Description
Please Note: We listed this bike last week, however the winning bidder did not come through and he’s been banned from further bidding on Iconic Motorbikes. We are relisting it and hope to find it a new home this time around!
Click here for an CycleVIN Motorcycle History Report on this 1990 Honda VFR400R. Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
Essentially a scaled-down version of Honda’s legendary RC30, the VFR400R, or NC30, was a race-bred 400cc superbike introduced in the late 1980s. A smaller and cheaper alternative to the VFR750R, the 400 still possessed the same bodywork and livery as the 750, as well as its stellar reliability and fit and finish which had become Honda hallmarks.
Powering the NC30 was a carbureted, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve, V4 with gear-driven cams that gave the NC30 a unique roar. With a relatively flat torque curve and a redline of 14,500rpm, the NC30’s V4 was good for around 30 ft-lbs of torque and just shy of 60hp. Top-speed was a respectable 130mph, and with a wet weight of only 400lbs, the VFR400R’s dual front 296mm discs and four-piston calipers were more than sufficient at slowing things down.
The trick little 400 was also an early adopter of various features such as its 360-degree “big bang” firing order, TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Circuit) 41mm telescopic front-end, and ELF’s Pro-Arm single-sided swing-arm. Just like its three-quarter-liter sibling, the welterweight VFR used a competition-derived aluminum twin-spar frame. A four-into-one exhaust exited on the left side of the bike, enabling easy access to the 18” rear wheel, and the suspension’s preload and rebound were both adjustable.
The VFR400R was created for the Japanese domestic market, though it was officially sold in parts of Europe for a time in limited numbers. Produced until being phased out in ’94, the NC30 wasn’t ever sold in the US, though grey market examples have found their way to our shores.
This example is VIN: NC301053868. The seller acquired it five years ago from a private party in Encino, California.
During his ownership, the seller has covered roughly 500 miles. The odometer shows 38,685 kilometers (24,037 miles).
The seller notes that there is a “slight coolant leak” from the connection pipes, gaskets, and thermostat housing. In preparation for the listing, the seller had us clean/sync the carb and install a new petcock.
Modifications:
Aftermarket bodywork.
Stainless steel braided brake lines.
Cosmetic Blemishes:
Inside of the tank:
The sale includes one key, most of the original bodywork (varying condition), and a NC30-specific Pit Bull stand. Please note that if you go through our usual shipping partner of Haul Bikes, you will have to ship the stand separately.
It is riding on Dunlop Sportmax GPR-200 tires from 2013. The sale includes an additional set of tires, however they are almost aged out.
Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Honda is offered on a clean California title with registration current through January 2022.
Have any VFR400 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
Please Note: We listed this bike last week, however the winning bidder did not come through and he’s been banned from further bidding on Iconic Motorbikes. We are relisting it and hope to find it a new home this time around!
