Description
Please note: Iconic has reduced the minimum buyer fee on this item from $250 to $150.
Introduced in the latter-half of 1999 as a 2000 model, the Honda RC51 was a big-bore V-Twin superbike created to put an end to Ducati’s reign of supremacy in production-based racing. The RC51 featured a powerful liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 999cc, 90-degree, DOHC V-Twin paired with a six-speed transmission and an aluminum alloy twin-spar frame. Honda achieved some impressive results with its “Ducati killer” in the form of World Superbike Championship titles in 2000 and then later in 2002 — the same year the RC51 was ridden to an AMA Championship.
With around 130 hp on tap and a dry weight of 440 lbs, the 999cc V-Twin was good for a top-speed of over 165 mph. The RC51 was also markedly more reliable than its Italian twin counterpart, making it much more attractive to riders on the street. It’s not uncommon to come across RC51 specimens with more than 100,000 miles on the clock that are still going strong.
A true racebike with headlights, the RC51 was brimming with competition-grade hardware and componentry. Even the instrumentation is configured with a race-style rev-counter, and the rest of the running gear is equally track-focused. Sold from 2000 through 2006, the RC51 was produced during an era in which American riders were at the top of the game and will forever be associated with legendary US-born racers like Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards.
Moriwaki Engineering is a Suzuka, Japan based manufacturer or motorcycle performance parts and accessories. It was founded by Mamoru Moriwaki in 1973 who was a former racer for Hideo “Pops” Yoshimura in the 1960s (and actually married his eldest daughter). In the 1980s the company built a strong relationship with Honda and became the first outside firm allowed to use one of Honda’s racing engines. FAst forward to the 21st Century and Moriwaki competed in the premier MotoGP class with a Honda RC211V motor in a Moriwaki designed frame from 2003 to 2005.
The exhaust was sent to Iconic from Japan and the seller states, “This is pretty rare Ultra high mount Moriwaki MP-101 badged slip on exhaust for the Honda RC51 VTR1000 SP-1. This will fit 2000-2001 RC51, will also fit the SP2 if you use an SP1 header. Good used condition, and comes with a new reproduction set of the standard Moriwaki badges. This set was originally on one of the rare MP-101 Moriwaki SP-1s.” This set comes with extra decals and a mounting instruction manual.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Santa Monica, California, this Honda is offered on a Bill of Sale only. Have any Moriwaki stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
