"Howard Kveck" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <
[email protected]>, "Tom Kunich"
> <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Actually the twin 50's and the 5 cyclinder 125 was redlined at 28,000
rpm
> > and they generally shifted at 26,000. The company wanted them to shift
at
> > 22,000 but there was no way that they could be competitive at that
because
> > it gave a power band entirely too narrow even with the 12 speed transmissions.
>
> There were a couple of books on the '59-67 Honda racing efforts that
I'd
> seen a few years ago, and I vaguely remembered the 50 at least turning
that
> fast. But when I searched online to confirm what I remembered, all but one site showed the rpm
> being in the 22-23,000 range. So I'm starting to lean back toward 28k being the right number. But
> I don't remember them ever having more than nine speed trannies. The funny thing on the '64 RC114
(the
> 50) was the front brakes - basically just like a bicycle, calipers
grabbing
> on the rim. Of course, with the bike only weighing 50 kilos and Taveri about the same, they didn't
> really need super strong brakes.
I can remember the factory rider of the 5 cyclinder saying that they could go as high as 28,000 but
at 28,200 the cranks broke. These sorts of figures were probably correct since they told me that my
cranks would sieze at 14,500 and that is EXACTLY what they did. Three times.
> > When I raced at Orange County a couple of times, Grant was riding the
Suzuki
> > 50 twin and the transmission was about twice the size of the motor. I
could
> > (JUST) keep up with him on my factory Honda 125 twin.
>
> A guy I used to work for had at least three of the customer versions of the 50 (CR110), a
> couple of the 125s (CR93) and one or possibly two of the CR72s (250). Might have been a CR71
> (the 305 that was intended for the 350 class) in there, too. Sorry to be so nebulous on the
> quantities, it was a while ago and keeping track of -his- inventory of half done bikes and
piles
> of parts isn't something I need (or have time) to do... But he did have
the
> spare engine and a bunch of parts (no frame, though) from the '59 Honda RC142 effort at the Isle
> of Man. Just out of curiosity, what was your 125?
CR93 from Johnny Honda. Bootleg version.
I had to get my parts through Great Britain. Did you work for that shop in Richmond? I seem to
remember that he was trying to sell me all of those bikes.