78-79 PS FEB NSR Singles Family Tree.indd
Transcription
78-79 PS FEB NSR Singles Family Tree.indd
For a company that doesn’t like two-strokes Honda built a lot of them during the 1980s and 1990s. Most of them, like the NS and NSR singles, were very good too words JIM MOORE NS50F Aero NS50F US 49cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 7.2bhp@10,000rpm, 79kg, 63mph Colours: white/red, white/blue, black/grey Built for Europe and Japan, the funky NS50F is actually an updated MBX50W underneath, sharing the same six-speed motor and almost identical frame. Streamlined bodywork freshened the looks, as did three-spoke cast wheels. Rare here, but a great sports ’ped with the build quality of a much bigger bike. 49cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 7.2bhp@10,000rpm, 82.2kg, 63mph Colours: white/pink/turquoise A low-spec version of the NS50F Aero built specifically for the American market. It shares the same liquid-cooled motor but makes do with ugly spoked wheels, drum brakes and no tacho, temp gauge or pillion seat. MBX-style bikini fairing and bellypan optional. One dreadful colourscheme, though. (1987-1991) NS125R (1989-1990) NS125F 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with ATAC, 22bhp@10,000rpm, 112kg, 98mph Colours: red, white Fully faired version of the F got neater clocks and better aerodynamics for ’89. Has big-bike feel, but hampered in the UK by its over zealous restriction. Doesn’t say 125 on it anywhere – very important for the image, that. Learner neglect has left most looking very sorry. (1986-1988) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with ATAC, 22bhp@10,000rpm, 107kg, 95mph Colours: red/white/blue, grey/red Italian-made 125 race replica built to satisfy the huge demand for 125s in Italy and across Europe. UK bikes were restricted to a feeble 12bhp and came without the ATAC powervalve. Continental bikes were more than a match for Yamaha’s LC and Suzuki’s RG. Very stylish but the build quality is shabby in places. Looks superb in mock Rothmans red/white/blue. (1988-1990) NS125R Italia (1987-1990) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with ATAC, 22bhp@10,000rpm, 115kg, 98mph Colours: white/green/red, Rothmans Full-power version sold in Italy and Japan. Twin front discs and a distinctive red/green/white livery set it apart. Also sold in Rothmans colours with a larger wraparound front mudguard – a number of both options have turned up for sale in the UK of late. NSR50 (1987-1988) 49cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 7.2bhp@10,000rpm, 76kg, 65mph Colours: white/red, blue/red, Terra silver/white, Rothmans, graphite/black, white Excellent pocket-sized race rep that instantly made Yamaha’s air-cooled YSR50 look dated and dull. Shares its motor with the NS50F, but makes even better use of the 7.2bhp on tap with better aerodynamics and less weight. Rothmans and Terra Racing colours look superb. Disc brakes front and rear. Very desirable. NSR50 (1989-1999) NSR125F (1989-1990) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 28bhp@10,300rpm, 123kg, 95mph Colours: red/white/green, blue/orange/black Unfaired version of the NSR125R, and a completely new design compared to the previous NS. Alcast aluminium beam frame, swirl design three-spoke wheels with 130-section rear – although 18in. The motor uses Honda’s excellent RC Valve powervalve system, and claimed power is up to nearly 30bhp. This first NSR-F was Europe and Japan only, although Italian built. 49cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 7.2bhp@10,000rpm, 77kg, 65mph Colours: red/white, blue/white, graphite/black, Rothmans, HRC red/white/blue, Repsol Updated NSR gag comes with improved forks and front brake, a sleeker front fairing and a high-level silencer – aping the changes made to the NSR250R of the same year. The colour options and graphics were updated inline with the MC18 250 as well. Sixspoke wheels for 1993. HRC built a limited batch of race-only bikes after 2000. NSR125R-SP (1991-1992) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 30bhp@10,300rpm, 127kg, 100mph Colours: Rothmans Special race-homologation NSR built exclusively for the Italian home market to compete in the country’s hugely competitive Sport Production championship. Differences to the stock NSR include no electric starter, no centrestand, a fully floating front disc, straight-cut primary gear, higher compression (14.5:1), a more compact crank, revised porting, higher-spec Dell’Orto carb and Marzocchi suspension and a different generator. Rare, but very trick. NSR125R (1989-1990) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 28bhp@10,300rpm, 127kg, 98mph Colours: red/white/blue, white/turquoise/pink, red/ white/yellow Fully faired NSR has a hint of CBR600 to the styling. Twin headlamps give it a big bike look and the electric start makes firing it up a little easier – if not on the battery. It made it to UK shores but was throttled by the 12bhp restriction, and the price was too high for most. NSR80 (1987-1988) 79cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 12bhp@10,000rpm, 77kg, 70mph Colours: white/red, blue/red, Terra silver/white, graphite/black Identical to the ’87-’88 NSR50R gag bike but for its MBX80-derived engine which kicks out a whole 12bhp. With 12in wheels and 70mph-plus top end, this little 80 is arguably the ultimate pocket bike. Many a Japanese GP career started in the home market’s huge pocket bike racing class. Only Yamaha’s TZM50R comes close. NSR80 (1989-1999) 79cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 12bhp@10,000rpm, 78kg, 70mph Colours: red/white, blue/white, graphite/black, HRC red/white/blue, Repsol Like the 50, the NSR80 was updated for 1989 with the same chassis and styling improvements. Six-spoke alloys were also offered from 1993. The last update, as with the 50, came in 1995 with a sleeker seat unit, fresher clocks and improvements to the bars and triple clamp. NS-1 (1996-2000) 49cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke single, 7.2bhp@10,000rpm, 92kg, 60mph Colours: silver, red/white/blue, black/silver/purple, red/ white/blue/black, white/red, HRC Big-wheeled (but also skinny) alternative to the NSR50 gag bike. Shares the same engine but the styling draws cues from the NC35 and bigger four-stroke Hondas. A neat package that looks especially well-executed in HRC graphics. Grey import only. Also sold in 80cc size in Europe and 75cc spec in Spain. 78 NSR125R NSR125R 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 28bhp@10,300rpm, 127kg, 98mph Colours: red/white/blue, white/red/blue/turquoise, black/turquoise/purple Like the F, the R got an update too for 1991 with the same six-spoke wheels. As Honda looked to distance itself from two-strokes, the NSR’s colourschemes started to show influence more from the CBR600 than those of the Japan-only NSR250. Although built in Italy, the NSR proved on the whole to be more robust than its home-grown Italian competitors. 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 28bhp@10,300rpm, 127kg, 98mph Colours: red/white/blue, orange/bronze/brown (Urban Tiger), red/white/black, orange/black/graphite, black/graphite Final-generation NSR125R built in large parts in Japan then assembled in Italy. Nicknamed the ‘foxeye’ on account of its distinctive twin headlamps, the NSR struggled to make a dent in the UK market against the, by then, more desirable and faster Aprilia RS125 and track focussed Cagiva Mito. Even the odd CBR400RR Gullarm-style split beam frame couldn’t help it. An unfaired version called the Raiden was sold in Italy. (1991-1993) (1994-2001) NSR125F (1991-1992) 124cc liquid-cooled reed-valve two-stroke with RC Valve, 28bhp@10,300rpm, 129kg, 95mph Colours: red/white/green, blue/orange/black, white/purple/pink Minor styling updates include six-spoke Grimeca wheels and OTT Hoover-style air scoops either side of the headlamp. The trump card of the naked NSR is the fact that its serpent-like exhaust which winds its way out from the barrel and under the engine is on full display. Go for a full-power Italian bike rather than a restricted UK offering. 79