Honda RC51 (RVT1000R) reviews

But nothing lifting a few weights can't cure. That is if you like tossing your bike from side to side, and dipping in the curves like I do. This is a sturdy and durable bike. You feel a bit of vibration through the bars, but it's not annoying. Some changes needed to be made to my 2002 though. Starting with that hard as hell seat (first season). Then the rear sprocket had to go. I went up two teeth and man what a difference off the line. I also added a set of beatiful Moriwaki low mount pipes. All I can say is lovely. Not too loud, and definitely not passive. Nice and beefy. Also, I cut a few holes in the flap (Instead of removing it.) that closes off the air creating a dive in power after a certain number of revs. Then when it hits a higher number it opens back up (that was second season). These little changes have made me enjoy this bike in ways you can only imagine. 9,600 miles has told me so. This season I added a power commander 3r, Scotts damper, and a slew of cosmetics you have to see to believe. I expect to pile on another 5-6 grand by the end of the season. The only thing I want to do next is add an after market air box. I hear it will really make the exhaust come alive. Will I do it? Not from the looks of my wallet. Show less

All I can say is I've ridden many bikes and none are as fun as the RC51, hands down! More power than usable on the street and the most solid well balanced ride. Take this bike to the twisties and realize what a twin is all about! Show less

The nicest sport bike I ever have ever ridden. It is so predictable in the turns, you can open full throtle earlier than any bike. Awesome chassis and suspension. Show less

I am a cycle fanatic! I have a 998, gsxr750 02, and the RC! right off the bat, I hate the GSXR(so am selling it), so unpredictable, but very light, true. I love the 998, sexiest after MV) funnest to ride, handles like a dream. ....RC, is nothing but perfection! I have tried so hard to like the duc more but RC51 is soooo stable, soooo nicely made, soooo easier to ride, I just love it. Now it has Ohlins, pipes(a must) and PC3. If it wins the WSB twice it must be good, ask Edwards or Nicky, they'll tell ya :) ENjoy. Show less

This is one Hell of a bike. I bought the RC51 hoping it would be all that Honda claims it is...It doesn't disappoint. It has a fluid motion in tight corners and it loves the open road. If you are looking for a bike that exceeds your wildest dreams, this is the bike for you. Show less

This bike is awesome! It has a "One-of-a-kind" look about it. It also has a unique sound. The V-twin with its gear driven cam is intense. It has a rumble while the cam whines like a blower on a supercharged muscle car. The bike even runs a little choppy like a muscle car! The bike has a ton of torque. It will peel you right off the bike if you don't hang on tight when accelerating. You can pull the bike up easily yet it holds to the ground good. It is a little bit heavier bike but that means nothing to this beast. On top of all the things I just mentioned, it is the last year they are making this bike. That was a positive weighing factor toward my purchase. The look, the sound, the collectibility, the racetrack records this bike holds! Just look up NICKY HAYDEN, or BOLSTROM on the net and see the championship races won on this bike! Show less

Forget inline fours, they sound like blenders. This babies got soul. Slip on some hindles and you got a kick ass bike that'll turn heads every time. You want tourque, you got it at anytime. This bike will run with anything!!! Show less

I came off a 996 SuperHawk which was a great V-Twin bike and went to the '02 RC51. I didn't expect it to be much better than the 996. I was wrong! This bike is amazing. The power and handling are exceptional and the stopping power is life saving! I put a set of D&D pipes on (not even for any type of power boost, just for the sound) and I really don't need to make any other alterations. It's great! I've heard complaints about riding "in town" and the "gearing" but I have no problems, she rolls fine in low gears. Also about not being able to see the digital xOMETER's in the daylight but that too I haven't had any issue with. Show less

: 2001/07 picked my RC51 on friday. Traded in my old VTR1000. Great deal, $2,000.00 off list. Booked my first service for Monday morning. Well the reviews slamming things like the fuel injection and the high first gear don't bother me in the least. Break in was easy and a trip to one of the local bike hangouts about an hour and a half away was fairly painless. Constant backroad riding well below 5,000 rpm for the most part was painless and still fun. Sneaky fast is right. The power comes on much better than the VTR and that is no slouch. Even the stock settings for the suspension work great for my 250 lb frame. While the drone on straight roads is monotonous the eventual twisties is well worth the wait. If you are short this bike is for you. It is a two inch shorter reach to the bars on this compared to the VTR. I'm much more comfortable in the shoulder area. The seat is a brick compared to the VTR but not that bad since you are leaned well over on this bike and once on the boil the wind keeps you off the bars. 2001/09/07 I'm off to Quebec for a couple years. I'm only bringing the RC51 since the winters are too bad for my little sports car. I don't really need a car where I'm living anyway. 2001/09/10 The ride up was uneventful for the most part. The bike is truly like solid billet on the highway as has been written before about it. I never really experienced confidence in a machine to this level before. The 401 to Cornwall Ontario passes through Toronto and that dreadful big city traffic. It also is the flatest road you will see on this side of the country. Only the western flat plains are more flat. I regularly avoid this highway and have only ever taken my old Ninja 1000R and VTR out on it. It is too windy. The RC51 is definitely better than the other two in terms of handling the wind. I expected the handling obviously but not the wind protection especially compared to my two previously owned sport tourer type bikes. It sits lower than the Ninja and despite weighing less by over 100 pounds it deals with the wind better. I didn't expect this since the Ninja is more in the sport tourer vein and has excellent wind protection head on but was always a wallower in the side blast of wind. The RC51 has good wind protection head on and also in the side blasts. Also with a back pack and a small tank bag I was able to not really experience any buffeting from either during the ride. Riding at speeds from 110 kph to 170 kph on one stretch didn't weaken my confidence in the RC. Comparing my RC to other WSB replicas I can see no compartive negatives. The R7, Aprilia RSV-R and Ducati 996 are two to three times as much money with performance that is equal to or less than the RC51. As for excess weight. Yes it weighs more than comparable bikes but the composure it has throughout a race cannot be compared to. It isn't as flightly as the big bore inline fours due to their lighter wieght and greater hp. Plus there are plenty of modifications available to make it a more potent performer if you need it. Show less

This machine takes some getting use to but once u learn that u can safly ride 35mph in 2nd gear the in town stuff is a breeze, but don't ride this bike in town (thats for squids) get this bike on the twisties and have at it no need to shift into 6th gear until well after 70mph. She is geared to the moon but u'll soon figure that out then ride the hell out of it, take it home care for it ride again and stay out of town keep this baby in the wind, unless u want to be seen then by u a v max and burn down the stop lights. Show less