Honda's RC213V-S is carbon-clad and race-ready (pictures)
Honda just unveiled its MotoGP race bike for the streets, and it's a lovely thing.
This is the 2016 Honda RC213V-S, a $184,000 race bike for the road.
Its based on Honda's RC213V, a MotoGP championship-winning machine.
This bike is heavily modified from that full-on race bike, but shares a lot of components -- notably the frame and suspension.
Lights, of course, have been added to make it street-legal.
Swingarm, though, is like the race bike's. Exhaust is quite similar.
Mirrors are cunningly integrated into the brake guard.
Bespoke elements everywhere.
Exhaust is tightly packed beneath the bike.
Full-on Ohlins suspension and massive Brembo brakes.
Full-color LCD display.
Carbon fiber everywhere.
Limited controls on the left bar to control the digital dash, selecting ride modes and the like.
The right is the important bit: the throttle.
Each of the 200-ish models will be individually numbered.
Did I mention the carbon fiber?
There's a lot of carbon fiber.
Ohlins suspension is fully adjustable for compression, rebound, fast and slow.
No carbon discs, but the brakes look incredibly competent.
The system will use Honda's wireless key system.
Championship-winner Mark Marquez was one of the first to get to ride the thing.
Marquez reserved #93 for himself.
He says he not only got a knee down, but an elbow too.
Perfect form.
And yes, street legal.
A raw, carbon fiber version will be available.
This bike has had most of its bodywork removed to show the underpinnings.
Fuel is largely stored beneath the seat.
Fully custom everything.
All this could be yours -- if you have the cash! Production begins in September and will run for just one year.