Honda NSR500V
Encyclopedia
The Honda NSR500V is a race motorcycle
from the Honda
NSR series
. It was designed and manufactured by HRC
and debuted in 1996
for the Grand Prix motorcycle racing
's 500 cc class. The bike was conceived by Honda to be a viable machine for privateer teams to enter the class.
water-cooled two-stroke used the same crankcase reed-valve induction as the Honda NSR500 V4
. The 100-degree V2 also used a single crankshaft, a feature common to all of Honda's GP race bikes of the time. Weighing in at 103 kg, it produced a claimed 135 bhp when running on hi-octane avgas. Although it made less power than its V4
counterpart (some 40-50 hp less), it was lighter, easier to ride and better handling. At many circuits it was capable of lapping just as fast as a V4, given a clear track. Its main strength was being able to carry a higher corner speed than the V4. However its weakness became apparent in traffic. If the V2 lost its momentum through the corner, a V4 was able to use its better acceleration and power to pull away. It was nevertheless to fulfil its purpose of being a competitive and realistic machine for private teams.
as part of the established Repsol squad, the bikes being ridden by Tadayuki Okada
and Shinichi Itoh
. The machine made an immediate impact with Okada securing pole position for its maiden race in 1996, in Malaysia
. Okada was to bring the new bike home in the Top 5 on six occasions, its best finish being a 2nd at the final race in Australia
. When the Grand Prix season had finished, Honda also entered the V2 in the MFJ Grand Prix Superbike Race which pitted most of the top Grand Prix teams against each other in a one-off race at Sugo. Okada won the event on the V2, ahead of the established V4s from Honda
, Suzuki
and Yamaha
.
Honda continued to develop the V2 over the winter of 1996 and again entered the V2 as a works machine in 1997
, this time piloted by Takuma Aoki
. The bike proved competitive scoring seven Top 5 placings, its best being 2nd in Australia
. The V2 was also sold to private teams, among them the newly formed Gresini Racing Team with rider Alex Barros
who got onto the podium at Donington
and finished the season 9th (ahead of six factory V4 bikes).
Over the course of 1998
and 1999
, Sete Gibernau
, who replaced the injured Takuma Aoki
rode the official V2 and reached the podium on two more occasions. More private teams had also purchased V2 machines and by 2000
, the machine had become a realistic option for privateers to compete in the category, with the bikes being consistently able to finish in the points. In 2000 Jurgen van den Goorbergh
won Best Privateer, with Haruchika Aoki
winning the same award the following year – both on board NSR500Vs.
The introduction of rules allowing four-stroke
machines to enter the class in 2002
effectively put an end to the competitiveness of the two-stroke V2 as even the two-stroke V4 machines quickly became obsolete.
Only 22 NSR500v motorcycles were produced by Honda Racing Corporation. There were 20 NSR500v motorcycles produced from 1996 to 2000. The NSR500v engine suffered from a fragile transmission. For the 2001 season Honda Racing Corporation updated the engine with a new crankcase set and transmission. In 2001 Honda Racing Corporation produced 2 NSR500v motorcycles which were raced by the Shell Advance Team. Several 2001 updated engines were sold to other NSR500v teams.
Unlike the NSR500V4s which were merely leased out to teams, the V2s were sold to teams, many of whom later sold them outside the Grand Prix arena. Some were campaigned in National races while many ended up in private motorcycle collections.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
from the Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
NSR series
Honda NSR series
Honda NSR is a designation that applies to two types of two-stroke motorcycles from Honda. The NSR designation was used by Honda for both their factory Grand Prix racing machines built by the Honda Racing Corporation subdivision, and for the race replica motorcycles produced mainly for the...
. It was designed and manufactured by HRC
Honda Racing Corporation
Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...
and debuted in 1996
1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Honda's Mick Doohan continued his domination of the 500 class with 8 victories. His Repsol Honda team-mate, Àlex Crivillé beat him to the line twice in Austria and the Czech Republic...
for the Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
's 500 cc class. The bike was conceived by Honda to be a viable machine for privateer teams to enter the class.
Characteristics
The V-twinV-twin
A V-twin engine is a two-cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinders are arranged in a V configuration.- Crankshaft configuration :Most V-twin engines have a single crankpin, which is shared by both connecting rods...
water-cooled two-stroke used the same crankcase reed-valve induction as the Honda NSR500 V4
Honda NSR500
thumb|right|Shinichi Itoh, riding his Honda NSR500 in the Japanese Grand Prix 1993The Honda NSR500 is a race motorcycle from the Honda NSR series. It was created by HRC and debuted in 1984 for the Grand Prix motorcycle racing's 500 cc class. Honda won ten 500cc World Championships with the...
. The 100-degree V2 also used a single crankshaft, a feature common to all of Honda's GP race bikes of the time. Weighing in at 103 kg, it produced a claimed 135 bhp when running on hi-octane avgas. Although it made less power than its V4
V4 engine
A V4 engine is a V form engine with four cylinders and three main bearings.-Automobile use:Lancia produced several narrow-angle V4 engines from the 1920s through 1960s for cars like the Lambda, Augusta, Artena, Aprilia, Ardea, Appia, and Fulvia....
counterpart (some 40-50 hp less), it was lighter, easier to ride and better handling. At many circuits it was capable of lapping just as fast as a V4, given a clear track. Its main strength was being able to carry a higher corner speed than the V4. However its weakness became apparent in traffic. If the V2 lost its momentum through the corner, a V4 was able to use its better acceleration and power to pull away. It was nevertheless to fulfil its purpose of being a competitive and realistic machine for private teams.
Racing History
Initially Honda ran two fully works-supported bikes in 19961996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Honda's Mick Doohan continued his domination of the 500 class with 8 victories. His Repsol Honda team-mate, Àlex Crivillé beat him to the line twice in Austria and the Czech Republic...
as part of the established Repsol squad, the bikes being ridden by Tadayuki Okada
Tadayuki Okada
Tadayuki 'Taddy' Okada is a retired Japanese professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was runner-up in the 1994 250cc and in the 1997 500cc World Championship.-Early career:...
and Shinichi Itoh
Shinichi Itoh
born in Kakuda, Miyagi, Japan) is a retired professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He has raced extensively in Japanese and International championships. Ito has competed in the All Japan Road Race Championship, and won the Japanese 500 cc Championship, and is also 3 times Japanese...
. The machine made an immediate impact with Okada securing pole position for its maiden race in 1996, in Malaysia
Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:...
. Okada was to bring the new bike home in the Top 5 on six occasions, its best finish being a 2nd at the final race in Australia
Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It is held each year at the scenic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.-Winners of the Australian motorcycle Grand Prix:...
. When the Grand Prix season had finished, Honda also entered the V2 in the MFJ Grand Prix Superbike Race which pitted most of the top Grand Prix teams against each other in a one-off race at Sugo. Okada won the event on the V2, ahead of the established V4s from Honda
Honda NSR500
thumb|right|Shinichi Itoh, riding his Honda NSR500 in the Japanese Grand Prix 1993The Honda NSR500 is a race motorcycle from the Honda NSR series. It was created by HRC and debuted in 1984 for the Grand Prix motorcycle racing's 500 cc class. Honda won ten 500cc World Championships with the...
, Suzuki
Suzuki RGV500
The Suzuki RGV500 was Suzuki's entry in 500 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing. It won its first 500 cc championship in 1993 in the hands of Kevin Schwantz, who beat both Wayne Rainey and Mick Doohan to the prize. This was the most successful period in the motorcycle's history...
and Yamaha
Yamaha YZR500
The YZR500 was the Yamaha Motor Corporation’s entry for 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing between the years of 1973 and 2002.- Successes :...
.
Honda continued to develop the V2 over the winter of 1996 and again entered the V2 as a works machine in 1997
1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini's record for victories in one season with 12 wins. It...
, this time piloted by Takuma Aoki
Takuma Aoki
is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He began his Grand Prix career in 1993. From to , Aoki competed in the World Superbike Championship, winning one race in that series. He returned to Grand Prix racing with Honda in 1997, enjoying his best season when he finished fifth in the...
. The bike proved competitive scoring seven Top 5 placings, its best being 2nd in Australia
Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It is held each year at the scenic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.-Winners of the Australian motorcycle Grand Prix:...
. The V2 was also sold to private teams, among them the newly formed Gresini Racing Team with rider Alex Barros
Alex Barros
Alex Barros is a Brazilian motorcycle road racer. After a long career in MotoGP, for 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship...
who got onto the podium at Donington
British motorcycle Grand Prix
The British motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the World Motorcycle Racing season. Before 1977, the British Grand Prix was the Isle of Man TT, held there from 1949-1976.-Winners of the British motorcycle Grand Prix:...
and finished the season 9th (ahead of six factory V4 bikes).
Over the course of 1998
1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 50th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Mick Doohan and Honda continued to dominate the 500 class with the Australian taking 8 victories and Honda winning all but one race. Simon Crafar winning the British Grand Prix for...
and 1999
1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 51st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:The dominant reign of Honda's Mick Doohan came to an end with serious injuries suffered in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. In his absence, his Honda team-mate Àlex Crivillé...
, Sete Gibernau
Sete Gibernau
Manuel Sete Gibernau Bultó is a former Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His racing career spanned two different eras of motorcycle racing, beginning with the two-stroke-dominated period prior to the 2002 season, and the four-stroke MotoGP era...
, who replaced the injured Takuma Aoki
Takuma Aoki
is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He began his Grand Prix career in 1993. From to , Aoki competed in the World Superbike Championship, winning one race in that series. He returned to Grand Prix racing with Honda in 1997, enjoying his best season when he finished fifth in the...
rode the official V2 and reached the podium on two more occasions. More private teams had also purchased V2 machines and by 2000
2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 52nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Kenny Roberts, Jr. fulfilled the promise of his 2nd place in 1999 by winning the championship for 2000 with 2 races to spare...
, the machine had become a realistic option for privateers to compete in the category, with the bikes being consistently able to finish in the points. In 2000 Jurgen van den Goorbergh
Jurgen van den Goorbergh
Jurgen van den Goorbergh is a Dutch motorcycle road racer also known as The Flying Dutchman....
won Best Privateer, with Haruchika Aoki
Haruchika Aoki
is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was a two-time F.I.M. 125cc world champion. He is the youngest of three Aoki brothers who have competed in motorcycle Grand Prix races....
winning the same award the following year – both on board NSR500Vs.
The introduction of rules allowing four-stroke
Four-stroke cycle
A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two...
machines to enter the class in 2002
2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 54th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The season consist of 16 races, which started with the Japanese Grand Prix on 7 April and ended with the Valencian Community Grand Prix on 3 November....
effectively put an end to the competitiveness of the two-stroke V2 as even the two-stroke V4 machines quickly became obsolete.
Only 22 NSR500v motorcycles were produced by Honda Racing Corporation. There were 20 NSR500v motorcycles produced from 1996 to 2000. The NSR500v engine suffered from a fragile transmission. For the 2001 season Honda Racing Corporation updated the engine with a new crankcase set and transmission. In 2001 Honda Racing Corporation produced 2 NSR500v motorcycles which were raced by the Shell Advance Team. Several 2001 updated engines were sold to other NSR500v teams.
Unlike the NSR500V4s which were merely leased out to teams, the V2s were sold to teams, many of whom later sold them outside the Grand Prix arena. Some were campaigned in National races while many ended up in private motorcycle collections.
| Honda NSR500V Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Engine Type: | 2-stroke water-cooled V2 single crankshaft reed valve |
|
| Displacement: | 499.7 cc | |
| Max Power: | 135 bhp @ 10250 rpm | |
| Carburation Type: | 40 mm Keihin PJ short type | |
| Ignition: | CDI digital | |
| Clutch: | Dry multiple discs | |
| Transmission: | 6-speed cassette type | |
| Final Drive: | Chain | |
| Frame Type: | Twin spar aluminum | |
| Suspension: | Front: Showa Inverted telescopic forks Rear: Showa mono shock |
|
| Tyres: | Michelin | |
| Wheel: | Front: 3.625 x 17 inches (431.8 mm) Rear: 5.875 x 17 inches (431.8 mm) |
|
| Brake System: | Front: Carbon composite disc (290 mm), Brembo 4 pot calipers Rear: cast iron disc (196 mm), 2 pot calipers |
|
| Overall Length: | 1975 mm | |
| Overall Width: | 595 mm | |
| Wheelbase: | 1360 mm | |
| Weight: | 103 kg | |
| Fuel Tank: | 26L | |