It's REAL, you doubting b!tches... Honda RCV1000 v4 street bike

[kevin 714]

If Honda could sell an affordable class leading V2 for the masses then they
could also offer an affordable class leading V4 starting with a class leading
600cc V4 and working up to a affordable V4 Superbike... they would be narrow
as an arrow plus short and sassy...

the rc-51 was not class leading. and to really unlock its perfomrnace required a host of HRC catalog parts.

was a badass bike tho

 

[Busy Little Shop]

the rc-51 was not class leading. and to really unlock its perfomrnace required a host of HRC catalog parts.

was a badass bike tho

At 15K the RC51 was class leading it just didn't sport exotic bits like the 27.5K
RC45 namely titanium rods, aluminum tank, top shelf Showa suspension, or a
host of components designed to reduce weight... what was more important to
buyers was the fact it under cut Ducati by 10K...

 

[BrownDawg]

First thing, love me a v4. Nothing that i've ever ridden pulls harder out of the corners.
Concerning an affordable v4 streetbike, why does it have to be a Honda? Suzuki does v4's. Victory has a racebike now, imagine if they did something.

 

[ToraTora]

pr0n!

.

 

[Brown81]

So damn bonerific.

 

[redtail]

So damn bonerific.

Yeah, I agree.

But it's still amazing to me is that Honda, unlike BMW and Kawasaki, isn't going to allow the uncorked version into the U.S. Just a mantelpiece really. :|

 

[Brown81]

Yeah, I agree.

But it's still amazing to me is that Honda, unlike BMW and Kawasaki, isn't going to allow the uncorked version into the U.S. Just a mantelpiece really. :|

Agreed. Absolutely friggin ridiculous. It shows how utterly retarded Honda can be.

They should sell an F1 car with a Vtec engine, lolz.

 

[Crom]

I think if you can afford to buy one, you should be able to uncork a US model. The US RC45s are restricted too but that's an easy fix.

It's still too bad this new V4 is so expensive. I'd have to sell my home and move into a trailer to afford one. I was hoping it would of been in the same price range as the RC45 since there is so many similarities; V4, 360 crank, ti conrods, 3 main bearings, gear driven cams on the side of the engine, magnesium covers,, even the construction of the RC45 frame is also on another level compared to other aluminum frames. I know the RCV1000s frame is a step above that but an RC45 costs peanuts in comparison.

 

[DesmoDave]

the rc-51 was not class leading. and to really unlock its perfomrnace required a host of HRC catalog parts.

was a badass bike tho

Never liked the thing. Traded mine for a 250 dirt bike... and I think I got the better end of that deal.

RC45 was the last good Honda. This new thing is a joke.

 

[CurveSurfer]

the signature feature is that it does share parts w/ a 2014 GP bike

Honda did as little development as possible. theyve stated that the bike is built in a diff factory from the production models because of diff processes required. so u know u r getting a real copy of a prototype frame, not a production knock off.

"Sharing parts with a 2014 GP bike" is still a laughable feature if they are attached to a 100hp motor and the race kit isn't available in the US.

And a production copy of a prototype frame isn't the same thing as an actual race part. Even mass produced parts like the frame on the CBR 1000RR had a prototype in their past. Big whoop.

The clothes have no emperor.

 

[ToraTora]

Real GP (parts)

.

 

[stangmx13]

And a production copy of a prototype frame isn't the same thing as an actual race part. Even mass produced parts like the frame on the CBR 1000RR had a prototype in their past. Big whoop.

the whole chassis is assembled and welded by hand w/ a whole lot of billet and forged materials going on there. its not some cast machine-welded production copy. this thing is more a prototype than an RS125 or NSF250R, both of which were actually race bikes and produced in larger numbers. hell, its more of a prototype than any Moto2 bike racing today.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

I think if you can afford to buy one, you should be able to uncork a US model. The US RC45s are restricted too but that's an easy fix.

True... to pass the Feds noise requirement Honda installed 2 maps in the ECU...
one US at 98 RWHP and the other Euro at 108 RWHP... all that was required by
the owner was to snip and solder 3 wires on the ECU bundle...

HRC Wire Mod for any prospective RC45 buyer...

 

[Hooli]

Yes, I've seen similar set-ups before but it is a very rare mod indeed on bikes. I wonder if there's more to it than just prohibitive cost.

Not all that rare. I've seen a few street bikes rocking the BrakeTech CMC's.

 

[clutchslip]

the whole chassis is assembled and welded by hand w/ a whole lot of billet and forged materials going on there. its not some cast machine-welded production copy. this thing is more a prototype than an RS125 or NSF250R, both of which were actually race bikes and produced in larger numbers. hell, its more of a prototype than any Moto2 bike racing today.

And this is a good thing????? I dunno. Ducati wasn't having much luck with hand-welded trellis frames, as I recall. Look at the welding on the S1000RR swing arm. It is just lovely. One reason I bought the BMW was for the beautiful polished swingarm. Seriously, it broke the deal over a RSV-4.

Hand crafted is great for art and furniture and pretty glassware. For machines, especially with internal combustion engines, not so great. (Assume the robots behave).

 

[stangmx13]

HRC seems to disagree that hand welding is bad. they put out a photo tour of their dept a few years ago and def highlighted that fact. lets c if i can find it.

found it: http://world.honda.com/RC-V/RC212V/report-body02/page3/

 

[clutchslip]

From the article:

I've been doing this a long time now, and even so I can't think of even one frame I've made yet that I could call 100% perfect. It's deep, this job."

Uh, huh. Program a robot correctly and every frame will be perfect.

 

[stangmx13]

u def interpret "perfect" differently than i do

 

[clutchslip]

u def interpret "perfect" differently than i do

Apparently, you interpret perfect differently than the guy actually doing it, too.

If it was cost effective to have machines build these limited number of bikes, Honda would do it. It is not, so people do it.

 

[redtail]

"I've been doing this a long time now, and even so I can't think of even one frame I've made yet that I could call 100% perfect. It's deep, this job."

Well that gives me confidence when the guy building them thinks they're all less than perfect!