GHR Honda gears up for season 2009
GHR Honda, Honda Australia’s official off road racing team is pleased to announce its rider line up and programme for 2009. AJ Roberts multi Australian Enduro Champion, will once again be riding a Honda CRF450R9 at all the Australian Offroad Championship rounds and the Australian 4 Day at Orange. AJ in his third year for the GHR Honda team, will also be contesting the Australian Safari in Western Australia in August.
Quote from AJ “After such a close battle last year and starting the year off with an injury it was good to get back to second in the Championship by the final round. Although I would have loved to have retained my number one plate.
The teams been busy working on the new CRF450R9 which is an all new bike. I also get the chance this year to do the Australian Safari again. I last rode the Safari in 2000 on an XR400 and it will be good to be on a proven package with the CRF450X.”
Peter Boyle will once again be contesting all the Australian Offroad rounds and the 4 Day on a GHR Honda CRF450R9. After winning both the Australian Offroad Championship on a CRF250X and the Australian 4 Day title, Peter will step up to ride the new CRF450R9.
Quote from Peter “After winning both titles last year on the CRF250X it’s only natural to step up to the 450. I’ve been doing a lot of personal fitness training in the off season and with Honda’s new 450 I hope to once again to be up front of the AOC.”
GHR Honda will be also contesting all the usual major desert events in 2009, joining AJ Roberts on the Safari team will be Jacob Smith from Condobolin. Jacob will be riding at Condo 750 and the Australian Safari on a GHR Honda CRF450X Rallye. Jacob has in the past won the Condo 750 and finished second outright at Safari and hopes to go one better on Safari this year.
Quote from Jacob “I will be doing a lot of off road riding this year, various AOC rounds, Hattah and Finke mainly for training and I hope by the end of the year I can win Condo and the Safari. I’m very grateful for the opportunity Honda have given me and hopefully I can return their confidence in me with the results we both want.”
GHR Honda riders line up at Finke will once again be Northern Territory Honda dealer, Jason Hill and the up and coming Chad Billet from South Australia. Both Chad and Hilly qualified 1st and 2nd outright at Finke in 2008, both riders led off the start line and diced for 170km, with first Chad then Hilly hitting the unforseen lip on the track that the cars had dug out. Hilly will be looking to repeat his previous victory and Chad will be hungry for the elusive win.
Tony Lockett will be making guest appearances at some of the major desert races again on his GHR Honda CRF450X. Quote from Tony “I had an absolutely great time in 2008 and finished all the desert races I started. Unfortunately for 2009 I have a lot of work on at home with the dogs, so am not sure which events I will be doing yet. Rest assured I’ll be riding my CRF as much as possible this year.”