The Honda NS500 won the 1983 500 cc Grand Prix World Championship with American rider Freddie Spencer.
Honda designed the NS500 as a compact two-stroke racing motorcycle with a 498 cc V3 engine. Its unusual three-cylinder layout helped make the machine relatively narrow and light compared with many four-cylinder rivals. Spencer’s riding and the Honda’s strong acceleration enabled the combination to defeat established opposition during the 1983 season.
The NS500’s championship came before Honda’s more famous NSR500 V4 became the company’s main premier-class weapon. The NSR500 first appeared in 1984, so the two names should not be treated as interchangeable. The NS500 was the V3 machine that delivered Honda’s first 500 cc riders’ title since returning to the class.
Freddie Spencer was only 21 when he won the title, making the achievement especially notable. He later added the 250 cc championship in 1985, becoming the first rider to win both premier and middle-class titles in the same Grand Prix season.