I just got a replacement upper for my F4 today. While inspecting it closely I discovered a dedication, factory inscribed, to a Dirk Vandenberg and a Josef Boyd. They are titled "Super Evaluators" This is defiantly an OEM Honda upper and if you want photos I'll put them up. The date stamp on the plastic is 9,10,11,12 1999. I did a quick search on Google and all I could find was this news story from the LA Times from 1998

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/may/29/local/me-54589

Wiki's got nothing I could find on them. Anyone else know anything about this story? I'm assuming they died evaluating the F4, hence the dedication, but I'd love to know more. It's interesting when you find out the bike you own and love is dedicated to two guys who lost their lives to bring it to you.

If you want to check your own upper, the stamp is center high, just above the headlight port on the inside.

 

mine has the same, at first I didnt think it was a stock upper when i took it off. theres no honda stamps like the rest have.

 

Wow that is quiet interesting, I would have never known. I wonder ifit's on all the 99-00's? They said prototype and by the date of the article I would think that the F4's would have been well into production already. Anyone else with a sportbike other thanan F4,99 or newer should take a look and see if it's maybe under there's too.

 

I do know. Uncle Dirk was, well, my Uncle.

 

I think it's pretty cool that Honda choose to recognize these two test pilots for a risk that is accepted as part of their daily job. Good stuff right there.

 

Well, you revived a 4 yr old thread... Is there more???

 

Haha^^...i didn't even notice the date when I posted..Doh!

 

I was lucky enough to ride with Uncle Dirk once in my life. He bounced up a giant hill (dirt bikes) like a bunny rabbit, like it was nothing. He looked like he was a pro at ski moguls, but going up. It was the most amazing thing I've seen. He told me that if I couldn't kick the bike over and start it, I couldn't ride. I rolled that big 'ol beast to a rock, jumped with all my weight and got it going. But whenever I wanted to stop, I had to find another rock or log, since my feet wouldn't touch the ground. His dog, Hawkeye used to swim under water and retrieve the same rock he threw in. I miss him. This isn't probably what you wanted, this information. There is information out there. Dangerous Dirk Dundenberg.
Regards,
J. Selman Vandenberg

 

^ Thanks for that followup J. Always good to share stories. By any chance do you have any photos?

 

Sad but very interesting story. I am in the middle of replacing fairings on one my F4's and now that upper fairing is going on the wall in my shop not the track. I never noticed the dedication on it...