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V-four Victory
Honda RC30 – quick profile
(Guy 'Guido' Allen, June 2025)
Honda's launch of the
RC30 put homologation specials in lots of hands and
created decades of joy
Anyone who has ridden a
Honda RC30 (aka VFR750R) can confirm it seemed as
though someone had shrunk the bike, which felt as
though it was running an engine constructed by a
jewel-maker.
For the day, launched in
1987, it was physically incredibly small (arguably the
size of a 250) and was a customer version of the
RVF750 used with great success by the likes of Joey
Dunlop and Steve Hislop at the Isle of Man or Wayne
Gardner at Suzuka.
It had that wonderful
and unique growl provided by the gear-driven-camshaft
engine which boasted unique components such as
titanium conrods.
This was an HRC
homologation-quality construction and some 4800 were
produced across 1987-1990 – a very high number for
such a special motorcycle and far higher than for the
next-generation RC45 (above) at around 1270.
Basic stats were a
claimed 118hp (88kW) at 11,000rpm, torque pegged at
70Nm at 7000rpm, for a wet weight of 221kg (488lb).
Honda Racing Corporation would happily sell you a
competition kit which significantly lifted the
performance and came very close to making the bike
track-ready.
American racer Fred Merkel gave
the model a dream debut in the first two seasons
of the World Superbike Championship, taking two
titles on the trot in 1988-89.
This was a very expensive
motorcycle. Back in 1988, an RC30 in Australia was
priced at Au$13,950 (US$9000, GB£6700). That same
year, a more humble but still fast and
highly-regarded VFR750F would have cost
Au$8700 (US$5600, GB£4200).
Many were raced and were worn out
or 'killed' by that experience. Good low-mileage
survivors are very collectible, though the prices
have fluctuated over the last decade.
In any case, if you can afford one
you're in for a great ride...
RC30 review at
Bennetts in the UK
Honda's
revival of RC30 parts production in 2021
Falloon RC30 overview at InfoMoto
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