club of America (the HRCA®). At one level, it’s an organization designed to help Honda owners reap a full range of benefits that come with riding a Honda. Some of these benefits include discounts at high-performance riding schools such as Reg Pridmore’s and Freddie Spencer’s streetbike schools, the American Supercamp’s dirt-track schools and Gary Bailey’s motocross schools.
Boasting well over 500,000 Members spread out among 250 Chapters across the U.S., HRCA Members enjoy one of the most far-reaching benefits programs in any such association.
But in addition to these and other benefits, the HRCA provides a way for riders to get together and support the sport, and have fun with other riders. And it’s in that spirit that the HRCA has been a key supporter of the Honda Off-Road Team since the very beginning, and often supplies additional staff at longer events, especially pit and support crew for the Baja 500 and 1000.00.
Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals
Most riders would be happy to simply finish an event like the Baja 1000, much less try to win it. And for good reason: These wide-open desert races batter both man and machine like nothing in the world.
Team Honda does what it takes to win, and winning means, first of all, finishing. Dirt, grit, sustained wide-open running, varying air density—it’s a recipe to turn an engine into a hand grenade. But Team Honda has a secret weapon: their XR650Rs and CRF450Rs have Pro Honda™ oils in the crankcase.
Engine oils, chain lubes, thread-lock compounds, brake fluids and even polishing liquids, the team doesn’t run it because someone tells them to—they run it because it’s Baja proven.
Precision Concepts
Eight years ago, Bob Bell started out by tuning the suspension on the team’s bikes, but now Precision Concepts now handles all race prep and also pitches in by providing pit staff at all major races. Expertise like this is hard to put a price on, but Precision Concepts does it right.
Dunlop
One of the best-known tire companies in the entire world, no tire manufacturer can match Dunlop’s record when it comes to winning races and championships in nearly every facet of the sport. If you lead a very, very evil life, maybe you’ll be reincarnated as a Baja-bike motorcycle tire, because you better believe those knobbies take a world-class beating. Dunlops are up to the task, and then some. Honda has used Dunlop tires to win for the last five years. If they can stand up to that kind of abuse, they’re fit for duty just about anywhere.
Renthal
Serious racers run Renthal. The company sets the standard when it comes to lightweight aluminum rear sprockets and durable, hardened-steel countershaft sprockets. But most riders probably know Renthal for its premium, race-proven aluminum handlebars. A ten-year sponsor of Honda’s Off-Road Team, the company has helped steer our bikes to victory circle more times than you can count.
Acerbis
Acerbis is known world-wide for its tough, plastic replacement components and accessories. But Acerbis also produces riding gear, and that’s what you’ll see Robby Bell wearing. The Italian company has been with Honda for 19 years now, and Acerbis wouldn’t be a part of Honda’s off-road effort if it wasn’t the best.
D.I.D
Baja is tough, and it’s perhaps toughest on wheels; rocks, cacti, ruts and everything else the desert floor can throw at you batters wheels. That’s why the team runs D.I.D. rims. D.I.D. supplies the Honda Off-Road Team with rims and O-ring–sealed drive chains for our race bikes. D.I.D is also an original-equipment supplier for Honda, and has been a team sponsor for 11 years.
IMS Products
Even in a race as long as the Baja 1000, sometimes it all comes down to a couple of seconds saved or lost during a pit stop. Pit crews can’t afford to waste time with a conventional screw-open gas cap; that’s why nearly every big-name team relies on the IMS dry-break, quick-fill refueling system, which Honda helped develop. Gas flows in and air vents out, all in a couple of seconds, and without spilling a drop. The Honda Off-Road Team also chooses IMS to supply high-capacity fuel tanks. And all these items are off-the-shelf components available to the public, too—they’re truly race-proven and ready to run.
BRP
Just as a professional golfer has his clubs specially tailored to his needs, at this level of racing, the bikes need to be specially tailored to their riders as well. BRP offers machined-from-billet upper triple clamps that allow riders to alter the handlebar position to suit their preferences. The clamps are super strong and reliable, and the company also provides a number of aircraft-quality aluminum guards to protect vital parts
VP Racing Fuels
The simple truth is that a high-performance off-road machine requires high-performance racing fuel. And that’s precisely what VP delivers. VP also makes fuels for road-race motorcycles, dragsters and more. An engine is only as good as the fuel that runs through it, and VP racing fuels are the best.
Braking
The Team Honda off-road race bikes are amazingly stock machines—the original bike components are that good. But for high-speed, long-distance races, the team does swap out front and rear brake discs, and they choose components from this eponymous company. The oversized front rotor is designed to help disperse debris that might otherwise accumulate, increase stopping efficiency and dissipate bettet heat.
Baja Designs
Most enthusiasts know Baja Designs through its product line of off-road dual-sport kits, which let riders convert dirtbikes into license-legal dual-sport machines. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Now entering its third year of sponsorship, the Baja Designs crew are experts in off-road lighting systems, and their experience with the lighter-weight, size-efficient HID (high-intensity discharge) lights is particularly valuable for an event such as the Baja 1000.
Works Connections
Since 1989, Works Connection has been developing innovative “factory-only” parts for top-level race teams, while also making these products available to the common rider. Works Connection maintains a commitment to producing the highest quality parts on the market, all of which are proudly made in the USA.
Pro Circuit
Pro Circuit is a custom precision engine- and suspension-building facility with more than 25 years of experience in engine-building and machine-shop techniques. Pro Circuit continues to develop products and services that perform, products that are the best available.
Truth Soul Armor
Truth Industries is a spiritually inspired apparel company. A personal casual-wear sponsor to Robby Bell for two years, Truth began supplying the Honda Off-Road Team with custom pit shirts in 2005 and will soon be producing custom Team apparel. For more information, visit www.truthsoularmor.com.
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