Honda to make bike name tweak for 2027 MotoGP rules overhaul

Honda’s new MotoGP challenger for 2027 is set to be christened the RC214V and will mark the latest chapter in its long and successful history in the world championship.

With this new prototype, the Japanese manufacturer hopes to carry the momentum of 2025 into 2026 and then into the new 850cc era of MotoGP that starts in 2027.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, Honda has experienced cycles of significant highs and lows in the premier class.

In 2001, it won the title with the NSR500, beating Yamaha and Suzuki in the constructors’ standings and launching a young Valentino Rossi into stardom.

That was the final season of the 500cc era before the championship was rebranded as MotoGP in 2002, introducing new 990cc four-stroke prototypes (although their 500cc two-stroke counterparts were allowed to race for one more year).

Honda named its first MotoGP bike RC211V [RC: Racing; 21: 21st century; 1: first bike of the 21st century; V: V-engine], a prototype that had a life of only five years, until the 2006 season. During this tenure, Honda won every constructors’ world championship except in 2005, when the title went to rival Yamaha.

In 2007, the technical regulations were revamped once again, reducing the engine capacity to 800cc - a rule that came to be known as the ‘Pedrosa law’ due to the relatively small stature of Honda rider Dani Pedrosa. 

The aesthetically striking RC212V was initially more beautiful than competitive, and Honda went four years without winning the manufacturers’ title. That was until the arrival of Casey Stoner, who delivered the team both riders’ and constructors’ titles in the final year of the bike’s life cycle in 2011.

The most dominant RC

Aleix Espargaro, Honda Racing

Photo by: Miquel Liso

The third major technical shift of the century came in 2012 with the introduction of 1000cc engines, and was accompanied by the RC213V - Honda’s longest-lasting MotoGP prototype to date, running from 2012 until the end of 2026.

With the RC213V, Honda reclaimed the constructors’ title, and from 2013 onward, it captured six riders’ and constructors’ doubles in seven years with star rider Marc Marquez. The only exception was 2015, when the titles went to Jorge Lorenzo and Yamaha.

However, after winning seven titles in eight seasons, Honda was plunged into its biggest crisis in premier class history by the emergence of Ducati as a serious rival and, most importantly, Marquez’s injury at Jerez in 2020. While Honda was largely struggling in the last few years, Ducati romped to six straight titles to emerge as MotoGP’s new benchmark.

The RC214V: Honda’s bike of the future

The next rule cycle begins in 2027, stipulating new 850cc engines, a reduction in aerodynamic effects, elimination of ride-height devices and a switch to Pirelli tyres.

This new bike, on which Honda has already been working for months, will be called, barring any drastic last-minute changes, the RC214V, continuing the naming convention established in 2002 and used for all of the Tokyo factory’s racing bikes over the past 25 years. 

Honda will put its new prototype on track on Wednesday as it hopes to pull itself out of the deep hole it has been in since 2020.

Other new bikes

Unlike Honda, other manufacturers are expected to retain the same names for their new machines despite the regulation changes. KTM will continue to call its MotoGP prototype the RC16, Aprilia will keep the RS-GP branding followed by the year (RS-GP27) and Yamaha will also continue with the legendary YZR-M1 tag. Ducati will also retain the Desmosedici GP name, emphasising that unofficial designations such as GP24 or GP25 originate from the media and fans, not the factory itself.