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The steering stability demands of the MotoGP machine |
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One importance concept of the RC211V, which
dominates the Grand-Prix fields with its amazing performance
of over 240 horsepower and 330km/h top speed from the feather
weight of 145kg, is “rider-friendly & easy-to-control
for any rider”. In other words, the principles are such
that the machine offers anything that the rider wants while
eliminating anything that the rider doesn’t want. In the
past, for example, the rider had to hold the machine on the
road with all his might fighting relentless kickbacks from the
road to prevent loss of tire grip while making a maximum use
of the tremendous amount of engine power. Such a story is the
history for the RC211V. Despite the enormous power, the output
is efficiently transmitted to the road surface. The rider never
gets tired, it’s easy to open the throttle, battling on
the track doesn’t bother. The machine allows the rider
to exhibit his full performance from the start through the final
lap. That’s the kind of steering stability that RC211V
pursued.
RC211V |
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Researches of the rotary damper, an optimum design |
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| After the 2003
season, the new hydraulic steering damper has been employed
for the RC211V. Concealed in the new-style fairing is
the rotary steering damper, instead of a conventional
telescopic steering damper. The rotary damper is compact,
light in weight, and as the damping system is totally
enclosed in the damper housing, it resists against external
impacts, less affected by “oil chipping”,
without a loss of damping force from warming of the hydraulic
fluid. Another advantage of this design is that the system-control
parts can be easily mounted around the steering axis.
Inherent in the newly-developed rotary steering damper
are many features such as the security, function-ability,
promise in the future, etc. |
2003 RC211V |
2002 RC211V
Click picture to enlarge |
 
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Feedback to production motorcycles from RC211V |
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The RC211V, the champion machine of the MotoGP class, which
is the pinnacle of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing, brings
infinite influences and technical feedback for production motorcycles.
The concept “easy to ride for any person” is based
on our intent that we want to positively apply the techniques
derived from RC211V to production motorcycles because being
easy-to-ride and having high performance are ideal features
of products for general consumers. Thus, the HESD, which has
been developed by further improving the rotary steering damper,
is now applied to the production super-sport machine CBR1000RR
along with other new features such as the unit pro-link rear
suspension, the PGM-DSFI, etc. |
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