Fast Hondas

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RC DAVE · #1 Unread post by **RC DAVE** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:30 am

Is there anyone in here that owns an RC-51 ? or am i the only one that gets to enjoy some of the HRC goodies i think the ducati's have finnally caught up though. Wish honda would produce that bike again it is an absolute trouble free superbike (honda) have a great day people.

#2 Unread post by **Wrider** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:13 am

I have no idea why Honda stopped producing the RC-51 and why Suzuki stopped producing the TL/SV1000... Gotta love 1000 cc V-Twin sportbikes!

HYPERR · #3 Unread post by **HYPERR** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:53 am

I think about the time I bought the CBR600RR, my Honda dealer had a RC51 Limited Edition with Nicky Hayden's autograph on the gas tank. That was waaay cool!

HYPERR · #4 Unread post by **HYPERR** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:58 am

Wrider wrote:I have no idea why Honda stopped producing the RC-51 and why Suzuki stopped producing the TL/SV1000... Gotta love 1000 cc V-Twin sportbikes!

Maybe they got tired of listening to Ducati b!tch and moan to the FIM and threatening to quit.

High_Side · #5 Unread post by **High_Side** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:32 am

HYPERR wrote:
Wrider wrote:I have no idea why Honda stopped producing the RC-51 and why Suzuki stopped producing the TL/SV1000... Gotta love 1000 cc V-Twin sportbikes!
Maybe they got tired of listening to Ducati b!tch and moan to the FIM and threatening to quit.

Or MAYBE nobody bought them....

Too bad, I am a big fan but I gave up waiting for an update of my Superhawk after 11 years and moved on.

RC DAVE · #6 Unread post by **RC DAVE** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:04 pm

Definently a nich bike but there was never a floor full of rc's the biggest problem was the average guy with little knowledge of how to ride got there "O Ring" kicked by the big sport Vtwins. RC51.ORG DAN KYLE wrote if you know how to ride it will make ya shine if you lack in the skill dept it will exspose you in the worst way. They take just a little more time to get used to and some just never do. You wont see many people that bought one as a first litre bike. have a great day (semper fi)

HYPERR · #7 Unread post by **HYPERR** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:54 am

High_Side wrote:
HYPERR wrote:
Wrider wrote:I have no idea why Honda stopped producing the RC-51 and why Suzuki stopped producing the TL/SV1000... Gotta love 1000 cc V-Twin sportbikes!
Maybe they got tired of listening to Ducati b!tch and moan to the FIM and threatening to quit.
Or MAYBE nobody bought them....
Too bad, I am a big fan but I gave up waiting for an update of my Superhawk after 11 years and moved on.

Yes I suppose the CBRs were a much better seller than the RC which filled more of a niche market.

Didn't the TL basically die because of all the bad press the Europeans gave due to the supposedly nasty headshake?

Speaking of Ducati and FIM, it seems like now you can get a real great deal on a 1098 leftover as they are now making room for the incoming 1198s. I know last year they wanted full pop and then some for the 1098s.

#8 Unread post by **Wrider** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:34 am

Nope, but close. TL died because a press tester died on one and it never recovered from that. The tester was a former pro racer, MotoGP racer, etc, but at that time no-one had ever been on a bike with 100 ft/lbs of torque on demand like that. He spun out the rear tire and put the bike and himself into a tree.
For a while in Europe and the states it was known as the "widow-maker" bike.
BTW that was in 97 when the bike was first introduced as the TL1000S, so what did Suzuki do next year? Introduced the Hayabusa and the TL1000R, both of which out-performed the TL1000S!

RC DAVE · #9 Unread post by **RC DAVE** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:09 am

wride not to many people have heard that story, good knowledge brother the tl was a great bike but the rear suspension was total junk tat just couldn't be tuned and the after market co's didn't step up to remedy it at all. Suspension was bad all around steering damper helped a bit but not much. The RC shakes it's head once in awhile but i haven't put a damper on it yet (to stay) the tourque is what causes the problem. Some joe pullin hard out of a corner with the front wheel skimming gets caught with the wheel cocked a bit and it's gonna rear it's ugly face but nothing a little time in saddle wont cure

#10 Unread post by **Wrider** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:27 am

Actually RC the rear suspension was ahead of it's time too... The new suspensions that are just coming out for 08 and later models are almost identical. Back then though no-one knew how to tune that suspension so it was considered crap.
The entire bike was WAY ahead of it's time, and honestly if they put it out again basically unchanged I'm sure it would be considered up-to-date.
One of my instructors in Phoenix for Suzuki is the local suspension "God" so-to-speak. He worked for RaceTech for 15 years doing on-track setups and such. Then he opened his own business doing it. Every one of the other instructors comes to him for their suspensions needs, from drag bikes to motocross to road-racing to street riding. And even he was impressed by the TL's suspension bits.