In 1967 i was 7 years old. My Father was a Bike nut and we were walking around the paddock at Brands. Mike Hailwood was there about to jump on his Honda 6. The mechanic started it up as we walked by. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit,,,,It bloody near caved my head in. Hailwood won every race he was in that day.......by at least half a lap. That really was the start of the japanese invasion. Previously competitive Nortons, Triumphs, BSA's, Matchless's, AJS's were now on borrowed time.
In those days they took engineering to another level. They were in my instrument makers 250cc, 6 cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder head, 20,000 RPM. And if I recall, no flywheel to speak of, hence the continuous bleeping, as it wouldn’t idle! That era by Honda was a great period of bikes and men making sweet sweet music 🎶. I am sorry but even F1 are struggling to compete. Arigato Honda.
The Chief Engineer on this machine was the same one who later ran the HONDA CBX project. The CBX is a much larger, street going version of the RC166. In fact, many of those building "replicas" of RC166 are using CBX engines. The CBX engine is very similar in layout. Some of the little known engineering details of the RC166 would amaze you!
The RC166 is the most beautiful sounding engine ever made. My dad owns some 6-cylinder bikes like the Benelli Tornado 900, Kawasaki Z1300 and Honda CBX1000 (which also sounds especially nice), but the RC166 just takes the cake.
When we went to Mike Hailwood race the 250,350 and 500cc's you not only saw him,you felt him and these amazing machines deep inside you.Your body shook with the vibrations and the pure excitement of being a part of snapshot of motorcycling history. He breathed life intom these Machines and brought them to life. We witnessed a Miracle when he rode them. RIP Mike
Back in the 60's in order to beat the 2 stroke yamahas with 4stroke engines you needed to add cylinders.Hence the RC161 4 cyl came about and for a short time was on par with the top yamahas.Honda soon realized that the 161 wasn't going to be able to keep up with the always revised yamahas and so they built the RC166 and had the likes of Mike Hailwood and Jim Redman as their top riders. The Rc166 could turn 20,000+ rpms and produced around 65 hp.That doesn't sound like a big number today but when you consider Honda's production CL72 250cc Scrambler back in the day produced 25hp;then having 40 more hp and weighing 50lbs less made it as potent a racer could be at the time.Hailwood was thumping on Yamaha for quite awhile but they knew eventually the 2 stroke development was going to overtake them. Rather then continue R&D on the bike they made the decision to pull out of Grand Prix in the later 60's.They had accomplished what they wanted with Hailwood winning 250cc Championships.So they closed out the program not even letting the newly developed RC149 5cyl 125 bike even race in a sanctioned event.When Honda returned to Moto GP Racing years later they were running 2strokes, hence the eventual dominating NSR'S in both 250cc & 500...s.m.
Although were back to 4 strokes in modern MOTO-GP Racing and producing HP in the 250+ range. The Noise decibel Rules that are in place now have ruined what many fans come to races for. They want to hear something that almost blows your eardrums out; not something that is sometimes quieter than your street ride. Same thing happen in AMA GRANDNATIONAL DT RACING. Why motorcycle racing got the Crap end of the stick is still a mystery to me. Most Autoracing sanctions (NHRA,NASCAR,ETC.) have no noise decibel limit. I'm glad I was able to hear these magnificent open megaphone machines back in the Day. It's almost undiscribable unless you were there to witness it...s.m.
@@stevematz7354 When you heard the bikes running down at max speed in the Serraglio forest and abruptely appearing and braking to the Ascari variant in Monza was (and still is) something supernatural. It seems like cyclopic monsters are running towards you and you feel like your last minute has come. It's really something one man can't imagine if has never lived it. Electric bikes are here now...
There were four 250cc Honda six's and two 250cc Yamaha four's at the 1967 Monza GP. You could hear them going all the way around the course, not just when they passed in front of you. A sound I have never heard again, a sound I obviously will never forget. The Formula 1' cars a week or two later at Monza sounded like un-muffled Model A rustbuckets. I did get to see Dan Gurney and his Formula 1 American Eagle leave the Formula 1 pack in the dust. Unfortunately his Eagle only lasted 3 or 4 laps.
Watched the Honda 6 vs: Yamaha V4 races at many tracks in England and in 1966 + '67 at the Isle of Man TT.. Fantastic racing .. I'll never forget the sound of those two machines. Still makes the hair on my neck tingle. I have them on two CD's , and play them now and again, on my stereo - with the volume up...
I love the way one of the audience put his fingers in his ears in anticipation of the screaming engine. I also love the way the audience jump as the engine screams into life and the guy behind the girl nods his head as if to say "that's more like it". A truely superb motorcycle. I think it had a top speed of about 145mph and 62bhp. Incredible. The RC166 will be remembered by many for years to come.
I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing a cylinder head from one of these at Sammy Miller's Museum. It was like looking into the innards of a Swiss watch!
It did Clutch, many, many years ago. Racing is so "flat" nowadys, all bikes look, smell and sound the same. In the 70's and early 80's I loved to see the MV Agustas, and the 50cc, some of them build in a barn or shet bij the drivers themself. Good times!
They started one of these at a Honda motorcycle dealer show a few years ago. To say it is painfully loud is an utter understatement. It will make your ears bleed.
Cara acho que eu não tinha nem 2 anos de idade quando essas 250 6 cilindros emitiam esse som simplesmente maravilhoso... mais uma musica pra se ouvir alto e em bom som
That is just amazing, nothing in this world sounds so sweet but just so down right nasty at the same time. 1967 Mike the bike set a lap record in the lightweight TT race of 104.29 mph on one of those, 1967!!!
I saw this whole video, the two mechanics very meticulously take the whole bike apart and dissect it in front of the group. I think one of the people in the group is the designer, he also designed the engine for the cbx years later, a very similar engine design with 4 separate cams, the gas tank is very very thin aluminum and weighs nearly nothing, most of the engine is made of magnesium, the bike is truly a work of art. MV made a six but in the 50s.
One of the BEST motorcycles Japan has ever built,truly a classic and very beautiful to ride,although tight steep turns are out of the question though, its still a thrill a minute,cheap,easy to work on,enjoyable motorcycle;(espescially with a big bore kit OH-MY!! and they make a most beautiful CHOPPER BIKE!!
That is freakin' awesome! I love the old-school bikes and, what's more, it looks fast, too. Might violate some noise restrictions, but... damn if the fine wouldn't be worth it to take a ride on one of those. That it's human engineering (not some computer on wheels) just adds to the appeal.
Back in the day there was a 250cc I4 street bike (well a few) and they were little monsters. Around 50 HP, 20,000 rev limiter with 18,000 being the norm, and they sounded like a race car but were street legal, but were all bark and little bite. Nimble but not fast. If they had survived to this day I would want one, they sound awesome. This bike sounds even more awesome and angry.
Put Mike Hailwood on this bike in 1966/1967 (as Honda did) and you've really got some combination. Here's a little detail about this bike and Mike Hailwood: I recall making my first visit to my local racetrack - Oulton Park in Cheshire in the UK. The year was 1976 and I was 16 years old. It was the Easter Monday meeting and I was there to watch the last day of racing in the Transatlantic Trophy series. By that time motorcycle racing was dominated entirely by 2-stroke machines - basically if you were one of the 1 or 2 riders still on a 4-stroke you had no chance of winning or even challenging. You probably came in last. I remember buying a raceday program and flicking through the pages to see what races were on that day. I noticed that for each race, as well as a list of competitors and their machines, there was quoted the current lap record speed for the class and the name of the rider that held it, and the machine they had set it on. For class after class the lap record was held by someone riding a 2-stroke, typically a TZ Yamaha (the 500cc class record I guess was most probably held by Barry Sheene on his RG500 Suzuki). All except for the 250cc class: To my amazement the then lap record was still held by Mike Hailwood on a 250cc Honda - undoubtedly a 4-stroke. As Mike would not have raced this machine any later than 1968, this was staggering to me. I mentioned this to my mates and none of them could believe it, most of them dismissing it as "some kind of mistake". Hailwood was a special rider, and that was a special bike in its day. So I tend to think it was no mistake at all. :-)
Honda is the most genius company in history. The genius of Soichira Honda and his racing spirit are unparalleled and it reflects in everything they ever made. They made the most advanced motorcycles of all time, dominate MotoGP with the record number of titles, Isle of Man TT, first car they ever made revved to 9500 rpm and beat cars with twice the amount of power. They went on dominating every single motorsports to dominating Ferrari in Formula 1 as well as at their own supercar game with the NSX. I don't care what gtr fanboys and Ferrari fanboys say. They always got owned by Honda anyway. Lol. SMART people know that Honda is the most legendary name in history of automobile and motorsports. No other brand even comes close to their genius and the art they create. (Maybe alfa romeo and ferrari had the passion but they never had the engineering genius and technical knowledge of Honda)
In the sixties for an engine to scream at 18000 rpm must have been out of this world. Most of the Triumphs of the day could do about a third of that. The Japanese really did take motorcycles to a new level. I've always had a passion for Honda motorcylces. I like Kawasaki, but my heart is with Honda.
I've seen/heard this bike demonstrated at a Classic bike show in Yokohama; the loudest exhaust I've ever heard; I had to lean on a concrete pillar to steady myself or I couldn't keep standing up....
Ages away from now, when we all drive electric, she will be remembered as the dirty girl who was the greatest singer ever.
Beautifull said bro.
Indeed the greatest sound of all times.
Brings shivers down my spine.
Can't wait for the electric torque, but yeh the RC166, she's one dirty bitch.
In 1967 i was 7 years old. My Father was a Bike nut and we were walking around the paddock at Brands. Mike Hailwood was there about to jump on his Honda 6. The mechanic started it up as we walked by. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit,,,,It bloody near caved my head in. Hailwood won every race he was in that day.......by at least half a lap.
That really was the start of the japanese invasion. Previously competitive Nortons, Triumphs, BSA's, Matchless's, AJS's were now on borrowed time.
Honda should put one of these engines into a modern chassis to see what it's full potential might be. Go on Honda, you know you want to.
I'd buy several of them to keep my CBX company in the garage! Should do it with a modern chassis that looks as much like the 1960's bike as possible.
@@michaeldavis5775 the cbx are it's little siblings :)
Should put it in an N600
In those days they took engineering to another level. They were in my instrument makers
250cc, 6 cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder head, 20,000 RPM. And if I recall, no flywheel to speak of, hence the continuous bleeping, as it wouldn’t idle!
That era by Honda was a great period of bikes and men making sweet sweet music 🎶.
I am sorry but even F1 are struggling to compete.
Arigato Honda.
Totally! This must've been like a spaceship compared to balsa gliders in 1966.
The Chief Engineer on this machine was the same one who later ran the HONDA CBX project. The CBX is a much larger, street going version of the RC166. In fact, many of those building "replicas" of RC166 are using CBX engines. The CBX engine is very similar in layout. Some of the little known engineering details of the RC166 would amaze you!
The RC166 is the most beautiful sounding engine ever made. My dad owns some 6-cylinder bikes like the Benelli Tornado 900, Kawasaki Z1300 and Honda CBX1000 (which also sounds especially nice), but the RC166 just takes the cake.
I believe the CBX1000 road bike is an upscaled version of the RC166. Take a look at the engines of each.
That guy at 0:57 has the same smile I had while watching this :')
yikes... that RPM snaps up sooo fast... LOVE IT!!
What a truly glorious sound.
Невероятная мощь! 😮это невероятно! 1966 год, я не могу прийти в себя. 250кубов и так прет.
When we went to Mike Hailwood race the 250,350 and 500cc's you not only saw him,you felt him and these amazing machines deep inside you.Your body shook with the vibrations and the pure excitement of being a part of snapshot of motorcycling history. He breathed life intom these Machines and brought them to life. We witnessed a Miracle when he rode them. RIP Mike
Back in the 60's in order to beat the 2 stroke yamahas with 4stroke engines you needed to add cylinders.Hence the RC161 4 cyl came about and for a short time was on par with the top yamahas.Honda soon realized that the 161 wasn't going to be able to keep up with the always revised yamahas and so they built the RC166 and had the likes of Mike Hailwood and Jim Redman as their top riders. The Rc166 could turn 20,000+ rpms and produced around 65 hp.That doesn't sound like a big number today but when you consider Honda's production CL72 250cc Scrambler back in the day produced 25hp;then having 40 more hp and weighing 50lbs less made it as potent a racer could be at the time.Hailwood was thumping on Yamaha for quite awhile but they knew eventually the 2 stroke development was going to overtake them.
Rather then continue R&D on the bike they made the decision to pull out of Grand Prix in the later 60's.They had accomplished what they wanted with Hailwood winning 250cc Championships.So they closed out the program not even letting the newly developed RC149 5cyl 125 bike even race in a sanctioned event.When Honda returned to Moto GP Racing years later they were running 2strokes, hence the eventual dominating NSR'S in both 250cc & 500...s.m.
Although were back to 4 strokes in modern MOTO-GP Racing and producing HP in the 250+ range. The Noise decibel Rules that are in place now have ruined what many fans come to races for. They want to hear something that almost blows your eardrums out; not something that is sometimes quieter than your street ride. Same thing happen in AMA GRANDNATIONAL DT RACING. Why motorcycle racing got the Crap end of the stick is still a mystery to me. Most Autoracing sanctions (NHRA,NASCAR,ETC.) have no noise decibel limit. I'm glad I was able to hear these magnificent open megaphone machines back in the Day. It's almost undiscribable unless you were there to witness it...s.m.
250ccm and 65Hp is still very impressive.
65HP *4 (1000cm) = 260hp. (ok..not 100% comparable)
Wow!
@@stevematz7354 When you heard the bikes running down at max speed in the Serraglio forest and abruptely appearing and braking to the Ascari variant in Monza was (and still is) something supernatural. It seems like cyclopic monsters are running towards you and you feel like your last minute has come. It's really something one man can't imagine if has never lived it. Electric bikes are here now...
I saw Mike Hailwood race one of those sixes at Brands Hatch about 1968, gave me goose bumps, and he was revving it harder than in the vid.
I saw him too on this bike. Its a sound that you will never forget. It sticks forever in your soul.
Cool.
What a work of art
That sound that turns your eardrums into vibrating sub woofers...
Probably one of the most awesomme sounds in motorcycling.
Haha! Love the old guy right at the end. That slight grin is silently screaming "Yeah. That's bad ass."
There were four 250cc Honda six's and two 250cc Yamaha four's at the 1967 Monza GP. You could hear them going all the way around the course, not just when they passed in front of you. A sound I have never heard again, a sound I obviously will never forget. The Formula 1' cars a week or two later at Monza sounded like un-muffled Model A rustbuckets. I did get to see Dan Gurney and his Formula 1 American Eagle leave the Formula 1 pack in the dust. Unfortunately his Eagle only lasted 3 or 4 laps.
Watched the Honda 6 vs: Yamaha V4 races at many tracks in England and in 1966 + '67 at the Isle of Man TT.. Fantastic racing .. I'll never forget the sound of those two machines. Still makes the hair on my neck tingle. I have them on two CD's , and play them now and again, on my stereo - with the volume up...
I love the way one of the audience put his fingers in his ears in anticipation of the screaming engine. I also love the way the audience jump as the engine screams into life and the guy behind the girl nods his head as if to say "that's more like it". A truely superb motorcycle. I think it had a top speed of about 145mph and 62bhp. Incredible. The RC166 will be remembered by many for years to come.
Why are you only allowed to like a video once???
I had the unexpected pleasure of seeing a cylinder head from one of these at Sammy Miller's Museum. It was like looking into the innards of a Swiss watch!
😮это невероятно! 1966 год! Это какая планета! 😮
これ見てました！
何度見ても泣ける程すばらしい！
映ってるタレントさんも根っからのバイク好きばかりだし、素晴らしい番組だった・・
またやって欲しいっすね
this noise is insane!!!!!! and a 4 stroke too!!!!!
This bike has gasoline engine vroom pow
@@epicengines2565 I hope you're joking lol
@@epicengines2565 thats right zzzzzz lol
@@epicengines2565 NO! It's a 4 stroke!
Dude in the yellow wristband knew exactly what was coming.........LOL
F1 needs to sound like this
It did Clutch, many, many years ago.
Racing is so "flat" nowadys, all bikes look, smell and sound the same.
In the 70's and early 80's I loved to see the MV Agustas, and the 50cc, some of them build in a barn or shet bij the drivers themself.
Good times!
I agree with that so much^
You're all will miss flat nowadays compared to silent electric near future :D
Did anyone happen to notice that the bike was being revved to 18000 rpm?! Sounds soooo good!
WOW. The sound is really the best . I love it . Nice one .
0:49 guy in the middle backround: "yeah we japanese are so sick!"
but he´s right, outstanding awesome piece of metal, this bike
you should hear this noise live. it's simply fucking insane, but still one of the best sounds you will ever hear
Outstanding. I loved the shocked looks and then the smiles.
Ohohoho. Mother of bikes. That Tacho meter Needle .....
rev limiter 22000 ?
hasn't got one. =)
Brutal acceleration
They started one of these at a Honda motorcycle dealer show a few years ago. To say it is painfully loud is an utter understatement. It will make your ears bleed.
マフラーエンドの絞りでセッティングを変えてたって凄いよね
That bike has soul!
Awsome!
How can anyone dislike this, it's amazing
Spine tingling!!! Makes me think of Tom Phillis, Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman, Luigi Taveri and Ralph Bryans!!
what a beautiful sound!
Cara acho que eu não tinha nem 2 anos de idade quando essas 250 6 cilindros emitiam esse som simplesmente maravilhoso... mais uma musica pra se ouvir alto e em bom som
Honda RC166 is the G.O.A.T.
This brings tears to my eyes, nostalgia is a strange thing.
That is just amazing, nothing in this world sounds so sweet but just so down right nasty at the same time.
1967 Mike the bike set a lap record in the lightweight TT race of 104.29 mph on one of those, 1967!!!
love the sound of these bikes :)
The sweetest motorbike sound ever 20,000 revs plus amazing the mind boggles.
I saw this whole video, the two mechanics very meticulously take the whole bike apart and dissect it in front of the group. I think one of the people in the group is the designer, he also designed the engine for the cbx years later, a very similar engine design with 4 separate cams, the gas tank is very very thin aluminum and weighs nearly nothing, most of the engine is made of magnesium, the bike is truly a work of art. MV made a six but in the 50s.
fantastic machine Sochiro,what a genius
that is one incredible little 6 shooter!
I remember this in my youth howling down Bray Hill and at full chat screaming past the Highlander pub at the IOM TT.
250の6気筒で実績を残しそして1500の12気筒でf1に打って出るわけですな
今の時代じゃありえないロマンを感じます
Omg these old bikes sound way better than these modern bikes.
Dig that Purr, beautiful, thanks guys. 🏁
Imagine an S500 powered by a 12-cyl made from 2 of those. With equal length headers.
holy fuck 20,000 rpm in 1966 that is one badass bike. I want one for the street lmao Catch me if you can coppers.
also a 250, and will do 120 mph TOPS....
Quite the disadvantage.
TheSpyChecker The sound alone would probably deter them though!
Woah!! I was blown to bits!! 😲
One of the BEST motorcycles Japan has ever built,truly a classic and very beautiful to ride,although tight steep turns are out of the question though, its still a thrill a minute,cheap,easy to work on,enjoyable motorcycle;(espescially with a big bore kit OH-MY!! and they make a most beautiful CHOPPER BIKE!!
Holy shit. That represents all the best things about Motorcycles.
Great sound from a great machine
Sounds better than a current f1
awesome sound ! hope my youtube build project sounds so sweet!
Great comment, I'll send you 5..... 😁
これぞメタルの野獣、ホンダ魂の雄叫びだー！
WHAT A NICE SOUND
Yoh! Never seen revs climb like that. What a monster!
Look at the way the tachometer jumped when he gunned the throttle. It's like pure power was trying to ooze out and the bike couldn't contain it!
Incredible 250 six cylinders... can't see today that kind of race bikes.
Heavenly sound ❤️👏💪
That is freakin' awesome! I love the old-school bikes and, what's more, it looks fast, too.
Might violate some noise restrictions, but... damn if the fine wouldn't be worth it to take a ride on one of those.
That it's human engineering (not some computer on wheels) just adds to the appeal.
This is one of the few 4 stroke I really like
man it sounds amazing
Nice to see the Smiths Tachometer on it !
Back in the day there was a 250cc I4 street bike (well a few) and they were little monsters. Around 50 HP, 20,000 rev limiter with 18,000 being the norm, and they sounded like a race car but were street legal, but were all bark and little bite. Nimble but not fast. If they had survived to this day I would want one, they sound awesome.
This bike sounds even more awesome and angry.
Honda CBR250RR mc22, lots of videos on youtube and Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki equivalents
The Formula 1 and motorcycle gods have blessed us with this creation!
Brilliant, thanx for sharing
Good god, that thing sounds like the end of the world. I wish Honda still made cool stuff....
At 0:50 look at the guy in the glasses in the background. He knows what's up.
すげえええええｗｗｗｗ250ccと侮るなかれといった感じですね！感動です！
Put Mike Hailwood on this bike in 1966/1967 (as Honda did) and you've really got some combination.
Here's a little detail about this bike and Mike Hailwood:
I recall making my first visit to my local racetrack - Oulton Park in Cheshire in the UK. The year was 1976 and I was 16 years old. It was the Easter Monday meeting and I was there to watch the last day of racing in the Transatlantic Trophy series. By that time motorcycle racing was dominated entirely by 2-stroke machines - basically if you were one of the 1 or 2 riders still on a 4-stroke you had no chance of winning or even challenging. You probably came in last.
I remember buying a raceday program and flicking through the pages to see what races were on that day. I noticed that for each race, as well as a list of competitors and their machines, there was quoted the current lap record speed for the class and the name of the rider that held it, and the machine they had set it on. For class after class the lap record was held by someone riding a 2-stroke, typically a TZ Yamaha (the 500cc class record I guess was most probably held by Barry Sheene on his RG500 Suzuki).
All except for the 250cc class: To my amazement the then lap record was still held by Mike Hailwood on a 250cc Honda - undoubtedly a 4-stroke. As Mike would not have raced this machine any later than 1968, this was staggering to me. I mentioned this to my mates and none of them could believe it, most of them dismissing it as "some kind of mistake".
Hailwood was a special rider, and that was a special bike in its day. So I tend to think it was no mistake at all. :-)
Great memories of the TT long ago
Honda is the most genius company in history. The genius of Soichira Honda and his racing spirit are unparalleled and it reflects in everything they ever made. They made the most advanced motorcycles of all time, dominate MotoGP with the record number of titles, Isle of Man TT, first car they ever made revved to 9500 rpm and beat cars with twice the amount of power. They went on dominating every single motorsports to dominating Ferrari in Formula 1 as well as at their own supercar game with the NSX. I don't care what gtr fanboys and Ferrari fanboys say. They always got owned by Honda anyway. Lol. SMART people know that Honda is the most legendary name in history of automobile and motorsports. No other brand even comes close to their genius and the art they create. (Maybe alfa romeo and ferrari had the passion but they never had the engineering genius and technical knowledge of Honda)
Fabuleux,une pure merveille
Lots of cylinder, small displacement : I like that !
That throttle bleeping is transcending !
What a wonderful thing!
that my friend is very VERY true. i heart beat for that sound
0:48 Unleash the beast!
The guy's reaction at :50 is still my favorite.
A portion of that soundtrack is my ringtone!
this is is wothy of an award for the best sounding bike - just as yamahas RA31a is too
Haha the dude with the glasses left corner, just one big smile on his face :D
How can an engine so small sound so good :o
Amazing.......verry nice sound as motorcycle.
About 41 cc per cylinder. Tiny pistons. Amazing!
In the sixties for an engine to scream at 18000 rpm must have been out of this world. Most of the Triumphs of the day could do about a third of that. The Japanese really did take motorcycles to a new level. I've always had a passion for Honda motorcylces. I like Kawasaki, but my heart is with Honda.
awesome, simply awesome
This is the most exclusive motor bike ever made on earth....
Orgasmus für die Ohren
wow the sound!
I've seen/heard this bike demonstrated at a Classic bike show in Yokohama; the loudest exhaust I've ever heard; I had to lean on a concrete pillar to steady myself or I couldn't keep standing up....
nice sound ! would win an award in 'The voice' ! ( a granny award, probably !)
excellent !!!! j'adore !
waouw super sound
Only in Japan ❤️❤️
This is the reason we had Nippon Seiki😮😮😮
This is the definition