At Brno he inflicted a decisive defeat on Agostini, but at Imatra in Finland he came home second after running off the track. At Assen Hailwood crashed while leading and at Spa he was robbed of success by gearbox gremlins. With Redman out, Honda threw its weight behind Mike Hailwood, who already had experience in the 250, 350 and 500 classes. “There was a lake of water – the machine aquaplaned and down I went at over 250km/h,” said Redman who was badly battered in the accident and later announced his retirement. It seemed Redman was on course to fulfilling Honda’s dream of conquering the 500 class.īut one week later at Spa-Francorchamps Redman crashed in the rain-lashed Belgian Grand Prix. Badly out-gunned, MV unleashed an over-bored version of its lightweight 350 triple for the following Dutch GP where Redman rode an inspired race to defeat the Italian once again.
![motogp racer motogp racer](https://www.cyclenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-italian-motogp-sunday-2.jpg)
Redman began Honda’s premier-class career in style, beating Giacomo Agostini (MV Agusta) at Hockenheim on May 22, 1966. Its first incarnation gave rider Jim Redman 85 horsepower at 12,500rpm for a top speed of almost 170mph. The mighty machine utilized typical Honda engine architecture: four cylinders in-line and canted forward, with gear-driven cams operating four valves per cylinder. Considering its fabulously exotic stablemates – including the six-cylinder 250cc RC166 and the five-cylinder 125cc RC149 – the RC181 was a relatively straightforward motorcycle. Honda’s first-ever premier-class Grand Prix bike made its race debut 50 years ago in May 1966. Honda also holds the records for the most premier-class victories in one season: 15 wins in 19, 14 wins in 20 and 13 wins in 1996, 19. Since 1966 a total of 31 riders have won 500cc/MotoGP races riding Honda machinery. Since then Honda has repeatedly developed outstanding racing machines, achieving a record total of more 700 race wins across all five classes: MotoGP/500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and 50cc.
![motogp racer motogp racer](https://imsdotcom.azureedge.net/-/media/IMS/events/moto-gp/history/2015_MotoGP_ColinEdwards_432x288.jpg)
Honda entered the premier 500cc class for the first time in 1966, seven years after the company made its World Championship debut in the 1959 Isle of Man 125cc TT.
![motogp racer motogp racer](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/yi-files/content/2017/10/59d760c7121e1.jpg)
The class of kings has also brought Honda a huge amount of success: 270 race wins and 38 500cc and MotoGP Riders World Championships and Constructors World Championships. During much of that time (Honda did not participate between 19) bike racing’s most challenging category has been like a university to Honda engineers and riders, teaching them so much about all aspects of motorcycle design and development. The 2016 MotoGP season marks a half-century since Honda first contested the premier class of World Championship motorcycle racing.