IS HONDA UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
By Jerry Matta
2000

While everyone is waiting for the new and improved XR100, I'm waiting to see if Honda is going to wave the white flag of defeat to Yamaha.  Lets face it, up until the introduction of the YZF400 (now 426) and the departure of Jeremy McGrath, Honda has been dominating the Motocross industry like the Chicago Bulls of the mid nineties.  They have been on top for so long, they've lost sight of the "second to none" philosophy.  Now that Yamaha has past them in sales, I want to see what kind of heart they really have --- the heart of Windham, who gets passed and fades (lately) or the heart of LaRocco, who gets passed and then does everything in his power to pass him back.  Sappy analogy, but you get the point.  Basically, my point is if Honda doesn't come out with a bike that is equal to the TTR 125, they might as well quit.  The TTR is a very low goal to shoot for, and if Honda isn't up to the challenge, what's the point?   Now, we all know the XR100 is going to have new plastic and seat a la the XR50, but is it going to have a disc brake, better or should I say any suspension, and what about the motor.  Well, my sources tell me don't get my hopes up and Honda's attitude is,"We sell all the bikes we make, so why spend the money."  My answer to that is --- So what!!!!! who cares how many bikes you sell if your sell an inferior product.  Is Honda run by accountants?  Every bike Yamaha sells is one less Honda being sold.  Bottom line is Yamaha has a YZF line that Honda can only dream they had, a TTR line that is every bit as good as the XR line (w/ electric starters).  And what has Honda done?  The lost McGrath, lost sales and lost respect of the of their rider base.  If the XR100 has just new plastic, they need to ditch all the upper management and get people in there who have the balls it takes to be number one.

Part 2: 2003

The best they can do is the 218 lb. CRF150?