Description
Additional photos of this Honda VFR400R NC30 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 60 hp. Top-speed was a respectable 130 mph, 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. This example (VIN: NC30-1053293) comes from one of our Iconic Ambassadors in South Africa.
The seller acquired it one year ago from a private seller and has put 100 miles on it since. The odometer now shows 34,978 kilometers (21,734 miles).
It was given a “recent minor restoration with professionally painted OEM body panels, painted wheels, new grips, hydro blasted fork cartridges, discs and powdercoated yoke and fairing stay bracket.”
The seller states that it is a “good clean runner” with no known mechanical issues. He recently serviced it with “fresh oil, plugs, filters, etc.”
The “tires still have lots of thread but the front is dated 2011 and the rear 2017 so new tires should be fitted if used as daily rider.”
Cosmetic Blemishes:
He notes a “scratched heat shield on silencer, deep scratch on the left side swingarm below foot rest bracket, small paint crack in the right upper fairing next to mirror mount, small crack in the left side cover above fastener bolt, and as small paint crack on left upper side cover.”
Currently located in Pretoria, South Africa, this Honda is offered on a clean South African title. Have any VFR400R stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments!
Iconic’s White Glove process for an auction winner that requires shipping out of South Africa:
We release money to the seller once it’s dropped at our transport company. From there we get the necessary clearances and in this case, we’ll include it in our next container as we’ve queued up a few motorcycles in South Africa that will be ready to ship (which drastically amortizes your cost) in approximately a month. We handle Customs and receipt into the port of Los Angeles. We can also help with the USA title process.
Based on our previous shipping experiences from South Africa, we’d estimate that it would take 8-10 weeks for the bike to get to Los Angeles and another 8 weeks for a US title.
