Two news items recently rolled in from Honda Headquarters in Japan, both in their own way an insight into Honda’s evolution as the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.

Describing their CBR1000RR as “The Ultimate Handling Machine,” Honda has added historical content to the model’s dedicated website. The new material, which examines the 20 year evolution of their flagship sport bike, is sure to be of interest to Honda and sport bike aficionados alike. The history of the big CBR is broken down into Timeline, Engine and Frame capsules with each providing interesting information behind the model’s development.

 

In other news, Honda announced that it will open another plant in Indonesia. PT Astra Honda Motor (Honda’s joint venture company in Indonesia responsible for motorcycle production and sales) will build a fourth motorcycle factory that is said will have a production capacity of 1.1 million scooters per year. The additional plant is required to satisfy the insatiable demands of the Indonesian market and it brings the total capacity for all of Honda’s plants in the country to 5.3 million units. That incredible number certainly adds perspective to North America’s more modest numbers.

The new facility will be built Bukit Indah, which is 70 kilometres east of the nation’s capitol Jakarta. Plans call for 3,000 new workers to man the plant and for its operation to commence in the fall of 2013. Honda stated that the new plant will be an environmentally green facility for its employees, community and surrounding environment because of its use of natural power sources such as wind and solar power generators.

Indonesia’s motorcycle market is the third-biggest in the world behind those of China and India, and its existing factories contribute to Honda’s overall motorcycle production capacity in the Asia-Oceania region, which reportedly has surpassed 11.5 million units per year.