Honda Motorcycle Racing
For competition in the FIM Endurance World Championship and International Road Racing such as the Isle of Man TT, Honda Motor Europe has launched an all-new motorcycle racing team for 2011 that will bridge the gap between both disciplines.
The team, rightly titled as Honda TT Legends, consists of John McGuiness, Keith Amor and Steve Plater. This official YouTube video shows interviews with all three riders.
The Honda TT Legends team will compete on the legendary Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade machinery in the 2011 FIM Endurance World Championship, together with world famous road-race meetings such as the Northwest 200 and the Isle of Man TT.
Honda TT Legends encompasses the greatest endurance races in the world, on road and on track and represents a new challenge for three already very accomplished and extremely popular riders.
McGuinness is a winner of no fewer than 15 races around the demanding Isle of Man TT course, and second only to former Honda hero, the late, great Joey Dunlop.
The Morcambe-based McGuinness, 38, is a former British 250cc champion and also has experience with Honda in the World Supersport championship. But it is for his remarkable exploits and consistency at the Isle of Man TT – including the first 130mph lap of the 37.73-mile (60.37km) Mountain Circuit – that he is most renowned.
McGuinness will be joined in the new Honda team by Plater, who was British Supersport champion with Honda in 2009, to contest the full 2011 FIM Endurance World championship.
Plater also has a great deal of experience in Endurance World championship racing, including victory in the Albacete 6 Hour. The 40-year-old Englishman has also scored podium finishes at Le Mans, the Bol d’Or and competed at the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hour race in Japan.
The English duo will be joined by Scotsman Keith Amor for 24hr endurance races at Le Mans and the Bol d’Or.
The 30-year-old Scot, who is a roads specialist, has two TT podiums, and a Northwest 200 victory to his name. Alongside McGuinness, he will also contest selected road races, under the banner of Honda TT Legends. However, Plater will concentrate solely on the FIM Endurance World Championship series.
The Honda TT Legends team will be run from Louth in Lincolnshire – the same UK base that operates Honda (UK)’s British Superbike championship team and managed by the experienced former TT and endurance racer, Neil Tuxworth.