Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127607
an d the pair of recessed 130mm headlights. The racer-rep lica seat positions the rider clos er" to the slightly higher (than the RC30) handlebars. The cleanlooking cockpit fea tu res an electronic speedometer that's wired directly to a countershaft-mounted sensor and an electronic tachometer that's linked to a crankshaft sensor. The RC45 also features a digital liquid crystal display to monitor engine temperature. The aluminum fu el tank holds 4.8 gallons of fuel and uses a h igh-pressure fuel pump. A brief ride When you throw your leg over the RC45 , it's hard not to think of it as throwing your leg over a $27,000 bundle of cash. It looks expensive, it feels expensive, and the Honda guys have already reminded you a zillion times that it is expensive. Four la ps doesn ' t give you much time to eva luate a motorcycle, but the rea l evaluation will come at Daytona in March, and at Donington Park co me May . That's when the bike will face its first major test against the competition - . th e Ducatis, the Kawasakis an d the Yamahas. We can say this much - the RC45 is a race bike and it won't easily be confused with any thing else. By the time you select second gear, you've already noticed how compact and light the RC45 feels. You also immediatly notice the large ram-air ducts that feed air from the front of the fairing into engine via the gas tank. At first the big black rams are a distraction, bu t that quickly goes away. You don't have much time for distractions on the RC45. We found the RC45 to be as comfortable as a race bike can be, giving much the same feel as a 250cc GP racer. The handlebars and footpegs seem to be in the ideal positio n in relation to the seat, at least for my 5-foot, 8-inch frame. It may be a squeeze for taller riders, but how many tall World Champions have you seen lately? We were surprised at just how manageable the RC45 turned out to be. Designed to be ridd en at world-class speeds, the RC45 didn't convulse when ridden by mere mortals. Th r o ttle respo nse was perfect, even at low rpms w rong gear and all. It wou ld just chug its w ay up the rev range. Riding this bike to work (you'll definitely need a good job to pa y for it) and back really wouldn 't be a problem, but it only gets better when ridden in the right gear and at high rpms. It just begs to be revved and that's when the RC45 really starts to stru t its stuff. The Honda test track features a variety of comers - downhill lefts, flat rights, quick left-to-right transitions - and the RC45 excelled at them all. There's one section of the track that features a thirdgear, left-hand comer wi th a bump on the exit that leads to an uphill left. The Honda CBR600s (that we were allowed to ride while waiting our tum on the RC45s) would get a little skitterish over the bump on the exit, but the RC45 would just track right through it - no problem. Overall, the RC45 just gives you a lot of confidence, especially knowing that it was designed to be ridden a lot harder than most of us will ever be able to ride it. Then again, most of you will never get the chance to ride one. My ride lasted for only four laps, but at least I got to it before Mr. Polen... 01 While Cycle News believes theforegoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers only and should not berelied upon in determiningthe performance or safety of thevehiclets). The reader should make his or her own investigation -. I.!') 1994 WORLD CUP ICE SPEEDWAY JAN. 7&8 ARCO ARENA SACRAMENTOI RACING BEGINS AT 8 PM TICKETS ON SALE AT ARCO ARENA BOX OFFICE ALL BASS nCKET CENTERS • TOWER • THE WHEREHOUSE • SELECT RALEY'S • CHARGE BY PHONE (916) 923-BASS JAN. 8 SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA MAR.1 3 FAIRBANKS, AWKA • CARSON CENTER MAR.14 ANCHORAGE, AWKA • SUWVAN ARENA TENTATIVE · CHECK PRIORTO D ATE • NEW WSRAlI.C.E. WORLD HEADQUARTERS * * . * * P.O. BOX 2627, SILVEIITIIORIIE, CO 80498 U03J262·_7 47