Honda bikes

The team and bike are no more.

One of the stolen ones ended up on eBay not long ago....

http://dirtmag.co.uk/news/category/europe/stolen-honda-rn-1-on-ebay/dirt-1234682.html

cyrix said:

The team and bike are no more.

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Yeah, that's what I mean. They dumped all that money into R&D and never produced anything! Just wondering if anyone ever heard if there is any more work being done on them...

Brando-99 said:

Yeah, that's what I mean. They dumped all that money into R&D and never produced anything! Just wondering if anyone ever heard if there is any more work being done on them...

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the gist of it was Honda came out wanting to prove they can make a successful race bike/team with all of their engineering experience. they proved it. so there's no need for the bike or team anymore. they never planned on making a production run. it was more like a "hey look what my money and engineering can do".
the frames and gearboxes are probably stowed away next to a Honda car prototype in Japan some where. the one that was on ebay was stolen during one of the races i believe.

I read somewhere that apparently honda company policy states that when a project like this is abandoned, all equipment is returned to the head factory (such as the frames) and melted down...

Brando-99 said:

Yeah, that's what I mean. They dumped all that money into R&D and never produced anything! Just wondering if anyone ever heard if there is any more work being done on them...

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Now I know why their cars (albeit reliable) are way overpriced! They have to find some way to pay for their pet projects.

^^ dam straight

I remember the old XR motorcycle series, shame they killed em off, they were IMPOSSIBLE to destroy, the motors where so fricken simple they just never died.

My first motorbike was a 1979 XR80, and ill never forget the look on my mates face when my little old XR kicked over first time and fired up, while his 2001 KX125 took almost half hour

I think there's still one on display in Minaar's shop in South Africa.

ebarker9 said:

I think there's still one on display in Minaar's shop in South Africa.

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affirmative.

Nick_M2R said:

I read somewhere that apparently honda company policy states that when a project like this is abandoned, all equipment is returned to the head factory (such as the frames) and melted down...

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What a shame. Those were cool bikes...

Honda used the program as R&D for the Showa suspension on MX bikes.

Honda simply made the bike and the team to have fun. literally. They had their fun, spent their money, and that was the end.

I believe the one in minnaar's shop has been stripped of it's internal transmission (it's just a hollow shell)

chooofoojoo said:

I believe the one in minnaar's shop has been stripped of it's internal transmission (it's just a hollow shell)

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I heard that too, its just a case cover now.

And it was a R&D program to improve suspension on their other products. That picture of the AL block is great too!

Wow. That's a very interesting and informative picture.

how would the chainline work in that small of a space?

The main chain ring most probably slides along its axel maintaining a perfectly straight chain at all times. Just a wild stab in the dark though.

the cassette may slide around also, didn't honda people say that the gear boxes were infinitely variable within a set range, like no indexing ,just move the shifter /grip shifter and the gear would get higher,move it twice as far and the gearing changes by twice as much. I heard the gearboxes were supposed to be prototypes for improving the efficiency of moto gear boxes ,since engine output is restricted.