How many cylinders did the Honda RC211V MotoGP motorcycle use?

The Honda RC211V MotoGP motorcycle used five cylinders.

Honda introduced the RC211V for the 2002 MotoGP season, when the championship’s new rules allowed four-stroke motorcycles with engines up to 990 cc. Honda chose a distinctive 75.5-degree V-five layout rather than the four-cylinder designs used by many rivals.

The unusual engine configuration gave the RC211V strong power and a broad spread of performance. Honda’s factory team won the inaugural MotoGP riders’ championship with Valentino Rossi on the motorcycle in 2002.

The RC211V name reflects Honda’s racing-development code rather than a commercial model name. It is also easy to confuse this machine with Honda’s later RC212V, which used a 800 cc V-four engine after the rules changed for 2007. Thus, five cylinders specifically identifies the RC211V generation.