2016 Honda RC213V-S
Will Honda homologate (manufacture and sell sufficient units to qualify as a base for WSB competition) a relatively exotic V-4 superbike for the 2017 model year? We already know that Nicky Hayden was promised, and is expecting, a new bike, and his new team boss Ronald Ten Kate has made vague reference to the same thing.
It all makes sense. The production model upon which Honda developed its current WSB racer dates back to 2008. Honda is already selling the exotic, and ridiculously expensive ($184,000) RC213V-S featuring a V-4 engine displacing 999 cc. Will Honda be content to simply update the inline four CBR1000RR next year, or will it deliver a second V-4 machine (more expensive, but far cheaper than the RC213V-S) to homologate for WSB racing?
British magazine MCN has weighed in with its own opinion that Honda is likely to offer two new superbikes next year, including a more race-oriented V-4. MCN quotes Honda R&D head Tetsuo Suzuki regarding the future production models as follows: “In terms of the future of the Fireblade [known as the CBR1000RR in the U.S. market] we do not want to make something that is as extreme as some bikes, like the Yamaha R1M for example. The performance and concept [for the CBR1000RR] is not aimed at track riders; that’s not the purpose of the bike. The concept is to have a usable road bike. As far as the possibility of an RVF1000 that will be derived from a cheaper version of the RC213V-S platform and engine, then that is one possible path.”
We think Nicky Hayden will be competitive in WSB next year despite the older CBR1000RR platform beneath him, but something better is definitely coming from Honda.
See more of MD’s great photography:
Superbikes? Honda could if they complicate it enough, Yamaha could if they could get the transmission right, Suzuki could if they had any money, Kawasaki kicks butt in WSBK, $2 million contingency in MotoAmerica, unbreakable.
As frustrating as it is that Honda’s current “halo” bike is so far out of reach of most motorcyclists (and don’t get me started with the state of tune “as shipped” in the US), I’m enjoying filling my laptop screen with the picture at the top of the post and gazing. It’s unquestionably a nice toy.
re: “In terms of the future of the Fireblade we do not want to make something that is as extreme as some bikes, like the Yamaha R1M for example.”
well yeah, we’ve kinda figured that out…
but you should make it anyway, unless of course your plan is to step on the toes of those individuals who ponied up for the RC213 after waiting for it all these years…?
The “market” will dictate and the manufacturers will try to satisfy it.
TLDR version: “Rumoured VFR1000 finally may or may not reach production”
That is too thick to be a cigar.
One thing Nicky knew is it’s better to be a top 10 WSB racer than a back row GP duffer as he’s been for quite some time now.
I don’t know about that. If you look at the bottom of the order in MotoGP, there’s plenty of recent WSBK winners who knew good & well they wouldn’t be higher in the order after the switch. I think Nicky has known all along which side of the fence had greener grass.
I agree. WSB is still considered the minor leagues compared to MotoGP. The fastest bikes and the fastest riders are in MotoGP. That is where the most ambitious want to end up.
I suspect that MotoGP back markers earn more money too. For even money I’d think every single one of those guys (Lorenzo, Rossi, Marquez and Pedrosa being the exceptions) would race elsewhere since winning is impossible.
I read an article about Cal Crutchlow… He basically stated that most guys don’t make the move from WSB to MotoGP because they don’t want to take the pay cut. He apparently took a pretty big cut himself to make the move to MotoGP. It makes sense when you think about it: you have the top guys in WSB getting offers from the mid-pack or back-pack in MotoGP. I’m pretty confident the two Kawasaki riders make more than most MotoGP riders.
I read in a separate article that Hayden’s 2014 salary was $4 million (one of the top 5 paid MotoGP riders), as much apparently as Marquez and Pedrosa. I guess Hayden still has quite a bit of star power.
The Crutchlow article I mentioned:
http://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/racing/motogp/2014/october/crutchlow-wsb-to-motogp-balls/#.VnAbC0orKUk
MotoGP Top 10 highest paid:
http://www.therichest.com/sports/racing-sports/top-10-highest-paid-motogp-riders-in-2014/?view=all
No way Honda is reinventing the wheel with the CBR1000RR.
Like Kawasaki and Suzuki they will continue to evolve the existing platform with upgraded electronics, Showa balance free suspension (like we see in the photo), and significant tweaks to the existing power plant with about 10-15 more HP at the rear wheel.
To keep the fat mid-range which defines the bike, and not get too exotic with the materials and compression ratio, they will likely go with variable valve timing like Suzuki is doing with the 2017 GSXR1000. Otherwise they will end up with a ZX10R’esque power-band more suited to the track.
The Gen 10 CBR1000RR will continue to be the best road oriented Japanese liter bike as the Gen 9 currently is.
They don’t have to re invent the wheel. They have made many a VFour for decades. Just need a production frame, wheels, tank, materials and so on, all of which lower costs. – Honda simply says it will be a road oriented bike. They can do whatever they feel like doing and isn’t that always the case? (current Valkyrie)
re: “They don’t have to re invent the wheel.”
correct, not when touching the cylinder head and connecting rods will do.
re: “Otherwise they will end up with a ZX10R’esque power-band”
yes please.
Pretty bike, and I appreciate Big Red’s design goal of making a streetable, high performance bike.
MCN have been making these noises for over ten years now.
Every slow news week we had V5 artists impression.
Like a broken clock, theyre right eventually, but if they actually had any inside informtion, whay don’t they have the jump on other publications for bikes that actually do make production?
Are they, perhaps, making it all up?
re: “Every slow news week we had V5 artists impression.”
see, Patrick remembers.
OK, if you take that big red dot on the side of the bike, turn it counter-clockwise 90 degrees, you’ll see a robot face with eyes, nose and an offset mouth. Kinda scary.
Dang you are RIGHT!
It looks like it is smoking a cigar
By golly.
They must have some pretty good stuff north of Missoula
Cigars for “medicinal purposes only”…
“I got my prescription around here somewhere, officer…”
As for looking like a robot:
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto!
Is this the oft-rumored new “NSA1000,” co-sponsored by US Government Homeland Security?
re: “take that big red dot on the side of the bike, turn it counter-clockwise 90 degrees, you’ll see a robot face with eyes, nose and an offset mouth. Kinda scary”
that my friend is how we pay subliminal homage to our Robot Overlords.
Norm! You’re back! (with a vengeance!) 🙂
This bike always reminds me of the Mitsubishi A6M (Type Zero Carrier-based Fighter Airplane)due mostly to the giant meatball painted on the side.
This reminds me of the 1985 VF1000R, I love the colors
No one does red white and blue better than Honda.
Yup, always loved the original Interceptor….
add some “yeller” and it’ll actually be a supersize NS400. notice the R/W/B “colorway” of the tank.
Sounds like the new Fireblade would be an evolution of the current one and there will be a brand new V4 weapon coming. I hope it works out for Nicky.
that upside-down swing arm in the back will become common on every sport bike within five years. Lowers the center of gravity. Nice.
There have been plenty of bikes with bracing “under” the main portion of the swingarm, dating back to at least the early 80’s. It’s nothing new. And having a low center of gravity isn’t necessarily a good thing on a motorcycle. You want it low – but not TOO low…
Righto. Remember when the gas tank went low and pipes up high? Remember when Valentino made ’em raise the engine in his Yamaha? Honda does have a unique rear suspension that I don’t understand but almost all in the swingarm. Maybe Honda will revamp and make me not wish Hayden had signed with Ducati. Inline fours bore me, but they work really well.
Re: “You want it low – but not TOO low…”
Honda likely understands the relationship of center of gravity to motorcycle performance perhaps better than anyone. They built a GP machine with the fuel tank under the engine. the engineers believed in it so much that they told the riders that they were “riding it wrong”. Later they realized that CG was better placed near the axle height. The thing has to lean side to side quickly, after all.
My 3 maxi-scooters(Aprilia, Piaggio) have the motors/gas tanks very close to the axle height and handle very well, even though none of them are light. The gas tanks are just above the axle height.
What an engineer is looking for is to find the roll center and place most of the weight as close as possible to that….low polar moment of inertia
the rider being one of the masses…
low centers works well for cruisers or lower speeds but for sport bikes its the opposite
Even on a cruiser you don’t want too low a center of gravity – at least if you want it to handle, which most cruiser riders don’t seem to care about.
I always equate it to a football running back cutting left and right as he runs downfield. Put him in a 40 lb. weight vest, and he can still move pretty well. However, strap a couple of 20 lb. ankle weights on him and it’s another story!
re: “that upside-down swing arm in the back will become common on every sport bike within five years.”
Yama R1 says “been there done that” now lets move on.
re: “There have been plenty of bikes with bracing “under” the main portion of the swingarm, dating back to at least the early 80’s.”
see entry for Suzi TILLER. see entry for Kawi ZEDREX.