Description
Additional photos of this Honda NR750 are available here for your perusal.
The easiest way to summarize the NR is to simply say that when it was released, it was the most expensive production motorcycle the world had ever seen. But the NR is much, much more than a hefty price tag – it’s a symbol of what can happen when one of the world’s best manufacturers goes all out. Engraved on the gas tank and displayed on the rear wheel is a simple message, but it’s a bold claim from a company as large (and typically modest) as Honda: “THE RESULT OF A DECADE’S PERFECTION”.
Just 300 examples were built, and with a price tag of approximately $50,000 when it was released, the NR has only been available to a select few. The bike owes its existence to Honda’s NR (New Racing) program, which started with the NR500 Grand Prix racebike of 1979. It was Honda’s attempt to fight off two-stroke dominance while being boxed in by GP rules that limited the number of combustion chambers in an engine to four. Honda got around it by essentially creating a V-8 as each piston was oval-shaped with two connecting rods. It was insanely complicated, but the 500cc race motor was capable of putting out 130 horsepower at 20,000 rpm!
The street bike was also known as the RC40 and while it’s informally called the NR750 the correct name is simply “NR”. The street motor produces 120 horsepower at 14,000 rpm, and it was full of features that were either incredibly rare or completely novel to a production street bike: eight valves per cylinder, twin connecting rods, partial carbon fiber bodywork, digital speedometer, titanium-coated windshield, underseat exhaust, single-sided swingarm…the list goes on and on. Many of the styling cues were unobtanium to the public until Ducati came out with the gorgeous 916 a couple of years later.
Approximately 300 examples were produced worldwide, and people are still in awe about what Honda was able to bring together in a production road bike. For more examples of what made the NR ahead of its time, check out this profile on Visor Down.
This example is VIN: RC401000120.
The odometer shows 11,763 kilometers (7,309 miles).
We believe this is a Euro model as it has the larger exhaust baffles, velocity stacks, and non-restricted intake boots. However it does not have a projector headlight, so it’s possible that it was originally sold in a European country that did not allow projector headlights at the time. Before shipping it to us, the seller had the fluids flushed, a new battery installed, and new tires with date codes of 4218 and 1420 – he covered only 30 miles after that work was done.
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us give it a full fluid flush again just to the bike would be fresh. He also had us clean up some minor oxidation on a few bolts.
Modifications:
Per the seller, this NR750 is completely stock.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Inside of the tank:
The sale includes two keys, an English owner’s manual, a Japanese owner’s manual, rear stand, cover, some tools, and two plus for the bolt in between the seat and the tank.
Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California, (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Honda is offered on a clean Oregon title. Have any NR750 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
