The companies may be headquartered thousands of miles apart, in France and Japan respectively, but their special technical relationship has drawn them together and driven them to consistently achieve outstanding feats across the motorbike world.
High-performance lubricants play a crucial role in bike performance and longevity, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. That is why, by working together, it is possible to optimise bike and lubricant to deliver better and better results, whatever category they compete in.
The two companies first joined forces for the 1989 Dakar Rally and achieved immediate success when Gilles Lalay rode his NXR 800V to victory in Motul colours. They have won twice more together, most recently in 2021 with Kevin Benavides on a CRF 450 Rally.
The collaboration has also enjoyed success in WorldSBK and delivered three titles in MXGP, with star rider Tim Gajser winning in 2019, 2020 and 2022. He was injured this season, but returned to win two of the last three events, ready for a championship challenge in 2024.
Gajser was one of four riders who this week headed to Indonesia – one of Motul’s most rapidly growing markets – to highlight the success of the partnership not only in delivering racing results but in bringing together communities around the world off the track.
Multiple champion Gajser was joined by fellow MXGP winner Rubén Fernández and WorldSBK riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge in the centre of Jakarta, where they rode together with fans on bikes from around the region in a unique celebration event.
Carlo Savoca, Chief Marketing Officer of Motul APAC, praised the partnership and said: "Combining the technical expertise from our two companies allows us to deliver better products and that results in more success on the track, but also off it.
“We took pride in offering an exclusive experience to the entire motorcycle community and look forward to strong new initiatives in the future. We remain committed to strengthening our relationship with Honda by continuously supporting the HRC factory team internationally in many different categories.”
Tetsuhiro Kuwata, HRC General Manager, added: “This partnership has proven to work well over the years. Motul provides unwavering support in various world-class championships, both on and off-road, and even in the desert.
“Motul has played a crucial role in our joint commitment to advancing technology and skills and our dedication in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, has yielded positive results for both our business and brand image.”
FROM TRACK TO ROAD
Success on the track is tangible proof of continuous innovation and the benefit of developing and testing lubricant products to the limit – and the positive thing for fans is that the lessons from this never-ending work often transition to the bikes on the road.
Indonesia is believed to have more than 125 million motorbikes, making it one of the biggest and most crucial stages for Motul and Honda, and as this racing technology feeds through, the importance of good lubricants is becoming much more widely understood.
The special relationship between Motul and Honda on track has developed combined racing values that are now being applied directly to developing products for the road market, with highly advanced lubricant products being optimised for use in specific types of bikes.
The HRC team continues develop and optimise the CBR1000RR-RR FIREBLADE at one of Motul’s international R&D centres in Japan, where Motul’s lubricant engineers collaborate with the HRC engine development department to push the boundaries of performance.
The off-track collaboration also covers various other projects, including the development of high-performance synthetic lubricants such as Motul 300V Factory Line Racing Oil 0W-30, the Motul Motocool Factory Line and the MC CARE product ranges.
The French company has 170 years of experience in developing high-performance lubricants and activities like the recent ‘Ultimate Ride’ in Jakarta will continue to strengthen its relationship with the many motorcycle communities in Indonesia.
The racing relationship has led to rapid growth in Motul’s popularity in Indonesia since 2021, with sales rising by more than 40 percent year-on-year, and the positive acceptance in society has been returned by improved performance for many bikes on the region’s roads.
Tetsuhiro Kuwata, HRC General Manager, explained: “Indonesia holds a special place in our hearts, with Honda the most popular brand, and Motul has played a crucial role in our joint commitment to advancing technology and skills.”
Luthfi Ilhami, Managing Director of Motul Indonesia, added: “HRC and Honda have a large fan base in Indonesia and Motul offers a complete range of lubricant and care products for all layers of the community – from high-performance bikes to daily scooters.”
