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Honda racing motorcycles

The large majority of works racing motorcycles manufactured by the motorcycle racing division of Honda of Japan, currently called Honda Racing Corporation (HRC, previously called the Racing Service Center), carry the iconic prefix RC.

Honda RC116 display at Honda Collection Hall in Motegi
Honda RC142 display at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show
Honda RC160 display at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

History of the RC name

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Use of the RC name stretches from Honda's entry onto the international motorcycle Grand Prix stage in 1959 to the present day.[1] In recent years Honda has also used the RC prefix as a marketing device and applied it to certain production motorcycles[2] that had been created for racing homologation purposes. For works Motocross bikes, there was an additional M suffix.

In the late 1980s, Honda began to enter its production motorcycles in various Superbike, or production-based, racing series, such as the new FIM Superbike World Championship. The most successful of these was the VFR750R, which eventually became better known by its model number, RC30. However, the VFR750R was a Honda production motorcycle, not an HRC race bike, and the fact that its model number also began with the "RC" prefix was a coincidence, rather than a continuation of the HRC model naming tradition.

List of Honda HRC racing motorcycles

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Honda Racing Motorcycles
Model Model years Engine Configuration Bore x Stroke Engine Displacement Transmission Other information
CR93 1961-1962 Twin 125 cc DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
NR500 1979 V-4 498-500 cc 8 valves per cylinder, oval pistons
NS500 1982-1983 V-3 62.6 × 54 mm 498.6 cc 6 Speed Two-stroke
NSR250 1985-2002 V-twin 250 cc Two-stroke
NSR500 1984-2002 V-4 499 cc 6 Speed Two-stroke
NSR500V 1996-2001 V-twin 499 cc 6 Speed Two-stroke
RC71 1958 Twin 247.33 cc (15 cu in) 4 Speed 2 valves per cylinder[3]
RC110 1962 Single 40 × 39 mm 49.00 cc 6 Speed 4 valves per cylinder
RC111 1962 Single 40 × 39 mm 49.00 cc 4 valves per cylinder
RC112 1962 Twin 33 × 29 mm 49.61 cc (3 cu in) 9 Speed World's first 50 cc road racer[4]
RC113 1963 Twin 33 × 29 mm 49.61 cc (3 cu in) 9 Speed 4 valves per cylinder
RC114 1964 Twin 33 × 29 mm 49.61 cc 9 Speed
2RC114 1964 Twin 49.6 cc
RC115 1965 Twin 34 × 27.4 mm 49.8 cc (3 cu in) 9 Speed [5]
RC116 1966 Twin 35.5 × 25.14 mm 49.8 cc (3 cu in) 9 Speed [6]
RC125M 1981-1984 Single 124 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed [7]
RC141 1959 Twin 44 × 41 mm 124.68 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed 2 valves per cylinder[8]
RC142 1959 Twin 44 × 41 mm 124.68 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed 4 valves per cylinder[9]
RC143 1960 Twin 44 × 41 mm 124.68 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed [10]
2RC143 1961 Twin 44 × 41 mm 124.68 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed [11]
RC144 1961 Twin 42 × 45 mm 124.69cc 6 Speed 2 valves per cylinder
RC145 1962 Twin 44 × 41 mm 124.68 cc (8 cu in) 6 Speed [12]
RC146 1963 Inline-4 35 × 32 mm 123.15 cc 7 Speed [8]
2RC146 1964 Inline-4 35 × 32 mm 123.15 cc (8 cu in) 7 Speed [13]
4RC146 1965 Inline-4 35 × 32 mm 123.15 cc
RC148 1965 Inline-5 33 × 29 mm 124.02 cc 8 Speed
RC149 1966 Inline-5 35.5 × 25.14 mm 124.42 cc (8 cu in) 8 Speed [14]
RC160 1959 Inline-4 44 × 41 mm 249.37 cc (15 cu in) 5 Speed Honda's first DOHC four[15]
RC161 1960 Inline-4 44 × 41 mm 249.37 cc (15 cu in) 6 Speed [16]
RC162 1961 Inline-4 44 × 41 mm 249.37 cc (15 cu in) 6 Speed 4 valves per cylinder[17]
RC163 1962 Inline-4 44 × 41 mm 249.37 cc (15 cu in) 6 Speed [18]
RC164 1963 Inline-4 44 × 41 mm 249.3 cc (15 cu in) 6 Speed [19]
2RC164 1964 Inline-4 249.3 cc (15 cu in) [8]
3RC164 1964 Inline-6 247.43 cc
3RC164 1965 Inline-6 39 × 34.5 mm 247.28 cc
RC165 1965 Inline-6 39 × 34.5 mm 247.28 cc
RC166 1966 Inline-6 41 × 31 mm 249.42 cc (15 cu in) 7 Speed [20]
RC170 1962 Inline-4 47 × 41 mm 284.53 cc (17 cu in) [8]
RC171 1962 Inline-4 49 × 45 mm 339.43 cc (21 cu in) 6 Speed [21]
RC172 1964 Inline-4 50 × 44.5 mm 349.50 cc (21 cu in) [8]
RC173 1966 Inline-4 50 × 44.5 mm 349.50 cc (21 cu in) 6 Speed [22]
RC174 1967 Inline-6 41 × 37.5 mm 297.06 cc (18 cu in) 7 Speed [23]
RC181 1967 Inline-4 57.5 × 48 mm 498.6 cc (30 cu in) 6 Speed [24]
RC250M 1980-1982 Single 248 cc (15 cu in) 5 Speed [25]
RC250MA 1991 Single 249 cc (15 cu in) Automatic [26]
RC335C
(RC250M)		 1972 Single 248 cc (15 cu in) 5 Speed [27]
RC500M 1984 Single 491.5 cc (30 cu in) 5 Speed [28]
RC1000 1981 Inline-4 999.36 cc (61 cu in) 5 Speed [29]
RCB1000 1976 Inline-4 66 × 66 mm 997.48 cc 5 Speed [30]
RC211V 2001-2006 V-5 990 cc (60 cu in) [31]
RC212V 2007-2011 V-4 800 cc (49 cu in)
RC213V 2012 - Current V-4 1,000 cc (61 cu in) 6 Speed [32]

References

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  1. ^ Oxley, Mat (2001). The Challenge & Dream of Honda - 500 Grand Prix Motor Cycle Wins (1 ed.). Richmond: Hazleton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-903135-03-6.
  2. ^ "Honda RC51". American Motorcyclist. American Motorcyclist Association. July 2000. p. 16. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  3. ^ "HONDA RC71". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  4. ^ "HONDA RC112". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  5. ^ "HONDA RC115". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  6. ^ "HONDA RC116". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  7. ^ "HONDA RC125M". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  8. ^ a b c d e Falloon, Ian (2005). The Honda Story (1 ed.). Sparkford, Yeovil: Haynes Publishing. ISBN 1-85960-966-X.
  9. ^ "HONDA RC142". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  10. ^ "HONDA RC143". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  11. ^ "HONDA 2RC143". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  12. ^ "HONDA RC145". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  13. ^ "HONDA 2RC146". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  14. ^ "HONDA RC149". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  15. ^ "HONDA RC160". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  16. ^ "HONDA RC161". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  17. ^ "HONDA RC162". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  18. ^ "HONDA RC163". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  19. ^ "HONDA RC164". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  20. ^ "HONDA RC166". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  21. ^ "HONDA RC171". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  22. ^ "Honda's Race History 1966". Joep Kortekaas.
  23. ^ "HONDA RC174". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  24. ^ "HONDA RC181". Honda at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2005. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  25. ^ "HONDA RC250M". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  26. ^ "HONDA RC250MA". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  27. ^ "HONDA RC335C (RC250M)". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  28. ^ "HONDA RC500M". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  29. ^ "HONDA RC1000". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  30. ^ "HONDA RCB1000". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  31. ^ "HONDA RC211V". Honda at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2005. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  32. ^ "Honda Worldwide - RC213V". Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
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