How to identify year of RC-51 motor/Value?
 

So last week my friend called and said his friend has a friend who was trying to sell a complete RC-51 motor, with all components needed for it to run. He bought a wrecked RC with 3600 miles to put the motor into a side by side, he sold most of the bike, probably made his money back then some.

Well he lost interest or had $ problems so he sold the motor, to me, for an unbelievable deal. I just couldn't resist.

He said it was from a 2003-2004, but wasn't sure what year.

My question is does anyone know of a way to verify exactly what year it is from? any VIN markings on the motor casing or something I could use?

Second question is what is this motor worth? I think i could make more $ parting out the electronics/harness/controls then try to sell the motor mostly bare. Someone told me these motors don't go for a whole lot because they don't ever go bad, mostly because since they are so expensive its mainly older wealthier people who buy them and they don't run the crap out of them so the motors usually last.

what do you all think? thanks

i wonder how dificult it would be to put the RC51 engine in a hawk. would make one hell of a sleeper.

hey i have a couple of RC's but one of the easiest things i remember is to look at the exhaust ports. the SP2 (2002+) had a d-shaped port. the SP1 had a standard round shape. ill try to think of other details and will post...

edit: i have an sp1 motor (spare) that had like 50k abusive miles. didnt blow up obviously, but the stator was tired, valves needed adjusting, and one of the transmission forks was worn. that's about the extent of the wear though. had someone freshen it up for me but i have yet to run it.

value? not sure. dont think ill ever even need to use my spare ahha.

also, SP2 throttle bodies were a smaller diameter.

i'm not 100% how to tell from the VIN markings, and id suspect looking at the components would be a more reliable means of telling which version of the motor it is.

:spam:my guess, next to impossible short of tearing out and rewelding engine mount points from the frame, which at that point you may as well use an rc51 frame lol. you'd see like +20hp and +10tq with an rc51 motor while dropping, 80lbs? i think that puts you near ducati 848 territory, minus the much better suspension.

Don't mean to be argumentative.. Yet your information is wrong..
Myself owning 2 RC-51s and having enough parts to probably build a third..
When Honda released the SP-2 -The bike has a more rigided frame, reworked susp. BIGGER throttle bodies(2mm). plus alot of different little changes(wheels are lighter, fairings, etc..)
BlueS-hawks idea of a sleeper, is and has been a project -i have been attempting to figure out for two years.. DIFFICULT (wider engine, more power- just really two different bikes)
As far as what kind of money, you could ask- I have bought an 2005 4625 miles engine for $800.00. The market for them is slim.. Because the engine is hard to kill.
Yet like anything, with enough abuse- Well you know the out comes.
Ya ragg'it - Ya wrench it...
You should be able to ask $750.00 to $1000.00 for it complete.. I have seen the engines being sold (asking 1200.00) Don't think that would sell for that...

im fully aware of all the changes to the ENTIRE bike. my comments refer to the ENGINE ALONE. i have spares galore for my RCs and im fully aware of what parts are what generation. (OP was asking about the engine right?)

you are correct. i stand corrected on the TB size, brain fart on my end. (due to me thinking of a friend who did the sp1 + sp2 TBs then going back to sp1 TBs or something like that...yes convoluted) 54mm to 62mm in the sp2.

edit: alas i think ive missed a point yet again hahaha. OP says he knows its an 03 or 04, but wants to know exactly which it is -_-...let me see if i can find the vin/engine # pics from my sp1 motors to see if i can figure out year. i dont think the motor has the entire vin, only an engine # which makes up part of the vin.

give this a try if you have the entire vin:

Vehicle Identification Number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iirc my sp1 motors didnt have a full vin, only the engine # which was part of the entire vin

Code Year Code Year Code Year Code Year
A = 1980 L = 1990 Y = 2000 A = 2010
B = 1981 M = 1991 1 = 2001 B = 2011
C = 1982 N = 1992 2 = 2002 C = 2012
D = 1983 P = 1993 3 = 2003 D = 2013
E = 1984 R = 1994 4 = 2004 E = 2014
F = 1985 S = 1995 5 = 2005 F = 2015
G = 1986 T = 1996 6 = 2006 G = 2016
H = 1987 V = 1997 7 = 2007 H = 2017
J = 1988 W = 1998 8 = 2008 J = 2018
K = 1989 X = 1999 9 = 2009 K = 2019

it seems to be correct:

JH2SC4541YM000023 (just an example, mine has different 2 last digits)

the engine should have the "YM000023" part...this indicates a MY 2000.

a 2003 should be "3M000023"

a 2004 should be "4M000023"

check to see if it works out? :)

Not going to debate it with you, When i get in from the hospital in the morning- I will find my Honda quick reference manual.. A dealer/ honda technicans manual..
I will get you information..
Do us the favor- please put any series of numbers off the engine (as reference for I.D.)

The numbers I found on the motor are C45E-2300. That doesn't seem to fit into the example given. Someone with a matching motor/frame will need to compare the motor number to the complete frame number.
Attachment 11880

I just found this thread over at RC51forums

How to tell if engine is SP1 or SP2?


The stamper must not have been working good the day this motor was made, I cant see any sign of the S or any numbers past 2300, but I now know for sure it's a 2003.

Attachment 11881

Here is the motor sitting next to an empty VTR frame with 1krr front end...they like each other already :D I know at some point I'm going to lift the frame up over the motor and see just how bad it really looks. I know a few people who can weld aluminum. mwa ha ha ha ha