I recall reading that a lot of manufacturers cross-develop their Racing machines with their Street machines. It helps keep development costs a bit lower and the sale of street machines can offset some of the high development costs. It also can better the road machines (Racing improves the breed and all that) and add sales power, (win on Sunday, sell on Monday), etc.
Honda often likes to comment that the CBR1000RR is based on the RC211V, and the suspension and bodywork certainly may be. But why doesn't the street machine have a V5 like the racing model? The Yamaha race bikes are inline-fours, as are their street bikes. It would be not a stretch to think that advances made on the racing bike could be incorporated into the street bike and then some of the development costs recouped as people bought them.
However, Honda has two engine lines, the V5 for racing and the L4 for the street bikes. Wouldn't it make sense to only have one line and develop it for both street and track? It seems like it would be cheaper and people who want to ride a "racebike" can say they do (even though we know how much of a fallacy that is).
I just think it would be way cool to have a V5 bike out there and it would set Honda apart from the pack. It would also be unique and could be used as a selling point.
Thoughts?
