The HRC team (Honda Racing Corporation), has recently announced that it will compete with the trial bike RTL Electric in the International A Super Class (IAS) of the MFJ All Japan Trial Championship series starting from Round 6, Yuasa, Wakayama, October 13, 2024We are talking about Honda’s first electric competition trial bike, developed from the technology and know-how acquired with the factory Montesa Cota 4RT.
This is the same bike that competes in the FIM Trial World Championship and has helped Toni Bou win 35 titles. The development of the RTL Electric also inherits the electric know-how (motor, battery) of the CR Electric Proto, which began competing this year in the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, a global competition for electric off-road motorcycles.
The winner of the 2004 FIM Trial World Championship and current Repsol Honda Team Principal, 44-year-old Takahisa Fujinami, will act as RTL Electric’s development rider and will take part in round six, Yuasa. He has a wealth of experience in the trials discipline, with over 30 years’ experience behind him.
He made his debut in 1993 at the Japan Trial Championship / International Class B and has since participated in all top-level competitions, accumulating a total of 355 trials contested with 34 victories under his belt in the Trial World ChampionshipIn 2022 he was appointed Team Manager of Honda’s factory team, the Repsol Honda Team, just one year after announcing his retirement from the circuits.
Honda is committed to electrifying motorcycles as a pillar of its future environmental strategy. Its goal is to achieve carbon neutrality in all its products and corporate activities by 2050, and in all its motorcycle products by the 2040s. To respond to the diversification of customer needs, Honda will continue to advance its technology, taking on the challenge of electrification in both trials and motocross.
The RTL Electric is another step towards the brand’s future plans
Takahisa Fujinami comments: “I’m very pleased to be involved in Honda’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality through testing. Electric trials bikes have endless possibilities and I’d like to use my experience as a rider to work with the development team to further improve the machine. Since I’m not yet back on active duty as a rider, I’m limited to being a development rider, but I’m looking forward to racing in front of my Japanese fans for the first time in a long time.”
For its part, Koji Watanabepresident of Honda Racing Corporation, explains that: “This year, Honda has started competing in the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, a new category of electric off-road motorcycle racing. Now we have decided to also participate in the Japan Trial Championship with RTL Electric.”
Concludes: “By increasing the number of categories in which we compete with electric motorcycles, we will hone our competitive skills, accumulate knowledge and experience, and further accelerate the development of our human resources. Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Takahisa Fujinami for his full support in this project.”
