1990 Honda VFR750 RC30

Frame no. JH2RC3000LM200042

• Highly original, 1,585km's from new
• Currently one of the most sought-after motorcycles

'Popular legend has it that Sochiro Honda wanted to show the world what his factory could build if it had a no holds barred attack on making a supersports bike. There was to be no compromise, no corners cut, no bowing to the bean counters. In short, the bike was to be the best.' - Motorcycle News

One of the modern era's few immediately collectible classics, the Honda VFR750R - better known as the 'RC30' - was created for just one reason: to win the World Superbike Championship, a feat it achieved in the nascent series' first two seasons of 1988 and 1989. And while American Fred Merkel was bringing Honda its first two WSB crowns, Britain's Carl Fogarty used an RC30 to win the TT F1 World Championship in 1988 and 1989, and the equivalent FIM Cup in 1990. No mere short circuit scratcher, the RC30 and its derivatives proved durable enough to win a hat-full of Endurance Classics too. That this latter requirement was also part of the design brief may be determined from the fact that a quick-release front fork and single-sided swinging arm - essential for speedy wheel changes - were part of an unrivalled specification that included a twin-spar alloy beam frame, 16-valve V4 engine with gear-driven cams, close-ratio six-speed gearbox and four-pot front brake calipers. All of which did not come cheap: at the time of its launch in 1988 an RC30 cost near double that of other super-sports 750s. These endurance skills are essentially linked to the RC30 bloodline since it is heavily based on Honda's endurance racer, the RVF750.

The RC30 not only looked modern, but also revolutionized Motorcycle production using parts and materials that were unknown until then. Indeed, the use of titanium for connecting rods, having the intake and exhaust valves in the cylinder head, the single-sided swingarm, and other few components were completely new at the time as helped create the gap between the RC30 and the rest of the pack.

All in all, in that Superbike of the 1980s, the RC30 managed to make its principal competitor – the Suzuki GSX-R750 – simply outdated. Despite the passage of time and progress of motorcycle technology, the RC30 remains a match for the latest generation of sports bikes but possesses an exclusivity that none of them can approach. "No other bike from the late-Eighties is lusted after like the RC30", reckoned Bike, and few would disagree. And then there's the exhaust note – loud, of course, but soulful enough to bring a pit crew to tears.

Appearing as the first superbike / super sport bike of the modern era, the RC30 is constantly gaining popularity among motorcycle collectors and becomes one of the most sought-after bikes from the last 30 years. The RC30 also gets attention around it since it is one of the first road-legal bike to be so radical and close to its racing version. The bike was conceived and developed with no other guidelines than making the fastest sportbike that could be seen in the street, simply the best of the best. Giving it such a prestige also came at a cost, both financially than in its 'everyday usage'. For example, due to the tightness of the piston tolerance, it was not rare to have cold seizures and get the valves stretched if the bike was used too hard.

When the vendor purchased this example around 15 years ago, it was in the wonderful condition you see it today, although with only the side view mirrors and a few rubber components needing changing. The parts were sourced from Honda's own inventory in Japan to keep it as original as possible. Still fitted with the original decals and only showing 1,585kms on the speedometer, it is surely considered a show bike and one of the best examples to be offered. These machines come from a well known car collector that 15 years ago, decided to buy what he thought was the most iconic motorcycles of the 1970's and 1980's and found the ones in the best original or restored conditions, and then mainted them. All machines were maintained by Guzzi Doctor in Illinious and always kept on a trickle charger ready for a warm ride.