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 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: RC401000084.
11/12 Update: Someone in the comments asked about the above photo as it looks like there’s a crack in the weld. It is a clear sticker that was placed over the VIN to prevent oxidation, here’s a different angle to illustrate it:
The odometer shows 32,497 kilometers (20,192 miles).
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us change the oil/filter, install a battery, service the chain, remove some decals, and send the bodywork out for a complete respray by Matt at ColorZone, our go-to NR painter who has done several for us now.
We also sent the bar ends out to be re-chromed.
We installed new Michelin Pilot Power 2CT tires with date codes of 3621 and 4721.
Modifications:
This bike has been derestricted and features the larger exhaust baffles (found in EDM bikes, not JDM ones).
It also has both the projector headlight and the foglights (Honda typically spec’d the bikes with only one or the other depending on the market).
Aftermarket wheels (17″ front vs. the 16″ stock), braided brake lines.
Front forks have a Scuderia Okumura sticker, we do not know if they serviced the forks.
Penske remote reservoir shock.
Antlion levers.
Aftermarket smoked turn signals.
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 and the factory rear wheel stand.
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. Please note that it is titled as a 1996 model – some countries create titles based off the year the bike was sold, and this was imported with documentation showing 1996. Have any NR750 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
