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

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
Honda Racing Motorcycles
Model Model years Engine Configuration Bore x Stroke Engine Displacement Transmission Other information
CR931961-1962Twin125 ccDOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
NR5001979V-4498-500 cc8 valves per cylinder, oval pistons
NS5001982-1983V-362.6 × 54 mm498.6 cc6 SpeedTwo-stroke
NSR2501985-2002V-twin250 ccTwo-stroke
NSR5001984-2002V-4499 cc6 SpeedTwo-stroke
NSR500V1996-2001V-twin499 cc6 SpeedTwo-stroke
RC711958Twin247.33 cc (15 cu in)4 Speed2 valves per cylinder[3]
RC1101962Single40 × 39 mm49.00 cc6 Speed4 valves per cylinder
RC1111962Single40 × 39 mm49.00 cc4 valves per cylinder
RC1121962Twin33 × 29 mm49.61 cc (3 cu in)9 SpeedWorld's first 50 cc road racer[4]
RC1131963Twin33 × 29 mm49.61 cc (3 cu in)9 Speed4 valves per cylinder
RC1141964Twin33 × 29 mm49.61 cc9 Speed
2RC1141964Twin49.6 cc
RC1151965Twin34 × 27.4 mm49.8 cc (3 cu in)9 Speed[5]
RC1161966Twin35.5 × 25.14 mm49.8 cc (3 cu in)9 Speed[6]
RC125M1981-1984Single124 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed[7]
RC1411959Twin44 × 41 mm124.68 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed2 valves per cylinder[8]
RC1421959Twin44 × 41 mm124.68 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed4 valves per cylinder[9]
RC1431960Twin44 × 41 mm124.68 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed[10]
2RC1431961Twin44 × 41 mm124.68 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed[11]
RC1441961Twin42 × 45 mm124.69cc6 Speed2 valves per cylinder
RC1451962Twin44 × 41 mm124.68 cc (8 cu in)6 Speed[12]
RC1461963Inline-435 × 32 mm123.15 cc7 Speed[8]
2RC1461964Inline-435 × 32 mm123.15 cc (8 cu in)7 Speed[13]
4RC1461965Inline-435 × 32 mm123.15 cc
RC1481965Inline-533 × 29 mm124.02 cc8 Speed
RC1491966Inline-535.5 × 25.14 mm124.42 cc (8 cu in)8 Speed[14]
RC1601959Inline-444 × 41 mm249.37 cc (15 cu in)5 SpeedHonda's first DOHC four[15]
RC1611960Inline-444 × 41 mm249.37 cc (15 cu in)6 Speed[16]
RC1621961Inline-444 × 41 mm249.37 cc (15 cu in)6 Speed4 valves per cylinder[17]
RC1631962Inline-444 × 41 mm249.37 cc (15 cu in)6 Speed[18]
RC1641963Inline-444 × 41 mm249.3 cc (15 cu in)6 Speed[19]
2RC1641964Inline-4249.3 cc (15 cu in)[8]
3RC1641964Inline-6247.43 cc
3RC1641965Inline-639 × 34.5 mm247.28 cc
RC1651965Inline-639 × 34.5 mm247.28 cc
RC1661966Inline-641 × 31 mm249.42 cc (15 cu in)7 Speed[20]
RC1701962Inline-447 × 41 mm284.53 cc (17 cu in)[8]
RC1711962Inline-449 × 45 mm339.43 cc (21 cu in)6 Speed[21]
RC1721964Inline-450 × 44.5 mm349.50 cc (21 cu in)[8]
RC1731966Inline-450 × 44.5 mm349.50 cc (21 cu in)6 Speed[22]
RC1741967Inline-641 × 37.5 mm297.06 cc (18 cu in)7 Speed[23]
RC1811967Inline-457.5 × 48 mm498.6 cc (30 cu in)6 Speed[24]
RC250M1980-1982Single248 cc (15 cu in)5 Speed[25]
RC250MA1991Single249 cc (15 cu in)Automatic[26]
RC335C
(RC250M)		1972Single248 cc (15 cu in)5 Speed[27]
RC500M1984Single491.5 cc (30 cu in)5 Speed[28]
RC10001981Inline-4999.36 cc (61 cu in)5 Speed[29]
RCB10001976Inline-466 × 66 mm997.48 cc5 Speed[30]
RC211V2001-2006V-5990 cc (60 cu in)[31]
RC212V2007-2011V-4800 cc (49 cu in)
RC213V2012 - CurrentV-41,000 cc (61 cu in)6 Speed[32]

References
  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. 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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