DISRAELI DOCUMENTS
see also Japanese Patent # 4286681 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4286681 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4413657 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4413657 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4514041 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4514041 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4260068 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4260068 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4219310 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4219310 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4416604 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4416604 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4353877 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4353877 - Honda 2004
see also Japanese Patent # 4601480 - Honda 2005
see also Japanese Patent # 4601480 - Honda 2005
As you may well know, the Honda Motor Company was founded by Soichiro Honda in 1946 in Hamamatsu, Japan. Even before the Second World War Soichiro Honda had run a business manufacturing piston rings. Honda is now a huge global corporation making motorcycles, cars and all manner of devices driven by internal combustion engines.
In 2003 Honda developed a radical downhill mountainbike called the Honda RN01, and tested it on the domestic Japanese downhill racing circuit. The Honda RN01 featured a mysterious and, supposedly, highly secret 'gearbox' surrounding the bottom bracket. Inside this gearbox was a fairly straightforward derailleur system, using a custom designed, but surprisingly conventional, derailleur.
In 2004 Honda set up a full-blown world-class downhill mountainbike racing team called Team G Cross Honda. Honda hired the reigning World Champion, Greg Minnaar to head up the team. Team G Cross Honda rode the Honda RN01 - and although they did not sweep all before them, they were moderately successful with it.
I believe that the Honda 'gearbox' evolved through a number of iterations (perhaps three), before Honda disbanded the team at the end of the 2007 season.
