And now a 4 cyl 250cc.

[Sir Limpsalot]

You may recall a friend of mine with a 500cc 4 cyl Honda (Hailwood replica)?
Well, he's just sent me these photo's of his latest tribute to the great man and the "Classic" era that he raced in.

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90212168-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/86489879-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90212166-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/86489878-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90212170-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90212171-M.jpg

://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/86489880-M.jpg



http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/86489876-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/86489877-M.jpg

He took the 500 to a local bike meeting (held in a local Pub) on his trailer to let the lads see the finished article. Somewhat against his better judgement he was presuaded to start it up so they could hear it as well.
The landlord of the Pub has been threatened with an ASBO* if there is a repitition!

Si.
*ASBO = Anti Social Behaviour Order.

[supermotoC]

sweet! I dunno if those multicylinder 250s & 500s ever made it "officially" the the New World, but I likes me some of THAT. Nothing like a 250cc 6cylinder first thing in the morning.

ASBO = you mean a pub owner just doesn't have one pasted to his window for all times....?

Keep the pics coming.

[DarthRider]

Si -
You gots a real cool friend who builds real cool bikes!
I'd love to hear them.

[Alien Feet]

Nice clan outfit. You look like Hitler and a Power Ranger made a baby.

[Wild Will]

thanks for these shots; they made my ribs settle down they are so beautiful! Got any more? Pass our well wishes to your mate! He done good.

[Sir Limpsalot]

Here ya go Will, I hope these help ease your pain.

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90400872-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90400870-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90400873-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90400874-M.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/90400871-M.jpg

PS, Is it only me who doesn't understand a f***ing word that Mr Alien Feet said?
Si.

[geechie]

Gosh, those are pretty machines!

George

[kocook]

Motorcyclist (April 2006) ran an article about George Beale, a retired pharmacist, who built 6 replicas of Honda's RC174 (6-cylinder, 297cc) which he sold for half-a-mil per copy. The article mentions that Honda also produced 6-cylinder 250cc bikes (RC-164) during that era. Hailwood is quoted as saying the sixes, particularly the RC174, were the best he had ever raced. They look just like the bikes in these pictures, except for the 6 pipes and carbs. From the article, however, I gather the internal differences were incredible. http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_honda_rc174_six/

[Sir Limpsalot]

I used to get Motorcyclist regularly for years and always found it a quality mag. McDiarmid is right about George Beale and his obsesive attention to detail. His replicas are so perfect that I doubt even one of the factory riders of the era could tell one from an original. I'll bet there's not a lot (if any) of profit in one even at that price.
My mates bikes, on the other hand, are just a fun tribute based on roadster engines. He's not trying to fool anyone into thinking they are anything other than built "in the style of" the GP bikes.
The 250 makes 57hp, which (I think) is about the same or a wee bit more than the 250/4 of the 60's.
Cheers for now,
Si.

[Dallara]

Hey, Kent...

Just to keep the record straight - as you said, the Honda RC-174 was the 297cc six raced by Hailwood in the 350cc GP class, but...

The RC-164 was a FOUR cylinder 250cc that was the forerunner to the 250cc sixes... their designations were RC-165 and RC-166. The RC-165 was the first to appear, but was later superseded by the RC-166.

Just FYI.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NAABSPCOROBCD)


ps - There were also running changes throughout each iteration of each model, and they had sub-designations. For instance, there were three versions of the RC-164 - the original RC164 which appeared in 1963, but was followed two other versions raced in 1964 called the 2RC164 and 3RC164. The first six cylinder was actually introduced in late 1964 and appeared as a RC165, and that was the only time a true RC165 was raced. In 1965 improvements were already made and it debuted as the 2RC165, and was raced the entire year under that designation. 1966 dawned with Honda coming with another evolution of the six - the 3RC165, yet it was even replaced mid-season by another updated model - the RC166 - which finished out the year, and raced literally unchanged during Honda's final GP year of that era, 1967. There were also multiple versions of the 350cc class bikes, ranging from RC170's through RC174's. Just as an aside, only one version of the 500cc four ever raced - the RC181 - used in both 1966 and 1967. The most powerful, as far as horsepower per cubic inch, Honda GP racer ever built was the RC116... In fact, to this day no normally-aspirated four-stroke engine has ever surpassed it for power output per displacement. Can anybody tell me how big it was?

[Deans BMW]

Belive it or not, a 50 cc twin.

[Dallara]

100%, absolutely correcto-mundo, Dean! :eusa_clap:

The 1966 Honda RC-116 was, indeed, a 50cc DOHC twin. It differed from the prior year RC-115 50cc twin in that it had a new bore and stroke - 35.5mm X 25.14mm (as opposed to the 1965 RC-115 figures of 34mm X 27.4) - to achieve higher revs. The tiny twin made 16 BHP at 21,500 RPM, with a redline of 22,500... It was said the engine was safe to rev all the way to 25,000 for short intervals, though power fell off rapidly past peak. It was kept on the boil by a 9-speed transmission.

16 BHP equates to a staggering 320 BHP per Liter! To put this in perspective, if F-1 cars could produce this kind of power they would be making over 768 BHP (they're not), and Honda's current 990cc RCV-211 MotoGP bike would be making over 316 BHP (it makes about 250...).

Remember, the little RC-116 was built completely by hand, and designed on paper... No computers... No CAD-CAM or CNC... and those Honda engineers did it 40 years ago, before man landed on the Moon.

Pretty amazing.

I don't have a picture of a RC-116 engine handy, but here's a close-up of the carbs...

http://www.cmsnl.com/classic-honda-gallery/media/display/1/106/image/200508291459060.RC116%20Keihin%20Carbs.jpg

Here's a pic of the whole bike:

http://www.hondaredriders.com/documentum/RR_Assets/RR_Asset_E000179_popup.jpg

http://www.hondaredriders.com/documentum/RR_Assets/RR_Asset_E000178_popup.jpg


Here's some engine pics of the Honda RC115, though...


http://vf750fd.com/Joep_Kortekaas/honda_race_history/rc115-2.jpg

http://vf750fd.com/Joep_Kortekaas/honda_race_history/rc115-3.jpg


Hope you enjoy 'em!

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NAABSPCOROBCD)

[supermotoC]

OK, don't tell me this has RIM brakes!!

http://www.hondaredriders.com/documentum/RR_Assets/RR_Asset_E000179_popup.jpg

[Dallara]

Yep, it do have rim brakes, Collyer. Actually makes perfect sense when you see how really small these bikes are. Remember, too... On 50cc GP bikes to have to use the brakes meant losing momentum, which was very hard to regain. Rarely, except on the slowest corners after only the longest straights, did 50cc pilots use the brakes at all.

Really.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NAABSPCOROBCD)