Comments on: Honda RC174 Replica

By: mikey

mikey — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:17:10 +0000

here is some more info on this story:
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_honda_rc174_six/index.html

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:36:30 +0000

The problem with a limited run is that this makes the cost higher; I would bet that you would be looking at $300,000 to $500,000 per copy. (Beale got something north of $500,000 each for these hand built replicas)! Now, if you could build and sell 10,000 over a few years the cost per unit would come down significantly. What did HONDA spend on these in 1964 to 1968? Heaven only knows, in 1964 dollars I would bet $100,000 each! You must remember that in the 60’s TI was so expensive and difficult to obtain that even the US Government struggled to get enough for the super secret Lockheed SR71. Today TI is almost ubiquitous in the motorcycle world; in 1966, the TI alone must have cost many thousands of dollars. If you built thousands then the spectacular uniqueness of the RC174 is lost. Who would buy it and ride it? Would we see 18-year-old “squids” doing stoppies and stunt riding on RC174 replicas? On the other hand, would they simply become another “commodity” to be traded by dis-interested speculators? What makes it special is the fact the HONDA did it without CAD, CAM and all the other “modern” tools! Modern EXPERTS cannot totally figure out HOW HONDA did what they did! The Specific output of the RC174 is almost identical to the RC211 so what have we gained in the ensuing years? Drivability and low cost, the cost per horsepower of the RC211 is much lower than that of the RC174. By the way, HONDA did build the CBX for four years, many concepts of the RC174 found their way onto that bike and many of the original unique features pioneered on the CBX are now seen on other road going bikes across the globe. Being an owner of a HONDA CBX I can tell you that there IS nothing like the rush of a HONDA 6. You simply cannot imagine the thrill of knowing that the bike you are riding sprang directly from the mind that created the RC174. Yes, the CBX is outdated, heavy and a BITCH to maintain BUT whack the throttle open and listen to that wail and you are transported back to a time when HONDA RC174 and Mike Hailwood ruled the GP tracks!

By: CJ

CJ — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:08:51 +0000

Any of you guys that are seariously into the vintage stuff should make a trip to Mid-Ohio Vintage days. You’ll see stuff there you may never see again. I actually saw this elusive RC some years ago, maybe mid-ninties somewhere. Some guy had found one of these 250cc inline 6-cylinder machines in SOUTH AFRICA of all places, rotting away only God knows where, brought it back here to the states and revived it. (at least that was the story told over the P.A. sytem when he did his parade lap) And you want to talk about a ” carnal howl !! ” , the sound of that exhaust is enough to make most boys into men just hearing it.

By: smokingtoaster.com » Blog Archive » new project

smokingtoaster.com » Blog Archive » new project — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:56:44 +0000

[...] A new project is in the works within the motorpool here at The Offices For World Domination™. Something old school, with a hat tip to the dreaded Honda RC-174 250cc six cylinder (wanna hear it? Crank it up!) and Mike The Bike. Bias plys and big nuts over radials and steering dampers is the palate from which I will paint this latest creation. For those of you in the know, think K591’s, clubman bars, Jemco pipes, and the sole instrument being the stock Yamaha tachometer, lights and signals be damned. [...]

By: Tuggah

Tuggah — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 20:20:17 +0000

Yes the cost would be astronomical because of the materials used and because of the extremely intricate engine. That engine was a feat of modern engineering.