Area 51

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 13, 2002

Hi Guys.

There's a lot of talk about RC51's lately. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one when the time is right, probably a 2002 model. First, though - let me ask a few questions about the bike that runs circles in my head!

1)It's gear-drive cam driven, right?
2)Does anyone know if the 2002 model will have an electronic choke? The RC I ride is a 2000 model and I believe to warm it up, you have to use the old-school choke method. Pain in the arse.
3)What is the longest day you've EVER done on an RC? How tall are you?
4)What mechanical problems have you encountered. F4's have cam-chain tensioner problems, what do RC's suffer from?
5)Does anyone ride theirs on the track? How difficult is it to control there?
6)What kind of gas mileage do you get? What is the maximum range you can go before the warning light pops up? Please specify the type of riding corresponding to the value you supply.

Thanks guys! I think the 2002 comes out in a few weeks. Time to get my F4i back to bone-stock condition, maybe get onto a track again, and really decide what's my next move.

redtwin · Mar 13, 2002

Re: RC51 General Rant Area

You missed a really cool chance to call this thread "Area 51" /images/icons/laugh.gif. I too am interested in the RC-51, and I am pretty sure it will be my next bike.

Take care,
Gregory

I could have been a squid, but I was too busy posing.

cbr_damon · Mar 13, 2002

Re: RC51 General Rant Area

That's a good idea. I changed it to Area 51. /images/icons/wink.gif

LordJim · Mar 13, 2002

1. Yes

2. The RC51 doesn't have a 'choke'. It's just basically an idle speed increaser (technical term LOL ) for warm-up. I've never had to use it for more than 15 seconds, and it's hardly a hassle

3. I'm 6'3" and I've done a couple of 600km days. And yes, I needed to lie down for awhile afterwards /images/icons/wink.gif

4. No mechanical problems at all. Zero!

5. The bike is brilliant on the track. The V-Twin allows you to be really feed the power on coming out of turns. However, if you think you can ride this bike above 90% of its capabilities, then you're going to need to make some suspension changes.

6. GAS MILEAGE??? LMFAO. IT'S BRUTAL. On the track you'll be lucky to get 120 kms from a tank /images/icons/shocked.gif On the street, riding conservatively I can go 160 to 180 KMs before the light comes on

Hope this helps and ask away /images/icons/smile.gif

Later

JoesRC · Mar 13, 2002

I too think that I am going to get a 51... I am going to stop by my dealer today and get some details as a matter of fact...
Joe
<font color=red>R1<font color=red>

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 13, 2002

Have you seen this guy's webpage? He is RC51-crazy. He wants to shave 100lbs off his bike, and I think he has all the bad-ass HRC parts in there. He has custom bodywork and even experimental designs. He's awesome! There is a picture of him on the website and he looks absolutely nuts!

http://www.honda-rc51.de/

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 13, 2002

Here is Mr. RC51 himself:

Don't want to sit next to him in a bar!

LordJim · Mar 13, 2002

LOL ya that's Thorsten. He is a master tinkerer. Very clever guy, has done some things to the RC that no one else (not even HRC) has done. His English isn't the best, but it's 1000x better than my german, but even without the language barrier he's way over my head /images/icons/laugh.gif

Later

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 13, 2002

Here is a pic of one of his bikes:

He's one of those people that invents the internet or something...

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 13, 2002

The thing about the RC51 that I really like is that it inspires people like this dude to spend all their time tweaking and tinkering with it. It's got to be a quality rig for someone to want to do that to a bike. I'd like to work on an RC51 and maybe squeeze 130hp out of it. Then, I'd be pretty stoked. What a sweet ride...

WinkoR1 · Mar 13, 2002

I love RC51's

Your signature here

bad_dog · Mar 13, 2002

Ditto everything Lord Jim said and my 2 cents:
"3) What is the longest day you've EVER done on an RC? How tall are you?"
7 hours in 105 degree weather, including 2 hours in heavy NYC weekend traffic. I had to be peeled off the bike with a spatula by the end of the ride.
I'm 5'10" 185 lbs

"5) Does anyone ride on a track"
I'm strictly a twisty road guy

"6) What kind of gas mileage do you get? What is the maximum range you can go before the warning light pops up? Please specify the type of riding corresponding to the value you supply."
Ha! Ha! Ha! - He said 'gas mileage'! Ha! Ha! Ha! /images/icons/laugh.gif
Seriously, I get about 100 miles before the light comes on, and you could probably go another 10-15 after that, but I never tested it. That's on a combination of highway and twisties. It works out well because after about 100 miles of riding, I need a stretch anyway /images/icons/smile.gif

donoman- interesting link - thanks!

nominal_squid · Mar 14, 2002

Dude, this guy is a carbon-fiber fiend!!! /images/icons/shocked.gif Check out his Honda RC30 stuff at http://www.durbahn.de! Hey, my VFR is a close relative of the RC30..../images/icons/smile.gif now I need to learn to fabricate yummy things out of carbon fiber.

-nominal_squid-
SMUSA #11

WinkoR1 · Mar 14, 2002

carbon fiber is good/images/icons/smile.gif

Your signature here

RumJungle · Mar 14, 2002

Man I wish I had the money and the know-how to do that to my bike!

WinkoR1, do you ever post anything more than a few words long?/images/icons/wink.gif

redtwin · Mar 14, 2002

I must be the only one that thinks it looks like crap. I understand wanting to lighten the bike for performance, but when you start changing the body lines then it just puts me off. Couldn't he have made the lighter bodywork to replicate the stock fairing and kept the stock red?. Changing things just for the sake of change isn't really justified in my book.

Take care,
Gregory

I could have been a squid, but I was too busy posing.

NY2NJ · Mar 14, 2002

I'm with redtwin. I'm a big fan of the RC51's styling. I assume that he will paint the faiiring when the bike is done, but for all the work this guy is doing, the tail looks like crap and he neeeds to kill that shotgun exhaust and go with dual high mounts. I wasn't too impressed by the hybrids either. Wierd-looking dude though (at least from his picture). He looks like he's into kiddie porn /images/icons/laugh.gif. I think the RC51 looks better with a powdercoated black frame.

nominal_squid · Mar 14, 2002

I don't get the impression he's doing those body mods for looks. That tail section looks rather like an anti-draft tail similar to the Yamaha TZ250. As for the shotgun exhaust, it seems to me that's easier as far as piping than putting one can on the other side, and quieter than a single can. I'm not so crazy about how his RC51 looks, but I really like what he did with the RC30 /images/icons/smile.gif

-nominal_squid-
SMUSA #11

SBW-F4iEECS · Mar 14, 2002

Yeah, I don't think that he really did these modifications for looks. If you take a peek at his dyno charts, he has some of his RC51's pushing out 135hp using some of his systems. Namely, he makes an enlarged airbox, exhaust goodies, etc.

I wouldn't mind purchasing a set of fairings from him... his prices are unbelievably cheap for carbon! This guy must do it for the love of motorcycling.

I think paint schemes and looks are the last things on the mind of an engineer who is trying to make something 'better'.

GuntherZX-9R · Mar 14, 2002

#1. I think carbon fiber looks like crap too.

#2. I put a deposit on my 2002 RC-51 a month ago! woohoo

Wheelies don't necessarily make you a squid, but bitchin about em' sure makes you a sissy!

Area 51

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