Honda`s cutting-edge 50cc services are greater related to performance and affordability than outright pace or motorsports. The Honda Ruckus, for example, is cheaper and fuel-green however it is now no longer a pace demon. The identical may be stated approximately the Honda Metropolitan scooter. However, withinside the 1960s, Honda advanced a 50cc motorcycle that couldn't most effective win races, however attain triple-digit speeds, the RC116.
Unlike 50cc motorcycles that maximum humans are acquainted with, the RC116 — whilst it got here round to the racing circuit in 1966 — had very tiny cylinders with 4 nearly microscopic valves according to cylinder. The motorcycle changed into constructed to be as mild as feasible from its minimum body to tiny suspension and braking components, including bicycle-like brakes at the the front that depended on friction from grabbing the the front wheel's rim rather than a conventional rotor and caliper setup. The whole motorcycle most effective weighed 110.2 pounds. But the motorcycle's actual declare to reputation changed into how rapid it can go.
Honda's miniscule bike
The RC116's 16-horsepower -cylinder may want to rev to an mind-blowing 21,500 rpm. For comparison, a Ducati Panigale V4 R, a veritable superbike, tops out at 16,500 rpm. The RC116's engine is ready as some distance farfar from a bit lawnmower engine as you may probably get. According to Honda, the motorcycle and its tiny engine may want to howl alongside at a pinnacle pace of 108 miles according to hour.
Perhaps maximum importantly, the RC116, as staggering because it is, wasn't a one-off test via way of means of Honda to peer how plenty energy and pace it can get out of a tiny engine. The RC116 received 3 grand prix races in 1966 which ended in a producer win for Honda.
As unlucky because it is, the RC116 by no means noticed any hopes of full-scale manufacturing and stays a bit piece of Honda's racing history. The excessive-strung -cylinder engine might possibly be a nightmare to keep and revving at over 20,000 rpm all the time probable would not bring about a completely excessive provider life. Otherwise, bike fanatics from throughout might be zipping round at triple-digit speeds on a motorcycle wherein the engine may want to healthy in a backpack.
