2005 Honda RC211V First Ride Photo Gallery

Just like the Blade, the RC211V runs an electronic steering damper. Both bikes are exceedingly stable as a result, and they both lock-up the steering when doing third-gear wheelies.

Where you really appreciate just how devastatingly good both the Blade and the RC211V are, is when someone's trying to keep up with you. They both do speed incredibly easily.

Look closely and you'll see an inch-wide clear sticker with a serrated edge running down the side of the fairing running through the letter 'R' of Repsol. It's there to help airflow dynamics at speed. Does it work? Who knows?

Stand near it while it's up on its bench with its clothes off and it even smells special. From the eye-watering stench of race fuel and hot race rubber, to the various exotic oils and lubricants dispensed from trick looking HRC-stickered containers.

It's all built to be mechanic-friendly too, HRC mechanics say it's a piece of cake to work on, not like the old V-4 Superbikes or the upside-down V-4 raced by Spencer in the '80s.

Every lightweight nut bolt and part on the bike is there for a reason - if it's not vital to making it go, stop and handle, it doesn't go on.

With all the variable length exhaust incorporated throughout the RC211V, you have to expect some creative or, unusual looking features here and there.

A stripped down RC211V is simply engineering porn at its best. It's exquisitely built and put together; it makes something like an exotic MV Agusta road bike look like it's been made in a dodgy Chinese sweat shop.

The brakes of the Gods: Carbon discs, radial-mount calipers - everything you ever wanted but will never have in a braking system.

Is that one sick-ass under-seat exhaust or what?

Expect power crazed wheelies in each of the six gears and the threat of being ejected out of each corner.

The heart of the Honda RC211V MotoGP machine is this 250+hp, liquid-cooled, 990cc, 75.5-degree V-5 four-stroke powerplant.

Like the FireBlade the MotoGP bike has a knack of being very, very fast without really feeling it.