2016 Honda RC213V-S Video Review
Take a lap of the Ricardo Tormo Circuit aboard the RC213V-S
The four U.S. journalists invited to ride the 2016 Honda RC213V-S were the first journalists to ever ride the motorcycle. There were two street-spec bikes and two race-spec bikes available – that’s all. The anxiety of an over-exuberant journalist getting a too hot and tossing away Honda’s nearly quarter-million-dollar machine hung in the air among the HRC engineers like two-stroke exhaust at an indoor MX park. Crashing wasn’t an option. The irony is that we rode the Euro-spec bikes before the Euro journalists did!
Shinichi Ito led our first few laps around the twisty Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Although I knew he could leave me for dead in less than one turn, he kept the pace reasonable, and it was an honor to share the track with a man of his racing caliber. Besides that instance, we basically had the track to ourselves for the test. More track time would have increased my familiarity with its layout and lowered my apprehension of missing a braking marker going into the very fast turn one after topping 165+ mph on the front straight. But I’m just grateful to have ridden the bike. If you’ve read my review of the RC213V-S, there’s no information to glean from the video, but it’s fun to ride aboard the bike and see a lap of the MotoGP circuit.
A former Motorcycle.com staffer who has gone on to greener pastures, Tom Roderick still can't get the motorcycle bug out of his system. And honestly, we still miss having him around. Tom is now a regular freelance writer and tester for Motorcycle.com when his schedule allows, and his experience, riding ability, writing talent, and quick wit are still a joy to have – even if we don't get to experience it as much as we used to.
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Terrific stuff - thanks. And given others news I can now more clearly see why Honda lawyers will have helped with the low power and no race kit decision for the US.
That wasn't a great review. First of all, it's ridiculous that Honda is bringing a 98 horsepower version to the U.S. The bike costs over $100,000! Yeah, horsepower is a raison d'etre, especially for the well-heeled gearheads that would want this motorcycle. Reminds me of the underpowered slug that HRC gave to Nicky Hayden this year, that's getting beat by a modified Aprilia superbike. Honda has traditionally sold underpowered versions of their bikes to the U.S. market. Anyone remember the RC45? So as a journalist, you're representing us man! Grow a pair,and tell Honda that a $100,000 plus motorcycle with 98 horsepower is smoking more than just a pack of Camels.