Honda's Suzuka 8 Hours Challenge History Part 3: The Glorious 10 Consecutive Victories in the 2000s with the VTR1000SPW and CBR1000RR

The "2026 FIM Endurance World Championship 'Coca-Cola' Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race 47th Event," scheduled to be held from Friday, July 3rd to Sunday, July 5th, 2026. This article looks back at Honda's continuous challenges in the Suzuka 8 Hours, focusing on the 2000s.

2000s: Tohru Ukawa Breaks Most Wins Record, Legends Shine, Honda's 10 Consecutive Victories

The 2000s were a period of brilliant records for Honda in the Suzuka 8 Hours. The era saw rider Tohru Ukawa set a new record for the most wins, the participation of future MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, and Honda's overwhelming dominance. Over this decade, even as the machines evolved from the VTR1000SPW to the CBR1000RR, Honda achieved an astonishing streak of 10 consecutive victories.

In 2000, Honda introduced the VTR1000SPW, a 1000cc V-twin. Although Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards, in their first participation, led the early stages, they crashed. Tohru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato then took a solo lead, extending Honda's winning streak to four consecutive victories. In 2001, it was a close battle between the team of V. Rossi/C. Edwards/Manabu Kamata and the team of Tadayuki Okada/A. Barros/Shinichi Ito. However, a mistake by Barros allowed the Edwards team to hold on for the win, further extending Honda's winning streak.

In 2002, the team of Daijiro Kato/C. Edwards, riding the VTR1000SPW, led the race in a 1-2 formation. In the rain towards the end, they fended off a fierce pursuit from third-placed A. Barros, securing another victory for Honda. 2003 saw an upset with the retirement of the N. Hayden/Ryuichi Kiyonari team due to a crash. However, the team of Yukio Nakaumi/Manabu Kamata moved into the lead, achieving Honda's seventh consecutive victory.

2000 VTR1000SPW

2001 VTR1000SPW

2002 VTR1000SPW

2003 VTR1000SPW

Transition to CBR1000RR, Ukawa's Most Wins Record Broken, and Continued Victories

In 2004, with the machine changed to the CBR1000RRW, the team of Tohru Ukawa and Yasunori Izutsu took the lead right from the start and won without relinquishing the top position. They navigated a chaotic race with many front-running teams experiencing crashes. In 2005, the team of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tohru Ukawa took control from a strong start, with Ukawa achieving his historic fifth Suzuka 8 Hours victory. In 2006, the team of Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Ito achieved their long-awaited victory with a steady performance.

In 2007, the pole-starting team of Tadayuki Okada and C. Checa received a penalty for a jump start but showed a strong recovery. However, they couldn't catch the leading team of Yukio Kagayama and Kosuke Akiyoshi (Suzuki), halting Honda's winning streak. In 2008, the team of Ryuichi Kiyonari and C. Checa took a good start and led the race, overcoming sudden rain and penalty stops to secure victory. In 2009, the team of Kosuke Akiyoshi and Shinichi Ito crashed early on. Amidst a chaotic race, the team of Daisaku Sakai/Kazuki Tokudome/Noriyuki Haga (Suzuki) defended their lead, preventing Honda from extending their consecutive victories.

Over these ten years, Honda, with the VTR1000SPW and CBR1000RR, created numerous dramatic moments and etched a brilliant chapter in the history of the Suzuka 8 Hours.

2004 CBR1000RR

2005 CBR1000RR

2006 CBR1000RR

2008 CBR1000RR

2009 CBR1000RR