Honda RC212V

 Honda RC212V is a road racing motorcycle developed to race in the 800 cc (49 cu in) MotoGP series. Officially introduced on 30 October 2006 as the RC211V replacement in the MotoGP series, it was developed by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) throughout 2006 and began officially racing in the 2007 season.
The model name designates the following:

• RC= Honda's traditional racing prefix for 4-stroke bikes
• 212= second works bike of the 21st century
• V= V engine

The RC212V features an 800 cc (49 cu in) liquid-cooled four-stroke DOHC 4-valve V4 to power the all new chassis built with mass centralization and handling as top priority.

2007

Dani Pedrosa testing the RC212V.

Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden rode the factory-backed versions, while the customer machines were ridden by Marco Melandri, Toni Elías, Carlos Checa, and Shinya Nakano. A perennial issue with Honda's GP motorcycle is which team and rider receives the best parts and whether performance differences are due to the rider not the machine. Before the racing season started in 2007, Melandri was quoted as saying, "In the past few tests I've seen a big progression with Pedrosa's bike, but we're still waiting for new parts from Honda."
After a few rounds, Honda riders did not achieve the results expected, leading HRC chief Satoru Horiike to admit that they made a mistake in the motorcycle's development. Melandri decided to ride with the Ducati team in 2008and Pedrosa's dissatisfaction led to rumors that he was leaving Honda.Towards the end of 2007, however, there were signs of improvement, with the Repsol Honda team taking the last five pole positions of the season and Pedrosa winning the last round at Valencia.

2008

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

For 2008, HRC planned to use pneumatic valve springs and an all-new chassis. The mass centralization of the 2007 model was thought to have gone too far, and instead the 2008 model is more open, reducing heat and improving balance. The factory team riders are Pedrosa (through 2009) and Hayden (through 2008). Satellite team riders are Nakano, Andrea Dovizioso, Randy de Puniet and Alex de Angelis.

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

The 2008 pneumatic valve version has only been available to the Repsol Honda team, and in pre-season testing it has been highly problematic. The original intent of running an all-new engine and chassis was shelved when the engine did not perform to expectations. Pedrosa and Hayden then tested a 2007 engine in a 2008 chassis, and after still being near the bottom of testing timesheets, the Repsol Honda team used the 2007 version in the first round’s practice for comparison purposes.For the race, Pedrosa chose a revised 2008 chassis while Hayden chose the 2007. The pneumatic engine was race-debuted by Hayden at the Donington round, and he was charged with developing the new engine for the rest of the season (Pedrosa deciding to continue using the conventional valve engine). An electronic problem at the subsequent Assen round caused Hayden to run out of fuel just before the line, allowing Colin Edwards to come around him and take the remaining podium position.
At the 13th round it was announced that Pedrosa would switch to Bridgestone tires for the remainder of the season, and he also planned to start racing the pneumatic valved engine in the 14th round at Indianapolis.
Unlike the other Honda teams, de Puniet's Team LCR used Öhlins suspension instead of Showa.

2009

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

For 2009, the factory team riders were Pedrosa and Dovizioso, and the satellite team riders were Elías, De Angelis, de Puniet and Yuki Takahashi; Elías was given a factory spec machine. The 2009 model was largely the same as the 2008.All 6 of the RC212Vs used pneumatic valve engines.
After two rounds the Repsol Honda riders had only achieved a single podium. Vice president of HRC, Shuhei Nakamoto, said "If Dani does not win the world championship it is Honda’s responsibility, not Dani’s," while Pedrosa said "I’ve spoken to (Nakamoto) but I’ve spoken to many people like him, but it seems like it’s three years of the same story. What I really need is to see is some things coming, not always just hearing, talking, or a meeting. I’d like to have something where I can say okay, thank you, this is good."

Cockpit of the RC212V.

Before Round 6 at Catalunya, Dovizioso expressed frustration that Pedrosa would be given priority in the post-race test, feeling that the Spaniard's poor physical condition would not lead to a productive evaluation. In the race, Dovizioso finished in 4th place and Pedrosa in 6th, and Pedrosa announced he would skip the test to rest. Using the new chassis, Dovizioso was top rider of the test.
In practice at Round 7 at Assen Pedrosa remarked that the new chassis was an improvement in braking and stability, but both Pedrosa and Dovizioso crashed in the race at the same turn. At the following round at Laguna Seca, Pedrosa won the race, while Dovizioso crashed out.
In post-race testing at Brno, the Repsol team tested Öhlins suspension components, which until then had been using Showa. For the San Marino round, Dovizioso will use Öhlins and Pedrosa will use Showa suspension.
The 2009 season ended with three wins for the Repsol Honda team—two for Pedrosa and one for Dovizioso—and a 2nd place in the constructor championship for Honda. At post-race testing at Valencia, Pedrosa tested Öhlins suspension exclusively, and the factory team tried a new chassis and swingarm. Pedrosa and Dovizioso had the 3rd and 6th fastest times over the three-day test.

2010

For 2010, the factory team riders are Pedrosa and Dovizioso, and the satellite team riders are Hiroshi Aoyama, de Puniet, Melandri and Marco Simoncelli. All riders are using Öhlins suspension components this year. The electronic systems were given an update, and the bike is shorter with a higher center of gravity. Also, Honda hired Andre Zugna and Cristian Battaglia, formerly Yamaha race engineers, and Carlo Luzzi, formerly Jorge Lorenzo’s telemetry technician at Yamaha.
According to one analysis of pre-season tests at Sepang and Qatar, Dovizioso’s average placing in the tests was third, while Pedrosa’s was ninth. Pedrosa complained of problems with the suspension and chassis, and at the first race of the season in Qatar, Dovizioso finished third, while Pedrosa finished in seventh place. Pedrosa experienced speed wobbles down the front straight, and Honda determined that they had committed a mistake in the design of the chassis, and that by trying to make the bike easier to ride, they made it too flexible.
By the following round at Jerez, Pedrosa had a new chassis and finished the race in second place and Dovizioso finished in sixth; in the test after the race, Pedrosa finished fastest and Dovizioso fifth, using a new swingarm that Pedrosa used in the race, and also a new chassis. Pedrosa later said and Honda confirmed that a fuel sensor problem slowed down the RC212V in the final laps and may have cost him the victory at Jerez.
At the third round at Le Mans, Dovizioso finished the race in third and Pedrosa in fifth, the latter getting passed in the last lap by Dovizioso and Hayden and later reporting problems with the rear brake. Melandri had switched back to Showa suspension and finished in sixth place. At the fourth round at Mugello, Pedrosa won the race, Dovizioso finished third and Melandri finished fifth. Pedrosa used a 2009 model rear shock. During first practice at the 14th round at Motegi, the throttle cable stuck and caused Pedrosa to crash and break his collarbone, causing him to miss the race and putting him out of contention for the championship. At the 16th round in Australia, Dovizioso's steering damper had a problem, forcing him to retire from the race. The season ended with Honda placing second in the MotoGP constructor championship with 342 points, 62 points behind first-place Yamaha and 56 points ahead of third-place Ducati.

2011

For 2011 the factory supported riders are Dovizioso, Pedrosa and Casey Stoner. Honda riders dominated pre-season testing.Frame geometry and rigidity are the same as the previous year, making the 2011 bike an evolution of the 2010 version. One of the improvements to the 2011 machine is a "seamless transmission". Stoner and Dovizioso chose to use the 2011 chassis, while Pedrosa decided to stay with the more flexible 2010 version.
After the third round at Estoril, Dovizioso began to use a new clutch designed to reduce hopping under braking.
Honda won the manufacturer's championship with 13 wins between Stoner's ten and Pedrosa's three, and never finished lower than second in race results. The factory RC212V was retired at the end of the season to make way for the 2012 RC213V, though leased models will still be raced by satellite teams.

Specifications

		2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Overall length		2,050 mm (80.7 in)	2,060 mm (81.1 in)		2,052 mm (80.8 in)
Overall width		645 mm (25.4 in)
Overall height		1,125 mm (44.3 in)			1,110 mm (43.7 in)
Wheelbase		1,440 mm (56.7 in)	1,450 mm (57.1 in)		1,435 mm (56.5 in)
Road Clearance		125 mm (4.9 in)			115 mm (4.5 in)
Weight		over 148 kg (326 lb)			over 150 kg (331 lb)
Engine Type		Liquid-cooled, Four-stroke, DOHC 4 Valve, V-4
Displacement		800 cc (49 cu in)
Max Power		Over 210 PS (154 kW; 207 hp)			Over 155 kW (208 hp)
Frame Type		Aluminum Twin-tube
Tire Size
	Front	16 in (41 cm)		16.5 in (42 cm)
	Tires	Michelin	Michelin, Bridgestone	Bridgestone
	Rear	16.5 in (42 cm)
Suspension
	Front	Telescopic fork
	Suspension		Showa SPL	Showa SPL, Öhlins	Öhlins
	Rear	New Unit Pro-link	Pro-link
Fuel Capacity		21 L (4.6 imp gal; 5.5 US gal)

is a road racing motorcycle developed to race in the 800 cc (49 cu in) MotoGP series. Officially introduced on 30 October 2006 as the RC211V replacement in the MotoGP series, it was developed by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) throughout 2006 and began officially racing in the 2007 season.
The model name designates the following:

• RC= Honda's traditional racing prefix for 4-stroke bikes
• 212= second works bike of the 21st century
• V= V engine

The RC212V features an 800 cc (49 cu in) liquid-cooled four-stroke DOHC 4-valve V4 to power the all new chassis built with mass centralization and handling as top priority.

2007

Dani Pedrosa testing the RC212V.

Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden rode the factory-backed versions, while the customer machines were ridden by Marco Melandri, Toni Elías, Carlos Checa, and Shinya Nakano. A perennial issue with Honda's GP motorcycle is which team and rider receives the best parts and whether performance differences are due to the rider not the machine. Before the racing season started in 2007, Melandri was quoted as saying, "In the past few tests I've seen a big progression with Pedrosa's bike, but we're still waiting for new parts from Honda."
After a few rounds, Honda riders did not achieve the results expected, leading HRC chief Satoru Horiike to admit that they made a mistake in the motorcycle's development.Melandri decided to ride with the Ducati team in 2008 and Pedrosa's dissatisfaction led to rumors that he was leaving Honda.Towards the end of 2007, however, there were signs of improvement, with the Repsol Honda team taking the last five pole positions of the season and Pedrosa winning the last round at Valencia.

2008

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

For 2008, HRC planned to use pneumatic valve springs and an all-new chassis.The mass centralization of the 2007 model was thought to have gone too far, and instead the 2008 model is more open, reducing heat and improving balance.The factory team riders are Pedrosa (through 2009) and Hayden (through 2008). Satellite team riders are Nakano, Andrea Dovizioso,Randy de Puniet and Alex de Angelis.

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

The 2008 pneumatic valve version has only been available to the Repsol Honda team, and in pre-season testing it has been highly problematic. The original intent of running an all-new engine and chassis was shelved when the engine did not perform to expectations. Pedrosa and Hayden then tested a 2007 engine in a 2008 chassis, and after still being near the bottom of testing timesheets, the Repsol Honda team used the 2007 version in the first round’s practice for comparison purposes.For the race, Pedrosa chose a revised 2008 chassis while Hayden chose the 2007. The pneumatic engine was race-debuted by Hayden at the Donington round, and he was charged with developing the new engine for the rest of the season (Pedrosa deciding to continue using the conventional valve engine). An electronic problem at the subsequent Assen round caused Hayden to run out of fuel just before the line, allowing Colin Edwards to come around him and take the remaining podium position.
At the 13th round it was announced that Pedrosa would switch to Bridgestone tires for the remainder of the season, and he also planned to start racing the pneumatic valved engine in the 14th round at Indianapolis.
Unlike the other Honda teams, de Puniet's Team LCR used Öhlins suspension instead of Showa.

2009

Nicky Hayden testing the RC212V.

For 2009, the factory team riders were Pedrosa and Dovizioso, and the satellite team riders were Elías, De Angelis, de Puniet and Yuki Takahashi; Elías was given a factory spec machine.The 2009 model was largely the same as the 2008. All 6 of the RC212Vs used pneumatic valve engines.
After two rounds the Repsol Honda riders had only achieved a single podium. Vice president of HRC, Shuhei Nakamoto, said "If Dani does not win the world championship it is Honda’s responsibility, not Dani’s,"while Pedrosa said "I’ve spoken to (Nakamoto) but I’ve spoken to many people like him, but it seems like it’s three years of the same story. What I really need is to see is some things coming, not always just hearing, talking, or a meeting. I’d like to have something where I can say okay, thank you, this is good."

Cockpit of the RC212V.

Before Round 6 at Catalunya, Dovizioso expressed frustration that Pedrosa would be given priority in the post-race test, feeling that the Spaniard's poor physical condition would not lead to a productive evaluation.^[26] In the race, Dovizioso finished in 4th place and Pedrosa in 6th, and Pedrosa announced he would skip the test to rest. Using the new chassis, Dovizioso was top rider of the test.
In practice at Round 7 at Assen Pedrosa remarked that the new chassis was an improvement in braking and stability, but both Pedrosa and Dovizioso crashed in the race at the same turn. At the following round at Laguna Seca, Pedrosa won the race, while Dovizioso crashed out.
In post-race testing at Brno, the Repsol team tested Öhlins suspension components, which until then had been using Showa. For the San Marino round, Dovizioso will use Öhlins and Pedrosa will use Showa suspension.
The 2009 season ended with three wins for the Repsol Honda team—two for Pedrosa and one for Dovizioso—and a 2nd place in the constructor championship for Honda. At post-race testing at Valencia, Pedrosa tested Öhlins suspension exclusively, and the factory team tried a new chassis and swingarm. Pedrosa and Dovizioso had the 3rd and 6th fastest times over the three-day test.

2010

For 2010, the factory team riders are Pedrosa and Dovizioso, and the satellite team riders are Hiroshi Aoyama, de Puniet, Melandri and Marco Simoncelli. All riders are using Öhlins suspension components this year. The electronic systems were given an update, and the bike is shorter with a higher center of gravity. Also, Honda hired Andre Zugna and Cristian Battaglia, formerly Yamaha race engineers, and Carlo Luzzi, formerly Jorge Lorenzo’s telemetry technician at Yamaha
According to one analysis of pre-season tests at Sepang and Qatar, Dovizioso’s average placing in the tests was third, while Pedrosa’s was ninth. Pedrosa complained of problems with the suspension and chassis and at the first race of the season in Qatar, Dovizioso finished third, while Pedrosa finished in seventh place. Pedrosa experienced speed wobbles down the front straight, and Honda determined that they had committed a mistake in the design of the chassis, and that by trying to make the bike easier to ride, they made it too flexible.
By the following round at Jerez, Pedrosa had a new chassis and finished the race in second place and Dovizioso finished in sixth; in the test after the race, Pedrosa finished fastest and Dovizioso fifth, using a new swingarm that Pedrosa used in the race, and also a new chassis. Pedrosa later said and Honda confirmed that a fuel sensor problem slowed down the RC212V in the final laps and may have cost him the victory at Jerez.
At the third round at Le Mans, Dovizioso finished the race in third and Pedrosa in fifth, the latter getting passed in the last lap by Dovizioso and Hayden and later reporting problems with the rear brake.Melandri had switched back to Showa suspension and finished in sixth place. At the fourth round at Mugello, Pedrosa won the race, Dovizioso finished third and Melandri finished fifth. Pedrosa used a 2009 model rear shock. During first practice at the 14th round at Motegi, the throttle cable stuck and caused Pedrosa to crash and break his collarbone, causing him to miss the race and putting him out of contention for the championship. At the 16th round in Australia, Dovizioso's steering damper had a problem, forcing him to retire from the race. The season ended with Honda placing second in the MotoGP constructor championship with 342 points, 62 points behind first-place Yamaha and 56 points ahead of third-place Ducati.

2011

For 2011 the factory supported riders are Dovizioso, Pedrosa and Casey Stoner. Honda riders dominated pre-season testing. Frame geometry and rigidity are the same as the previous year, making the 2011 bike an evolution of the 2010 version. One of the improvements to the 2011 machine is a "seamless transmission". Stoner and Dovizioso chose to use the 2011 chassis, while Pedrosa decided to stay with the more flexible 2010 version.
After the third round at Estoril, Dovizioso began to use a new clutch designed to reduce hopping under braking.
Honda won the manufacturer's championship with 13 wins between Stoner's ten and Pedrosa's three, and never finished lower than second in race results. The factory RC212V was retired at the end of the season to make way for the 2012 RC213V, though leased models will still be raced by satellite teams.

Specifications

		2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Overall length		2,050 mm (80.7 in)	2,060 mm (81.1 in)		2,052 mm (80.8 in)
Overall width		645 mm (25.4 in)
Overall height		1,125 mm (44.3 in)			1,110 mm (43.7 in)
Wheelbase		1,440 mm (56.7 in)	1,450 mm (57.1 in)		1,435 mm (56.5 in)
Road Clearance		125 mm (4.9 in)			115 mm (4.5 in)
Weight		over 148 kg (326 lb)			over 150 kg (331 lb)
Engine Type		Liquid-cooled, Four-stroke, DOHC 4 Valve, V-4
Displacement		800 cc (49 cu in)
Max Power		Over 210 PS (154 kW; 207 hp)			Over 155 kW (208 hp)
Frame Type		Aluminum Twin-tube
Tire Size
	Front	16 in (41 cm)		16.5 in (42 cm)
	Tires	Michelin	Michelin, Bridgestone	Bridgestone
	Rear	16.5 in (42 cm)
Suspension
	Front	Telescopic fork
	Suspension		Showa SPL	Showa SPL, Öhlins	Öhlins
	Rear	New Unit Pro-link	Pro-link
Fuel Capacity		21 L (4.6 imp gal; 5.5 US gal)

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Honda RC211V

Developed in 2001 by HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) to replace the Honda NSR500 because regulations for the World Championship motorcycle road racing 500 cc (30.5 cu in) class were changed drastically for the 2002 season. Two-stroke engines were as before limited to 500 cc (30.5 cu in) and 4 cylinders, but four-stroke engines were allowed to grow up to 990 cc (60 cu in) and from three to six cylinders. The name of the class was modified to MotoGP, and is limited to race prototypes only.
The model name designates the following:

• RC = Honda's traditional racing prefix for 4-stroke bikes
• 211 = first works bike of the 21st century
• V = V engine

2002

In 2002, the debut year of the RC211V, Honda and Valentino Rossi dominated by winning the constructor's championship by more than 100 points over their nearest rival. The bike underwent small modifications over the season, but it did not as yet have traction control so much as a handlebar-mounted power management system with 3 settings for different needs during a race.

Factory riders: Valentino Rossi, Tohru Ukawa

Satellite riders (in the latter part of the season): Alex Barros, Daijiro Kato

2003

Among other changes in 2003, power was increased from about 200 to 240 bhp. Traction control was also added.

Factory riders: Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden, Daijiro Kato, Sete Gibernau

Satellite riders: Max Biaggi, Tohru Ukawa, Makoto Tamada, Ryuichi Kiyonari

2004

For 2004, a new, inverted rear suspension link was added, and a new exhaust was introduced at the Sachsenring round.The RC211V riders were unable to keep Rossi (now on a Yamaha YZR-M1) from winning his fourth premier-class championship, and no clear candidate appeared to take over Rossi's role of lead development rider for Honda.

Factory riders: Alex Barros, Nicky Hayden, Sete Gibernau

Satellite riders: Max Biaggi, Colin Edwards, Makoto Tamada

2005

2005 would be the first time in 4 years Honda lost the constructor's championship in the premier class. The RC211V chassis underwent frequent revision and rewelding, with reversions to the 2003 design. After the race at Brno, Honda tested a new bike which both Hayden and Biaggi said was an improvement, and was thereafter known as the "Brno bike".

Factory riders: Max Biaggi, Nicky Hayden, Sete Gibernau

Satellite riders: Alex Barros, Makoto Tamada, Marco Melandri, Troy Bayliss

2006

In 2006, the RC211V came in three flavors: the "Brno bike" to be ridden by Hayden, a 2006 bike with a special chassis for Pedrosa, and a 2006 bike to be ridden by Melandri, Elías, Stoner and Tamada; Melandri and Stoner eventually got the special Pedrosa chassis Hayden's RC211V was modified to put the crankshaft higher, the clutch and gearbox lower, and to lengthen the swing arm; the goal was to centralize mass and improve stability. After the Jerez round, Hayden was the fastest Honda rider in testing. At the British GP, HRC gave Hayden a new chassis, but Hayden complained that he didn't have enough time to test it. Hayden had started the year with the same clutch as Pedrosa, but four rounds later it was shelved in favor of a clutch Hayden had used in previous years; at the Brno round, he had a problem with the clutch that contributed to a 9th-place finish. Honda and Hayden had difficulty finding a clutch that would allow a good launch at the start but also work well throughout the race. Hayden eventually won the rider championship and Honda reclaimed the constructor's championship.

Factory riders: Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa

Satellite riders: Makoto Tamada, Marco Melandri, Toni Elías, Casey Stoner

The RC211V was retired when rules dictated a switch to 800 cc (49 cu in) capacity; Honda's bike for 2007 was the RC212V.

Successes

In 5 seasons of MotoGP racing the Honda RC211V won 48 races out of 82 (58.5%) contested. It also won 3 rider world championships (Rossi 2002, 2003 and Hayden 2006) and 4 constructor titles (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006).

Specifications

V-5 MotoGP engine

Specifications as per manufacturer:

	2003	2004	2005	2006
Length	2,050 mm (80.7 in)
Width	600 mm (23.6 in)		645 mm (25.4 in)
Height	1,130 mm (44.5 in)
Wheelbase	1,440 mm (56.7 in)
Road Clearance	130 mm (5.1 in)
Weight	around 145 kg (320 lb)	around 148 kg (326 lb)
Engine Type	water-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC 4 Valve, V-5
Displacement	990 cc (60 cu in)
Max Power	200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp)	240 PS (177 kW; 237 hp)
Frame Type	Twin-tube
Front Wheel	17 in (43 cm)	16.5 in (42 cm)
Rear Wheel	16.5 in (42 cm)
Front Suspension	Telescopic
Rear Suspension	Unit Pro-link	New Unit Pro-link
Fuel Capacity	24 L (5.3 imp gal; 6.3 US gal)		22 L (4.8 imp gal; 5.8 US gal)

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Honda RC51

 Honda RC51,

 also known as the RVT1000R (in the United States) or VTR1000 (Europe and Australia), is a V-twin motorcycle produced by Honda from 2000 to 2006.

Mechanicals and chassis

The engine is a 999cc dual overhead cam V-twin unit with two fuel injectors and four valves per cylinder. Power is delivered to the rear wheel by a close-ratio, six-speed transmission. The chassis is constructed from aluminium alloy, being a twin-spar design.
The RC51 is a racing superbike which benefits from gearbox sprocket changes for street use. Factory RC51s were highly geared for top speed performance. 

History
The RC51 was designed as the motorcycle to be used by Honda's racing teams in the Superbike World Championship. The 2000–2001 models are designated SP1, while the 2002–2006 models are designated SP2 (the latter having updated fuel injection and suspension systems).
1988–2002 In 1988, new rules in superbike racing allowed V-twin engines up to 999 cc to compete. Prior to the rules change, 750 cc four-cylinder motorcycles were the dominant force in production based competition. During the first two years of the World Superbike championship, Honda won the series with their RC30, powered by a 750 cm³ V-4. In 1990, however, Raymond Roche secured Ducati's first world title aboard the Ducati 851. Throughout the next 11 years, Ducati would go on to win 8 World Superbike Championships with their V-twins (Honda won two and Kawasaki just one).
Honda was unable to win consistently, particularly because of rival V-twins' displacement advantage over Honda's V-4. In 2000 Honda released the RC51, powered by a 998 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine. That year, it won the World Superbike Championship with Colin Edwards riding for the Castrol team. In 2001, Ducati regained the title but the RC51 was still a contender boasting superior reliability with comparable speed and power. The RC51 won again in its final year of factory-supported racing in World Superbike in 2002 and that same year also captured the AMA Superbike title with Nicky Hayden. Honda had taken the lessons learned in the SP-1's first season, producing the SP-2 for 2002. A stronger, more rigid frame and swingarm were identical to the WSB race bike parts and engine modifications boosted peak power by 3 kW (4 bhp) and cut weight by 5 kg (11 lb). Factory specifications for road going SP-2s (sourced from Honda) were 133 bhp with a top speed of 170 mph. The factory racing edition RC51 was said to put out 185 bhp or more.
2003–present Honda stopped official support for superbike racing in 2003 (though some teams have had factory support) and as superbike rules changed to allow 1000 cc 4-cylinder bikes the RC51 was replaced by the CBR1000RR Fireblade as the Honda superbike racer. In 2004, Honda released the Nicky Hayden special edition, which differed from previous models in that it had a brushed aluminum frame and swing arm, a sticker kit, and white number plates on the front upper fairing and tail fairing. 2003 was the first year that Honda made improvements to the SP-2, bringing in a stronger and much lighter swing arm. In 2003, six limited edition models were released to celebrate 2002 WSBK Championship. The six limited editions were markedly similar with the only exception being the yellow on chrome Enkei rims. These are verifiable by Vehicle Identification Numbers.

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Honda RC143

Honda RC143 was the Honda racing team's 125cc Grand Prix motorcycle racer for the 1960 season. The first time that the Honda team would compete in an entire season's racing. The bike was a major step forward from the previous years machines and though still outpaced by its more experienced European rivals, revealed to seasoned competitors like Luigi Taveri that Honda would quickly become a force to be reckoned with.

Background and development

Following the team's international début at the 1959 Isle of Man TT, Honda had returned to Japan recognising that they still had a long way to go if they were to succeed in their ambition of winning one of the TT races. Honda had managed to salvage some honour by securing the team prize, but even their fastest rider Naomi Taniguchi had finished nearly four minutes behind the rider in front and almost eight minutes down on the race winner, Tarquinio Provini. For 1960, alongside a team of Japanese riders, Honda decided to recruit experienced privateer Tom Phillis to help them with technical feedback.

Design

In contrast to the RC142, the aircooled, four-stroke, twin cylinder engine of the RC143 was canted forward by 35° to improve cooling and increase air-flow to the newly designed Keihin carburettors.The engine featured double overhead camshafts, driven by a vertical shaft through bevel gears. The engine was said to produce 22 hp (16 kW) at 14,000 rpm. The leading link front forks, which had proved successful on Japanese dirt tracks had been identified as a particular weakness on tarmac and were replaced by more conventional telescopic forks for the Isle of Man. This change to the forks, along with the change to the engine design, helped move the bikes centre of gravity much further forward. The open-cradle frame was also considerably strengthened.

World Championship

During the 1960 world championship Tom Phillis qualified second fastest for the Isle of Man 125cc race, but a crash in the 250cc event at Assen saw him replaced by his friend Jim Redman who stunned everyone by lapping two seconds faster than Phillis had managed. The RC143 finished in the points five times, the best results were two fourth places. Honda was third in the constructor championship behind the MV Agusta and MZ.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)^[4]

Year	Chassis	Rider	1	2	3	4	5	Points	Rank
			IOM	NED	BEL	ULS	NAT
1960	Honda RC143	Jim Redman		4	9		4	6	7th
	Honda RC143	Giichi Suzuki	7	6	12			1	11th
	Honda RC143	Naomi Taniguchi	6					1	12th
	Honda RC143	Kunimitsu Takahashi					6	1	13th
	Honda RC143	Sadao Shimazaki	8		8				-
	Honda RC143	Moto Kitano	19		7				-
	Honda RC143	Teisuke Tanaka	9						-
	Honda RC143	Tom Phillis	10						-
	Honda RC143	Jan Huberts		9					-
	Honda RC143	Bob Brown			10				-
	Honda RC143	Yukio Sato				8	7		-
	Honda RC143	Sadao Fukada				7			-
	Honda RC143	G. Carter				9			-
	Honda RC143	N. Orr				10			-

Honda 2RC143

Manufacturer	Honda
Production	1960
Predecessor	Honda RC143
Successor	Honda RC145
Class	Grand Prix motorcycle racing 125cc class
Engine	Four stroke, inline 2 cylinders, double over head camshafts
Transmission	6-speed manual
Weight	97 kg (210 lb) (dry)

2RC143

For the 1961 season an improved version of the bike designed as 2RC143 was developed. It proved very successful, winning 8 out of the 11 races contested that season. Australian Tom Phillis won the world championship and Honda won the constructor championship as well. Other riders winning races on the Honda 2RC143 that year were: Luigi Taveri, Jim Redman, Kunimitsu Takahashi and Mike Hailwood.

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Honda VFR800,

Also known as the Interceptor, is a motorcycle introduced by Honda in 1998. It is a successor to the VFR750F (1986–1997), which was preceded by the VF750.
From its first sales in 1986, the VFR750F scored highly on many press reviews. While it was originally intended to be a sports bike, the introduction of lighter competitors (including the nearly 30 kg/66 lb lighter GSX-R750) prompted Honda in 1990 to transition the VFR into a mid-sized sport touring bike, a category of which the VFR became the de facto benchmark. However, by 1997, Triumph and Ducati presented Honda with significant sports-touring competition, so Honda responded with a redesigned VFR800 in 1998.

Fifth Generation

1998 Honda VFR800 (5th generation).

2001 Honda VFR800P police motorcycle

Rather than being a direct development of the previous carbureted VFR750F engine, the VFR800 engine was a detuned and longer-stroke power plant based on the fuel-injected RC45 race engine. The RVF750R RC45 engine, although a development of the VFR750R RC30 and originally derived from the VFR750F RC24, was very different as the gear drive to the cams was moved from the centre of the engine to the one side, similar to the CBR250. Tuned for road use in the VFR800, fuel injection provided excellent driveability and power was slightly increased over the VFR750. The most noticeable change, however, was that the torque figures were substantially improved from the previous model right up to the 11,750 rpm red line. All VFR800 models use fuel injection instead of carburetors for fuel-air mixing. In 2000, Honda updated the fifth generation VFR (RC46) with a catalytic converter, oxygen sensors, and an EFI system that would enter closed-loop mode under highway (cruising) operation.
The VFR800 bodywork covered a frame derived from the VTR1000 Firestorm. It incorporates the VFR trademark single-sided swingarm pivoted from the aft of the crankcase, using the engine as a stressed member of the frame.
Honda fitted its DCBS linked braking system, a departure from traditional independent front/rear motorcycle braking systems. In this system, the front brake lever applies pressure to four (in later models five) of the six front pistons. The rotational movement of the left caliper when engaged actuates a secondary master cylinder and applies pressure to one of the rear pistons. The rear brake pedal is directly attached to the remaining pistons (two in the rear, and one or two in the front).

Sixth Generation

The sixth generation VFR (for the first time marketed only as the "Interceptor" in the USA) was introduced in 2002. For the first time it featured dual underseat exhausts, an optional anti-lock braking system (ABS) in addition to the DCBS, and optional hard luggage. It featured chain-driven cams rather than the traditional VFR gear-driven cams, and was the first motorcycle to have Honda's VTEC valve-actuation technology. The implementation of VTEC was seen as a bid by Honda to meet tightening noise and emissions standards in Japan and abroad while improving the peak horsepower of the engine. Similar to the automotive version of VTEC-E the simplified motorcycle version of VTEC employs only two of the four valves per cylinder when operating at lower engine speeds. All four valves per cylinder were engaged above 6,800 rpm. This is initiated by an electronically actuated oil spool valve, which send oil pressure to the lifter actuators, which then move the engagement pins into place above the valve stem, allowing the remaining two valves to open. This design allows for variable valve timing as well, since the cam lobe profiles could be made different. It is speculated that the duration of valve lift and overlap on the below and above 6,800 RPM valves differ. After some criticism of the abruptness of power transition, Honda lowered the VTEC activation rpm threshold to 6,400 rpm in 2006. The VTEC disengages two cylinder valves when the engine speed drops again below 6,100 rpm. For 2009, there were no significant changes to the VFR800.

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