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/128098
Honda Executhle Chief Engineer Heijiro Yoshimura sons now, but how long ago did Honda build the V-five? Last June we started to consider what would be the best solution for the new GP regulations and we thought about everything from a twin to a six-cylinder machine, and the weight penalties for each. With a twin cylinder, we considered that there may be a problem with top-end performance. But, with six cylinders the weight was a problem, so we considered a five cylinder. Why no oval pistons, Honda's trademark? , Q Our most famous piston, oval style, was considered, especially for the twin cylinder, but because we thought about future production for customer bikes, this design may make big problems for customers in terms of cost and technology. So this time we gave it up because of future production focus. HOW soon will a production version, for satellite teams, be available? It depends on next year's racing results, but we want to have machines available as soon as possible for satellite teams. Next year's target is how we can reach the performance to be able to supply machines to customers. Did you come to the conclusion to use the Vfive by experiment, by building one example of each possible machine type - a twin, a triple, a four, etc., or did you have the idea that a five cylinder was theoretically best and went ahead and built it from the drawing board? We already have good experience with fourcylinders in-line and V -fours, but we do not have three cylinder and, of course, don't have five. But we tried to consider on the table, by calculation, how best to use our current technology. Then we just decided to use a five cylinder. So there is no three cylinder or six cylinder experimental machine that has also been built? No. Q Q The new engine is less than the possible 990cc allowed by the regulations? Why is By • four, without the extra weight penalty of a six. GORDON RITCHIE Clever, and, with hindsight, quite obvious. PHOTO BY FABRIZIO PORROZZI With four-stroke GP machines about to sound the onda, somewhat predictably, was the first Japanese factory to showcase an engine that heralds the dawn of a new age of Grand Prix racing. The RC211, a marvelous gem of engineering with five cylinders, in a three forward/two back, Vshaped architecture (and without a single oval piston in sight), was a typically maverick answer to the loose GP regulations that have been outlined by the FlM. A five-cylinder engine gets around the weight limits, which increase 22 pounds for each pair of cylinders added. Put in its most basic form, a five gets you more power per cubic centimeter than a H 24 APRIL 4, 2001 • cue • III n Ill..., death knell for Superbike racing as we know it, according to many in the GP firmament at least, the presence of one of the main men behind the new Vfive at the opening round of the World Superbike Championship in Valencia, Spain, was a particularly interesting sight. Honda R&D's Executive Chief Engineer Heijiro Yoshimura answered questions about Honda's V-five project, a bare few weeks after the unveiling of the new machine back home in Japan. The idea of four-stroke GP machines has been on everyone's thoughts for a couple of sea- S this? We haven't decided on the final capacity yet, it depends on the performance. But it is possible to make it 990cc if necessary? We are developing the machine as a complete motorcycle, because the balance will be very important for the machine to survive the race. A big capacity will be the easiest way to go, but we are thinking about a complete package - tires and so on. You think it will be a big problem for the tires to last 25 laps? We have watched very closely the tire situation. We have talked very closely with Michelin about how we can achieve our target, so we have been carefully working together with Michelin. WiII the V-five also be developed in Sport Production form for the marketplace, or just for GPI? When we start to run at the circuit, and our satellite teams start to use it, many customers will want to have it - if the bike is good, performance is good, everything is okay. Then, of course, we should consider what the customer wants. But our first aim is to reach our target, to have a good performance in GPs. That is why our first target is to get a win from GPs. This is our only focus now. Will you have a one-rider team, or two or three riders on the V -five in 2002? Q