Travis Newbold races Ronin #1 (OISHI YOSHIO) in the 93rd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, June 28th, 2015. Ronin was #2 in motorcycles and #10 overall. Road conditions were "slick" due to the heat and the Ronin was starting on a cold engine to help with cooling during the latter part of the race.
The Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb was first held on August 1916. Through the years the road was widened and some sections paved. It is now fully-paved after work was completed in 2011, and this summer’s race will be the first on all asphalt for the competitors.
Besides the now-completed paving, the course and race format have not changed significantly from the original. Drivers and cars came from all over the world to compete in one of the most grueling courses known to the world of racing.
Drivers, then and now, are challenged by the torturous road and the rapidly changing weather. Starting out in sunshine, the racers can travel through sleet, thunderstorms, wind, hail, fog, or blinding snow before finishing, causing this breathtaking event to be called “The Race to the Clouds.”
Travis Newbold is a regular at Pikes Peak, but this year he isn't racing his own Honda 450, he's competing in the Pikes Peak Heavyweight class specially outfitted Ronin racer based on the EBR 1190RX. Travis completed his first test ride on the back up test bike with the following blog entry…
"The first ride was a pretty darn good success. This is the secondary race bike. The primary one is going to be mental! I was pleased to find the Ronin handled very well. I pushed it harder and harder all day and did not have one single moment that the tires did not track like rails. The next month is going to be a lot of fun as I get more seat time. I am one lucky fucker!”
That is the stuff we love to hear.
The Ronin racer and it’s backup prototype bike are painted in a color combination that is a nod towards the classic Japanese anime science fiction series, Genesis Climber MOSPEADA . The actual race Ronin will be #1 (OISHI YOSHIO) of the 47 bikes released and is based upon the EBR (Eric Buell Racing) 1190 that primarily differs from the other 1125 based Ronins in that it has a larger engine and chain drive.
