Vo Knows

Every once and awhile an opportunity comes your way that is impossible to pass up – sometimes even hard to believe. We’ve all had our share, some more than others. Yesterday may have ranked as one of my all-time best…

The guys from Honda and Corona (Ron Heben, Tim Saunders and others) allowed me to test Neil Hodgson’s Honda CBR1000RR American Superbike at Infineon Raceway during the AMA team test. Now, most tests of this sort for a journalist, even us with racing pasts, center on a handful of laps with the bike set up exactly as the rider uses it. We all know how expensive a Superbike costs, especially factory ones, so they would be out of their mind to give us much more. (And don’t take me the wrong way, just getting the opportunity is amazing, so the thought of riding the bikes any more than that never even crossed our minds.)

Luckily for us, Heben and Saunders are a bit insane. No, actually they are awesome with press and PR, as well as assembling a great crew of guys, and gave us a full test on one of Neil’s bikes. And by full test, I mean full test: Loads of laps, new tires, suspension changes, adjusting engine mapping and traction control – even providing me with my own crew. Guess that top-10 I pulled off for Corona and Honda in last year’s Daytona 200 paid off?

So, how was it? I can tell you one thing – they sure put me to work! You may think the life of a Superbike Star is easy, but… As for the rest, well, you’re just going to have to wait for the next issue of MotoUSA Magazine, which will debut at Laguna Seca!