Honda has been in trouble for a couple of seasons, both in MotoGP and – in part – in Moto3. One cannot help but think of the past, of the greatness of the Honda dream in racing, of the masterpieces created, of the genius lavished on projects resulting from superfine minds. He’ll be back on the crest of a wave… unless, who knows, he doesn’t do like he did in the 60s and retire to come back with something revolutionary
MARQUEZ AND HONDA, A SEASON TO FORGET
It’s been a couple of years since what’s happening at the Honda in MotoGP, but partly also in Moto3, it makes me think. Suffice it to say that last season the only category of the World Championship where a vehicle with the name “Honda” could win a title was Moto2 where you race with Triumph engines… So his past has often come to my mindI thought to the greatness of Honda’s dream in racingto the masterpieces created, to its extraordinary, absolute uniqueness, to the quality and inventiveness, to the profuse genius in projects resulting from superfine and innovative mindsmade, created in common metals, but forged, worked with art, made noble, elaborated by exceptional people, by artistic hands, with superfine precision.
Honda’s history in racing has always been different from what we see today: after “destroying” a pilot such as Jorge Lorenzoannihilated Pol Espargaromassacred Joan Mir e Alex Rinseven the heroic, brave, hitherto never tamed Marc Marquez had to surrender to the lack of competitiveness of the RC213V. Something unimaginable until a few years ago even if it should be borne in mind that of Honda that wins is that power-unit branded Red Bull on the machines of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perezso be careful to give up for defeat a house that, if it wants, sooner or later wins.
The European manufacturers have made the situation of Honda (and Yamaha) difficult
What makes the Honda (and also Yamaha) situation in MotoGP so difficult is above all the skill and the genius of Ducati That he worked on an aspect guiltily neglected by the Japanese like aerodynamics and other ideas such as the lowering. They were quicker to follow the trend the other two European manufacturers, Aprilia and KTM. A little for mentality, but above all for the agility of the decision-making chain. I still believe that the Japanese will not sleep on the blows and will fight back. Unless behind this there is a desire to withdraw in view of a different future with an electric component if not entirely battery-powered. We’ll see, but in the meantime the motorcycles on sale are almost all those with internal combustion engines, lighter and more agile, capable of much greater autonomy. So like the ones that run today.
The great return of Honda at Silverstone in 1979
But let’s go back to Honda’s past in racing that always leaves me with a feeling of beauty in my heart. My first approach to speed racing with Honda was at Silverstone in 1979, the day of the great return of the House of the Golden Wing after the withdrawal of the 60s. Until that GP of Great Britain (among other things beautiful with a breathtaking Roberts-Sheene duel up to the last meter with the victory of the American), mostly Suzuki RG 500s were on the trackthe vast majority and some Yamaha plus Graziano Rossi’s Morbidelli. But in the former English airport the NR 500 makes its debut. A four-cylinder V4-stroke that attempted to counter the by now absolute hegemony of the 2-stroke with innovations and ideas that have made it, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful pieces of mechanics in the history of engines. Here because: 4 cylinders yes, but with oval pistons to have 8 valves, two connecting rods, two carburettors, two exhausts, double intake and exhaust ducts, two spark plugs per cylinder. Practically 8 cylinders were forbidden and Honda made a 4 with the features of an 8. The red on the rev counter began at 20,000 rpm to try to counter the advantage of the useful cycle at each lap of the 2-stroke which ran around 11/13,000 and obtain the same power (in pure numbers, the result obtained was 110/130 hp). But that’s not enough. The chassis was an aluminum monocoque (what looked like the fairing was the frame, like in an F1 single-seater) and coaxial swingarm attachment with the pinion output so as not to have “chain slack” problems” (for our Mauro “Sankio” Sanchini it would be a drama…hehe) and the radiators were touch-sensitive, as Brabham had also done in F1 at the time. And then carbon fork sleeves, modular alloy rims. The project leader was Soichiro (a name, a story, a guarantee…) Irimajiri. Back then it was customary to let young engineers grow up, leaving them free to build motorcycles that looked like extragalactic spaceships, as if they were science fiction directors.
The arrival of that kind of alien spacecraft was legendary: a hangar rented by Honda guardedtechnicians from all over the world, closed boxes, impossibility to approach. It was driven by Takazumi Katayama and Mick Grantbut it didn’t start very well for a number of reasons: first of all there was no electronics then. No traction controls, anti-hopping (only a primordial mechanical system on the clutch), no injection (for that number of revs there was still no one capable of keeping up with the pace) and in addition the start was by push… In short a dream that in practice, when you had to race, turned into a nightmare due to the difficulty in starting, the jumping in braking, the abrupt engine and none of the modifications of the following years managed to make that genius competitive. It had simply arrived too soon and then the oval pistons, 8 valves per cylinder etc. they were solutions forbidden in the regulations, unfortunately. Anyway having seen itlook at the photos where you can see that the bike was divided into 2 pieces with a fairing front end on one side, engine on the other and then the developments with normal radiators, tube frame and other less futuristic solutions it makes me smile at the sheer brilliance of those people, at that company, at the creative freedom and budget they had.
Honda, the 2-stroke and Spencer champion in 1983
After a while Honda if it will convert to 2 Tempi and in any case it will come with something new and unpublished like the NS 500 with 3 cylinders (debut in 1982, champion in 1983 with Freddie Spencer) then also sold to private pilots orphans of the Suzuki RG 500, the 2-cylinder for private individuals, the NSR 4-cylinder real V with 2 crankshafts, up to the electronic injection 500 used by Itoh at Hockenheim, the innovative RC 211V with 5 cylinders of the MotoGP in 2002 and of the winning RC 212 V4 800 and 213 1000 before the latest versions.
The 1966 RC 149 is the best piece in the Honda museum
However, the NR 500 is not the basis of Honda’s racing genius, but possibly the highest peak although I’m not really sure. After the races in Suzuka, a Honda-owned circuit, we went to Motegi, another Honda circuit which however has something extra extraordinary even if it is much less beautiful as a track: the Museum. In there is the whole history of Honda both in racing, in production, in motorcycles and in cars. If you like engines, that is Heaven on Earth also because there are many “non-Honda” pieces on display such as Sheene’s Suzuki, a Hailwood MV… The craziest piece, however, in my opinion, is the RC 149 of 1966, a 125cc 5-cylinder 4-stroke 4 valves per cylinder. Said like this, it is perplexing, but let’s take a closer look: it means a unit displacement of 25cc with 4 valves. How to say a 500 with 20 cylinders, a 1000 with 40 cylinders and 160 valves… Sure it’s a sum of fantasy, but in the 60s there was rock, pop, the world was changing and in Japan they invented and built crazy racing bikes as well as the 6-cylinder 250 (Yamaha was also very ahead). Certainly not only there, here too Guzzi with its 8-cylinder 500, MV with the 3 and 4 cylinders and the prototype of the 350 6-cylinder made us dream. However having heard at least once, as it happened to me, the 250 6-cylinder in motion with Valentino Rossi giving her gas among serious white-coated technicians proud of their restoration and maintenance work was unforgettable.
Honda is Honda, it will be back on the crest
In short, all this came to my mind looking at how Honda is reduced in the world championship in recent years, how low it has finished despite having a rider like Marc Marquez, currently dejected, unmotivated, tired, frustrated. But Honda is Honda. I believe he will return to the ridge, too much tradition, skills, pride, the power of what is the largest house in the world. Unless, who knows, he does like he did in the 60s and retires for come back with something revolutionary. And then, perhaps, having to change his mind and do as with the 2-stroke then. We’ll see, I’m curious.
the grid
The drivers market doesn’t go on vacation: the scenarios
MotoGP stops for the summer break, but the rider market is in full swing. Yamaha has decided to bet on Alex Rins to replace Franco Morbidelli in 2024. This decision could cause a domino effect in the paddock: Zarco would take the Spaniard’s place in the LCR Honda team, while Morbidelli could choose to marry the project of the Mooney VR46 team. In the latter case, Bezzecchi would move to the Prima Pramac team in place of Zarco YAMAHA WANTS TO BET ON ALEX RINS
Ducati factory
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (confirmed)
Ducati factory
ENEA BASTIANINI (confirmed)
First Pramac Ducati
JORGE MARTIN (confirmed)