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
RC71	1958	Twin		247.33 cc (15 cu in)	4 Speed	2 valves per cylinder[4]
RC110	1962	Single	40 × 39 mm	49.00 cc		4 valves per cylinder
RC111	1962	Single	40 × 39 mm	49.00 cc		4 valves per cylinder
RC112	1962	Twin		49.61 cc (3 cu in)	9 Speed	[5]
RC113	1963	Twin	33 × 29 mm	49.61 cc (3 cu in)	9 Speed	4 valves per cylinder[6]
RC114	1964	Twin		49.61 cc
2RC114	1964	Twin		49.6cc
RC115	1965	Twin		49.8 cc (3 cu in)	9 Speed	[7]
RC116	1966	Twin		49.8 cc (3 cu in)	9 Speed	[8]
RC125M	1981-1984	Single		124 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	[9]
RC141	1959	Twin	44 × 41 mm	124.68 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	2 valves per cylinder[10]
RC142	1959	Twin	44 × 41 mm	124.68 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	4 valves per cylinder[11]
RC143	1960	Twin	44 × 41 mm	124.68 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	[12]
2RC143	1961	Twin	44 × 41 mm	124.68 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	[13]
RC144	1961	Twin	42 × 45 mm	124.69cc
RC145	1962	Twin		124.68 cc (8 cu in)	6 Speed	[14]
RC146	1963	Inline-4	35 × 32 mm	123.15 cc	7 Speed	[10]
2RC146	1964	Inline-4	35 × 32 mm	123.15 cc (8 cu in)	7 Speed	[15]
4RC146	1965	Inline-4		123.15 cc
RC148	1965	Inline-5		124.02 cc
RC149	1966	Inline-5		124.42 cc (8 cu in)	8 Speed	[16]
RC160	1959	Inline-4	44 × 41 mm	249.37 cc (15 cu in)	5 Speed	[17]
RC161	1960	Inline-4	44 × 41 mm	249.37 cc (15 cu in)	6 Speed	[18]
RC162	1961	Inline-4		249.37 cc (15 cu in)	6 Speed	4 valves per cylinder[19]
RC163	1962	Inline-4		249.37 cc (15 cu in)	6 Speed	[20]
RC164	1963	Inline-4		249.3 cc (15 cu in)	6 Speed	[21]
2RC164	1964	Inline-4		249.3 cc (15 cu in)		[10]
3RC164	1964	Inline-6		247.43 cc
3RC164	1965	Inline-6		247.28 cc
RC165	1965	Inline-6		247.28 cc
RC166	1966	Inline-6		249.42 cc (15 cu in)	7 Speed	[22]
RC170	1962	Inline-4	47 × 41 mm	284.53 cc (17 cu in)		[10]
RC171	1962	Inline-4	49 × 45 mm	339.43 cc (21 cu in)	6 Speed	[23]
RC172	1964	Inline-4	50 × 44.5 mm	349.50 cc (21 cu in)		[10]
RC173	1966	Inline-4	50 × 44.5 mm	349.50 cc (21 cu in)	6 Speed	[24]
RC174	1967	Inline-6	41 × 37.5 mm	297.06 cc (18 cu in)	7 Speed	[25]
RC181	1967	Inline-4	57.5 × 48 mm	499.6 cc (30 cu in)	6 Speed	[26]
RC250M	1980-1982	Single		248 cc (15 cu in)	5 Speed	[27]
RC250MA	1991	Single		249 cc (15 cu in)	Automatic	[28]
RC500M	1984	Single		491.5 cc (30 cu in)	5 Speed	[29]
RC1000	1981	Inline-4		999.36 cc (61 cu in)	5 Speed	[30]
RCB1000	1976	Inline-4		997.48 cc
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)		[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 - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
4. http://app.mobilityland.co.jp/hch/search/english/?action_english_detail=1&productid=246&type=age&modelid=1
5. "HONDA RC112". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
6. "HONDA RC113". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
7. "HONDA RC115". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
8. "HONDA RC116". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
9. "HONDA RC125M". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
10. Falloon, Ian (2005). The Honda Story (1 ed.). Sparkford, Yeovil: Haynes Publishing. ISBN 1-85960-966-X.
11. "HONDA RC142". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
12. "HONDA RC143". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
13. "HONDA 2RC143". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
14. "HONDA RC145". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
15. "HONDA 2RC146". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
16. "HONDA RC149". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
17. "HONDA RC160". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
18. "HONDA RC161". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
19. "HONDA RC162". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
20. "HONDA RC163". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
21. "HONDA RC164". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
22. "HONDA RC166". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
23. "HONDA RC171". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
24. "Honda's Race History 1966". Joep Kortekaas.
25. "HONDA RC174". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
26. "HONDA RC181". Honda at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2005. Honda Worldwide. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
27. "HONDA RC250M". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
28. "HONDA RC250MA". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
29. "HONDA RC500M". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
30. "HONDA RC1000". Honda collection Hall - Collection Search. Honda Worldwide. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. 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.

External links

• 50 Years of World Championship Racing official site
• First hand account of Honda's entry in the 1959 Isle of Man TT Race