Honda RC211V
Encyclopedia
The Honda RC211V was developed in 2001 by HRC (Honda Racing Corporation
) to replace the Honda NSR500
because regulations for the World Championship motorcycle road racing 500 cc class were changed drastically for the 2002
season. Two-stroke engines were as before limited to 500 cc and 4 cylinder
s, but four-stroke engines were allowed to grow up to 990 cc 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:
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.
) from winning his fourth premier-class championship, and no clear candidate appeared to take over Rossi's role of lead development rider for Honda.
The RC211V was retired when rules dictated a switch to 800 cc capacity; Honda's bike for 2007
was the RC212V
.
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...
) to replace the Honda NSR500
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...
because regulations for the World Championship motorcycle road racing 500 cc class were changed drastically for the 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....
season. Two-stroke engines were as before limited to 500 cc and 4 cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
s, but four-stroke engines were allowed to grow up to 990 cc 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 engineV engineA V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft...
2002
In 2002, the debut year of the RC211V, Honda and Valentino RossiValentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano 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
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
so much as a handlebar-mounted power management system with 3 settings for different needs during a race.
- Factory riders: Valentino RossiValentino RossiValentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,...
, Tohru UkawaTohru Ukawais a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan.Ukawa began his Grand Prix career in 1994, racing in the 250cc world championships. He finished second to Valentino Rossi in the 1999 World Championship... - Satellite riders (in the latter part of the season): Alex BarrosAlex BarrosAlex Barros is a Brazilian motorcycle road racer. After a long career in MotoGP, for 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship...
, Daijiro KatoDaijiro Katowas a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and the 2001 World Champion in the 250cc class.-Biography:Kato was born in Saitama, and started racing miniature bikes at an early age, becoming a four-time national champion in the Japanese pocket-bike championship.He began road racing in 1992, and...
2003
Among other changes in 2003, power was increased from about 200 to 240 bhp. Traction control was also added.- Factory riders: Valentino RossiValentino RossiValentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,...
, Nicky HaydenNicky HaydenNicholas "Nicky" Patrick Hayden , nicknamed the The Kentucky Kid, is an American professional motorcycle racer, who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006.-Beginnings and AMA Championship:...
, Daijiro KatoDaijiro Katowas a Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and the 2001 World Champion in the 250cc class.-Biography:Kato was born in Saitama, and started racing miniature bikes at an early age, becoming a four-time national champion in the Japanese pocket-bike championship.He began road racing in 1992, and...
, Sete GibernauSete GibernauManuel 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... - Satellite riders: Max BiaggiMax BiaggiMassimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian motorcycle racer and winner of the 2010 World Superbike Championship. Throughout this racing career, he has won the 250cc World Championship four times, and finished as runner-up in both the 500cc and MotoGP championships...
, Tohru UkawaTohru Ukawais a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan.Ukawa began his Grand Prix career in 1994, racing in the 250cc world championships. He finished second to Valentino Rossi in the 1999 World Championship...
, Makoto TamadaMakoto Tamadais a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship.-Early years:After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc...
, Ryuichi KiyonariRyuichi Kiyonariis a professional motorcycle road racer. He is the 2006, 2007 and 2010 British Superbike champion, and he currently rides for HM Plant Honda in the British Superbike Championship. He also won the 2008 Suzuka 8-Hour race, teamed with his former WSBK team-mate Carlos Checa...
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-M1Yamaha YZR-M1
The Yamaha YZR-M1 is an motorcycle specifically developed by Yamaha Motor Company to race in the current MotoGP series. It succeeded the YZR500 by the 2002 season and was originally developed with a engine...
) 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 BarrosAlex BarrosAlex Barros is a Brazilian motorcycle road racer. After a long career in MotoGP, for 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship...
, Nicky HaydenNicky HaydenNicholas "Nicky" Patrick Hayden , nicknamed the The Kentucky Kid, is an American professional motorcycle racer, who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006.-Beginnings and AMA Championship:...
, Sete GibernauSete GibernauManuel 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... - Satellite riders: Max BiaggiMax BiaggiMassimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian motorcycle racer and winner of the 2010 World Superbike Championship. Throughout this racing career, he has won the 250cc World Championship four times, and finished as runner-up in both the 500cc and MotoGP championships...
, Colin EdwardsColin EdwardsColin Edwards II nicknamed the Texas Tornado is an American professional motorcycle racer. He is a two time World Superbike champion and has competed in MotoGP since 2003, now riding for the Yamaha Tech 3 team in the 2011 season.-Early years:At the age of three, his Australian father, Colin...
, Makoto TamadaMakoto Tamadais a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship.-Early years:After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc...
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 BiaggiMax BiaggiMassimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian motorcycle racer and winner of the 2010 World Superbike Championship. Throughout this racing career, he has won the 250cc World Championship four times, and finished as runner-up in both the 500cc and MotoGP championships...
, Nicky HaydenNicky HaydenNicholas "Nicky" Patrick Hayden , nicknamed the The Kentucky Kid, is an American professional motorcycle racer, who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006.-Beginnings and AMA Championship:...
, Sete GibernauSete GibernauManuel 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... - Satellite riders: Alex BarrosAlex BarrosAlex Barros is a Brazilian motorcycle road racer. After a long career in MotoGP, for 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship...
, Makoto TamadaMakoto Tamadais a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship.-Early years:After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc...
, Marco MelandriMarco MelandriMarco Melandri is a motorcycle road racer currently racing for the Yamaha World Superbike Team. Melandri is also a former 250cc World Champion in 2002...
, Troy BaylissTroy BaylissTroy Bayliss is a retired Australian motorcycle racer. During his career Bayliss won the Superbike World Championship three times, as well as the British Superbike Championship and a MotoGP race, all with Ducati. He finished his career after winning the 2008 World Superbike title...
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 HaydenNicky HaydenNicholas "Nicky" Patrick Hayden , nicknamed the The Kentucky Kid, is an American professional motorcycle racer, who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006.-Beginnings and AMA Championship:...
, Dani PedrosaDani PedrosaDaniel "Dani" Pedrosa Ramal is a Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Pedrosa grew up in a village near Sabadell called Castellar del Vallès. He is the youngest world champion in 250cc Grands Prix... - Satellite riders: Makoto TamadaMakoto Tamadais a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship.-Early years:After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc...
, Marco MelandriMarco MelandriMarco Melandri is a motorcycle road racer currently racing for the Yamaha World Superbike Team. Melandri is also a former 250cc World Champion in 2002...
, Toni ElíasToni ElíasAntonio "Toni" Elias Justícia Antonio "Toni" Elias Justícia Antonio "Toni" Elias Justícia (born March 26, 1983 in Manresa, (Catalonia, Spain) is a professional motorcycle racer and inaugural champion of the Moto2 World Championship. He is the third member of the Elías family to compete in...
, Casey StonerCasey StonerCasey Stoner is an Australian professional motorcycle racer. Born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia and raised in Southport, Queensland, Stoner raced from a young age and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a racing career...
The RC211V was retired when rules dictated a switch to 800 cc capacity; Honda's bike for 2007
2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 59th F.I.M Road Racing World Championship season. The 2007 season was significant as it introduced a new regulation which specifies that competitors in the MotoGP class can use up to 800 cc motorcycles; between 2002 and 2006, competitors had...
was the RC212V
Honda RC212V
The Honda RC212V is a road racing motorcycle developed to race in the MotoGP series. Officially introduced on 30 October 2006 as the RC211V replacement in the MotoGP series, it was developed by Honda Racing Corporation throughout 2006 and began officially racing in the 2007 season.The model name...
.
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
Specifications as per manufacturer:| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 2050 mm (80.7 in) | |||
| Width | 600 mm (23.6 in) | 645 mm (25.4 in) | ||
| Height | 1130 mm (44.5 in) | |||
| Wheelbase | 1440 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 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... , DOHC Overhead camshaft Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods... 4 Valve Multi-valve In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design... , V-5 V5 engine The V5 engine is a V form engine with five cylinders.- Volkswagen :Volkswagen introduced the first V5 engine, though this engine is not a true twin-bank V engine, but rather a VR5, or staggered bank straight-5 engine, and therefore not a true V5. It does not have one cylinder bank with 2 cylinders... |
|||
| Displacement | 990 cc | |||
| Max Power | 200 PS | 240 PS | ||
| 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 (50.7 US pt) | 22 l (46.5 US pt) | ||
External links
- Honda Worldwide | MotoGP - official Honda MotoGP site