"...Pour les amateurs de Honda classic, voici un site qui retrace l'histoire de cette marque dans le milieu du trial au fil des ans..."
Jackrider post at Trial en ancienne Forum
"You will love this. It’s possibly the best web site I have seen on Honda trials machines. Check out www.onlytrial.com to view the history of Honda trials."
John Hulme news on Trialmag.net
"Excellent resource about the history of Honda Trials..."
Honda-Trials.com
"...sin duda una lugar de visita imprescindible para todos los Honda-trial-adictos que son un colectivo amplísimo..."
"En el mundo de los aficionados y seguidores de Honda trial está empezando a ser un referente."
Nandu from Zonatrial.net
Mr Soichiro Honda
Born in November 1906 in Tenryu, Japan, and died in August 1991 (aged 84), Mr Honda founded in 1948 the Honda Motor Company
The Honda Trials History begins in the early sixties.
As all these stories the start is not exactly clear, but I'll try to give a little light on this not very clear history.
Of course any help will be welcome, I'm open to receiving any information and pictures in order to share to everybody interested on this exciting world of four-stroke Honda's engine.
Brieve Introduction
At early's 1965 Ken Ives was a Honda dealers that made one of the first transformations from the "street" Hondas to ride on Trials races.
Ken Ives took a 1965 Honda S90 and made several modifications and improvements to well adapt on atrials riding:
At same time the Japanese Hideo Tanaka made his own transformation and rode with his S90. Tanaka, some time later was working on the RTL305 development.
Peter Gaunt was the first engineer who in 1973 developed a serious transformation using a Honda bike as a base. The bike was sold under the Jefferies Honda name, this is because Jefferies bikes, located at Shipley, Yorkshire, was the dealer.
Honda seriously began on the Trials Bike development in 1974 with one of the most important persons on the Honda Trial Bikes History: Sammy Miller. He was a key person on the Honda Team, as a rider, as a bikes development and as a strategist.
Recently I was talking to Sammy and he recognize me that still riding some local classic trials with a very special Honda trials. I will try to get some pictures.
But, the bigest success on the Honda Trials History arrived at 1982 by the hand of the most important rider that never Honda had, Eddy Lejeune.He won the Honda first Worl Trials Championship!!
After long time fighting practically alone on four-stroke trial bikes (Spanish, Italian, English and French bikes were two-stroke engine) Honda had his recompense, Eddy also won the World Trial Championship in 1983 and 1984.
Thanks to John Moffat for this picture.
The History of this rare and speciall bikes is for the four-stroke engine fans really exciting!!
From the Sammy Miller first prototypes bikes to the nice RTL 270SW Rothmans through the special RS's or the world champion RTL 360, Honda made maybe the best and nicest trial bike that never nobody did.
1988, The pink RTL250S (Ex Lejeune 270cc, supplyed by Derrick Edmonson) from John Shirt at Irish Experts Trial. Picture thanks to Stuart Martin.
Again, John Shirt Jr. at the SSDT 1988 with the nice RTL disk brakes. Picture thanks to John from Trialmag.
*John Shirt Snr. Picture Copyright
Here, thanks to Patrick Jay from Aspen Cafe at Samoëns, French Alps we can see a representation of some of the most excellent, historic and rare trials bikes on the all world!!
Honda 305 Long Stroke, 1974 SAMMY MILLER Prototype
Honda RTL 305 Long Stroke, 1975 Marland Whaley
Honda RTL 360 Short Stroke, Big Tank Scottish 1977, Eddy Lejeune
Honda RTL 360, Eddy Lejeune 1982
Honda RTL 360, Eddy Lejeune 1984
Honda RTL 270SW Rothmans, Saunders, Lejeune.
These Extraordinary Hondas were joined at 2008 Honda Meeting in the French Alps. Organizer was the RTL Honda Club Europe.
The RTL Club Europe is an association of fans and collectors of historical four-stroke Honda trials. http://rtlr.club.free.fr/
The Aspen Cafe is famous for its whiskey and usually hosts Honda trials meetings. Located in a lovely place, Samoëns, has a long history and tradition. www.aspencafe.com
For the development of special racing motorcycles and parts Honda created a separate company, first in 1970 this company was called RSC, Racing Service Center Corporation, later in 1982 the company was renamed as HRC, Honda Racing Corporation. Best Honda Trials bikes were designed and developed by RSC or HRC company.
Racing Service Center
In the early 1970's Honda created a separate company to oversee racing, the company was called RSC, Racing Service Center. Later, in September 1982, RSC changed to HRC and began the Honda's racing, endurance, trials and motocross racing programs.
Honda Racing Corporation
The HRC logo began to be applied on 1982. HRC Division headquarters is based in Saitama, Japan and Aalst in Belgium. Tetsuo Suzuki is the President and Shuhei Nakamoto his Vice President. The main service is the Research and development of racing motorcycles and parts.
Thanks to ask to Honda Trials History web page owner before reproducing any part of the publication inside this website.
The success of this web page is the result of the efforts of the HTH owner with the valuable help and collaboration of the all Honda Trials History fans and collaborators.
*The Honda Trials History owner has the permission for the use of all pictures sent by his collaborators to be used for only the purpose of this website. For this reason the use of any picture shall be authorised by his owner through The Honda Trials History web page.
