Additional photos of this Honda NS400R Rothmans are available here for your perusal.
In 1983, Freddie Spencer became the world’s youngest 500cc World Champion, and he did it on a Honda V3. Honda responded by releasing a 250cc production bike to commemorate the win, but it took them until 1985 to build something closer to the actual size of Freddie’s champion. That was the NS400R, and even though it gave up 100cc and plenty of power to the race bike, Honda called it a “race replica”.
The two-stroke V-3 displaced 387cc and it was good for 72 horsepower and 37 pound feet of torque, both at nearly 10,000 rpm. Oh – and the whole thing weighed less than 360 pounds. For more information on the NS400R, check out this article from Classic-Motorbikes.net.
Depending on who you talked to, the NS400R wasn’t as fast or aggressive as the 500cc race reps from Yamaha and Suzuki – but the tradeoff was that this was a confident handling bike. A review rehosted on Motorcycle Specs says “the NS is exciting and pretty near faultless.”
This example (VIN: NC19-1005619) gets bonus points as it’s a Rothmans replica. We believe (but aren’t 100% sure) that it is a 1985 model. If someone has a definitive source for VINs corresponding to model years, we’d greatly appreciate a link!
The odometer shows 10,066 kilometers (6,254 miles).
It is part of the estate sale that you’ve probably seen us mention on Instagram.
There are some scratches and corrosion throughout. Please take a look at the photo album above to determine the condition, and don’t hesitate to let us know if you need additional images.
It is not in running condition (the engine does turn over) and is being sold as-is for parts or restoration. There are a few very hard to find parts on it as it’s quite original, and our White Glove service would be glad to help the next owner if they wish to bring this NS400R back to life. Have any questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments below!
