Honda RC181 500

One of Honda's greatest ambitions (as it was later to be Yamaha's) was to win the world championship in the class with the largest displacement— 500 cc.
To achieve this goal the Japanese company made a stunning offer to the British racer of the MV Agusta, Mike Hailwood, in 1965, and the four-time world champion accepted the offer. One reason for his receptive-ness to Honda was that he wanted to show the fans of his teammate Giacomo Agostini, who had become his number-one rival, that his victories were not just due to the superiority of the Italian motorcycle.

While Honda dreamed of winning the 500-class title, Mike Hailwood hoped to win three world championships within the same year, something that no racer had ever done.

Thus Hailwood and the Honda 500 were the biggest opposition to Agostini and MV Agusta, who were fighting to retain their supremacy in the class.

The Italian company had held the 500-class championship since 1952. Honda provided Hailwood with three motorcycles for the 1966 season: a six-cylinder 250, a six-cylinder 350, and a blazing 500. The 500 did not follow the company's usual structural pattern. Instead of representing another step forward toward the maximum fractionation of displacement, the Honda 500 had only four cylinders, which were arranged in line transversely.

Whether Honda wanted to admit the fact or not, its four-cylinder had many features in common with the MV. The vehicle that MV Agusta put into the field was a new three-cylinder 500, which was derived from the 350 that Agostini had driven to victory in its maiden race, the West German Grand Prix of 1965.

The four-cylinder Honda 500 generated more than 85 h.p. at 12,000 r.p.m., at least 5 h.p. more than the declared power of the MV Agusta. In addition, the Honda weighed barely 300 pounds despite its massive appearance.
The 1966 world championship season got off to a promising start for Honda. Jim Redman, Hailwood's teammate, won in West Germany and Holland. Agostini came in second In both races, and the MV Agusta people realized that they would have to squeeze more power out of their engine. Meanwhile Hailwood was concentrating on the other two categories to chalk up as many points as possible before devoting all his energies to the 500.

The third race of the world championship was run at the Spa circuit in Belgium. Hailwood and Redman rode against Agostini, who put on terrific pressure under a driving rain. Redman fell and broke an arm. Hailwood took the lead but had to withdraw when his transmission broke down.
Honda came back to win at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix, with Hailwood in the saddle. Agostini won the next race, the Finnish Grand Prix, then Hailwood won two more races to Agostini's one. But that season's championship went to Agostini, who had racked up a greater number of points with more frequent placings.
Honda won the world championship for brands, but that insubstantial title was a meager consolation for the Japanese company.

The Honda was extremely powerful but it was also fragile, while the MV Agusta had never experienced a breakdown. (Agostini had to withdraw at the East German Grand Prix, but that was due to a fall rather than a mechanical failure.) In 1967 Honda tried again with Hailwood, reigning champion in the 250 and 350 classes. This time Hailwood concentrated on the 500 class, but engine trouble made him lose several races to Agostini. By the end of the season Honda had won five races and so did the MV Agusta. When points were totaled, Honda was six points behind

Motorcycle: Honda 500
Manufacturer: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.,
Tokyo Type: Racing Year: 1967
Engine: Honda four-cylinder, four-stroke, with two-shaft overhead geared distribution and four valves per cylinder. Displacement 489.9 cc. (57 mm. x 48 mm.)
Cooling: Air
Transmission: Six-speed block
Power: 90 h.p. at 12,600 r.p.m.
Maximum speed: Over 165 m.p.h.
Chassis: Double cradle, continuous (separable parts), tubular. Front and rear, telescopic suspension
Brakes: Front, central drum, four shoes, four-cam; rear, central drum, double cam