In the late 1990s, Honda decided to go for the throat of Ducati in making a sportbike for the specific purpose of winning World Superbike Championships. In 1999, the RC51 (full name RVT1000R) was launched. It had a 999cc V-twin (a revolutionary move for Honda at the time) that revved to 10,000 rpm, and was, quite importantly, significantly less expensive than a comparable Ducati. For the 2004 model year, the MSRP sat at $11,599 ($20,860 in today’s money), while a Ducati 999R retailed for $30,000 ($53,954 in 2026).
Reviews from the time noted that the Honda was a little heavier than the Ducati, but that didn’t seem to matter as Honda RC51 riders went home with two World Superbike Championships in 2000 and 2002.
The bike was only made from 2000 to 2006, but the damage was already done. A bike from an everyman’s brand brought down Ducati for a few precious races at the turn of the century.
A lot of love for the RC51
People sang the praises of the RC51 on forums, and despite its relatively low production numbers, there is an active modding scene. Reportedly, the bikes are as reliable as any other Honda out there, even though it has serious racing credentials.
If you wanted to pick one up today, the bikes show up occasionally on sites like Bring a Trailer, and routinely sell for under $10,000, but expect to pay more for special editions or low-mileage examples, as is the case for any performance vehicle.
During the final year of production, the 2006 Honda RC51 made 133 horsepower from its 999cc v-twin connected to a six-speed transmission.
In 2026, the days of a V-twin 999cc sportbike made by Honda are firmly in the past. The current meanest Honda on two-wheels, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP (yes, that is its full name) uses a four-cylinder setup. Ducati has also ventured in a different direction, opting for a V4 engine in its Panigale V4 that competes in MotoGP (although you can still buy a V-twin version).
