AK and the Honda 6 – It’s love

My friend, George Beale, warms up one of his replica RC174 297cc six cylinder Hondas at Donington Park, 11 August 2012. George builds – from scratch – these exact replicas of the outrageous factory Honda racing motorcycle on which Mike Hailwood won the 1967 350cc Grand Prix world championship – the most glamorous and exotic racing motorcycle of them all and an engineering phenomenon. (George would be delighted to build one for you – for £270,000).

“This bike was so fast,” said Hailwood, years later, “I could have won with one arm tied behind my back.”

And what a sound! More animal than mechanical. Soon after I filmed this clip, George said to me, “Don’t bother putting your leathers on, Andy. It’s only revving to 14,000rpm.”

The sound of Honda 6 at close quarters, as it is being revved, is genuinely terrifying – unlike the noise of any other engine and more like the lash of a giant steel bullwhip. If I had to choose one motorcycle, above all others, as my favourite.