1985: STEVE SAUNDERS

HONDA RTL 250 FOUR-STROKE

It was without a doubt headline news when Steve Saunders made a move to the four-stroke Honda from the Hiro-engined two-stroke Armstrong in 1985. Saunders had quickly moved from a hugely rewarding schoolboy career into the adults’ classes on a Bultaco in 1982 before the move to the British-built Armstrong in 1983 and his first ACU British Championship title, which he quickly followed up with another in 1984. The move to a four-stroke machine was very well guarded; Saunders had secretly had a quick ride on a similar machine to the one he would eventually receive at the close of the FIM World Championship in 1984.

Soon to be released in limited numbers fresh from the HRC workshop in Japan, the vision of the Honda RTL 250 lit the fire in the belly of the young Englishman who was hungry for success. It featured the single rear Pro-Link suspension system. Saunders knew that was where the future of the trials motorcycle would lie.

The compact 250 HRC Honda engine was housed in a steel twin-spar frame with an aluminium swinging-arm with Showa suspension at the front and rear; it did not just look good, it was good.

As with the 1977 win for Honda by Rob Shepherd, Saunders was immediately on fire on the new Honda, winning the first time out at the Colmore Trial. He demolished the opposition during a season when he showed some great skill to put the Japanese manufacturer back at the top in UK trials. It was the first ACU British Championship win for a trials motorcycle using the single-shock rear suspension system. Times were changing in the trials world.

HONDA SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE: Single Cylinder Air-Cooled FourStroke

TYPE: OHC

CUBIC CAPACITY: 249cc

BORE AND STROKE: 70mm x 64.9mm IGNITION: Electronic CDI

CARBURETTOR: Keihin: Ø 24mm

CLUTCH: Multiple Disc

GEARS: Six

FRAME: Tubular Steel

SWINGING ARM: Aluminium

FRONT FORKS: Honda Telescopic: Ø 35mm REAR SUSPENSION: Showa Pro-Link System CLAIMED WEIGHT: 82kg