Page 8 of Sportbikes by Honda Motors

rc51 it started in daytona in 2002 from qualifying on there was never any question which company had done its homework over the winter and was bringing the best superbike to the track and when the checkered flag fell just as it fell all season long the honda rc51 showed that this open-class v-twin superbike has what it takes to whip any other superbike out there want more proof just ask nicky hayden or colin edwards who respectively rode their rc51s to the ama national and world superbike championships watch an rc51 at the track or sit on one at your local dealership and it s easy to see why because here is a machine that combines power refinement compact size and awesome performance all in one package like no other machine out there just to refresh your memory the rc51 still uses a 999cc 90-degree v-twin engine liquid-cooled with twin gear-driven overhead cams four-valve heads ram air and direct shim-under-bucket valve actuation with a 16,000-mile service interval its aluminumcomposite cylinder sleeves are lighter and transfer heat better than conventional steel liners the twin side-mounted radiators let our engineers move the engine closer to the front wheel as does rotating the engine back in the frame high-pressure programmed fuel injection features injector bodies drilled in a manufacturing technique that lets us give each injector 12 nozzle holes for super-fine fuel atomization and consistency two of these injectors feed each throttle body and the throttle bodies themselves measure a huge 62mm that s bigger than a 500 grand prix bike s cylinder bore the all-aluminum chassis and swingarm are light strong and stiff the frame uses forged engine hangers and incorporates a swingarm pivot that joins the swingarm the frame and the rear of the engine in one rigid structure a long swingarm improves rear-wheel power delivery the steering head features a unique cast-in ram-air duct for increased efficiency while slimming the rc51 s already slippery aerodynamic profile both front and rear suspension are fully adjustable and that includes spring preload as well as rebound and compression damping it s this combination of engine chassis and suspension that makes the rc51 just so right it s narrow agile and powerful it tracks flawlessly through a turn but lets you change direction with just a nudge of the clip-ons you can cruise all day at 3000 rpm enjoying the fat torque curve v-twins are famous for but slice through an apex crack the throttle and spin it up and you ll see what liter-bike performance is all about the rc51 is simply incredibly responsive in every way you choose to measure not only how it makes its power but in the way it handles around town it s fun on a winding mountain road it s a blast and on the track there s nothing that can touch it you bring the talent and the skill and a tank or two of gas and we ll show you what all the fuss is about rc51 rc51 big twins can be notoriously fussy when it comes to throttle response not this one why we gave the rc51 new fuel injectors with 12 laserdrilled holes each that lets them atomize the fuel charge perfectly and that means no hesitation or stumbling ever sportbikes on the track only one superbike wears the numberone plate and that bike is the honda rc5 1 03

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