Honda RC211V’03

The photos represent a plastic model of the Honda RC211V racing motorcycle from the 2003 season. The model was made from the Tamiya kit in 1:12 scale. The work was awarded at the 11th International Festival of Plastic Reduction Models Bytom 2014 in Poland.

Valentino Rossi won the race in 2003 at the Valencia MotoGP World Championship riding such a motocycle. It was the last start of this contestant for the Honda. The Honda team won 14 of 15 races in the 2003 season.

The Honda RC211V competed in the MotoGP class from 2002 to 2006. In these five years, the team has won the first place in the constructors' classification four times.

The motorcycle had a 5-cylinder V-engine, which is a rare solution. The engine was transversely mounted. Three cylinders were directed to the front and two to the rear at an angle of 75.5 degrees.

Some technical data:

• Liquid-cooled 4-stroke engine,
• Number of valves per cylinder: 4;
• Engine displacement: 990 cm³ (60.4 in³),
• Engine power: 176,5 kW (240 hp),
• Fuel tank capacity: 22 l (UK-4.84 gal, USA-5.81 gal),
• Mass: over 148 kg (326.3 lb).

Finally, two more interesting facts:

• When the average speed achieved during the race was close to 164 km/h (102 mph), fuel consumption could be about 18 liters per 100 kilometers (UK-6.4 gal, USA-7.7 gal per 100 mi),
• The new MotoGP speed record has just been set at the Mugello track at the Italian GP. Andrea Iannone achieved a speed of 350.8 km/h (218 mph) on the Ducati motorcycle during training. (Update 31 May 2015)

Sources:

• http://world.honda.com/MotoGP/2003/1102.html
• http://world.honda.com/RC-V/RC212V/spec/
• http://world.honda.com/RC-V/RC211V/evolution/
• https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistrzowie_%C5%9Bwiata_motocyklist%C3%B3w_motocyklowych_mistrzostw_%C5%9Bwiata_w_klasie_500_cm%C2%B3/MotoGP
• http://resources.motogp.com/files/results/2015/ITA/MotoGP/EventMaximumSpeed.pdf

10 Oct 2014