Motorcycles

Honda hits the road with $184,000 RC213V-S MotoGP replica

Honda hits the road with $184,000 RC213V-S MotoGP replica
RC213V-S – Is this the most collectible Honda production street bike ever?
RC213V-S – Is this the most collectible Honda production street bike ever?
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RC213V-S – Is this the most collectible Honda production street bike ever?
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RC213V-S – Is this the most collectible Honda production street bike ever?
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
RC213V-S stripped back
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RC213V-S stripped back
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Attention to detail - Honda claims the parts production process is as exacting as the GP bike
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Attention to detail - Honda claims the parts production process is as exacting as the GP bike
Less than 250 units are expected
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Less than 250 units are expected
MotoGP for the street, license plate added
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MotoGP for the street, license plate added
If exotic materials are your thing, this is the bike for you
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If exotic materials are your thing, this is the bike for you
RC213V-S - stainless steel front brake disc
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RC213V-S - stainless steel front brake disc
Honda RC213V-S
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Honda RC213V-S
Mark Marquez and the RC213V-S
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Mark Marquez and the RC213V-S
Mark Marquez on the RC213V-S
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Mark Marquez on the RC213V-S
RC213V-S complete with classic Honda paint scheme
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RC213V-S complete with classic Honda paint scheme
View gallery - 17 images

Honda has announced that the prototype Moto GP replica it showed at EICMA last year is to become a road-going reality. Based on the RC213V that MotoGP champion Mark Marquez won two championships on, the RC213V-S is billed by the company as its "absolute MotoGP machine for the street." Some of that depends on what country the street is in (more on that in a moment), but there is no arguing with its collectability, exclusiveness or desirability.

Priced at €188,000 and $184,000 in the US, an application only gets you a consultation with no promise of a motorcycle whatsoever. Production is expected to be kept to less than 250 units.

Manufacturers use racing as their laboratory on wheels and the RC213V-S is a direct result of Honda's track to road policy, but there are some compromises in this transition. Pneumatic valves have been replaced with coil springs, the famous seamless gearbox was exchanged for a more standard road version and output from the extremely compact 1000 cc, 90 degree V4 varies by country, depending on public road eligibility rules and regulations. Europe and Australia are offered a 160 hp version, the American market gets roughly 100 hp and in Japan, it's an even paltrier 70 hp.

The fix for this is an as yet to be priced optional race-track only kit that jumps the power up to a massive 215 hp. The kit will not be available in the USA.

The RC 213V-S is 12 kg heavier than the GP racer (170 kg compared to158), but that includes lights and street equipment. With the kit option it drops back down to 160 kg.

Honda will begin accepting "order entry" for the RC 213V-S on July 13.

Source: Honda

View gallery - 17 images
3 comments
3 comments
Dan Parker
Maybe Honda will find 250 chumps out there who will part with 184 large, or more, for this bike. They've replaced many of the exotic race components with more pedestrian equipment and limited the US bike to 100 hp. Why is it so exclusive? Because Honda marketing says so.
Olderslowerguy
Ahhh! Once again the US gets slighted, along with Japan! I can just see the people waiting in line here in the US to pay $184K for another 100hp bike. Really?
Martin Hone
I'm amazed Honda has been able to keep the weight given the use of an electrical system, starter motor, battery and lights, and, I imagine, less use of exotic materials.
Certainly a desirable collectable, along with the oval-piston version released some years ago....