The oval piston concept allowed for eight valves per cylinder which generated more power due to the increased air/fuel mixture and throughout compression.

During the absence of Honda, Grand Prix racing came to be dominated by two-stroke machines that could easily attain a higher specific output than a four-stroke equivalent.

Honda had long preferred to concentrate on four-stroke development and therefore decided to produce such a machine to challenge their Japanese rivals.

However, this rarely translated into success on the track for the NR500, and Honda subsequently redirected its Grand Prix campaign in the form of the NS500 two-stroke machine.

One of the most expensive road motorcycles yet offered for sale, a limited number of the NR models (300 examples) were sold in 1992 with a 750 cc version of the engine, capable of developing approximately 130 PS (96 kW; 128 bhp) at 14,000 rpm in standard form.