2000 Honda RC51 - Used And Reviewed

2000 Honda RC51Like the Stinger missile and the B-1 bomber before it, Honda's RC51 V-twin superbike is the direct result of an arms race. The technology battle responsible for producing the RC51 was born of World Superbike racing, a series so dominated by speedy, two-cylinder bikes from Ducati that even Honda adopted an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" strategy and built a twin instead of a traditional four.

The RC51, also known as the VTR SP-1 (and SP-2), ended up beating Ducati at its own game on the racetrack, but the big twin's real success came on the streets, where it sold in steady, if not significant, numbers from 2000 until it was discontinued in the U.S. with the 2006 model year.

As V-twin sportbikes go, the RC51 is hard to beat; its 998cc, water-cooled motor pulls like Kobe Bryant in a bar full of single chicks while its fit and finish can stand up to the worst abuse Ma Nature throws its way. Because the RC was designed in part by HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), it's bristling with the sort of high-spec hardware usually only seen on Italian sportbikes. This includes 43mm Showa forks designed specifically for the machine, and a nifty, lateral tachometer on the fully digital dash. Where previous Japanese V-twin sportsters suffered from dubious handling-namely, Suzuki's TL1000 line-this bike corners so well it will have owners studying maps for obscure mountain roads. Though not radially mounted like the latest brakes, the RC's four-piston Nissin calipers wowed test riders when introduced, and even today they can help the greenest novice hoist a back wheel in no time.

If you've ever had the pleasure of riding behind an RC51, you'll have noticed how often the throttle is twisted for effect; that's because few motorcycles sound as good as a well-tuned RC. Bolt on a set of cans and the RC will bomb the bass like a Jamaican dancehall DJ.

That funky soundtrack comes courtesy of the high-revving motor, which throbs an impressive 120.5 horsepower through the rear wheel. With readily available torque in the lower regions of its rev range and a neck-snapping surge up around 6500 rpm, the engine feels much like a 1000cc four at times, though one with much more character and rhythm.

Of course, the RC51 is not perfect. It weighs 440 pounds dry, which is 18 pounds more than the VTR Superhawk half-faired twin that preceded it, and a good 50 pounds more than its stable-mate-the CBR929RR. Many testers have complained of its less-than-perfect fuel injection that makes low-speed riding a jerky, unsettled affair. Installing a Power Commander can help smooth things out, but to be honest, this machine was created by HRC for racing, so it's no surprise that it's a better motorcycle when ridden fast and hard. Those adjectives also describe the RC's seat; a narrow, thinly padded sliver of foam that's only superseded in impracticality by the minuscule passenger pad. Unless you're dating Paris Hilton or one of the Olsen twins, throw the passenger seat away in the interest of maintaining your personal relationships.