Riding the Honda NSR 500 to five championships in a row from 1994, Michael Doohan has sparked worldwide attention. The powerplant of his machine consists of a crankcase lead valve 2-stroke 112 degree V-shaped 4-cylinder equipped 499cc engine, which pumps out significantly more power split radiator, air ducts and other parts of the power train are neatly concentrated around the powerplant, and securely held in place by a twin-tube aluminum frame. The 1999 version of this motorcycle features mechanics cultivated over years of competition. This is particularly true of the engine, which due to a rule change in 1998 was altered to use unleaded fuel only. In contrast, the suspension remained largely unchanged, consisting of an inverse telescopic system on the front and a pro-link system on the rear. Only some minor changes were made to the geometry of this system, ensuring reliable braking ideal for competitive conditions. As in 1998, Michael Doohan, Alex Criville, and Tadayuki Okada make up the Repsol Honda NSR 500 riding team. At the 3rd GP in Spain, top contender Doohan was involved in a serious accident. His teammate Criville, however, finished with a victory in that race, and later extended his winning streak to four victories, crossing the finish line first at the 4th GP in France, the 5th GP in Italy and the 6th GP in Catalonia.
