The Tiniest Bike 6-Cylinder

Join the membership to fuel this channel on its way:
/ @visioracer
- Patreon -
/ visioracer
- Patreons -
Peter Della Flora
Brendan
Bill
andre surles
Michael Guerin
Crashbandit
John Stuart
EpicSeaDragon
John Johnson
Wilford Brimley
- Disclaimer -
This video is fair use under U.S. copyright law because it is transformative in nature, uses no more of the original than necessary and has no adverse effect on the market for the original work.
- Credits -
“HONDA - Isle of Man TT - Golden Years - Jim Redman - Mike Hailwood” by Duke Video
• HONDA - Isle of Man TT...
“HONDA RC166 DISASSEMBLY WORK” by HideTunedEngines
• HONDA RC166 DISASSEMBL...
“Steve Plater Honda RC166” by Peter F.
• Steve Plater Honda RC166
“RC174エンジン始動” by deco77gk
• RC174エンジン始動
“Donington Classic Bike Festival 2016 - 5 Honda RC174 297cc 6” by mikethebike70 Michael Williams
• Donington Classic Bike...
“MOTOR SPORT JAPAN 2015　1967 Honda RC174　エンジン始動！” by kumatan
• MOTOR SPORT JAPAN 2015...
“Honda RC166 (1966) - 6-Cylinder 250cc GP Racer” by Deckay_F
• Honda RC166 (1966) - 6...
“Honda 250cc 6 cyclinder replica” by Racing Home
• Honda 250cc 6 cyclinde...
“Legendary Isle of Man TT sound - Honda 6 ex Mike Hailwood” by anthony cubbon
• Legendary Isle of Man ...
“Original ex Mike Hailwood 1967 Honda RC174 six cylinder-Hi-Res version” by peterg2yt
• Original ex Mike Hailw...
“Honda RC174 6 cylinder 297cc on dyno” by peterg2yt
• Honda RC174 6 cylinder...
“Honda 250 6 cylinder RC166 start up Jurby festival Isle of Man during the Manx Grand Prix Classic TT” by THEcaptainsparkle
• Honda 250 6 cylinder R...

[@AKK5I]

Honda motorcycles make their car division look boring as hell

[@MLK_Sold_Black_america_out]

I know right 😅😅 Why can't the car division build this

[@ifeelcoke4347]

Like straight up, every Honda bike is interesting af about why it exists. Meanwhile with their cars: Like I’m a huge Honda car fan and Honda bike fan, but like the only time it’s interesting is probably with the NSX or S2000. Yes fellas I get it with the civic but like come on… Other than that, their Motorsport collaborations and participations are pinnacle with their Car division and that’s that (mostly in F1)

[@hathaway.1166]

if honda stop making Type Rs I would just look at their bikes

[@user-od4yl3rf4n]

I think you don't know what are you're talking about. Honda cars are legendary

[@NotthatNeil]

@@user-od4yl3rf4nin the ‘90s they were, but these days they’re kinda average.

[@Grimm-Gaming]

Ok that is one MEAN sounding engine! Unlike most old tiny bike engines

[@the80hdgaming]

Right? Like having Rodan roaring under you when you drive... It so aggressive sounding...

[@voornaam3191]

Buy an old Ducati, there has been a 350cc racing class. So, these engines still exist. And you bet THOSE are small and scarily fast.

[@Grimm-Gaming]

@voornaam3191 nah i dont do bikes i crashed n hurt myself bad enough LITERALLYA MY FIRST time on within 200ft on a 125.... ill stick with 4 wheels on the road

[@CaptHollister]

I have two anecdotes around the 250/6. The first involves a conversation I had with Michelle Duff, who as Mike Duff, had been a factory Yamaha rider and runner-up in the 1965 250 championship. She told me that she still had a ringing in her ears from chasing Jim Redman on the 250/6. The second anecdote was when I was there to witness one being ridden: for a very long time the only functioning Honda 250/6 was right here in Canada in a museum where it had been left after the season-ending 1967 Canadian motorcycle GP as a gift from Honda for Canada's centenary. One year, in the 1980s, it was pulled out to do a demonstration lap of the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal as part of the activities surrounding the F1 Grand Prix. I was there, I got to hear it. Videos don't do it justice. Words don't easily describe the incredible noise that engine made. From where my friends and I stood, we could hear every shift, every acceleration on any part of the circuit despite the damp track and the obvious care with which the rider was handling the machine. It was glorious. To this old man, the family of multi-cylinder GP Hondas of the mid 1960s, comprising the 50cc twin, the 125/5, and the 250/6 remain the most fascinating GP bikes to ever compete.

[@STiX_87]

Unfortunately, no speaker can deliver some emotional sounds. I heard a lot of times the Ford GT40 engine sound. When I was given the opportunity to enjoy such a car in our local circuit, every time it was flying by, I was feeling my chest vibrating...

[@bradpnw1897]

So cool

[@Bob_Adkins]

Noise? No, I don't think noise is the right word, so we need to find a better word to describe the sound.

[@rustyrollo9110]

I remember seeing that Honda250/6 on static display at the Ontario Science Centre around 1970, wonder where it is now?

[@martin-vv9lf]

I always wondered why there were no 6 cylinder economy cars with high revving ~1 liter engines, this video explains it, the harmonics break the crank. thanks for posting.

[@siraff4461]

Thats not really why. The harmonics only become a problem when you're going for very high revs and it was already solved as in this design. Better balancing, modern tolerances and materials also help. What stops them being in economy cars is their cost and practicality. In most cases a larger capacity (or turbocharged) three or four cylinder will be cheaper to make, cheaper to service, easier to package and for the power required perfectly adequate. Car makers have to think about who is buying the car and for most people the benefits just don't add up to the extra costs when its just a normal daily car. Then when you go up a level its still easier to make a V6 which has none of the harmonics issues, is generally much easier to package and with modern impact standards the (much) shorter V6 is preferable.

[@Cletrac305]

High reving, small engines are the opposite of "economy." Simple big cube slow turners are cheaper and last longer. They also have more torque and wider powerbands.

[@peterdarr383]

@@Cletrac305 The "K" cars had the Mitsubishi 2.2L for millions of cars when the "Foreign" cars had 1.6L

[@voornaam3191]

​@@siraff4461 Want an example? Alfa Romeo Brera was intended for a Maserati engine. V12 or V16, I think. But the car would be too expensive, they would sell only a few. So, Alfa sold it with smaller engines. Today you should buy a supercharged eight cylinder engine, and give your Brera the power it was built for. But yeah, who has the skills to do that at home? Otherwise, that would cost you. And that is the point, here, more cylinders is beautiful, but who is gonna pay the bill? Even Alfa Romeo had a car that was designed to be very impressive, and we are lucky they did not quit the project. You can still find one, if you are into that car.

[@larslarsman]

1967, Monza Italy, Italian GP. I was there. If I remember correctly there were 6 Honda 250cc six cylinder 4 stroke bikes and 4 Yamaha 250cc four cylinder 2 stroke bikes. Amazing never to be heard again racing sounds. Trivia on the 500cc GP same day. Mike Hailwood on the Honda four 500cc 4 stroke bike, and Giacomo Agostini on the three cylinder MV Agusta 500cc 4 stroke bike. Mike left Ago in the dust the whole race until the next to last lap. The Honda 4 was not firing a cylinder, so only 3 cylinders firing for Mike. On the last lap, Ago caught up and passed Mike for the 500cc victory that day.

[@jfgarro]

When the Honda engineers, and not the accountants or environmentalists, took the design to the max! Love your videos!

[@chrissmith7655]

Hi, saw Hailwood race this bike several times live. Absolutely awe inspiring sound ,will never forget the times. Many thanks for all the info, from UK.

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

That still picture at 5:30 could go on my wall. Nice work as always

[@xenuno]

Those pistons so cute .. I just want to hug and squeeze them

[@Tom-wl9sx]

Great video as always! Honda really knows how to build engines! Had several Honda bikes and cars, never an issue with with the engines 🙃

[@michaelharrison1093]

Great to see the early video footage from Isle of Man

[@zogzoogler]

Your best video to date, brilliant info on a brilliant engine. I have heard the 250-6 in person and it sounds like somebody left the gates to hell open.

[@caleroby9483]

Mean as Hell! Still.. GLORIOUS sounding!

[@mootpointjones8488]

Hailwood is the GOAT, he won on almost every size of bike and won TT races when formed part of the World Championship. Thanks for the upload 👍

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

DUNLOP FAMILY = bike racing !

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

This is why I love Grand Prix racing. It's the ultimate cutting edge of engineering and technology!

[@michaelguerin56]

Great sound. Impressive engineering. Thank you.

[@dustinh4175]

That bike sounds so freakin good

[@davidl546]

As soon as I saw that crankshaft, I knew what this video was about! Long live the RC166!

[@bigpowerhouse11]

27,000 for their highest tested rpm's is INSANE!!!

[@Grimm-Gaming]

Yay more weird engine stuff!

[@tinysim]

Those are some impressive power figures for a carbureted NA engine.

[@upsidedowndog1256]

Pretty darn cool! I wish Honda would do something like that again.

[@bellaggio1770]

Man I wish I could buy a new one of these, they look and sound amazing, AND lightweight.

[@dennisford2000]

RC116&146 The two cyl 50 and the five 125

[@mikeford5106]

my elder cousin who was a big race fan, took me , [a 13 yoer old kid] to the IOM, to watch the TT races ... the FIRST racing motorcycle i ever saw [and heard] ... was this incredible bike , mike hailwood riding it flat out at the bottom of bray hill, a sight and sound i will NEVER forget, ... all i ever wanted to be from then on , was a motorcycle racer !!!

[@HariSupriono]

I'm a simple man. I see tiny piston, I click

[@kimmer6]

Iam an old man. I have a tiny piston and can't seem to find a cylinder.

[@rns6889]

​@@kimmer6sir I think the ladies nowadays prefer a long stroke torque machine I'm sorry to deliver this news 😂

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

Best sounding bike ever!!!😅😅😅

[@nagyandras8857]

@visioRaces , the main reason for a inline 6 is balance vs a v6 balance. high revs require a very good balance. and v6 is inferior in that regard to straight 6.

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

Breathtaking sound, and such a gorgeous, purposeful machine.

[@josephstanton2480]

Excellent. what a tiny little piston.

[@cedriclynch]

Have you seen the 50cc twin and 125cc five-cylinder works racers that Honda also made in the 1960s, both with four valves per cylinder and running up to more than 20,000rpm?

[@TomRedlion]

Engine sounds kinda... Angry. Love it.

[@timlong1462]

I guess I never put it together why all of these videos of small displacement Honda motorcycles have some dude revving the snot out of them. High compression, and near zero rotational mass. Pretty cool.

[@tonycamplin8607]

An absolutely fantastic bike and sound.

[@waldkrause6878]

Great video! This is where noise becomes art!

[@NinthDensity]

Love these small engines

[@CalebHawker31]

I surely like this type of engine!

[@josvandencamp8441]

I remember them racing. The sound is great.

[@philipmezesers5297]

Thanks, I know why it should rev constantly. Because the crankshaft is too light, it will stall.

[@plap.]

Did you say ear pleasing or ear bleeding sound.

[@mikeford5106]

It's BOTH !!!

[@microsoft790]

If Honda proved anything it is that a four stroke engine has to be incredibly complex and well engineered to compete with a two stroke of equal displacement.

[@CaptHollister]

Twenty years later, the NR500 also proved that no matter how incredibly complex and well-engineered, a four-stroke cannot compete against a well-engineered two-stroke.

[@rns6889]

They tried years later, couldn't compete. But I bet in this modern era, a 2 stroke 750 cc superbike would be an untamed beast that is not very easy to control, especially in corner exits, which is the main reason motogp is so fast.

[@ENZautomotive]

It's been over 5 years I think I know before COVID , but do you have videos in your language but with subtitles? 😅 I wanna try that... I just don't understand some things you say bro and I've been fan since before you got into an accident in the BRZ 🤧 then you started getting into bikes and you scared me because you make good videos and I ride too just you don't have to be scared of a motorcycle it's everyone else around you stay safe! And keep up the good work 👍💪

[@bhagasasi425]

Here in Indonesia, Honda is the most cunning company that always cut production cost year by year by lowering quality of their bikes. In rencent model they make thin crankcase and plastic body also they put smaller clutch pad..

[@koollee]

Damn. Prices rise, quality and quantity falls

[@rns6889]

Yah namanya motor untuk Asian market, gitulah, tapi reputasi Honda untuk motor kapasitas besar legendaris. I mean, they're known for their build quality and premium feeling for their big bikes, Harganya juga diatas kompetitor Jepang.. Tapi di Indonesia beda cerita 😂

[@whereswaldo5740]

Great video. Always liked Honda products. Especially their bikes. The 69 z50A ATC 90 Elsinore Trials bikes Motocross of the 2 stroke era 80 125 250cc

[@plunder1956]

The valves must be amazing.

[@CANALROBBY]

La RC 166 est le plus belle instrument de musique inventé par l'homme. ✌

[@AlonsoLopezmora]

4:32 that engine sound like a V12

[@christophecamus3295]

❤❤❤❤amazing sound and technology, great video

[@themadscientest]

That is a very beautiful sound.

[@alefcalixto]

Wish you talk about the new Moto3 Engines and their incredible power to cc

[@Damien.D]

Despite having cylinders in the region of chainsaw engine size, this engine as a surprisingly profound growl. Really love Honda's engineering craziness.

[@DaveBegotka]

Great noise

[@caleroby9483]

Ohhh Man...! VICIOUS sounding! 😘

[@TheSlowDude]

Thanks again :-)

[@kellyb.mcdonald1863]

I know I light up when I hear that screechy high revving engine, because it is insane in my brain, I want to enjoy the sound!!! and record it!!! I'm not into pollution though, and I would want to replace the ICE engine with a dielectric/piezo electric quartz crystal nodule that would work in it's place!!! but keep the sound going, churning out the sound!!!

[@Spectrolite1]

Hi Visio have you heard about the Rotary Power International, they made a huge industrial rotary marine diesels

[@andyharman3022]

They were the company formed when John Deere sold off their Rotary Engine Division.

[@surisurya3577]

Four stroke engines with more than 6 cylinders the torsional vibrations of the crankshaft are cancelled out by the next firing cylinder as there is power overlap.

[@surisurya3577]

@Turnipstalk thankyou for the insight!

[@caleroby9483]

Interesting! Good Stuff!

[@pete1342]

High RPM, torque measured in inch ounces.

[@RIPPERTON]

They didnt need to make a 6 cylinder crankshaft. They could have made 2x 3 cylinder cranks both with gears in the center of the engine that drove a single wider gear on the clutch basket.

[@davidl546]

That engine sounds more like a tornado siren! Or air raid siren!

[@perseusaut]

When a 250 Bike almost 60 Years ago makes better sounds than F1 these days! 264 hp/Liter @ 18.000 Upm N.A. sounds crazy in 1965.

[@rickybo6862]

Wish I had one of those bikes

[@thundermite1241]

Ever consider doing non auto,truck,bike videos like for example the maytag kickstart washingmachine motor or how honda got into making lawnmower engines or even going over briggs & stratton got their start

[@Terraceview]

260hp / liter in 1966!

[@martinfisker7438]

66hp/250cc is insane! Even by modern standards.

[@feelincrispy7053]

Reminds of the guy on KZbin who built a straight 10 2 stroke maybe a month or two ago

[@danielguzman9061]

Please make a video about irimaji

[@Audfile]

That engine makes our modern parallel twins sound terrible. We've gone backwards.

[@voornaam3191]

Wrong. What you want is a 270° twin. The 90° crankshaft. Then you get a torque curve that is different, it rides just like the Italian twins. All because it is NOT a boring 360° twin (the boxers, the real parallel twins). Get yourself on a TRX850, or the totally renewed TDM900. Most bikers have no idea how great that engine is. It is NOT just a stupid twin. It is NOT a racing bike. They gave up 10 or 20 horses. What you get back, is more torque. But the 5-valve heads make sure you still have 90 hp. Got that? TDM900 is great for touring, but when riding in a group, you are not in trouble, you can get along, this bike handles better than you'd think. Now that 900 twin is gone. They got a 700. Or a triple and that is different. Nice, but torque has a different distribution. Low revs, strong? Ever tried a supermono? Mono or twin has less top power, but get real, what bikers need max power? Such macho's hit a truck, or a tree, or the cops. It is always the same. Go to a track! And on the road, nothing is more beautiful than a large twin. What else do you need? Perfect four cylinders are perfect, but do you LIKE that? Who can afford a cross-plane four? Most bikers have no idea what that even is. Each biker should have two different bikes, touring and racing, or dirtbike and road, or gasoline and electric, or light and heavier. Then you pick the bike that works best for what you do that day. You'd be amazed how much you would like a 125 twostroke. But you don't even try.

[@tomcoryell]

That almost sounds like a V12 Ferrari.

[@driverjamescopeland]

I don't know what it is about two strokes... but past 10k rpm, all number of cylinders except singles, sound the same to me 🤦‍♂️

[@Andrzej-gc7bg]

Yahama,suksuzi,hynda,kasawaki,mitsibuhi......to dobre motorowery.

[@davidmann4533]

Fabulous

[@ellgwapo.1754]

That's! Engine have on Sound Like a Micro F1.

[@mikeford5106]

NO, ... it sounds MUCH better !!! 😀

[@ellgwapo.1754]

@@mikeford5106 bat Not Name: günstig on Produktion meby wath's u think about That's ? True or Not.

[@Selmerpilot]

This engine sound and the 90 degree 1.5L Benelli engine makes me pee a little.

[@fobbitoperator3620]

Japanese engineering & manufacturing has benefited greatly throughout their history, from their customary philosophy of "Kaizen." This engine is actual proof of this point!

[@Moreda64]

There are several motorcycle manufacturers, and then there is Honda.

[@Astrothunderkat]

All this to avoid admitting the 2 stroke was the superior platform

[@KAISAMA-do1xt]

Is this kamen rider ichigo bike?

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

At the same time, the best the british factories could come up with was a single or twin.

[@critiqalerror]

CBX next?

[@mmmddd4366]

Do a video on something random in the same layout like a toilet roll.

[@Andrzej-gc7bg]

Ale małe tłoki,jak kieliszki od wódki.....?

[@grabir01]

The CBX did not handle well at all.

[@stevespanos75]

Testing the Integrity of KZbin. They only want false niceness in the comment section.

[@billsmith5166]

Hardly seems possible.

[@LorenzoNacional-ju8me]

Continue you. Engine.👏🕊️⚖️🦅.

[@ovalwingnut]

wow (Spelled W.O.W). ShOcK & AWE impressed. I miniatures... Why? Because they are so "dang small" ! I haven't been this impressed since I stepped out of the shower drippng wet (no charge for that visual:). Thank you for the video. Cheers from So.Ca.USA 3rd House On the Left

[@markschattefor6997]

The technical wizard Allen Millyard build a replica, check out his channel.

[@oluffriesthomsen7680]

Funny pronounciation, from the speaker.

[@mcjdubpower]

Gud vid 💯💥👍

[@deandee8082]

he talks about and shows a 4 stroke, but the bike running is a two stroke? WTF?

[@VisioRacer]

Where do you see a two-stroke?

[@user-lq6ec6su6g]

Say development again

[@voornaam3191]

Elon Crankshaft? My Nihongo is just as funny, I am an Otemba-jin, from the Netherlands. Hai.

[@HarmonRAB-hp4nk]

thatas not the smallest my .60 cubic inch engine has a piston thats like 1.2 centimeters in diameter.. lol dam things puts out 5 horsepower.... run on nitro methanol lol

[@voornaam3191]

Mindblowing? Excuse me? I have owned a 350cc Ducati Pantah engined bike, a Cagiva. Desmo. That one did 18 thousand two. Yes, that is the way to wake up horse power. Has DUCATI ever done a desmo V6? I am afraid they would get the Nihonjin nervous. With all due respect, by the way. This 6 cylinder engine was beautiful!

[@j.curtisproductions1106]

Actually first, love ur work man keep it up

[@postulator890]

The engine stalled when the throttle was closed because the Keihin carburetors didn't have an idle circuit.

[@Iowa599]

A v6 could be aircooled, but one bank would be upside down. > , not v

[@jamesscully7108]

👀🇮🇪⚓