Up in the mountains a couple hours north of Tokyo is the famed Twin Ring Motegi test track. Honda owns this place, although occasionally big events like the MotoGP roll into the facility, as was the case a couple of weeks back.
The track – or network of tracks – itself is pretty impressive. But here on-site you’ll also find the Honda Collection Hall; a truly jaw-dropping collection of some of the most important cars and bikes from the manufacturer’s long history.
Diminutive S500 roadsters mix it with even more diminutive N360s, NSXs, beautiful race cars of every era (including Ayrton Senna’s McLaren Honda MP4/7) and even the occasional ‘kei’ car work truck. It’s perhaps an indication of just how much good stuff is available to Honda to display that only a solitary Civic – arguably the car that changed the world for the brand – is on show in the Collection Hall.
The floors of motorbikes alone are worth sampling, even if you aren’t a bike person. If you are, you might very well drop to your knees. Super Cubs, CB750s, Monkey Bikes, Repsol-liveried championship winners galore… it’s all here.
The collection is extensive and the word “iconic” gets bandied about without prejudice. It’s a wonderful place. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time for a slack-jawed wander around its three hardware-packed floors.
Oh, plus the evolution of ASIMO, Honda’s study in robotics, is on show as well. What more could you want?
