Achieving a milestone more than 65 years in the making, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced production of its 300-millionth motorcycle.

The milestone bike is a Honda Gold Wing produced at the company’s Kumamoto Factory in Japan. Honda will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic Gold Wing in 2015.

Honda began mass production of motorcycles in Japan in 1949 when it built the Honda 98cc Dream Type-D. Today, Honda produces motorcycles, ATV’s and side-by-sides at 32 plants in 22 countries, including two plants in North America.

“This incredible milestone is the result of the millions of customers who have placed their trust in Honda and we would like to thank all of our customers, associates, dealers and community partners in North America for helping make it possible,” said Bob Gurga, Vice President and Manager of Motorcycle Division for American Honda. “Now, we are focused on the future and the ways that we can harness the challenging spirit of Honda associates to create new joy for Honda customers.”

In 1958, Honda introduced the Honda 50, known globally as the Super Cub, which would go on to revolutionize the industry. This iconic bike paved the way for Honda’s expansion into the U.S. in 1959 and Canada in 1969. The Super Cub, which has sold nearly 90 million units globally since its inception, was the focus of a mid-1960s advertising campaign, ‘You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda,’ that played a major role in the transformation and growth of the U.S. motorcycle market.

In the 1960s, Honda became the best-selling motorcycle brand in the U.S. and the world, leading to the establishment of Honda of America Mfg. and the company’s first U.S. production facility, the Marysville Motorcycle Plant.

The plant, which opened on September 10, 1979 in Marysville, Ohio, produced both motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) until 2009. Production of ATVs has since shifted to Honda of South Carolina Mfg. (HSC) in Timmonsville, South Carolina.

Since the start of production in 1979, Honda has manufactured more than five million power sports products in North America using global and domestically sourced parts. Today, HSC manufactures FourTrax ATVs and Pioneer side-by-sides and engines, while the Honda plant in El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico, produces motorcycles.

Furthermore, the research and development of Honda ATVs and side-by-side vehicles for both local and global markets is now being led by a team of engineers at Honda R&D Americas – with Powersports R&D operations in Los Angeles, Ohio and South Carolina.

The successful startup of motorcycle production at Honda of America Mfg. in 1979 was soon followed by the auto production at the Marysville Auto Plant in 1982. Motorcycle production continued in Ohio until 2009 and planted the seeds of manufacturing expertise that has led to many Honda facilities across North America.

Today, Honda operates 17 major manufacturing facilities in North America, producing a wide range of Honda and Acura automobiles, automobile engines and transmissions, Honda all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides, power equipment products and the HondaJet light jet.

Honda now employs more than 39,000 associates in its North American sales, R&D and manufacturing operations with the capacity to produce upwards of 4 million Honda products each year, including two Powersports plants producing motorcycles, ATVs and side-by-sides each year. In 2013, 94 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America. Those plants manufacture 11 different models, including four passenger cars and seven light trucks. Honda also operates major research and development centers in the U.S. that fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers.

For more information on Honda products, go to powersports.honda.com.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., announced Kylie Ahart of Marietta, Ohio, the Yamaha “All-American ATV Racer” at the recent Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) awards banquet.

Kylie was voted to the top position by her peers, friends and fans in an online contest hosted by Yamaha as a person and racer who embodies All-American ATV Racing values. She was awarded a complete racing package from Yamaha and GNCC during the banquet and will represent Yamaha in the 2015 GNCC season.

“The All-American ATV Racer contest was created to support the great racers and racing community within GNCC and to draw attention to Yamaha’s U.S.-based ATV manufacturing,” said Steve Nessl, marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Kylie, who is one of the most well-respected, up-and-coming GNCC racers, win and become part of the Yamaha team. We look forward to watching her race the Assembled in U.S.A. YFZ450R next year.”

The complete Yamaha All-American ATV Racer prize package that Kylie received includes a new YFZ450R, “Yamaha Pit Kit” (including Yamaha Racing pop-up, quad stand and pit jacket), Yamaha EF2000iS generator, Yamaha Pressure Washer, GYTR gift certificate for $1,000 of parts, accessories and apparel, and free race entry and gate entry to the 2015 GNCC season from Racer Productions.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS), a leader in the motorsports market, makes the toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings also include motorcycles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of dealers in the United States. Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia.

For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha-motor.com.

This year’s point-to-point Baja 1000 was 1275 miles of brutal terrain testing both machine and driver. Polaris RZR would go into the race as the defending champion, and the Scrambler XP 1000 would make a maiden voyage with Team UXC racing at the helm.

Nineteen side-by-sides, including 13 RZRs, would start the race and eight side-by-sides, six being RZRs, would finish. First-time Baja 1000 driver of record Johnny Angal of UTV Inc., and his drivers Brian Bush, Branden Sims and Justin Quinn, in their No. 1919 RZR XP 4 1000 would take the grueling race. Jagged X in the No. 1932 with drivers Matt Parks, Brandon Schueler and Craig Scanlon took second.

UTV Inc. and Jagged X would keep things interesting throughout the race battling the whole way down the peninsula. There would be lead changes, break downs and even a tangle between the two, but, in the end, the two would finish the 33-and-a-half hour race, three minutes apart.

Even more impressive, UTV Inc. and Jagged X would finish 47 and 48 overall with about 239 starters and 140 finishers. Also finishing in the Top 5 for UTVs would be the No. 1921 RZR of Jamie Kirkpatrick/Tire Balls in fourth and the No. 1923 of Ben Bischoff who was driving a brand-new Holz Racing Products built Polaris RZR in his first UTV race ever, finishing fifth. Polaris Factory Racer Cognito Racing would finish seventh in the No. 1908, and the No. 1927 RZR of Frank Bushman was eighth.

On the ATV side, Team UXC Racing would come into the Baja 1000 leading the Sportsman Quad Class as the lone 4×4 going up against sport quads all season. The Baja 1000 would see 15 ATVs in the Sportsman Quad Class take the line, four being Scrambler XP ATVs including Team UXC Racing’s No. 140A.

Team UXC Racing’s Don Higbee, Michael Swift, Chris Robinson, Jason Wade and Michael Burrows would finish fourth out of six finishers, mark in the history books the first national series ATV title for the new Scrambler XP 1000 and show the viability of the Scrambler as a desert race vehicle.

“Competing in the Baja 1000 takes an incredible amount of planning and dedication, and Polaris would like to congratulate all racers running Polaris vehicles on their successes,” said Donna Beadle, race team manager for Polaris. “Polaris is extremely honored to have a RZR win the UTV class for the second year in a row, and thanks Team UXC Racing for showing the desert racing community that the Scrambler is the real deal in the desert.”

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2013 sales of $3.8 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered parts, accessories and apparel, Klim branded apparel and ORV accessories under the Kolpin and Cycle Country brands. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at polaris.com.

Can-Am Maverick side-by-side racers competed at the 2014 Tecate SCORE International Baja 1000 race on the Baja Peninsula, tallying one Class 19 podium and the overall season championship. Racing solo, Marc Burnett (Burnett Motorsports / Can-Am) finished the endurance race in sixth to secure BRP / Can-Am its the first ever SCORE Baja 1000 season class side-by-side title. The Desert Toyz / Can-Am team of Corry Sappington also had a solid race, earning a third-place podium finish at this year’s gruelling 1,275-mile race held in Mexico.

“We were impressed with effort put forth by all our teams, but especially Marc Burnett, who not only won the SCORE Class 19 championship with his Monster Maverick, but also completed the entire 2014 Baja 1000 ironman. With two wins on the year and then this final outstanding effort, he deserves a lot of credit for finishing strong,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “We were absolutely thrilled to see Cody Sappington’s Desert Toyz Can-Am Maverick earn a prestigious Baja 1000 podium spot with such a difficult course.”

The 2014 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 featured a challenging course that snaked its way through the rugged desert and hit both coasts on the Baja Peninsula, winding 1,275 miles from Ensenada to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Nineteen side-by-sides entered Class 19, but only eight finished in the allotted time.

Can-Am Maverick 1000R pilot Marc Burnett (Burnett Motorsports / Can-Am / Monster) came into the most prestigious SCORE race with the Class 19 points lead, having won both the Baja 500 and San Felipe 250. By simply finishing the extended Baja 1000 course, Burnett could wrap up his first career side-by-side championship for himself and Can-Am. However, he also decided to compete the Baja solo (ironman), driving more than 1,200 miles alone.

The No. 1917 team of Murray Racing / Can-Am / ITP was also in the running for the overall title, having reached the podium at the series opener and posting a win earlier in the year at the Imperial Valley 250. The final Can-Am team consisted of the No. 1904 Desert Toyz / Can-Am Maverick of Cory Sappington, who came into Baja fourth in the class standings.

Burnett battled the entire race, competing much of it in the top five and at one point (San Ignacio region) held the lead in his No. 1904 Maverick. Baja is as much about luck and mechanical survival as it is skill and horsepower. Burnett, like many teams, was faced with issues he had to overcome, from extreme fatigue to navigational challenges to both scheduled and unscheduled mechanical fixes.

Despite the circumstances, he was in third place and pushing for the podium at the 1,100-mile marker before hitting a nasty silt bed. It was here on the course, where Sappington found his way around Burnett and moved into third. Burnett knew he only had to finish to capture the title, so he valiantly drove on, overcoming another delay, to the finish line and the 2014 SCORE Class 19 championship.

“This year’s Baja 1000 was a true Baja challenge. The course was 1,275 miles of pure hell. I was definitely feeling the burn coming into the finish. A lot of people said there was no way I could ironman this race, but boy did I prove so many people wrong,” said Burnett. “This season is dedicated to a very special lady, my grandmother, who passed away 11 months ago. I want to thank my team (and) my cousins for all their hard work throughout the year. I couldn’t have done it without them. I also thank all my key sponsors and Can-Am for giving me the opportunity to race one of their machines.”

Sappington’s Desert Toyz Maverick MAX outlasted much of the competition and withstood the gnarly terrain while running another consistent race. The team, which was outside of the top five at certain points, maintained its composure and patiently completed the grueling course in a time of 37:15:07.188. That finishing time was good for third on Class 19 (Pro) SxS class podium.

“This is the first time having my own crew and car and we’re thrilled to finish and make the Baja 1000 podium,” said Sappington. “We pushed it for 1,275 miles, for 35-plus hours of 8,000 RPM and not a hiccup. The Maverick MAX ran awesome – super tough! I can’t believe how much punishment we put this near stock vehicle through and it held strong.”

For more information on 2014 Can-Am racing, the contingency program and all amateur racer support programs, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.