How many of you know of the 125cc Honda 5 cylinder racer ridden by Luigi Taveri in 1966? It’s a truly fascinating bit of engineering. Jean-Luc Borgetto, who we last wrote about way back when he built the JLS503, a 500cc 3 cylinder racer, inspired by the MV Agusta 500 GP bike, has built another beauty.

His new bike, the JLSP305, takes inspiration from the 125cc 5 cylinder, looking like the original in every way, though the JLSP305, a 300cc 5 cylinder brings more displacement to the table. Of course, to build this bike, he needed an engine and since there are no 300cc 5 cylinder engines anywhere, Jean-Luc had to build one himself.

It took eighteen months to build the bike and it looks absolutely superb. He says the DOHC engine should rev to about 20,000 rpm. The exhaust is split for cylinders 1 and 2 on one side, 4 and 5 on the other with the number 3 exhaust wrapping around the engine and exiting high and next to the rider’s leg on the right, the same as on the original racer.

Jean-Luc neglected to tell me exactly what engines he started with when he sent me the note about his new bike. I’m a bit curious and I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.

UPDATE: As Todd guessed in the comments below, Jean-Luc confirms the engine is a Honda 250 CBRR (1980 to 1987 only available in Japan, NZ and Autralia, a few in England and USA but nothing in France). Welding on one more cylinder, he made a new 120 degree crankshaft, cylinders 1 and 5 together, 2 and 4, and then 3. He also made two new cams. He built the frame following a photo from the Motegi Honda Museum. The brakes are Honda replicas from Hungary. Carburetors are Keihin CR.

Link: Jean-Luc Borgetto

Be sure to check out the video below.