They are just three simple letters, but when coupled with the name Honda, RVF has the power to stir the hearts of Superbike fans worldwide. Now Honda looks set to launch a 21st century RVF in the form of a 2018 model 1000cc Superbike it plans to take racing - Honda RVF1000 !
A 2018 release will coincide with Honda’s 70th anniversary, a perfect opportunity to launch a new model tied to Honda’s racing heritage and carrying the RVF name. While rumours and basic CG drawings of a new V4 Honda sportsbike have been circulating for a few months, recent patent drawing revealed what will be under the skin of the New RVF1000 and our excusive CG images provide a strong indication of how the bike will look in the flesh.
In a move intended to radically reduce production costs compared to the RC213V-S, the New Honda RVF1000 adopts the engine from the hyper-expensive MotoGP roadbike and fits it to an all-new cast aluminium monocoque chassis. The chassis design is intended to place the bike below the €40,000 price cap for models that are the basis of WSBK racers.
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| Honda RC45 |
Allied to new rules that reduce the minimum homologation numbers to 500, the result is a return to the coveted HRC-made bikes that brought Honda WSBK success: the RC30, RC45 and RC51. Holding it back as a 2018 model makes sense as Honda is expected to reveal its new inline four-cylinder Fireblade at the end of this year, and it won’t want that model’s limelight stolen. The 2017 Blade is believed to be developed with road use in mind, avoiding the pitfalls of designing a road bike for racing purposes.
According to our insiders, there was an internal battle over the RC213V-S roadbike. One camp was intent on creating the rawest machine possible – literally a road legal RC213V MotoGP bike. It’s this group that won the day.
The rival idea was to create a bike that was based on the RC213V engine and technology but delivered as a far more polished, stand-alone product featuring new technology above and beyond the GP bike. The second group may have lost out in the short term, but it seems their concept is what’s being developed into this new Honda RVF1000 Superbike.Labels: Honda, News Info
