Description
Click here for an CycleVIN Motorcycle History Report on this 1900 Honda RC30. Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
When the new World Superbike Championship was introduced in 1988, Honda had an issue as its highly successful custom-built RVF750 factory endurance racer (not the RC45) wouldn’t be eligible to compete. So they set out to create a new top-shelf, street-legal, limited edition race bike, producing the minimum number of units required to satisfy homologation rules. Knowing it would only have to turn out a relatively small batch of machines, Soichiro Honda wanted to use the new model to demonstrate what its factory race department was capable of. The result was a no-expense-spared race-grade legend brimming with features previously reserved for track-only machinery. Japan called it the VFR750R, but the bike we fell in love with in America was named the RC30.
At the heart of the RC30 was a liquid-cooled, 748cc, 90-degree V4 engine with four valves per cylinder, gear-driven double-overhead cams, titanium connecting rods, forged two-ring pistons, an 11.0:1 compression ratio, and a “big bang” firing order. Paired with a six-speed transmission with a trick slipper clutch, the sophisticated V4 made 118 hp at 11,000 rpm and 55 ft-lbs of torque at 9,800rpm (unrestricted). The VFR750R had a best-in-class dry weight of 396 lbs and a wet weight of 488 lbs, which was almost 10 lbs less than the game-changing Suzuki GSX-R750. The VFR had a top speed of over 150mph, and thanks to an incredibly high gear ratio, could break 80 mph in first gear.
The RC30 got fully-adjustable Showa suspension fore and aft — 43mm telescopic forks up front and a mono-shock out back. Braking duties went to a pair of fully floating 310mm discs bit by four-piston Nissin calipers in the front and a single 220m unit pinched by a dual-pot caliper in the rear. The bike’s fork sliders also allowed the front calipers to remain in place during wheel changes, a feature that, like the ELF-designed single-sided swing-arm, was born out of competition for ultra-quick pit stops.
In total, only 316 RC30s were sold in the US – and only in the 1990 model year.
This example is VIN: JH2RC3004LM200156.
We sold it to the current owner as a strong runner in August of 2019 with 9,635 miles – it has since covered less than a mile being rolled around.
After he acquired it from us, he had our White Glove service drain the fuel from the tank as well as carbs and then take care of some minor paint blemishes. He then gave it an incredible detail – the album up top includes several photos of the bike with the lower fairings and tail removed.
He has since kept it on display in his private collection.
Cosmetic Blemishes:
This RC30 is in impressive cosmetic condition, with barely any marks despite nearly 10k miles of use. We only note a small pair of stains on the right headlight mount, some pitting on the windscreen, and some minor chipping on the leading edge of the belly pan – they are deatiled in the three photos below:
It is equipped with Avon Spirit ST tires.
The seller states that there are no known mechanical issues.
He adds that “we can professionally crate it and cover it with plastic if the buyer wants to keep it perfect and clean for $500.”
The sale includes the OEM stand, which has a few scratches.
The seller is letting this go as he recently acquired a 0-mile RC30 on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Currently located in Northbrook, Illinois, this Honda is offered on a clean Illinois title. Have any RC30 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments!
