Honda RC116

The Honda RC116 was a race motorcycle built by Honda Japan which raced in the 50cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the 1966 season. The motorcycle was a development of the previous RC115 version.

Honda RC116

RC116 with cable-actuated front caliper rim brakes having shoes/blocks directly acting on the aluminium-alloy wheel rim-sides - the airflow smoothing discs seen on the rear are absent from the front wheel in this image
Manufacturer	Honda
Predecessor	RC115
Class	racing (50cc class)
Engine	four stroke, twin cylinder 16 BHP @ 21,500 rpm

The RC116 won 3 races out of the 6 that season. Ralph Bryans finished second in the world championship, Luigi Taveri third and Honda won the constructors title.[1]

For their Ultra-Lightweight class (50 cc) Grand Prix race bikes during the 1964, 1965 and 1966 race seasons, Honda re-introduced the 1920s format of cable-actuated caliper rim brakes with shoes/blocks directly acting on the aluminium rim-sides (alloy wheel rim), creating almost a 'consumable' item from the wheels, but dispensing with heavy conventional brake components, and allowing for experimentation with lightweight airflow-smoothing discs covering the wheel-hubs and centre-part of the spokes.[2]