Honda's NR500 GP racer and NR750 endurance racer and 1994 ?,000 streetbike launched a million dreams but were failures in the grand scheme. The bikes were beautiful innovations and technical striving during a magic time at Honda when the company explored anything that seemed possible. Learn more about the 8-valve-per-cylinder four-stroke V-four that acted like a V-8 and aimed for 22,000 rpm in racing form. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron heard the NR500 at Monza, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer, like many, bought a 1995 Honda VFR750 because it had echos of the NR750. Listen now to learn about these amazing motorcycles and their oval-piston engines!
Read the Kevin Cameron tech feature on the Honda NR500 and NR750 on cycleworld.com: https://www.cycleworld.com/blogs/ask-kevin/honda-nr500-failure-or-success/
Subscribe to Cycle World Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/cycleworld?sub_confirmation=1
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CLI74xvMBFLDOC1tQaCOQ
Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/
Buy Cycle World Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cycleworld
Read the Kevin Cameron tech feature on the Honda NR500 and NR750 on cycleworld.com: https://www.cycleworld.com/blogs/ask-kevin/honda-nr500-failure-or-success/
Subscribe to Cycle World Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/cycleworld?sub_confirmation=1
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CLI74xvMBFLDOC1tQaCOQ
Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/
Buy Cycle World Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cycleworld
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SportsTranscript
00:00Welcome to the Psycho World Podcast.
00:03We post it every Wednesday.
00:05I'm with Kevin Cameron, our technical editor,
00:08and I'm our Hoyer, editor-in-chief.
00:12This week, we're here to talk about fali adieu,
00:15or the craziness in a group.
00:18That's what I thought of when we discussed doing the Honda NR500
00:22and also, of course, the subsequent NR750,
00:29the $60,000 exotic that launched a zillion dreams.
00:36What impresses me about all of this is Honda's,
00:39I don't know, institutional insanity.
00:43I mean, it just was so, especially during this time,
00:47Honda's technical explorations,
00:50I mean, really from kind of the late 70s,
00:52I mean, all the way back to 69,
00:54I guess, if you want to argue with the CB750,
00:56but they just tried things,
00:58and they did mass production and low production
01:01and did so many exotic things.
01:04And, you know, this NR750,
01:08you know, I was a motorcycle shopper in 1995,
01:13and I bought a VFR750 as my first new motorcycle ever
01:17because it had echoes of NR750,
01:22which I could never have,
01:23and I still never have,
01:24and I did not ride,
01:25and here we are.
01:26So we're going to talk about the NR500
01:28because that's where this stuff came from,
01:31and then we'll, you know,
01:32get to the 750 as well.
01:36What's your take here, Kevin?
01:37Because you were there.
01:39Well, this whole thing is wonderfully complicated
01:45by the fact that any large organization like Honda
01:50has a public relations department
01:53that is under conflicting orders.
01:58And objectively, the NR500 failed to win
02:03the World Grand Prix road racing championship.
02:07So that's a demonstrable fact.
02:11On the other hand,
02:12the Honda public relations people
02:15never cease to whack the drum
02:18whose reverberations are,
02:21but we learned so much.
02:23And we never intended to win
02:24the world championship anyway.
02:27And one of the engineers
02:29who was involved in the project,
02:32Toshimitsu Yoshimura,
02:34said not too long ago,
02:39now that I look back on this,
02:41it's very difficult for me to understand
02:44whether we were engaged
02:47in a sensible enterprise
02:48or whether we were just
02:51a little bit crazy,
02:52as you said.
02:55And when I tried this idea
02:57on Mr. Nakamoto,
02:59who was the,
03:01oh, what would I call him,
03:05the bulwark of Honda
03:06in MotoGP,
03:10he said,
03:11no,
03:12Honda does not fail.
03:15So,
03:16this stirs things up.
03:19But on the other hand,
03:20I have a little list here
03:24of innovations
03:26that were included,
03:27starting with
03:29the oval piston,
03:30which allows
03:31each piston
03:32to be served by
03:34not four,
03:36not five,
03:37not six,
03:38but eight valves.
03:40Well, I mean,
03:40in a sense,
03:41what we're talking about
03:42is it's notionally,
03:44actually,
03:44so it's a V4 four-stroke
03:45with oval pistons.
03:47So,
03:48oval pistons
03:49that are,
03:49you know,
03:49they're oval.
03:50It's crazy.
03:51They're 93 millimeters wide
03:53and something like
03:5441 millimeters deep.
03:57And they're equivalent
03:58in area
03:59to a single round
04:00piston of 66.4 millimeters.
04:03Right.
04:04And so,
04:04what we're looking at
04:05is essentially,
04:06notionally,
04:06a V8.
04:07Yes.
04:08Except that it's a four.
04:09That it's,
04:10pairs of its pistons
04:11sort of fuse together,
04:13kind of like conception.
04:16Anyway,
04:17some of the little projects
04:19that were involved
04:20in trying to make
04:21this thing succeed,
04:22monocoque frame,
04:24side-mounted radiators,
04:26rising rate rear suspension,
04:28upside-down fork,
04:30the oval piston,
04:31of course,
04:3216-inch wheels,
04:34Dunlop made tires for them,
04:36carbon brakes,
04:37slipper clutch.
04:38Now,
04:40what's remarkable here is,
04:45Well,
04:45all of this in what year?
04:47Let's,
04:47let's see.
04:47Yes.
04:48What happened was that
04:50Honda's second president,
04:51Mr. Kawashima,
04:53decided in 1977
04:55at the introduction
04:57to the,
04:58to the CBX,
05:00the inline six,
05:02said,
05:02Oh,
05:02by the way,
05:03Honda is going to return
05:05to Grand Prix
05:06motorcycle road racing.
05:09And,
05:10they did so
05:11in an enormous way
05:12and they spent
05:13fantastic sums of money
05:15and they put their
05:16very best people
05:17on this project.
05:19And,
05:19some of those people
05:20would be
05:21Mr. Fukui,
05:23Mr. Kanazawa,
05:25the legendary
05:26Shoichiro
05:28Yurimajiri,
05:29who
05:30was responsible
05:32for the later
05:33of the
05:33fantastic
05:3522,000
05:37RPM
05:37creations
05:38of the
05:401960s
05:41that Honda
05:42raced in,
05:43in Grand Prix.
05:46And,
05:47there were
05:47many other engineers
05:48besides.
05:49So,
05:50this was a high priority,
05:52we're going to
05:53stomp them flat
05:54kind of project.
05:55and they
05:56bundled
05:57these engineers
05:59off
05:59to a
06:00closed for the
06:02season hotel
06:03up in the mountains
06:04in the
06:05Nasu
06:05Highlands.
06:07And,
06:08where they
06:09complained that
06:09the heating system
06:10was off
06:11and that they
06:11had to wrap
06:12themselves in
06:13blankets.
06:14And,
06:14while they
06:15were there,
06:15they made
06:16drawings and
06:17conceptual
06:18preparation for
06:19testing
06:19the idea
06:21of oval
06:22pistons.
06:22and they
06:23went at
06:24this in
06:24a very
06:25methodical
06:27way.
06:28They built
06:28a single
06:29cylinder test
06:30engine first
06:30to check
06:32the idea
06:33that an oval
06:33piston could
06:34even work.
06:35It was based
06:36on an XL250
06:37bottom end.
06:39It had a
06:39single connecting
06:40rod controlling
06:41this sort
06:43of ice cream
06:44sandwich of
06:45a piston.
06:46And,
06:47they were
06:49able to
06:50verify that
06:50they could
06:51seal
06:52a bore,
06:53an oval
06:53bore.
06:53The early
06:54ones were
06:55not as
06:57oval.
06:57Were the
06:58early ones
06:58not more?
06:59They were
06:59flat on the
07:00front and
07:01back and
07:02the ends
07:02were semi
07:03circles.
07:04Yes,
07:04that's correct.
07:05Okay,
07:05semi circles,
07:06but not,
07:07there wasn't
07:07one that was
07:08like a,
07:08I thought
07:09there was
07:09one that
07:09was more
07:10like a
07:10flying saucer
07:11almost that
07:11had a
07:12more.
07:13Kanazawa,
07:14they had
07:17ring seal
07:17problems.
07:19Even when
07:20they were
07:20able to
07:20reach 15,000
07:22RPM,
07:22the thing
07:24made some
07:24smoke.
07:26And so
07:27all these
07:28problems are
07:28being worked
07:29on simultaneously.
07:31This was a
07:31very expensive
07:32project for
07:33them,
07:33but they
07:34were really
07:36putting their
07:36collective
07:37shoulders to
07:38the wheel.
07:40And so
07:41the project
07:41marched along
07:42just like
07:43any other
07:44project.
07:45Like if
07:45you're,
07:45well,
07:46we've decided
07:46that the
07:47president says
07:48we're going
07:48to the moon,
07:48so we'll
07:49need this
07:49rocket,
07:50so let's
07:50get busy.
07:51Got to set
07:52a date.
07:53You know,
07:54you got to
07:54set a date
07:55or it
07:55doesn't
07:55happen.
07:56Yeah.
07:57And it
08:00moved along
08:01really quite
08:02well.
08:03And ultimately
08:04they did
08:05get 135
08:06horsepower
08:07at
08:09variously
08:1018,500,
08:1219,000,
08:13or 19,500
08:14RPM,
08:15somewhere in
08:16there,
08:16but they
08:17weren't able
08:18to reach
08:18the 23,000
08:19that they
08:20had originally
08:21projected
08:22because that
08:24would have
08:24subjected the
08:25pistons to
08:26a reversing
08:28stress that
08:30was 30%
08:30higher than
08:31that being
08:32used at
08:32the time
08:33in Formula
08:33One.
08:34So we
08:35can't claim
08:36they weren't
08:36bold.
08:37We can do
08:38it.
08:39Let's try.
08:39That would be
08:40because of
08:41the mass
08:41of the
08:41piston.
08:43Yeah.
08:43I mean,
08:48any piston
08:48that's
08:49subjected
08:49to,
08:50say,
08:50a 10,000
08:51G is
08:52going to
08:53be a
08:53pretty
08:53special
08:53piston.
08:56And there
08:57are street
08:58bikes now
08:59that have
09:00that at
09:01peak revs
09:02it's 7,000
09:03times the
09:04acceleration of
09:05gravity when
09:05the piston
09:06stops at
09:08top dead
09:08center and
09:09then it
09:09yanks back
09:10down.
09:12So...
09:12normal performance
09:14range is
09:14sort of
09:155,000,
09:16right?
09:16Like,
09:16sort of
09:16what we
09:17target is
09:17like,
09:17hey...
09:18Yeah,
09:18something
09:18that's
09:20substantially
09:21above anything
09:21that a
09:22Manx Norton
09:22ever saw.
09:24So,
09:25yes,
09:26there has
09:26been progress.
09:27We're not
09:27just...
09:28It's not
09:28just an
09:29anthology of
09:30press kits
09:30going to war
09:31here.
09:32but they
09:35went very
09:36methodically.
09:37They had
09:37K00,
09:39which was
09:40the first
09:40test engine.
09:42K0 tested
09:43the idea
09:44of two
09:44connecting
09:45rods and
09:47the original
09:50test engine
09:50had two
09:51valves.
09:51All they
09:52were interested
09:52in was the
09:53idea of
09:53can we
09:54seal the
09:55piston?
09:56They felt
09:57they could
09:57do it well
09:58enough to
09:58proceed.
09:59So,
10:00K0,
10:01as counting
10:02down,
10:03had the
10:05two connecting
10:06rods and
10:06ultimately
10:07eight valves.
10:08And then
10:08they went
10:09from that
10:09to the
10:10V4 layout.
10:12The V
10:12angle was
10:13100 degrees
10:14to make
10:14room for
10:15all the...
10:16There were
10:16four two
10:18throat
10:19carburetors
10:20of 30
10:20millimeters.
10:21So,
10:21there's a
10:21bunch of
10:22carburetors
10:22in there.
10:24And
10:24they
10:27fairly
10:28quickly got
10:29to 90
10:29horsepower,
10:30then 100,
10:31then 110.
10:34And all
10:34the time,
10:35all these
10:35terrible things
10:36are happening.
10:37One of the
10:38most terrible
10:38is when
10:40you think
10:40of there
10:41being two
10:41connecting
10:42rods on
10:43each piston,
10:44you know
10:45that they
10:45have to
10:46move in
10:46parallel the
10:47whole time.
10:49But what
10:50happens if
10:50the crankshaft
10:51is twisting
10:52a little bit?
10:52Then one
10:53rod is this
10:53way and one
10:54rod is this
10:55way.
10:55Well,
10:56sometimes the
10:57engine would
10:58stop on the
10:58dyno and
10:59they'd pull
11:00the head
11:00off and
11:01there'd be
11:02no piston.
11:03Nothing,
11:04just a rod
11:04sticking up.
11:06Hi!
11:07And what
11:09was happening
11:09was that
11:10this
11:11unsymmetrical
11:13alignment of
11:16forces was
11:16exerting
11:18damaging force
11:20on the
11:20piston,
11:21which then
11:21just broke
11:23up.
11:24So,
11:24each one of
11:25these problems
11:26had to be
11:26dealt with,
11:27and there
11:27were many.
11:28They had
11:28problems with
11:29valve springs.
11:30Oh,
11:30they brought
11:30in a
11:31material
11:31specialist
11:32and he
11:32said,
11:33mar-aging
11:33steel.
11:35Well,
11:35mar-aging
11:36steel was
11:36what they
11:37made the
11:38260-inch
11:42solid booster
11:42shell out
11:44of.
11:45All the
11:46latest stuff
11:47went into
11:48this,
11:48and the
11:51problems were
11:52put down
11:54in methodical
11:56fashion,
11:56and I just
11:57can't imagine
11:58the amount
11:58of money
11:59that was
11:59spent,
12:00because they
12:00were told,
12:02yeah,
12:02if there's
12:03some part
12:03you need
12:04and it's
12:04$500,000,
12:05here's my
12:06signature.
12:07I just,
12:08what I think
12:08of with an
12:10oval piston
12:11and essentially
12:12trying to do,
12:14I mean,
12:14what is it,
12:15two combustion?
12:15All we talk
12:16about on the
12:16program is
12:17like,
12:17everything goes
12:18back,
12:18well,
12:18the combustion
12:18chamber is
12:19made to be
12:19more compact,
12:20and so now
12:21you're making
12:22this huge,
12:23you know,
12:24like cannoli
12:25shaped combustion
12:27chamber,
12:28so just imagine,
12:29I mean,
12:29I know you're
12:29lighting it,
12:30right?
12:30You're lighting
12:30it in two
12:31places,
12:31and the
12:33flow is
12:33coming in
12:34through four
12:36intake valves,
12:37and so you
12:37can imagine
12:38it produces
12:38the same
12:39tumble motion
12:40that we,
12:41is dear to
12:42our hearts
12:42for its
12:44detonation
12:45vanishing
12:45abilities,
12:47but all
12:48this stuff
12:48had to be
12:49worked out,
12:50and so
12:52the frightful
12:54day of
12:55reckoning
12:56came in
12:57August of
12:581979,
12:59they shipped
13:01two bikes
13:02to,
13:04mind you,
13:04two bikes
13:05with all
13:05those innovations
13:06that I just
13:07mentioned,
13:08oh,
13:08we haven't
13:08tried this
13:09fork,
13:09this swing
13:10arm,
13:10this frame,
13:11you know,
13:11you name it,
13:12we're going
13:13to try them
13:13all at once,
13:14they shipped
13:15it over to
13:16Silverstone
13:17in England,
13:17and it was
13:18a disaster,
13:20the bikes
13:20were slow,
13:23Mick Grant,
13:27who was one
13:27of the two
13:27riders,
13:28Katayama was
13:29the other,
13:30Mick Grant
13:31told people
13:32later,
13:32he said,
13:33they put a
13:34limited amount
13:35of fuel in
13:35the two bikes
13:36because all
13:36they wanted
13:37us to do
13:37was to go
13:38out,
13:39mix it up
13:39for a while,
13:40and then
13:41retire,
13:43because they
13:44didn't have
13:45any confidence
13:45that they
13:46would finish,
13:47so Mick Grant
13:48got to the
13:49first turn,
13:50and the bike
13:50tipped over
13:51and caught
13:51on fire
13:52and burned
13:52up,
13:53and Katayama,
13:54I think,
13:54did nine laps
13:55and had
13:56what many
13:58team managers
13:59resort to,
14:01ignition failure,
14:02and we
14:03don't make
14:03ignitions,
14:05Harley Davidson,
14:06it was a
14:07Magneto failure,
14:08was a perennial
14:09favorite when
14:09their bikes
14:10didn't finish,
14:11yeah,
14:11that's a pretty
14:12classic racing
14:13line,
14:14you know,
14:14they really did
14:18fail because the
14:19rod came out
14:19of the case
14:20and it stopped
14:20sparking,
14:21so,
14:21yes,
14:22that's right,
14:23it's not
14:24wrong,
14:24it's not
14:25wrong at
14:25all,
14:27so,
14:28this,
14:33this engine
14:34still had
14:36a roller
14:37crankshaft,
14:39now,
14:39mind you,
14:40the CP750
14:41had a plane
14:43bearing
14:43crankshaft,
14:43they were
14:44putting that
14:44thing into
14:45production,
14:45it was their
14:46first production
14:46four-cylinder,
14:48all the people
14:49who had
14:50heard in
14:51racing news
14:52for years
14:52and years
14:53Honda
14:53fours
14:54when again
14:54could have
14:55their own
14:55Honda four
14:56and they
14:57sold the
14:57daylights
14:58out of
14:58those things
14:59but for
15:00NR,
15:01they went
15:02with a
15:03pressed
15:03together
15:03crankshaft
15:04and
15:05it
15:07had
15:09basically
15:10two
15:11crankpins
15:12with a
15:13bunch of
15:14connecting rods
15:15on each
15:16one
15:16and
15:17heavy
15:20counterweights
15:21because
15:21when you
15:22do
15:22as an
15:22essentially
15:2390-degree
15:24twin,
15:25the
15:26counterweight
15:26is equal
15:27to 100%
15:28of the
15:29reciprocating
15:30weight
15:30in one
15:31cylinder
15:31so it's
15:31a hefty
15:32counterweight
15:33more usual
15:34as 50%
15:35but this
15:38made the
15:40crankshaft
15:41pretty heavy
15:41and
15:42they had
15:44engine
15:44braking
15:44trouble
15:45of course
15:46you don't
15:46see this
15:47on the
15:47dyno
15:48but on
15:48the racetrack
15:49when the
15:49rider closed
15:50the throttle
15:50back tire
15:51went
15:52hop
15:52skip
15:52jump
15:53and
15:55this
15:56was
15:56when
15:57the
15:58slipper
15:58clutch
15:58was
15:59invented
15:59because
16:00they
16:00said
16:00we're
16:01going
16:01to
16:01sit
16:01here
16:02in
16:02this
16:02meeting
16:02until
16:03somebody
16:03comes
16:04up
16:04with
16:04an
16:04idea
16:04that
16:05sounds
16:05like
16:05it
16:05can
16:05work
16:06and
16:07what
16:07somebody
16:08came
16:08up
16:08with
16:08was
16:10those
16:11ramps
16:12in the
16:12clutch
16:13such
16:13that
16:13when
16:14the
16:14rear
16:14wheel
16:14drives
16:15the
16:15engine
16:15as
16:16when
16:16you've
16:17closed
16:17the
16:17throttle
16:17it
16:18reduces
16:19the
16:19pressure
16:19on
16:20the
16:20clutch
16:20stack
16:20allowing
16:21it
16:21to
16:21slip
16:21and
16:23they
16:24weren't
16:24slow
16:25in
16:25applying
16:26this
16:26because
16:26in
16:271982
16:27not
16:28that
16:28much
16:28longer
16:29not
16:29much
16:30after
16:30that
16:31like
16:31the
16:31next
16:31year
16:32they
16:33put
16:33a
16:34slipper
16:34clutch
16:34on
16:34the
16:34FWS
16:35that
16:36Freddy
16:36Spencer
16:37and
16:37Mike
16:37Baldwin
16:38rode
16:38in
16:38the
16:39Daytona
16:39200
16:40and
16:42all
16:44these
16:45all
16:45these
16:46wonderful
16:46innovations
16:49originated
16:50in this
16:52project
16:52but
16:54it
16:56never
16:57won
16:57a
16:57Grand
16:57Prix
16:58point
16:58and
17:00I
17:01was
17:01standing
17:03in the
17:04shade
17:04the
17:05Monza
17:06in
17:06Italy
17:06was a
17:07grand
17:08public
17:09park
17:09with
17:09100
17:10foot
17:11shade
17:11trees
17:11it's
17:12just
17:12beautiful
17:12there
17:13I got
17:13to see
17:13Troy
17:14Bayless
17:14make
17:15his
17:15world
17:15super
17:15bike
17:16debut
17:16they
17:16plucked
17:17him
17:17from
17:17Vanson
17:18Hines
17:18because
17:19Carl
17:19Fogarty
17:20had
17:20broken
17:21his
17:21humerus
17:21the
17:21thing
17:21that
17:22basically
17:22ended
17:22his
17:23career
17:23and
17:23I
17:25got
17:25to
17:25see
17:25Troy
17:26race
17:27at
17:27Monza
17:28along
17:29with
17:30Colin
17:30Edwards
17:31and
17:31Yanagawa
17:32and
17:32all
17:33those
17:33guys
17:34what a
17:34beautiful
17:34place
17:35yeah
17:35it was
17:36the
17:36hunting
17:36ground
17:36for
17:37the
17:37royal
17:38family
17:38back
17:38in
17:38the
17:39day
17:39it was
17:40their
17:40private
17:41park
17:42and
17:42then
17:42a
17:42public
17:42park
17:43and
17:43you
17:43just
17:43it's
17:43so
17:44great
17:44to
17:44go
17:44to
17:44the
17:44track
17:45because
17:45you're
17:45you're
17:46driving
17:47through
17:47this
17:47park
17:48with
17:48these
17:48grand
17:48trees
17:49and
17:49people
17:49are
17:49just
17:50you know
17:50they're
17:50eating
17:50breakfast
17:51you know
17:51they're
17:52just
17:52sitting
17:52in
17:52the
17:52park
17:53and
17:53then
17:53you
17:53get
17:54in
17:54and
17:54there's
17:54all
17:55the
17:55old
17:55banking
17:55and
17:56you know
17:56chicanes
17:57and all
17:57that
17:57it seems
17:58very
17:581890s
18:00I expect
18:00to see
18:01ladies
18:01in those
18:02tremendous
18:02dresses
18:03with
18:03parasols
18:04it's
18:04fantastic
18:05anyway
18:06I had
18:07the privilege
18:07of hearing
18:08the
18:09NR500
18:10start
18:11and run
18:12warm up
18:13and run
18:14and also
18:15on the
18:15racetrack
18:15and when
18:16they started
18:16it just
18:17sounded
18:18like
18:18a great
18:19big old
18:20superbike
18:20absolutely
18:22no difference
18:22had that
18:23thunderous
18:24idle
18:26which in
18:27this case
18:27was
18:28around
18:287000
18:29RPM
18:29I was
18:30going to
18:30say
18:30five
18:30at least
18:31but you
18:32know
18:32this brings
18:33up another
18:33point on
18:34Monza
18:34and that
18:35is
18:35all those
18:36trees
18:36the sound
18:38is amazing
18:39the sound
18:39echoes
18:40through the
18:40trees
18:41and it's
18:42different
18:42than any
18:43other track
18:43I've been
18:44to it
18:44really has
18:45a very
18:46unique
18:46feeling
18:47they call
18:49it the
18:49temple
18:50of velocity
18:50I think
18:51it's
18:51basically
18:52their church
18:53and there
18:53is a
18:54little
18:54brick
18:55paved
18:57enclave
18:58with
18:59garages
18:59around
18:59three
19:00sides
19:00and when
19:01I walked
19:01in there
19:02it was
19:03it was
19:051950
19:05and I
19:06could imagine
19:07that Fangio's
19:08car
19:08Mercedes
19:10was being
19:11rolled backwards
19:12out of one
19:12of those
19:12garages
19:13so Monza
19:14has some
19:14flavor
19:15I'm sure
19:16there's a
19:16Moto Guzzi
19:17V8 story
19:17in there
19:18somewhere
19:18right
19:18it has
19:19to be
19:19well
19:19when I
19:20was there
19:21a few
19:21years
19:21later
19:22I stumbled
19:22on I
19:23went down
19:24this avenue
19:25and there
19:25was a
19:25kind of
19:26shed
19:26there
19:26and I
19:27walked
19:28in since
19:28nobody
19:29said
19:29stop
19:30halt
19:31or whatever
19:33and there
19:34was this
19:35huge collection
19:36of
19:36Chalera race
19:37bikes
19:37from the
19:38single cylinder
19:39Saturno 500
19:40all the way
19:41to a
19:41selection
19:42of the
19:43500
19:44fours
19:44it was
19:46it was
19:47like people
19:47pressing
19:48drunk making
19:50drinks on
19:51you one
19:51after another
19:52and being
19:52unable to
19:54refuse any
19:54of them
19:55it was
19:55it was
19:55fabulous
19:56so
19:57first of
19:59all I
20:00was delighted
20:00with that
20:01that super
20:03bike sound
20:04when this
20:04thing is
20:05warming up
20:05it's just
20:06I am a
20:07four stroke
20:07on the
20:09racetrack it
20:10sounded like
20:10an RG500
20:11Suzuki
20:12because the
20:13firing frequency
20:14if they were
20:16up shifting
20:16at 18.5
20:17or 19,000
20:19was quite
20:20close to
20:21the firing
20:21frequency
20:22of a
20:23two stroke
20:23at 11,000
20:25and so
20:27that was
20:28cute
20:29but
20:31the bikes
20:32were heavy
20:34and
20:35first they
20:37were
20:38close to
20:39300 pounds
20:40and
20:41while the
20:42people back
20:43home were
20:43so delighted
20:45to have
20:47equaled the
20:47horsepower of
20:48the Suzuki
20:48in 82
20:50which was
20:51130
20:52the Suzuki
20:54was 238
20:56pounds
20:56and the
20:58NR was
20:59298 pounds
21:01so
21:02basically a
21:0460 pound
21:04difference
21:05I mean you're
21:06talking about
21:07bigger pistons
21:09and bigger
21:10crank
21:10cylinder head
21:11full of
21:11machinery
21:12yeah
21:12and the
21:13cylinder head
21:13so you just
21:14have to throw
21:14more stuff
21:15at it to
21:15control the
21:16airflow
21:16and two
21:17strokes
21:18because the
21:19two stroke
21:19has holes
21:20in the
21:20cylinder wall
21:21instead of
21:21having valves
21:22the piston
21:23is the
21:23valve
21:24but the
21:25two stroke
21:26on the
21:26other side
21:26of that
21:27piece of
21:28bread
21:28has to
21:29cram
21:29two functions
21:31into each
21:31stroke
21:32whereas the
21:33four stroke
21:33has one
21:34stroke for
21:35each of the
21:35four intake
21:37compression
21:38power and
21:38exhaust
21:39the four
21:40functions
21:40the four
21:41sacred
21:42imperatives
21:44so
21:46another one
21:48of the
21:48problems
21:48that they
21:49had with
21:49the NR
21:51was that
21:53with
21:53eight flat
21:55slides
21:56all being
21:57vigorously
21:58sucked hard
21:59against the
22:00inside of
22:01the carburetor
22:01the rider
22:02is trying
22:03to smoothly
22:04roll
22:05power on
22:06to exit
22:07corners
22:08and he's
22:09pulling and
22:09pulling and
22:10he's thinking
22:10there's
22:12something
22:12caught
22:13here
22:13there's
22:14there's
22:15got to
22:15be a
22:15stone
22:16that's
22:16got into
22:16this
22:17and then
22:17pow
22:17and
22:18the
22:19engine
22:19rushes
22:20and
22:21that
22:23kind of
22:23thing
22:23will
22:24interfere
22:24with your
22:25lap time
22:25well
22:25back
22:26yeah
22:26I mean
22:26back in
22:27the day
22:27big old
22:28flat slides
22:28you could
22:29get this
22:29you could
22:30get that
22:31I can't
22:33get it
22:33to go
22:33and it
22:34goes
22:34and it
22:35coughs
22:36and you
22:36go
22:36they called
22:38it
22:38a real
22:38real hard
22:39hit
22:39the bang
22:40yeah
22:41and
22:42they tried
22:44pulleys of
22:45various shapes
22:46that had
22:46greater advantage
22:47over the
22:48load
22:49when you're
22:49just trying
22:50to crack
22:51it open
22:51and of course
22:52we all
22:53remember
22:54the era
22:55before fuel
22:56injection
22:57when people
22:58made flat
22:58slide carburetors
22:59with roller
23:00slides
23:01they had
23:02vacuum
23:02balancing schemes
23:04all sorts of
23:04things to try
23:05to overcome
23:06you could
23:06buy
23:06different
23:07throttle
23:07tubes
23:07that were
23:08machined
23:08in different
23:08ways
23:09that give
23:09you a
23:09different
23:10basically
23:10different
23:11ellipses
23:11right
23:12that helped
23:12oh yeah
23:13helped
23:13with the
23:14initial
23:14and it
23:15was like
23:15having
23:15it was like
23:16shifting
23:16gears
23:18essentially
23:18for your
23:19throttle
23:20that's exactly
23:21what it was
23:21shifting leverage
23:22you had high
23:23leverage at first
23:24and then
23:24the slides
23:25moved faster
23:26so you
23:27yeah
23:27they
23:28with the
23:30engine
23:30they had
23:30the classic
23:31problem
23:32this was
23:32fairly early
23:33on of
23:34instability
23:35in the
23:36cam drive
23:37now
23:37race engines
23:39typically have
23:40gear driven
23:40cams
23:41and
23:42fairly early
23:44in the
23:44NR testing
23:45program
23:45they were
23:46breaking
23:47the gears
23:47well this
23:48is nothing
23:48new
23:49Cosworth
23:50broke
23:50cam drive
23:51gears
23:52in the
23:53DFV
23:53Formula 1
23:54engine
23:55for two
23:55years
23:56before
23:56Duckworth
23:58devised
23:58that
23:58wonderful
23:59little
24:00unit
24:01that had
24:02a ring
24:03of tiny
24:04torsion
24:05bars
24:05and a
24:07damper
24:07so that
24:08it would
24:09clip the
24:10peak loadings
24:12off of
24:12what was
24:13being transmitted
24:14through the
24:15gears
24:15made the
24:16gears live
24:16and it
24:18had damping
24:18to
24:19so it
24:21wouldn't sit
24:21there and
24:21bounce
24:22improved
24:23Cush
24:23drive
24:23yes
24:24yes
24:26and
24:26so
24:27these
24:29people
24:29by
24:32grinding
24:34their own
24:35faces
24:35into
24:36these
24:36problems
24:37surely
24:38learned
24:39a great
24:39deal
24:39and so
24:40Honda
24:41public
24:41relations
24:42are not
24:42wrong
24:43when they
24:43say
24:44oh well
24:45look at
24:45all that
24:46we learned
24:47and
24:47they also
24:48took up
24:50the idea
24:50of the
24:50V4
24:51which has
24:53been
24:53sort of
24:54central
24:54to
24:55Honda's
24:56product line
24:57for many
24:58years
24:58and in
25:00fact the
25:00V4
25:01is the
25:02dominant
25:02form in
25:03MotoGP
25:03and I
25:04was told
25:05by
25:05a Honda
25:07engineer
25:08when I
25:10was over
25:10there in
25:112020
25:12looking at
25:13that year's
25:14Fireblade
25:15he said
25:16we have
25:21we have
25:22had
25:23many
25:25problems
25:25with
25:25the
25:27crankshaft
25:29stability
25:30in an
25:30inline
25:31four
25:31but up
25:32to
25:3216,000
25:33rpm
25:34an
25:35inline
25:35four
25:35is very
25:36manageable
25:37so it
25:38makes a
25:39good
25:39engine
25:39for
25:40world
25:40super
25:40bike
25:41but if
25:43we have
25:43to go
25:43to higher
25:44revolutions
25:45we need
25:45a crankshaft
25:46that is
25:46shorter
25:47and more
25:48robust
25:49the V4
25:50crankshaft
25:51which has
25:52three main
25:53bearings
25:53and two
25:54crank pins
25:55and
25:56the
26:01problem
26:01we're
26:01talking
26:01about
26:02here
26:02is
26:03torsional
26:03vibration
26:04and
26:06Honda
26:07has a lot
26:08of experience
26:08with their
26:09Formula One
26:10engines
26:10in trying
26:11to suppress
26:11torsional
26:12vibration
26:13whether it
26:13be in
26:13the
26:14camshaft
26:14in the
26:15camshaft
26:16drive
26:16or in
26:17the
26:17crankshaft
26:18itself
26:18and
26:19some of
26:20their
26:20engine
26:20designs
26:21have
26:21many
26:22such
26:22dampers
26:23in
26:23them
26:23so
26:24this
26:25is
26:25another
26:25area
26:26of
26:26endeavor
26:27in
26:27which
26:28their
26:29faces
26:30were
26:30horribly
26:33ground
26:34into
26:34all
26:35these
26:35problems
26:35so
26:37this
26:40was
26:41a crash
26:43course
26:43in
26:44future
26:45technologies
26:46arguably
26:47but at
26:49the same
26:49time
26:49it failed
26:50of its
26:51objective
26:51and there
26:53are precedents
26:54for this
26:54for example
26:55when NSU
26:56decided
26:57to reenter
26:58Grand Prix
27:00racing
27:00after World
27:01War II
27:02there was
27:03a period
27:04of a
27:05few
27:05years
27:05when
27:06Axis
27:07countries
27:07were
27:08not
27:09allowed
27:09to
27:10resume
27:11they
27:13decided
27:13to do
27:14this
27:14slam
27:15bang
27:15four
27:17cylinder
27:17inline
27:17world
27:18beater
27:18and
27:20they
27:20chose
27:21for some
27:22reason
27:22to have
27:22separate
27:23cylinders
27:23and
27:24separate
27:24heads
27:25and the
27:26camshafts
27:27and everything
27:27else were
27:28connected
27:28with flexible
27:29joints
27:29and when
27:31that engine
27:31was at
27:32speed
27:33all those
27:34cylinders
27:35were waving
27:35back and
27:36forth
27:36and from
27:37side to
27:37side
27:38and the
27:38cylinder
27:38heads
27:39were doing
27:39things
27:40and it
27:41created
27:42first of
27:44all it put
27:44the riders
27:45hands to
27:45sleep
27:46so that
27:46they would
27:47come in
27:47and they'd
27:47say I
27:48see that
27:48they're still
27:49there but
27:49I don't
27:49feel them
27:50and they
27:52canceled the
27:53project
27:53completely
27:54and they
27:55concentrated
27:55on the
27:56125 single
27:57and the
27:57250 twin
27:58which were
27:58very successful
27:59so
28:00we have
28:03the example
28:04of Moto Guzzi
28:05who
28:05engineer
28:08Carcano
28:08decided
28:10okay
28:10we're going
28:11to enter
28:11the 500
28:12class but
28:13we're not
28:13racing
28:14some
28:15derivative
28:16four cylinder
28:17and we're
28:18not going
28:19to do
28:19an inline
28:20six because
28:20it's
28:21this wide
28:22so
28:23a V8
28:24was the
28:25choice
28:26and since
28:27you can't
28:27cool
28:27the second
28:28row of
28:29cylinders
28:29with hot
28:30air streaming
28:30back off
28:31the front
28:31row has
28:32to be
28:33water
28:33cooled
28:33and
28:35what they
28:37did was
28:37they bit
28:38off a
28:39chunk that
28:39was too
28:40big for
28:40their
28:41throats
28:41and they
28:43had an
28:4411 man
28:45racing team
28:46and
28:48at first
28:50they tried
28:50to feed
28:51all those
28:51little
28:51carburetors
28:52with one
28:53float bowl
28:53on the
28:54side
28:54oh
28:56well
28:56and then
28:58they had
28:59different
28:59schemes
29:00for
29:00ignition
29:00they
29:01had
29:01ignition
29:02distributors
29:03on the
29:03ends
29:03of the
29:04camshafts
29:04that
29:04had
29:05multiple
29:06contact
29:07breakers
29:07in there
29:07and
29:08just set
29:09the timing
29:09on this
29:10thing
29:10if you've
29:10got a
29:11minute
29:11would you
29:11please
29:12if you
29:15explain to
29:15somebody now
29:16who's riding
29:16an MT07
29:17and you say
29:18no no
29:18let's go back
29:19to an
29:19XS650
29:20or an RD
29:21and then
29:22well the
29:23lobes aren't
29:24exactly right
29:25so what you
29:25want to do
29:25is split the
29:26difference on
29:27the timing
29:27you know
29:28so
29:28it's
29:29wonderful
29:30stuff
29:30measure it
29:31over here
29:31measure over
29:32here
29:32and then
29:33you know
29:33you get a
29:34cheap set
29:35of points
29:35and the
29:36heel
29:36changes
29:36quickly
29:37and the
29:37gaps
29:37go
29:38and you
29:38got to
29:38tune
29:38again
29:39we don't
29:39have to
29:39mess with
29:40that
29:40unless we
29:40want to
29:41set the
29:42timing
29:42more than
29:42once a
29:43day
29:43so
29:45those
29:47those
29:48problems
29:49those nickel
29:50and dime
29:50problems
29:51batteries
29:53wiring
29:54constant
29:57float level
29:58for the
29:58carburetors
29:59ignition
30:00troubles
30:00plus
30:01the V8
30:02didn't handle
30:03well
30:03people did
30:05not want
30:05to ride
30:06it
30:06because of
30:07its reputation
30:08and
30:09in
30:10the end
30:12of the
30:1257 season
30:13everybody
30:14but MV
30:14decided to
30:16withdraw from
30:16Grand Prix
30:17racing and
30:17they didn't
30:18have to
30:18persist
30:19with it
30:19but
30:19that is
30:20another
30:21example
30:21of a
30:22an
30:23extremely
30:23ambitious
30:24project
30:25which
30:25produced
30:26this
30:27fascinating
30:28prototype
30:29a series
30:30of them
30:30and
30:31there
30:32is the
30:33the
30:34first year
30:35the
30:351979
30:36NR500
30:37in the
30:38Motegi
30:38museum
30:39go see
30:41it
30:41it
30:42it
30:42doesn't
30:43look that
30:44troublesome
30:44it's just
30:45this
30:45neat
30:45little
30:46motorcycle
30:46well
30:47the
30:47success
30:48of the
30:48project
30:49I think
30:49is
30:50is this
30:51glow
30:51that
30:53continues
30:53with Honda
30:54today
30:54even when
30:55they
30:55wander
30:55off
30:56and
30:56they
30:56do
30:56interesting
30:57things
30:57like
30:58CTX
30:581300s
30:59you know
31:00strange
31:01sort of
31:02cruiser-ish
31:02scooter-ish
31:03but big
31:04hybrid
31:04type
31:05bikes
31:05you know
31:05they go
31:06off
31:06on these
31:06tangents
31:07and
31:07high
31:08like
31:09you know
31:09NR
31:10or
31:10you know
31:13mileage
31:13bikes
31:14or
31:14Pacific
31:14Coast
31:15you know
31:15they
31:16forge
31:17off
31:17all these
31:17things
31:18yeah
31:18but they
31:19do
31:19these
31:19interesting
31:20things
31:20like
31:20oh
31:21we're
31:21going
31:21to make
31:21motorcycles
31:22so
31:22convenient
31:23that
31:23car
31:24people
31:24are
31:24just
31:24going
31:24to
31:25throw
31:25their
31:25cars
31:25away
31:26and
31:26ride
31:26the
31:26Pacific
31:27Coast
31:27and
31:27go
31:27grocery
31:27shopping
31:28and
31:28there
31:29were
31:30a lot
31:30of
31:30practical
31:30ideas
31:31in the
31:31Pacific
31:31Coast
31:32but at
31:33the
31:33same
31:33time
31:34they're
31:34doing
31:35NR500s
31:36the NR750
31:36endurance
31:37bikes
31:37or 87
31:38you know
31:40they're
31:40doing all
31:41this
31:41oval
31:41pistons
31:42gear
31:43driven
31:43cams
31:44and all
31:44this
31:44Exotica
31:45and then
31:46they make
31:46a VFR750
31:47and
31:49you get
31:50the
31:50gear
31:50driven
31:51cams
31:51and you
31:51get
31:51the
31:52V4
31:52and you
31:53get
31:54this
31:54sound
31:54and you
31:55get a
31:55piece
31:55of that
31:56you feel
31:56like you
31:57get a
31:57piece
31:57of it
31:57that
31:57doesn't
31:58cost
31:58$60,000
31:59or
31:59infinite
32:00sums
32:01of money
32:01than an
32:02NR500
32:02might have
32:03cost
32:03and you
32:04get a
32:04piece
32:05of that
32:05and you
32:06get that
32:06feeling
32:07you know
32:07when people
32:08always say
32:09Honda
32:09technology
32:10you know
32:11they
32:11like
32:11Honda
32:12engineering
32:12standards
32:13Honda
32:13technology
32:14and it's
32:15really
32:16you know
32:16it's this
32:17ongoing
32:18drive
32:18that they've
32:19had
32:19and
32:19they're
32:20exotics
32:20you know
32:21we road
32:21tested
32:22an NR750
32:23we had to
32:23sign contracts
32:24with the
32:24attorney
32:25because this
32:26guy
32:26it was the
32:27only one
32:27available
32:28in the
32:28states
32:29Honda
32:29can't
32:29provide
32:30a test
32:30bike
32:30and it
32:31was like
32:31this
32:32big draft
32:33and like
32:33can't
32:34drag strip
32:34test
32:35and do
32:35all this
32:35and that
32:36it performed
32:37well
32:37but you
32:38could spend
32:38a lot
32:38less
32:39and get
32:39similar
32:40performance
32:40sure
32:41and it's
32:41sort of
32:41like that
32:42with you
32:42know
32:42you look at
32:43the more
32:43recent RC
32:44213B
32:46and you
32:47know
32:47in America
32:48it's limited
32:49to 100
32:50horsepower
32:50and to try
32:51and get
32:52the equipment
32:53that might
32:54wake it up
32:55is made
32:56incredibly
32:56difficult
32:57because
32:57Honda
32:58doesn't want
32:58to mess
32:59with the
32:59EPA
32:59so like
33:00here's
33:00your 100
33:00horsepower
33:01bike
33:01that's a
33:02MotoGP
33:03bike
33:03so
33:04it's so
33:05interesting
33:05and
33:06you could
33:06call it
33:07a motorized
33:07replica
33:08because
33:09100
33:09horsepower
33:10is
33:10not
33:11similar
33:13to the
33:13power
33:14required
33:14well
33:15it was
33:15it was
33:16you know
33:16a motivated
33:17owner
33:17and in
33:18Europe
33:18you could
33:18get
33:18you can
33:19get
33:19all the
33:19kit parts
33:20to make
33:20it
33:20bring
33:21bring
33:21the glory
33:22to you
33:23pep it
33:23up
33:24pep it
33:24up
33:25yeah
33:25but
33:26I felt
33:27like the
33:27RC213B
33:29was a really
33:29key product
33:30at the time
33:31that it came
33:32out because
33:33Honda had
33:34gone
33:35you know
33:35post 2008
33:36it was
33:37we're going
33:39to rethink
33:40the motorcycle
33:40as a
33:41practical
33:41affordable
33:42thing
33:43for these
33:43customers
33:44you've
33:44always
33:45said
33:45you know
33:45Honda
33:45sometimes
33:46builds
33:49motorcycles
33:49for
33:51customers
33:51that wish
33:51existed
33:52they wish
33:53that they
33:53had
33:54yes
33:54and
33:55so
33:56it's
33:56it was
33:57interesting
33:58and I
33:58was at
33:58lunch
33:59with a
33:59couple
34:00of
34:00Honda
34:00folks
34:00during
34:01that
34:01time
34:01and
34:02they
34:02were
34:02asking
34:03questions
34:03and we
34:04were
34:04discussing
34:04it
34:04and I
34:05said
34:05you know
34:05you guys
34:06need
34:06another
34:06NR
34:07you know
34:07you need
34:07this
34:08flagship
34:08thing
34:09and sure
34:09enough
34:10they were
34:10they were
34:11on the
34:11cusp
34:11of releasing
34:12that
34:12and it
34:13sort of
34:13says
34:13Hondas
34:14we're
34:14still
34:14here
34:15we're
34:15still
34:15doing
34:15this
34:16yeah
34:17and it
34:18was a
34:18beautifully
34:18made
34:19motorcycle
34:19it was
34:20just
34:20lovely
34:21yeah
34:21I went
34:23over to
34:23Barcelona
34:24to see
34:25that thing
34:26where they
34:27had an
34:28intro
34:29in this
34:29in this
34:30geodesic
34:31dome
34:31room
34:32with all
34:32the
34:32thunderous
34:34music
34:34and what
34:34have you
34:35but the
34:37motorcycle
34:37itself
34:38was
34:38was very
34:39attractive
34:39well I
34:40I got
34:41my
34:41VFR
34:43a 1995
34:44VFR
34:45750
34:45from the
34:46kind of
34:46legendary
34:47southern
34:47California
34:48Honda dealership
34:49Labard and
34:49Underwood
34:50and they
34:50had done
34:50some racing
34:51and it
34:52was just a
34:52it was a
34:53very rich
34:54dealer
34:54they had a
34:54bunch of
34:55interesting
34:56motorcycles
34:57and that
34:58that's where
34:58I got it
34:59and then
34:59you know
35:00I rode the
35:00daylights
35:01out of it
35:01and I
35:02needed to
35:02I picked
35:03up a
35:03puncture
35:03and I
35:04needed to
35:04change the
35:05tire
35:05and on that
35:06bike you
35:07take off
35:07the exhaust
35:08pipe
35:08it goes
35:09goes up
35:10and you
35:10just take
35:10off the
35:11pipe
35:11and then
35:11you do
35:12your lug
35:12nuts
35:12because you
35:13got the
35:13single-sided
35:14swing arm
35:15I mean
35:16honestly
35:17so so
35:18cool
35:19lug nuts
35:20take those
35:20off and it
35:20was very
35:21convenient and
35:22easy
35:22went and did
35:22that and I
35:23was sitting
35:24there and I
35:24had the
35:24thing on the
35:25stand and I
35:26was like
35:26hmm
35:26wonder how
35:28because I
35:28had a stock
35:28exhaust system
35:29I said
35:29wonder how
35:30this sounds
35:30because it's
35:30just a nice
35:31little clamp
35:31you undo
35:32the bolts
35:32and come
35:33off it goes
35:33you kind of
35:34rotate a little
35:34bit
35:35took it off
35:36and I
35:36fired it up
35:37with straight
35:37pipe and
35:39all I could
35:39hear was
35:40NR500 at
35:41Monza I
35:42mean it was
35:42just it was
35:43so good
35:43yeah but it
35:45fired the
35:46dreams you
35:46know NR750
35:48still for you
35:49know for
35:50anybody
35:50particularly who
35:51was who
35:52was there or
35:52at a very
35:53impressionable age
35:54as I was
35:55it it's
35:57deep it's
35:59deeply ingrained
36:00the visions
36:00of you know
36:03the one piece
36:03tank and tail
36:04section and
36:05the pipes coming
36:06out up and the
36:07vents and slats
36:08and yes
36:10well one of
36:11the Japanese
36:11engineers said
36:12that for him
36:14he said some
36:15of the redness
36:16in the in the
36:17blood of later
36:18models is
36:19flowing from
36:20NR500
36:21oh yeah
36:22and of course
36:23what has
36:24flowed is
36:26the experience
36:28of engineers
36:29who were
36:30given the
36:33resources to
36:35play this
36:37very expensive
36:38game and
36:40that is
36:41where the
36:41transistor came
36:43from at
36:43Bell Labs
36:44they basically
36:44said all right
36:45all you guys
36:46are real wicked
36:47bright and so
36:47forth and
36:48we're going to
36:48pay you to
36:49come up with
36:51different ideas
36:52play with
36:52whatever
36:53strikes your
36:55fancy and
36:56gradually over
36:58the years they
36:58had to get
36:59sensible and
37:00say don't
37:01invent anything
37:02unless we can
37:03sell it and
37:04be in the
37:05in the
37:06profit side
37:07by Friday
37:08and so no
37:10more Bell Labs
37:11but for a
37:12while it was
37:14a it was a
37:15wonderful a
37:16wonderful thing
37:17you could also
37:18make the
37:18analogy of war
37:20because the
37:21language that
37:23surrounded the
37:24initial in our
37:25effort was
37:27we're going to
37:28revalidate the
37:29four-stroke
37:30principle and of
37:31course they
37:32knew perfectly
37:33well what was
37:34necessary they
37:35said the
37:37cylinder filling
37:38of the two
37:39strokes is now
37:39very good at
37:4011,000 RPM and
37:42in order to
37:43get that we're
37:45going to have to
37:45turn twice as
37:47many RPM so
37:49it was just a
37:50mechanical problem
37:51and they had
37:52trouble with
37:52valve trouble
37:53with valve
37:53springs trouble
37:54with the cam
37:55drive you name
37:57it they
37:58encountered it
37:59but as in
38:01war they
38:02say if we
38:03can't detect
38:04enemy aircraft
38:05on their way
38:06here they'll
38:07just bomb the
38:09daylights out
38:09of us so
38:10get busy with
38:11this this
38:12radio wave
38:14reflecting gizmo
38:15of yours and
38:17make one that
38:18works and
38:20they did it
38:21was called
38:22chain home and
38:22they were able
38:23to detect
38:24German aircraft
38:25on their way
38:25to bomb
38:26Britain
38:27yeah I mean
38:27in a way
38:28it's I mean
38:29that's that's
38:30patronage in a
38:31very traditional
38:32sense that the
38:32government's just
38:33throwing money at
38:35something yeah
38:36get it done with
38:37a possible solution
38:38maybe maybe it's a
38:39solution just like
38:40pain you know just
38:41like the kings and
38:42queens would pay the
38:43artists to sit
38:44around and compose
38:45things for them
38:46and
38:46Honda you know
38:52it's doing the
38:52same thing you
38:53have to have that
38:53person with the
38:55creativity and
38:56drive and then
38:59there has to be a
39:00facility that would
39:01allow the making
39:03of it and also
39:04the funding of
39:05it so it's you
39:06know we have the
39:07Britain the one
39:08man in a shed
39:09type idea and
39:11which is you know
39:12I mean it's what
39:13we want to believe
39:14and of course he
39:16was the driving
39:17force but he had
39:18a team that he
39:19built one way or
39:19another and Honda
39:21has that and you
39:23know you're you
39:25related the story
39:25about how Erie
39:27was Erie
39:28was sitting at
39:30the stoplight
39:30looking up in
39:31the sky that's
39:32the official story
39:32looking up at the
39:33sky and saying
39:34to himself huh I
39:35wonder if an oval
39:36piston would work
39:37you know and
39:38then taking that
39:39taking that that
39:41little germ of an
39:41idea and you
39:45know why even
39:45try you could you
39:46could so easily
39:47crush that out
39:48like what's a
39:49like what the
39:50what you know
39:51like why what are
39:53you talking about
39:54Steve get out
39:55of here you
39:55know just
39:56taking on the
39:58job bring that
39:59to the Friday
40:00meeting and you're
40:01out of here
40:01yeah I mean it's
40:03just like why
40:04would you do that
40:05but it is you
40:06know Honda's
40:07always had an
40:07kind of an
40:08adherence to the
40:09four-stroke they
40:09really wanted
40:11four-strokes to be
40:12the thing not
40:14turbos a lot of
40:15times and you
40:20know they explored
40:20this and the
40:21NR500 did its
40:23thing and then
40:24you know they
40:27looked over here
40:27and said well
40:28these two-stroke
40:28things what about
40:29that yeah well
40:31my Mie Koshi
40:32Mr. Mie Koshi
40:34was at MX
40:36Block which is a
40:37you know a unit
40:39of the R&D and
40:42I imagine that he
40:44had been consulted
40:45and he had said
40:46we have we're
40:48getting very good
40:49results with large
40:50area reed valves
40:52not those little
40:54dinky things that
40:55Yamaha have been
40:56using and we'd
41:00like to try them
41:01and Mr. Mie Koshi
41:02had also been to
41:05Asen earlier that
41:06year I think and
41:08while he was there
41:09he noticed that the
41:10lap times for the
41:12350s which were
41:13chiefly Yamaha
41:15twins TZ350s and
41:18the 500s weren't
41:19that different
41:20and but the
41:22350s were 270
41:25pounds maximum
41:27and the 500s
41:28were maybe a bit
41:30more by then
41:32anyway he said
41:35what if we could
41:37build a 100
41:38horsepower 250 it
41:41would be faster
41:42than 350 it might
41:44be faster than the
41:45500 especially
41:46since tires are
41:49becoming such a
41:50problem in the
41:50500 class because
41:52they were getting
41:5310 good laps from
41:55the tire after
41:56which it sort of
41:57turned to grease
41:58and you had to
41:59spend the last
42:00laps you weren't
42:01going to be in
42:01any battles but
42:03you might be able
42:04to keep the guys
42:04behind you from
42:06finally Mr.
42:08Fukui said we
42:10will set aside the
42:11four-stroke project
42:12for now and
42:13concentrate on NS
42:15500 NS
42:17standing for
42:17new sprint
42:18I'm told
42:19and when
42:23they went
42:23racing with it
42:24in 1982
42:25with none
42:27other than
42:28Freddie Spencer
42:28at the
42:30controls
42:31and Freddie
42:33was in his
42:34period of grace
42:38it's it
42:39appeared for
42:40quite some
42:41time that
42:42Freddie was
42:43protected by
42:44some extraterrestrial
42:46force and
42:48of course the
42:49value of this
42:50is it gave him
42:51a lot of
42:51confidence the
42:52front end is
42:53going to hold
42:53into the
42:55corner he
42:56goes well
42:57he won a
42:59race the very
43:00first year that
43:01they brought that
43:01motorcycle he
43:02won Spa which
43:04is a very fast
43:04racetrack on
43:06this 108
43:08horsepower three
43:09cylinder that
43:10did not tear up
43:11the tires why
43:12didn't the
43:12four cylinders
43:13just past
43:15him because
43:16they knew
43:17please tires
43:19be there on
43:21lap 24
43:21and then
43:25in 1983
43:26Freddie was
43:26world champion
43:27on the
43:27three cylinder
43:28by then they
43:29got it up
43:29over 120
43:30horsepower
43:31new pistons
43:34were coming
43:35every week
43:36Freddie was
43:37going through
43:37a set of
43:38crankcases
43:39every 360
43:40miles it
43:43was being
43:44it was a
43:45project that
43:45was being
43:46kept alive
43:47by Honda
43:47research they
43:49just were
43:50were doing
43:52an NR on
43:52that thing and
43:54then for
43:5584 they came
43:57with a four
43:58cylinder the
43:59NSR 500
44:00and proceeded
44:03to basically
44:05dominate the
44:07class and
44:09McDoin won
44:11five 500
44:14world championships
44:15in a row
44:15what a time it
44:17was to watch
44:18that just
44:18yeah it was
44:19it was artistry
44:20and of course
44:21there were people
44:22who who called
44:24it the end of
44:24sport there
44:25always are
44:25and they urged
44:27him to slow
44:28down and make
44:29a race of it
44:30what is a race
44:31then just guys
44:32going like this
44:32well that's the
44:34classic Bubba
44:34show work thing
44:35is that they
44:36they gave him
44:36the RS 750
44:37and dirt track
44:38the Honda RS 750
44:39and they told
44:41them only
44:41not because they
44:43were trying to
44:43make a race of
44:44it but they
44:45didn't want to
44:46win by too
44:47much because
44:48they would be
44:49restricted
44:50so it's like
44:52just stay
44:53just ahead of
44:54them don't
44:54don't dip
44:55into that last
44:56you know you
44:57got unless you
44:57really have to
44:58so it's quite
45:00a game it's
45:01not just speed
45:02but
45:02fast politics
45:04well I got
45:05sent to
45:05Jerry Branch's
45:06dyno
45:07to do
45:09to be the
45:09AMA observer
45:10during the
45:12restrictor tests
45:13and of course
45:13basically what it
45:14was we'd have
45:15to slow these
45:15Hondas down
45:16so that
45:17racing will
45:19return to
45:19normal and
45:20they succeeded
45:23in that
45:23to a degree
45:24and Honda
45:26after seeing
45:28that they
45:29would be
45:29defeated
45:30politically
45:31rather than
45:32mechanically
45:33wisely
45:34put that
45:36effort aside
45:37and
45:38the
45:40XR750
45:41went on
45:41to complete
45:42its career
45:43but it was
45:46grand in that
45:47in that
45:47dyno room
45:48because I'm
45:48looking around
45:49in there
45:49and there's
45:50the
45:51XR
45:53screaming away
45:54in the test
45:55cell
45:56and I'm
45:57looking at
45:57the only
45:58door
45:58in the
45:59instrument
45:59room
46:00it goes
46:01into the
46:02test
46:02cell
46:02so what
46:04if the
46:04engine
46:04explodes
46:05and catches
46:06fire
46:07how do we
46:08get out
46:09we go
46:09towards
46:10the fire
46:11but
46:14it was an
46:16education
46:16being there
46:17to see
46:17all the
46:18all the
46:19the
46:21professionalisms
46:22of
46:22of
46:23Jerry Branch's
46:24test
46:25setup
46:26yeah
46:26well
46:27this
46:28brings
46:28to
46:29mind
46:29HRC
46:30and then
46:31Honda
46:32racing
46:32services
46:33so
46:34NR
46:34would have
46:35started
46:35during
46:35racing
46:36services
46:36is that
46:37right
46:3777
46:38it was
46:40right in
46:40there
46:40and then
46:42imagine
46:43imagine
46:44HRC
46:45at that
46:46time
46:46and all
46:47the things
46:48it must
46:49have felt
46:49like
46:50living in
46:51the future
46:51or some
46:52version of
46:53it
46:53sure
46:53and I
46:54mean
46:54imagine
46:55passing
46:55through
46:56the
46:56HRC
46:56doors
46:57which
46:57you
46:57did
46:57a
46:57couple
46:57years
46:58ago
46:58for
46:58the
46:58fire
46:59blade
46:59the
46:59SP
47:00the
47:01pirate
47:01model
47:02as they
47:02call it
47:02the
47:03CVRRR
47:04closest I got to it was a
47:06conference room with a really nice wood table
47:10and there was a place for us to put our coats and they took us downstairs to
47:17an empty room with lifts and they said the MotoGP team is away in Malaysia
47:23right now but they if they weren't they would be right here hard at work preparing for the next test or the next race so I didn't get to see it but I got to see where it took place.
47:36Yeah that's great so I think that these projects have tremendous value I'm sure that the individual engineers who were working for BRM in the late 1940s when they developed that supercharged V16 race car learned a great deal.
48:05And one of the most valuable lessons is it's possible for a project to exceed the R&D resources of the creating company.
48:16That's what happened with the V16 it happened with the good CV8 and it happened with the NR.
48:22The NR
48:22was striving
48:28to beat the two strokes at a time when it was much cheaper
48:32to increase
48:33to boost two stroke horsepower by five
48:36than it was to do it with a four stroke
48:39because with the four stroke everything would have to be redesigned.
48:42Okay we're going for the next five horsepower require a new
48:46iteration of the engine.
48:48Whereas with with the two strokes they they were basically still working on exhaust pipe shape
48:56port sizes and direction crankcase pumping
49:00and all the add-on devices like the exhaust eyelids
49:04and Honda came up with water injection for their two stroke.
49:09If the rider made a terrible mistake and found himself at 6,000 RPM
49:15he's just going to sit there.
49:20But with Honda's water injection system it sprays water into the exhaust pipe.
49:25The water evaporates reducing the temperature of the gas in the pipe so that the pipe
49:30instead of resonating up here resonates down here and suddenly you have mighty torque at six and away you go.
49:37I'm just going to thank you on behalf of all of our Spotify listeners for using audio
49:42audio elaboration.
49:48Well
49:49Well it was a beautiful time
49:55and I think
49:56much respect to Honda
49:58for making all of these
50:01technical forgings
50:03and doing all of that.
50:05It certainly
50:06informs the company today
50:09even
50:09and
50:11it got me in the industry.
50:13Even though they're
50:13in deep in this
50:16MotoGP thing
50:17because of course
50:18they're
50:18they and Yamaha
50:20have
50:20have basically
50:21they're like two years behind everyone else.
50:24How it happened
50:25I'm not sure.
50:26but it's now a European series.
50:30It used to be the Japanese series
50:32with European
50:34wannabes
50:36and now it's reversed.
50:38It's fabulous.
50:40And of course
50:41the Japanese will
50:43come back
50:44or they won't.
50:46They may say
50:46these markets are no longer important to us.
50:49We are now
50:50operating in Southeast Asia.
50:53We don't know.
50:54I hope that they
50:58put their shoulders to it
50:59and we get to see something
51:01surprising.
51:04Well bring back the oval piston.
51:06What do you say?
51:07They're probably not legal anymore.
51:08They were legal for a long time
51:10in all forms
51:11of FIM.
51:13Well of course
51:13the original reason
51:14for the oval piston
51:15was to provide more valve area.
51:17They're saying
51:18oh
51:19a two valve
51:20or a four valve
51:21of a certain size
51:22that 20,000 RPM
51:23won't breathe
51:24but then
51:25along came Formula 1
51:27those V10 engines
51:28were revving to 20,000
51:30and making gobs of horsepower.
51:34So
51:35none of this ever sits still.
51:38Somebody's working at it.
51:40It's over.
51:41Thank goodness.
51:42Yeah.
51:43Also
51:44if you like this podcast
51:45Kevin Cameron
51:47has written a feature
51:49about the NR500
51:50and its developments
51:51on the website
51:52cygaworld.com
51:53you can also go down
51:54in the description
51:54we'll have a link there
51:55to the story
51:56and you can read
51:58in even greater detail
51:59than we spent
52:00the last 50 something minutes
52:01talking about
52:02NR500
52:04and NR750
52:05another great
52:07Kevin Cameron feature
52:08so go ahead
52:09and check that out.
52:10Well that's it
52:11for this week folks.
52:12Thanks again
52:12for listening.
52:13Get down in the comments.
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52:30to the Cycle World podcast
52:32every Wednesday.
52:33Take care.