development and ever-increasing sophistication sharpened the NSR500's edge, earning Honda two more 500 World Championships, with Àlex Crivillé in 1999 and again with Valentino Rossi in 2001. For the 2002 season, technical regulations for the World Championship motorcycle road racing 500 cc class were changed drastically, with four-stroke engines being allowed to grow up to 990 cc and up to six cylinders. The name of the class was changed to MotoGP and was limited to race prototypes only. Because of these changes, Honda introduced the RC211V in 2002 to race alongside the NSR500. The larger displacement RC211V and other four-stroke bikes dominated the series and the NSR500 was eventually phased out of the class along with all other two-stroke motorcycles. Championships won Riders World Championships won with the NSR500: : Freddie Spencer : Wayne Gardner : Eddie Lawson : Mick Doohan : Mick Doohan : Mick Doohan : Mick Doohan : Mick Doohan : Àlex Crivillé : Valentino Rossi See also Honda NSR500V Aprilia RSW-2 500 Cagiva C593 Suzuki RGV500 Yamaha YZR500 ELF 500 ROC Sabre V4 References External links NSR500 Heritage official Honda page for heritage info on the NSR500 Honda NSR500 at the Honda Collection Hall Japan History of the NSR500 from Superbike Planet NSR500 Grand Prix motorcycles Two-stroke motorcycles