Rs Twinshock Models

[beamish owners club]

I know very little about the history of the Honda RS range and would be very interested to know more. Does anyone out there know how many different models were produced and what volume production runs were done? Were they all built for the Japanese home market or for some other purpose?

Is there a RS register or club?

[motomike]

'Beamish Owners Club'

I know very little about the history of the Honda RS range and would be very interested to know more. Does anyone out there know how many different models were produced and what volume production runs were done? Were they all built for the Japanese home market or for some other purpose?

Is there a RS register or club?

Jim

Its a bit confusing,as Honda have used the RS prefix for other bikes especialy road race bikes,

I take it you are reffering to Trials only ?

Could you be the man to compile a register ?

As for trials models Works RS360t,

TL200r

RS200t (I think you have one ?)

RS220t

RS250tf

RS200 with the partialy pressed steel fame,and ugly rear fender

RS250 taf a TLR style bike (I think you have ones of these as well ?)

As for volume

The TL200/RS200 parts book lists the RS alloy s/arm from serial no 2511 .

knowing a little about Honda numbering ,I would guess they started at 1001,

so could it be that they made some 1,500 TL200`s ?

RS250tf, A Honda press release for 1983 anounces two new models

the RS250t trials bike and the RS125 road racer,with the total production

for both bikes as 500 , so it could be a 50/50 split ?,

but I would guess the road racer sold world wide,so perhaps there where more racers than trialers ?

Perhaps someone else can add to this ,or correct it ?

[hondars250]

What I believed happened as I been told is that Honda had to make so many RS bikes to be able to compete so they made a production run with RS125, RS250 ,RS500 road racers and RS 250ts and the trials bike was the least made over a period of 2 or 3 years. Its been guessed that only around 100 to 200 trials bikes were ever made due to everything going mono (RTL) and as for the RS that looks like the TLR Honda ran out of RS250tf and produced the 250ta to make the numbers up.

Hope this sheds some light

There could'nt have been many because the 2 I've got are numbers **28 and **34 only 5 between them and I bought them years apart.

Paul

[rogerroger]

Hi Jim

As I understand it we have:

TL200 1980 (very similar to RS200T)

RS200TS 1981 (ugly one, frame based on XL185)

RS200T 1982, 1983 (beautiful one, early ones have steel swingarm, later ones alloy like yours)

RS250T 1984? (like the one you want!)

RS250TA 1985,1986 (Home market TLR250F, like yours)

All built by RSC that became HRC in 1987

The above base on what other people have told me, so all of questionable reliability. Any corrections welcome.

Well done for volunteering to set up a register!

Mike

The RS125 racer would be the first of the water-cooled models with a 4-stud head, I think. There used to be loads about from around 1984 onwards. Later models blew them into the weeds - I had a 1986 RS125 that did just that. In 1987 Honda introduced the alloy beam frame RS125s that then blew them into the weeds. Happy days!

Roger

[motomike]

RogerRoger'

Hi Jim

As I understand it we have:

TL200 1980 (very similar to RS200T)

RS200TS 1981 (ugly one, frame based on XL185)

RS200T 1982, 1983 (beautiful one, early ones have steel swingarm, later ones alloy like yours)

RS250T 1984? (like the one you want!)

RS250TA 1985,1986 (Home market TLR250F, like yours)

All built by RSC that became HRC in 1987

The above base on what other people have told me, so all of questionable reliability. Any corrections welcome.

Well done for volunteering to set up a register!

Roger

I dont think Jim has volnteered yet ? but keep twisting his arm.

The RS250T was 1983,with maybe a few made 1984,have you seen the one with the blow moulded plastic tank ?

Are you sure about the RS200TS being 1981 ? and not 1984 ? (This is the only one I dont have a parts book or any info on )

Mike

[beamish owners club]

If enough people are interested I'd be happy to maintain a register/database, I do for the Beamish which is quite useful as it is a place to log your unregistered bike in case it gets nicked. I publish a page on my website of stolen engine/frame numbers for people to see; other than that no one has access to the actual records except me but I do release statistical information.

I think we need to find a little Japanese chappie to fill in all the blanks on the models and production runs!

[rogerroger]

Mike

This was according to Ian at Ellastone Offroad. He had a Japanese mag from 82 that contained an article on the 'New' RS200T which had a reference to the previous model (ugly RS200TS). It's puzzling that they would make that between the TL200 and the (very similar) RS200T though, so I could be wrong.

Jim,

My tongue was in my cheek!

Roger

[beamish owners club]

I thought you wer Roger but I was serious, being a sad accounting type I a*** around with numbers all day - very exciting! The Beamish register has helped to spot fake/ringed bikes.

[colin24]

Hi ,

    What is a honda RS250 TAF MODEL 1985?