New Honda 800 GP bike spied!

[gav]

The new VFR, err RCV? 800 has been seen, still no word on configuration, but looks interesting!

[merv]

Yeah wonder if its still a five or has it dropped back to being a four?

[paturoa]

is that a really long swing arm or does the seat just make it look that way?

2 guys with their fingers in their ears too

what is the triangular opening just in front of the gear shift shaft?

[Cleve]

Yeah I thought I was just confused when I saw the chain... is that the longest chain on a non drag bike I have seen??

[merv]

Triangle looks like an exhaust pipe, and chain length is probably deceptive from photo angle as I can't imagine the wheelbase is excessive.

[sAsLEX]

the rest Gav

<img src=http://www.motoliam.com/photos/ML1421.jpg>
<img src=http://www.motoliam.com/photos/ML1422.jpg>
<img src=http://www.motoliam.com/photos/ML1423.jpg>

from http://www.motoliam.com/2006/09/motegi_by_monday.html#more

[SuperDave]

That's one damn long chain.

[Sparky Bills]

The new VFR, err RCV? 800 has been seen, still no word on configuration, but looks interesting!

Check out the front disc on that thing!
I think its going to be a very interesting year with the 800's coming in.

[gav]

Thanks, so how did you manage to get the photos in your thread like that? Thought that was removed because some people on dial up complained that threads took too long to open??
Anyway, some cool ideas there from Honda, looks like the underseat exhaust will be gone burger, so old fashioned. The rear numbers on the hugger, looks good. You can see the fuel tank under the seat, and the low twin exhaust outlets, copying Buell there are they? :whistle:

[Crasherfromwayback]

[QUOTE=paturoa;765063]is that a really long swing arm or does the seat just make it look that way?

/QUOTE]

Long swingarms promote traction.

And yeah, the tail section is short and accentuates it!

Despite the fact that Ducati came out swinging and went under the Bruno lap record with Cap on board, don't think for a minute that Honda won't be ahead of the pack....they were after all...the ones that wanted to go to 800cc.

Just like they were the ones that wanted to go 4 Stroke in the first place.

I wouldn't mind betting that 990cc - 1 Cyl = 800cc.

V five with one cyl lopped off????

[Crasherfromwayback]

Also....check the size of Haydens rear disc compared to Pedrosas.

Flat track anyone?

[Mr. Peanut]

Well, it is a V engine, you can see the rear cylinder head. 69 Indeed :lol:
Now where's my bloody V5 GSXR eating Fireblade... :angry2:

[svs]

It's a V4


http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Honda-800-breaks-cover--V4-engine-~cid~6~id~137909.htm

[Postie]

Check out the front disc on that thing!
I think its going to be a very interesting year with the 800's coming in.

looks like carbon brakes up front, stopping power good enough to remove your eye balls from their sockets. Not sure about the short rear faring but its probably more aerodynamic.
Looks like the tank is under the seat to allow the engine to be moved forward, it might be to get a better centre of gravity and keep the weight over the middle of the bike.
These are just my theories, feel free to haggle.

[James Deuce]

Not sure about the short rear faring but its probably more aerodynamic.


Less! The air will break away from the bike in a very turbulent fashion and very close to the bike.

[Cajun]

interesting in last picture you see the yamaha and suzuki boys having a perv (most likey seening what details they can take back to there bikes)

jim - wouldn't that stop people slip streaming?

[WRT]

That looks like less of a bike and more of a supercharged pogo-stick. That's damn tiny! Where can I sign up for one?

[James Deuce]

jim - wouldn't that stop people slip streaming?

I'll be interested to see how it goes while towing that big wall of turbulent air.

I'll dig my aerodynamics manuals out tonight.

[placidfemme]

Heres another pic

[Cleve]

Also....check the size of Haydens rear disc compared to Pedrosas.

Flat track anyone?

Well spotted. It is all very fascinating and I can't wait for 2007 to begin... (mind you 2006 is going to be an awesome end...)

[Jamezo]

interesting in last picture you see the yamaha and suzuki boys having a perv (most likey seening what details they can take back to there bikes)

jim - wouldn't that stop people slip streaming?
A less aerodynamic bike will 'drag' more air along with it, making slipstreaming more effective!

The more aerodynamic the bike, the higher the relative (to the bike) velocity of the air behind it.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Well spotted. It is all very fascinating and I can't wait for 2007 to begin... (mind you 2006 is going to be an awesome end...)

Yeah I used to think the gap was going to be to big for Rossi to bridge.....I don't think that now!

Be interesting to see what the pressure does to Hayden....it has a funny habbit of making or breaking people!

[Postie]

I'll be interested to see how it goes while towing that big wall of turbulent air.

I'll dig my aerodynamics manuals out tonight.

these bikes are still setting very similar times around the Japanese track (similar times to the 990cc's that is) so what ever they have done to the aerodynamics, be it better or worse, the bikes are still just as fast.

[Finn]

Okay, so we're all experts here. It amazes me that Honda didn't simply join KB to get all the answers. It would have saved them millions of dollars not to mention development time.

And all this time they thought their wind tunnel was a bike cleaner. Stupid Honda.

[cowpoos]

. Stupid Honda.


indeed ol chap!

[merv]

Yeah stupid Honda if they keep making bikes like they do they'll remain the winningest brand in GP racing and I guess they hate that because of how they embarrass the others so often its not good for other Japanese brands honour - and they should fall on sword.

[James Deuce]

Okay, so we're all experts here. It amazes me that Honda didn't simply join KB to get all the answers. It would have saved them millions of dollars not to mention development time.

And all this time they thought their wind tunnel was a bike cleaner. Stupid Honda.

Dude, they've got it wrong before. I'm not an expert, BUT I have studied a little bit of aerodynamics when I was working at Ford, and I have played with wind tunnel modelling software. I have a tiny bit of experience, granted, but motorcycle aerodynamics are an oxymoron, and the Honda doesn't seem to make any sense. I'd love to see some aero data from the bike.

[merv]

It could all be a trick panicking the other brands into changing their designs.

[gav]

Heres some more detail photo's http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/2006/mgp/motegi/2/index.htm

[rogson]

Ummmm......Honda, Ducati and the rest haven't just discovered the importance/impact of aerodynamics, short/long swing-arms,........whatever.

Anyone know what the rules are next year - apart from the maximum capacity. The 990s had minimum weight restrictions based on the number of cylinders, and probably others I am not aware of. What about next year?

[James Deuce]

On the contrary, I think Ducati have a reasonable aero package. The [roblem with a bike is the extra plane of motion over a car. Good straight line aero can make cornering difficult.

There are limits to aerodynamics, such as the front wheel can't be enclosed, and the rear body work can't extend very far past the rear wheel.

[Crasherfromwayback]

On the contrary, I think Ducati have a reasonable aero package. The [roblem with a bike is the extra plane of motion over a car. Good straight line aero can make cornering difficult.

There are limits to aerodynamics, such as the front wheel can't be enclosed, and the rear body work can't extend very far past the rear wheel.




I'm with you Bruva! I know nothing about aerodynamics, but KHI know a fair bit. Back in '85' or '86' (can't remember that far back now days!) when they built the ill handling GPZ1000RX, they discovered a wide back end gave them a significantly higher top speed. The 'Dustbin' era bikes were as fast as fuck with very little (by todays standards) HP, and then they outlawed them.

The bikes now make enough HP to propell them to way higher speeds than they're doing now, but the rules regarding bodywork are holding them back.

At Mugello last year, Nakano's Kawasakis wheel speed sensors were showing the rear tyre was doing 40kph more than the front along the main straight.

So they have enough HP to go faster, hell the back tyre is spinning all the way along the straight as they have enough to break the available traction, but crude enough aerodynamics to stop them!

No wonder the tyres sometimes spin on the rims.....

[pritch]

It's a V4

http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Honda-800-breaks-cover--V4-engine-~cid~6~id~137909.htm

Yep I saw that. I also saw a nice picture of the new 800 Ducati somewhere. Very pretty, and still with the newly-retro underseat exhaust. I think that was on the official Moto GP site?

[FilthyLuka]

Now where's my bloody V5 GSXR eating Fireblade... :angry2:

under the unicorn...

[Postie]

look at all that sexy carbon fibre

[Mr. Peanut]

Tch, posers...

[nudemetalz]

Tell me,...has anyone got a video of the new Honda 800 being tested?
I'd love to hear what it sounds like.

[nudemetalz]

AWESOME,.. found it !!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X6Xa-MKt2s

[skelstar]

Fark that tail does look bloody short in that vid.

[nudemetalz]

But doesn't it sound wicked....pulling some horrendous revs too !!