Honda Delivers First RC213V-S – Ultimate MotoGP Racing Bike for the Street

By Steve & Tamami Laser

What did you get for the holidays? A nice sweater, perhaps a new smartphone or a night at the movies and dinner? Motorcycle collector John Brown took delivery of an amazing present to himself: The world’s first production model of the Honda RC213V-S. This street-legal, factory built MotoGP™ style racer for the street costs as much as an exotic sports car or perhaps a small house (in some neighborhoods).

RC213V-S first customer handover (8)Presenting the RC213V-S to Brown are Dave Hancock, former head of Product Planning, Honda Motor Europe (left) and Neil Tuxworth, Honda Racing team manager. 

The delivery took place at Honda’s UK racing headquarters, where his RC213V-S and other lucky customers’ bikes in the UK will be prepared and serviced by specially-trained technicians.

RC213V-S first customer handover (5)Brown, owner of a Honda motorcycle dealership in Manchester, is an avid collector of Honda machines. The RC213V-S will sit in Brown’s extensive collection, which includes a brand new RC30, VTR1000 SP1 and SP2, CBR900RR Fireblade and VF1000F.

Honda began taking orders for the RC213V-S in July throughout Europe. Each machine is hand-built in a specialist area of Honda’s Kumamoto factory.

RC213V-S first customer handover (9)Honda says the RC213V-S has been three years in development and is the closest a customer can come to owning and riding the RC213V MotoGP™ machine developed exclusively for racing, which won consecutive MotoGP™ World Championships in 2013 and 2014 in the hands of Marc Marquez.

Like the RC213V upon which it is based, the RC213V-S is powered by a compact 90-degree V4 999cc engine with titanium connecting rods and a sand-cast aluminum crankcase. Mass on the lightweight machine is highly centralized, and its race-derived features include an under-seat fuel tank and carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic fairing. Among the components inherited directly from the race bike are the swingarm, slipper clutch, magnesium Marchesini wheels (17 inch), pressurized Öhlins fork and adjustable footrests and foot controls, as well as most of the Brembo brake components. In recent years, MotoGP™ has ushered in huge advances in electronic rider aids, giving the RC213V-S throttle-by-wire, selectable power modes, engine-brake control and traction control, with position-detection technology developed through Honda’s ASIMO project.

RC213V-S at the Global Press Launch at Valencia, Spain September 2015Honda says sales of the limited-production model are planned for Europe, the U.S., Australia and Japan.

Product details including features and specifications are subject to change without notice

News sources and photos courtesy of Honda Motorcycles Europe, and Honda Motor Company Ltd.

Story (commentary) © 2015 CarNichiWa.com