Honda Motorcycle News

17/06/2010 - Honda Clean Sweep And Record Breaker At Legendary TT Event

Honda machines and riders took a clean sweep with seven out of seven race wins at this year's famous Isle of Man TT road race event, with Honda rider Ian Hutchinson leading the charge to make history today when he became the first man to win five TT races in a week.

The Honda (UK) supported Padgett's Honda team and their incredible rider, 'Hutchy', scooped all five solo race wins on the class-leading Honda Fireblade and CBR600RR machines, breaking the record of four wins from another previous Honda rider, Phillip McCallen, who completed his record-breaking achievement back in 1996 and, until now was the only man to achieve such a feat in the event's 103 year history.

Hutchy began his winning ways last Saturday in the opening six-lap Superbike aboard his Honda (UK) supported Padgett's team CBR1000RR Fireblade. Then on Monday he took the laurels in the four-lap Supersport TT race on the CBR600RR machine, before winning the Superstock TT on a near-to-road specification Fireblade. This was followed on Thursday when he scooped the second Supersport race win which was delayed from Wednesday. Finally, today the 29-year-old Yorkshireman from Bingley made TT history by taking the win in the shortened 4-lap Senior race - the blue-riband event of the TT fortnight. The wins also secured Hutchinson and Honda the overall TT rider and manufacturer Championships.

However it wasn't just in the solo classes that Honda dominated. On three wheels, Klaus Klaffenbock, partnered by passenger Dan Sayle, did the double in the two sidecar races held on the Island in a Honda-powered outfit.

And to another record-breaker, Jenny Tinmouth extended her title as the fastest women around the course with a final lap of 119.945mph, also on a Honda machine.

With the 37.73-mile Superbike, Superstock and Supersport races being a gruelling test of man and machinery, Honda has always set its store in the Isle of Man TT races for being the ultimate showcase and test of its well-founded reputation for machine quality and performance. Back in 1954 Soichiro Honda made a proclamation that Honda would enter the TT races, which they first did with a team five years later in 1959. Just two years after that in 1961, Mike Hailwood had won the Ultra-Lightweight and Lightweight races – the first of Honda's numerous TT victories, now totalling 155.

The bikes that took Hutchy to glory are a world away from the machines that Hailwood raced but they do share the same DNA. The CBR600RR has been an evergreen favourite in Honda's range since 1987 and is one of the world's most popular machines in the 600cc Supersport class. The Fireblade which Ian rode in the Superbike, Superstock and Senior TT races is a 1000cc machine, capable of achieving both impressive track performances and more sedate road riding to suit riders of all levels of experience.

To find out more about Honda's award-winning supersport machines and full range of scooters and bikes, genuine parts, accessories, latest offers and forthcoming events, visit your local Honda Motorcycle dealer who can be found using the 'Dealer Search' facility within the motorcycles section of www.honda.co.uk, or call 0845 200 8000. Further information about Honda (UK)'s racing activities and riders can be found at www.honda-racing.co.uk.