Going back a little, the EXP-2 is exactly why I don't like Honda. In almost every other respect, they're like all the others in that they've been active in replacing two-strokes with four - although they've taken it further than the others by eliminating it from its entire line (CRF-50 my ass!) and even putting in some anti-two-stroke lines in their advertising in other markets. "Honda lawn equipment doesn't require you to mix oil with gas, saving you time and money!" But anyway, up to that point they could theoretically be forgiven. The EXP-2 changes that.
What they did was create a two-stroke with such promise that it was able to threaten big, four-stroke two-cylinder bikes in rally events, sporting similar power, but more torque and something like 100lbs less weight and better emissions. This could have been made into a street bike that would have raped Ninjas, and Honda could've dominated motocross and anything else where you need a light, powerful, extremely low-emission engine. What did they do? They gave the engineer behind it a big, fat, demotion and cancelled the program. They could have changed the world, but they were SO dedicated to 4T technology that they took The Next Big Thing and handed it the axe. And when I say it had "lower emissions" than a same-power four-stroke, I'm not saying it's slightly better. Oh no. This thing had 1/5 the CO emissions, and 1/7 the NOx emissions. The fact that they cancelled this may truly be counted as a crime against humanity. Imagine what that kind of improvement would've done to SE Asia, where the two-stroke engine is the backbone of all personal transportation.
That is why I can't forgive them. It's more than unfair competition rules. This is a case of ideology and policy suppressing technological advancement. As one wishing to enter the field of engineering, I would have a very, very hard time naming something I hate more.
