Honda's portable generator brings power boost.

Honda has a well-earned reputation for leading the field when it comes to developing power but it's not only the likes of mighty F1 engines and scorching VTEC powerplants that put Honda ahead of the pack.

From marine outboards to water pumps and lawnmowers to snowthrowers, the company that thrives on its status as the world's largest engine producer has the answer. The latest Honda product to be thrust into the limelight is the Handy Generator. With the F1 season well underway, the compact red power pack has become an invaluable asset in the Lucky Strike BAR Honda pit garage.

"We like to think of our generators as your very own 'portable power station' and, for some of the circuits on the F1 calendar, they have become indispensable to the team's technical requirements," explains Tom Gardner, marketing manager of Honda UK's Power Equipment Division.

"As the power demand from the pit garages goes up, some of the older venues' power supplies just can't respond and important data or services can be lost because of power cuts."

With a Honda Handy Generator mains power is only seconds away. These Handy Generators are half the weight and half as noisy as conventional generators and have the cleanest power output of any unit in their class.

They are also the only generators of their type that incorporate inverter technology which means the electrical load from the equipment and the generator's output can be monitored continuously. This information can then be used to make instantaneous changes in the engine management system thus optimising the performance of the generator and cutting fuel consumption.

Whatever the load demands, no voltage spikes are produced. This means that delicate electronic equipment can be run directly from the generator without the need for filtering equipment and without fear that important computer microprocessors may be damaged during a power surge.