Description
Please note: This is part of the Mark Boeddeker collection. This bike has been prepped for display and does not currently have a battery installed. As such, there is no cold start video.
Click here for an VINData Motorcycle History Report on this 1994 Honda RC45.
The successor to the legendary RC30, Honda’s RC45 (or RVF750R) was a limited run homologation special created to help Honda re-establish supremacy in World Superbike. Though it was ridden to back-to-back titles in ’88 and ’89, by 1993 the RC30 had grown noticeably long in the tooth and it was clear that a new race weapon was needed to dethrone Ducati and its mighty twin. Honda’s answer came in 1994 in the form of the RC45.
Like the RC30, the RC45 was powered by a liquid-cooled, 749cc, DOHC, 16V, four-stroke, 90-degree V4, though unlike its carbureted predecessor, the RC45 was bestowed with tunable electronic fuel-injection borrowed from the development of the NR750. The bike also benefited from knowledge and experience gained in Honda’s RVF factory endurance race program. The RVF’s V4 boasted low-friction pistons, ceramic and graphite impregnated cylinder liners, titanium conrods, and close-ratio six-speed gearboxes with undercut shift dogs.
Until the RC45, all of Honda’s V4 machines used a consistent bore and stroke of 70mm x 48.6mm, but the RC45 ended that tradition instead using a 72mm x 46mm setup. The RC45 also used gear-driven cams like the RC30, however, the drive was relocated to the side of the engine to allow for a narrower package. Wrapped around the V4 was a twin-spar aluminum chassis that had been slightly reworked with tweaked dimensions and slightly thinner walls. Suspension on the RC45 consisted of upside-down 41mm forks and a gas-charged shock absorber out back paired with ELF’s single-sided swing-arm which was slightly longer than the unit on the RC30. Both ends were adjustable for rebound, preload, and compression. The RVF’s riding position was still sporty but not nearly as hunched over as its predecessor’s, with a 50mm lower seat height.
Honda saw some races success with the RVF750R: Miguel Duhamel won the 1995 AMA Superbike Championship and the 1996 Daytona 200, while Ben Bostrom nabbed the 1998 AMA Superbike title, and Aaron Slight, John Kocinski, Carl Fogarty, and Colin Edwards all secured WSBK wins plus a trio of Suzuka 8 Hour wins in ’97, ’98, and ’99. While Honda’s current flagship supersport is powered by an inline-four, the firm still uses V4 engines in its current crop of MotoGP missiles that can trace than development back to bikes like the RC30 and RC45.
Manufactured February 1994, this example is VIN: JH2RC4506RM000032. The seller purchased the bike August 2012 from Apex Mototech. The original owner kept the bike in its crate for decades. When he passed away, his sons uncrated it and rode it the 132 miles shown on the odometer. After being informed how special of a bike it was, they prepared it for long term storage and it hasn’t been ridden since.
The odometer shows 132 miles.
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us perform a safety inspection. Our service department notes the following on their condition report:
Gas Tank Internal Condition: GOOD
Engine Oil Level: GOOD
Engine Oil Quality: AGED
2T Oil Level: N/A
Coolant Level: LOW
Coolant Quality: FAIL AGED
Front Hydraulic Fluid Level: GOOD
Front Hydraulic Fluid Quality: FAIL MORE THAN 3% H2O
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Level: GOOD
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Quality: FAIL MORE THAN 3s% H2O
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Level: GOOD
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Quality: FAIL MORE THAN 3% H2O
Final Drive Condition: MARGINAL LITTLE DIRTY
Headlight High Beam: PASS
Headlight Low Beam: PASS
Passing Light: N/A
Parking Light: PASS
Turn Signals: FAIL
Tail Light: PASS
Brake Light (Front Switch): PASS
Brake Light (Rear Switch): PASS
Plate Light: PASS
Horn: PASS
Kill Switch: NOT TESTED
Brake Pad % Remaining Front: 95
Brake Pad % Remaining Rear: 95
Forks: GOOD
Shock/s: GOOD
Tire Date Code Front: 0304
Tire Date Code Rear: 0504
Tire % Remaining Front: 98
Tire % Remaining Rear: 98
Tire Press. Front: 36
Tire Press. Rear: 38
Battery Standing Voltage: DEAD
Charging Voltage @ 4k RPM: N/A
Running Condition: NO START ATTEMPTED
Test Ride Completed: NO
Test Ride Distance: N/A
Notes:
TIRES AGED
HYDRAULIC LINES X3 FAILED MOISTURE TEST
OIL AGED
NO CLUTCH PER TECH
COOLANT LOW AND AGED
Recommended repairs:
Replace battery
Bleed all 3 hydraulic lines
Replace tires
Oil and filter change
Service chain
Diag switch for inop turn signals
Modifications:
The bike appears to be stock.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Dunlop Sportmax II tires (likely original) with date codes of 034 and 054.
The sale includes two keys and a Pit Bull rear stand.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Panorama City, California, this Honda is offered on a clean Nevada title. Have any RC45 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
