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Honda USA test track

T

Tom239

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Lone Pine, CA USA
Please forgive me if this is common knowledge, but Honda maintains a 6-square-mile test facility in the California desert.

I don't recommend driving out there in the hopes of glimpsing an HSC in action. It's fairly flat terrain, there aren't any hills nearby to spy from. And needless to say, I don't recommend trespassing. If you're a private pilot and you happen to be in the area anyway, it might be fun to take binoculars.

A portion of their track can be seen in the satellite photo below. For a good view of the whole facility, click here: http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=13&x=258&y=2439&z=11&w=2


tile.ashx
 
When planes do fly over, all around the track there are covered areas, the cars they do not want seen are simply pulled into one of these areas and covered. As I recall they are not allowed to use radar as the area is around military test flight areas, and the miltary did not want their planes looked at with radar. There are cameras everywhere, so you cannot simply walk close enought to take a picture. It is completly fenced.
If you are allowed in you sign a waiver not to take pictures or reveal whatever you see, if you see anything.
You can go 200MPH at the track, no problem, as I recall it is a 7 mile oval with 3 lanes for different speeds.
 
How bout nsxpo there in 06!:cool:
 
rs250 said:
Honda also has test track at Marysville, OH
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's Marysville?

Honda's web site says they do design and production in Marysville, but the only proving ground I saw them mention in Ohio is the one in East Liberty. From the address, it might be the one in the pic below. (I'm not sure this one is Honda's.)

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=13&x=177&y=2790&z=17&w=2


P.S. Thanks to Arata: good info!
 
No, I am not sure about Marysville. I used to live in Columbus and saw a track from the air a couple of times. I wanted to know about a track so close to my house and take bike out there. After asking around, I was told Honda test track and never cared about it after that (not for public).
 
I live about 35 miles from there (California City, CA). I might check it out. I was looking for topics on the web, and I found that Hyundai was trying to build a track there- maybe it's theirs.
 
Patdeisa said:
I live about 35 miles from there (California City, CA). I might check it out. I was looking for topics on the web, and I found that Hyundai was trying to build a track there- maybe it's theirs.
Click to expand...
Hyundai's project is in that general area, but it's theirs and not Honda's.

Honda's facility is on Neuralia Road about 10 miles north of California City. The track is not just fenced off; it's also surrounded by berms and Arizona Cypress trees to make it harder to spy on.
 
FYI, Motoharu Kurosawa (aka Gan-San of BestMotoring fame) was invited to test-drive the then-new RSX-S on this test track. If my memory serves, you'll find some on-board footages as he lap around the track in November 2001 issue of Best Motoring.
 
Tom239 said:

Honda's facility is on Neuralia Road about 10 miles north of California City. The track is not just fenced off; it's also surrounded by berms and Arizona Cypress trees to make it harder to spy on.
Click to expand...
So it is definitely there... I'll have to drive by and see, since it's close to me. Maybe Thursday I can get out and check it out- there's a decent curvy road on the way there...
 
Patdeisa said:
So it is definitely there... I'll have to drive by and see, since it's close to me. Maybe Thursday I can get out and check it out- there's a decent curvy road on the way there...
Click to expand...
Yep, it's definitely a Honda site. The track looks pretty narrow, though, but some nice dark asphalt... I wouldn't mind a drive around or two!
 

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It is not narrow, as I said before there are 3 lanes, and 200MPH is easy, the main thing slowing you down is tires overheating.
To avoid this you must slow down in the turns to 150 or so, and then it is as fast as your vehicle can go.
In case you did not figure it out, I have been there a number of times, on the inside.
There are also a number of different test tracks, including a small road race course.
 
Tom239 said:
Are you sure it's Marysville?

Honda's web site says they do design and production in Marysville, but the only proving ground I saw them mention in Ohio is the one in East Liberty. From the address, it might be the one in the pic below. (I'm not sure this one is Honda's.)

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=1&s=13&x=177&y=2790&z=17&w=2


P.S. Thanks to Arata: good info!
Click to expand...
Sorry to bring back a post from the Dead but I felt like clearing this up on my first post. lol! Anyway that track is an automotive industry test track set up for research, development, exhibitions and debuts. I know for a fact Honda and Toyota use it. The track is called Transportation Research Center, Inc. or TRC. Heres the website http://www.trcpg.com/ . It has a 7.5 mile straight and 90 deg. banked turns. And thats is a factory in Marysville, Ohio that Honda has. There is also an R&D facility not too far off.
 

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