HONDA RVT1000R RC51 (2000-2001) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Honda RC51, known as the RVT1000R in the United States market and the VTR1000 SP1 in the European and Australian markets, was a V-twin-powered sports machine manufactured by Honda from 2000 to 2006.

The RVT100R motorcycle was explicitly designed to compete in the Superbike World Championship. The 2000 and 2001 machines were designated SP1, while the 2002 to 2006 models had updated fuel injection and suspension systems and were designated SP2.

In 2001, the Japanese maker released the second-year model of the RVT1000R, a sports motorcycle made for racing purposes and a successor to the VTR1000F Superhawk. The bike came in the same package as the first model without any modifications.

It features the same twin-spar aluminum frame with a 43 mm adjustable inverted cartridge-type fork handling the front suspension and an adjustable Pro-Link gas-charged shock absorber cushioning the rear wheel.

The bike rolled on six-spoke lightweight cast aluminum wheels fitted with a 320 mm disc, a four-piston caliper on the front, and a dual-piston caliper with a 220 mm disc on the rear, providing strong stopping power.

A 999cc four-stroke V-twin liquid-cooled engine powered the machine and offered strong power delivery with a force of 136 hp at 9,500 rpm and 105 Nm (77 lb-ft) of torque at 8,000 rpm.

The power was sent to the rear wheel through a six-speed manual transmission and chain final drive, pushing the 2001 Honda RVT1000R to a top speed of 275 kph (171 mph).