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Honda R~500R
Showa suspenders make their only appearance on the Honda. Showa bu ilds both tha fork and the shock. The bikes
are delivered with hydraulic disc brakes front and rear. bu t are still in the testing stages until drum or disc show a
clear advantage. At Hangtown all the works Hondas used rear discs and half used front discs. The transmission can
be either a four or a five-speed . One unique feature is the hydraulically-actuated clutch. The cluth pull is lighter.
considerably light er. than any production 125cc. After testing. a linkage for the rear suspension that used a little
different rising rate from last year is used. The major differences are power. which is "nicer. " and suspension that
they say works a little better. The engine is air-cooled. but has a water pump cast into the sidecase. At the front of
the Honda cylinders is the-subject of the majority of the pit gossip. A box-like protrusion under the exhaust system
is called the "attack system." When it is mentioned. the entire Honda team clams up and looks the other way. We
do know that it comes stock on some production Hondas in Japan. Rumors in other manufacturers' pits suppose
that the system is somewhat powervalve-ish. and possibly it works like a boost bottle for the exhaust port. The
250s had them at Anaheim. but not at Hangtown.
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