Automotive Lightweighting > Lightweighting a Street-Legal Honda Racing Motorcycle
14 — Automotive Lightweighting
Honda developed the RC213V motorcycle for racing
in the MotoGP class; in 2013 and 2014, it won
championships in its class. This is in some ways a
heritage model, given that the Honda Asaka R&D;
Center—the predecessor of the current Motorcycle R&D;
Center (HGA)—developed the RC211V for racing in
MotoGP in 2002. HGA turned the bike over to Honda
Racing Corporation (HRC) for production.
And it was HRC that gave rise to the RC213V.
Now there are those who would like the performance
of the RC213V but who aren't likely to be able to race
around the Isle of Man.
So the people at HRC went to work and came up with the
RC213V-S—a variant of the RC213V that's street-legal.
Of course, in order to run the 1,000-cc, V4-powered
bike on the streets HRC had to add things like head-
lights and taillights, right and left rearview mirrors, a
speedometer, mufer with catalyst, license plate holders,
and the like. Things you don't need when you go racing.
(Although in some instances the horn might help.)
u The RC213V-S
is a street-legal
version of the
championship
winning MotoGP
racer. It is based
on the lightweight
approach to
construction that
the racing
motorcycle uses.