Honda's RC211V - MotoGP's best bike?

Honda's RC211V may not have raced since the end of 2006, but it's record of winning grands prix with more riders than any other MotoGP bike is a long way from being challenged.

Ten riders won at least one race on the 990cc RC211V between 2002 and 2006. The V5 powered motorcycle also remains the only bike with which satellite riders have won a four-stroke MotoGP race.

Valentino Rossi won the 2002 and 2003 world championship on the bike, with Nicky Hayden returning the RC211V to the top of the world in 2006.

However, as shown below, the 800cc RC212V has been far less competitive, with only Dani Pedrosa also to stand on the top step of the podium since 2007, leaving Honda behind Yamaha and Ducati.

Rossi won the 990cc MotoGP title for Yamaha in 2004 and 2005, with Casey Stoner then claiming the inaugural 800cc title for Ducati in 2007. Rossi gave Yamaha's its first 800cc crown last season.

Rossi and Max Biaggi are still the only riders to have won MotoGP races on two different brands of machine.

Number of different MotoGP race winners by manufacturer:

990cc (2002-2006)Honda: 10 - Valentino Rossi, Sete Gibernau, Max Biaggi, Marco Melandri, Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa, Alex Barros, Toni Elias, Makoto Tamada, Tohru Ukawa.Yamaha: 2 - Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi.Ducati: 2 - Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss.Suzuki: 0Kawasaki: 0Aprilia: 0Roberts: 0WCM: 0Moriwaki: 0

800cc (2007 onwards)Yamaha: 2 - Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo.Ducati: 2 - Casey Stoner, Loris Capirossi.Honda: 1 - Dani PedrosaSuzuki 1 - Chris VermeulenKawasaki: 0Roberts: 0Ilmor: 0

What do you think has been MotoGP's best bike and why? Leave you comments below...