Honda RC51

So, we’ve all read the road tests and we’ve all watched Colin Edwards win the world superbike championship on the big v-twin Honda last year. The first batch of Honda RC51’s were snatched up by eager buyers within weeks of their release, many commanding a premium over MSRP - almost a first in the non-Harley world. Is this one of the sportbike world’s most perfect vehicles, a Japanese built Ducati 996 with little or no maintenance required?

For the most part, the answer to the above question is yes, but not with the bike in box stock form. The vehicle tested in this report had been modified by its owner, mainly to correct the faults pointed out by test riders worldwide last year. The motor in the bike is so strong that hopping it up really isn’t necessary. A set of loud pipes to let the rider hear the power of course is required but the biggest improvement to this test bike was the addition of the Power Commander II by Dynojet. This device allows the bike to be tuned properly, eliminating the off idle glitch in Honda’s own set up. The pipes, Power Commander and a two tooth larger rear sprocket basically solve all the complaints voiced against the Honda engine-wise in its box stock form. These changes help release the inherent benefits of the v-twin design in Honda’s guise: it now runs well at lower speeds, without any fuel injection irregularities, it has a solid mid-range punch and the tremendous top end is undisturbed. All last year in the world superbike chase, the audience witnessed other bikes getpassed on the straightaways by Edward’s Honda. Regular streetbikes will get passed by the RC51 as well.

The other changes on thistest bike were the addition of a Scotts steering damper, carbon fiber fenders and a hip refrigerator magnet affixed to the gas tank reminding the rider that, “It’s Sinatra’s world, the rest of us just live in it.” The Scotts dampener is slightly more refined than the traditional shock absorber look-a-like models, it allows a varying degree of resistance throughout the travel range so brutal tankslappers can be avoided without making the bike a handful at low speeds. The fenders and the titanium mufflers fitted help reduce weight, getting this bike under 430 lbs dry. The Sinatra deal is at first glance inexplicable, but perhaps is a manifestation of the same forces at work that drive middle aged men into buying Corvettes and riding superbikes in the first place.

Jumping onto the RC51 at rest reveals that it has a more comfortable riding position than almost all the superbikes tested so far in this magazine. The owner fitted Helibars which helped shorten the reach. The seat on the bike is lower than that of the Ducati and more comfortable than those on the Bimotas. For street riding, this more upright position is a real blessing. The 996 Ducati tested a few issues ago was also transformed ergonomically with the addition of Helibars and an aftermarket seat. The bike does not have the narrow feel of the Ducati but it doesn’t bust your gut every time you hit the brakes, the back of the Honda’s tank being less vertical.

The bike starts immediately with a classy v-twin rumble from the pipes. The whine of the gear driven cams combines with the exhaust to give this bike from Japan a genuine exotic sound that turns heads and keeps the rider entertained. The sprocket change allows this test bike to take off normally from a stop with no clutch abuse necessary. I was surprised by the torque and midrange of the motor after having read all the reports from riders on stock bikes complaining of the four cylinder feel of the powerband down low. Cruising at 60 mph in third, fourth or fifth and grabbing a handful of throttle would result in 100 mph flashing on the digital speedo in just seconds. The motor having a wide enough powerband to gather a rush of speed in any of these gears. Above 7000 rpm, the bike has a hard punch,again commented upon by many other test riders; it feels like a big four cylinder pulling hard towards the top.

The brakes on the bike are truly awesome, with the Yamaha R1 really only in the same league for less than full race applications. One could complain that the initial bite is too hard and that the system lacks feel compared to some other set ups. But most riders will just shut up and adapt their riding habits to allow them to enjoy the hard, hard braking possible with this set up. If you wait until you are leaned over in the corner before you grab the brakes, you’re probably going to crash anyway. While I experienced some unwanted front wheel lock ups on the R1 Yamaha, I never did on the RC51 even on the sandy, oily streets of El Paso.

As a daily driver superbike, I found precious little to complain about. The only changes I would make are a flashier paint job and a touch higher bars. The bike needs to look as exotic as it feels and the higher bars might be embarrassing, but they’d make the bike all-day comfortable. The owner of this bike rides it fairly hard and he has purchased an Ohlins shock for the back. Other than that, he is pretty much done with modifications.

Comparing the RC51 to the Ducati, Aprilia and Bimota SB8R reveals many strengths and few weaknesses. The Honda engine is smoother than the Suzuki and Aprilia and a touch rougher than the Ducati. The Honda engine will not get you in trouble with unwanted wheelspin in a corner like the Suzuki-engined Bimota but to be fair, the SB8R might benefit as much as the Honda with some fuel injection tweaking. But I also suspect the cams in the Suzuki give it that almost uncontrollable midrange rush. The Honda’s shifting is smoother than that of the Aprilia but a little notchy feeling compared to the Ducati and Bimota. The Honda heats up a little in traffic but is perfectly Ok once underway. The Aprilia always had a little heat on the left side, whether sitting or riding. The Ducati of course cooks your tail constantly - ever notice that the factory riders often take their victory laps standing on the pegs? Only the Bimota has perfect heat management.

As far as ten tenths handling goes, I really didn’t ride the Honda hard enough to detect any bad behavior. It was a borrowed bike and I didn’t have access to a race track, which is the only place any significant differences will be felt anyway. I don’t think it will have the famous Ducati front end bite but that is partly due to the moderate and hence streetable seating position.

All in all, the Honda is a killer bargain priced exotic. The engine is stout and not overwhelming and the bike reacts very positively to modest modifications. As usual, the marketplace is right, the bike is a steal at $9999. That’s why the showrooms were emptied out before the dealers could re-write their price tags.

- Mark Barnett