A Superbike Legend: 1990 Honda RC30 | Daily Rider
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- A Superbike Legend: 1990 Honda RC30 | Daily Rider
Read Zack’s RC30 article here: rvz.la/3y4q9Sf
How would it be to commute on one of the most famous superbikes of all time? Luckily our friends at Iconic Motorbikes Auctions had one we could borrow, and they let Zack find out.
SPECS:
MSRP (1990): $15,000
Engine: 748cc, 90-degree V-four
Measured weight: 461 lb. / 209 kg
Fuel tank: 4.75 gal. / 18 liters
Seat height: 30.9 in. / 785 mm
Claimed power (new): 118 hp @ 11,000 rpm
Claimed torque (new): 56 foot-pounds @ 8,500 rpm
See more info on this bike at: rvz.la/3APbTia
What’s a NACA duct? Find out here: rvz.la/2XIC23X
Zack’s gear:
Alpinestars GP Plus R v3 Jacket: rvz.la/2Wd0PMx
REV’IT! Fly 3 Gloves: rvz.la/3y8oLy2
Kriega R20 Backpack: rvz.la/3gk2OpM
Rokker RokkerTech Rider jeans: rvz.la/3z6dQq3
Sidi Performer Air Boots: rvz.la/3z8uQfo
Shoei RF-1400 Helmet: rvz.la/3k9zIdQ
Want more from Zack? Check out his article on Common Tread! rvz.la/2XIabAW
What a legendary motorcycle! Isn't this the one that formed the VFR ?
The VFR came first
I wanna see more from Ari. Get him riding these bikes in the canyons to rate how they are as a "weekend warrior" and/or at the track, do several laps and rank them with their fastest lap on a list so people can see how they are in other situations
@@BN1960 ok thanks
I can't believe this passed by my neighborhood
Jealous!
After seeing your comment here I feel even more bad for choosing to watch this video before your Mods that are worth the ticket video. Doing that right now though!
This should have been in your "most beautiful motorcycle" video
I more or less daily an 03 VFR. Different bike, different in many ways, but its lineage starts here, and perhaps its most captivating characteristic, like this gem, is the sound of the V4. If the folks at FortNine are jealous, you know what this bike means.
@@bhok1971 100%
F9 is here..😂
Having that bike sitting in the driveaway awaiting a ride would be like waking up on Christmas morning and finding a stack of presents under the tree. What an artistic masterpiece.
Today I had a close experience.
Woke up this Christmas Eve morning to snow on the ground.
😊 That put a big smile on my face.
Having that bike in the driveway would be like waking up and having scarlets Johansen under the tree lol
.... Or like finding a duffle bag full of porno magazines in the woods, back in the 80's
V4 with gear driven cams. What a glorious sound!
If you think this sounds good wait till you hear my vf1000r with devil endurance exhaust
@@gamingradius8057 where does one hear said bike? The vf1000r is bad ass!
@@jonnymac8925 I’m afraid only when you come see the bike. Videos don’t do it justice. I have heard and owned many bikes but none actually sound and feel like the vf1000r. That 1000cc v4 with my 4 to 1 devil exhaust sounds heavenly. BTW never seen another vf with this exhaust. Not even a picture on the internet!. Ordered it back in the late 80s from France and it cost a fortune.
@Bob Sacamano agree with this if you go to loud it drowns out the mechanical engine noises and just gets obnoxious.
@@StaTBMK Thank you for the education!
Breathing a collective sigh of relief this didn't include the infamous railway section, lol... Thank you for the trip back down The Red Wings Golden Era
I was waiting for the jump!
I was waiting and wondering the whole time! Deep down I knew he wouldn't do it though...... but, what if? LOL
@@unclejj509 followed by his little Johnny Knoxville laugh
Of all the bikes in Daily Rider, I would have this one.
Totally agree. It just doesn't get much cooler
That was painful to watch at the end lol. Love these classic bikes. Every time I open my garage and see my ZX7R I smile, and that's what riding is all about, no matter what we own..
Years ago I heard a Nc24 (400) come screaming past me and I just loved the sound. I saw one for sale and bought it. Epic bike. Then I found a 5th gen VFR800Fi for sale and bought it. That was years ago 2001 model and I still have it. What a piece of genius. Seriously good mileage. Few years ago I bought a NC30 for my son and we had a great time eating up the roads all over. His 1st gear got to almost 110kmh as he redlined it. Seriously tall first gear. Honda makes fantastic bikes. Regards from South Africa
My brother in law has an RC30 in mint condition that he bought brand new, but he hasn't been on it in years and needs the carbs rebuilt. So my sister in law says to him " you should just give to Tony (me) because you don't even ride anymore" I had the biggest smile on my you ever seen and my brother in law had the biggest frown you ever seen at the same time!!! Nice ride and great video!! Thank you
@4:42 If you have closed captions on when he revs the bike leaving the parking lot, the CC simply says [Music].
Got that right...
30 years old and it still makes such an impression that Zack has to rethink the whole leaderboard system. RC30
"Less is more" that's what those bikes are all about...beautiful machine!!!Dream bike for sure!!!
Zack should review a VFR 800 👀
I absolutely LOVE the 80's and 90's aesthetic of bikes from the era. What a beauty!
Had one of these back in the day. Lovely machine. Better dash than any bike of today.
This is one of my fav bikes EVER! Everything from the color combo, to the way it sounds is so beautiful. One of the first bikes I remember seeing with a an incredible looking wheel+single sided swingarm combo that I liked, it just looks "meant to be". At the time, it looked like something from 10 years ahead of its time, just amazing, and a testament to how important precision has to Honda.
Yep never owned one but always loved this bike .
Absolutely fabulous review.
I believe him but found it disappointing to learn it's not unbelievably fast though ?...
Indeed,
Still a great bike ....
A work of art
More collabs with iconic motorbikes please... They have so much hidden jewels to showcase!
I cannot believe you've let the key dangle on the top triple clamp🧐😳 for shame...
Owned two of these back in the day. My first had issues with valve seat material, second blew a crank coming home from 500cc Grand Prix at Donnington, been to watch Lawson Doohan, Rainey and Co. Honda repaired it all on Warranty. . Still remember my first ride on one. High seat, tall first gear, red hot right thigh at the traffic light's, intoxicating induction roar and gorgeous bark from that exhaust. I traded one for a OWO1 plus cash but prefer the Honda. Went on to own the RC45 also . The RC30 will always be special for me. Still looks fabulous even today . Gone but never forgotten.
Lawson, Doohan, Rainey, and co at Donnington. Those were the days.
With the stock tires the bike was very stable but required a hard push to turn into a corner. The OEM tires were a bias ply front and radial rear (Bridgestone’s first production radial). I’ve had a variety of tire on mine over the years and most have made turn in easier but the only rears you can buy now are sport touring compounds, but they stick better than those OEM ties anyway.
17 inch rear wheel and ride height linkage, plenty of tyres available then. Personally try the Metzler Racetec tyres if you can get them where you are, really work well and heat up quite quickly. Go for the 160 rear they work wonderfully and the cornering is amazing, anything bigger dont seem to work,just my opinion, be aware some modern 170 tyres will rub and hit the rear fender so keep an eye out,bottom line you need the most important thing is the ride height back to where it should be and then 170's are fine, very happy with my Dymag wheels would highly recommend if you can get them 8)
@@strangelove9608 I used Marchesini 17's on mine with ride height adjustment and that worked out perfectly. Loved that bike!
@@josvangastel8494 They look lovely, dont tell me you sold it 8)
@@strangelove9608 I did, unfortunately 😪
Thanks for "taking one for the team ". RC 30 ride = best day ever. ✌
I only regret that I have but one thumbs up to give to this video.
Give me an RC30 in the dirt, or give me death. Okay, death it is.
"I'm also very scared of tipping this bike over, obviously"... proceeds to go rather slow speed with no hands...
I’ll bet that Zack, at some point, imagined that he was a small man from Northern Ireland blasting past the grandstands down towards Bray Hill.
RIP Joey
Zack, PLEASE find a 90's CBR250RR. That would be an epic episode I'm pretty sure everyone would love to watch.
For my money it'd be the earlier MC19 rather than the 21. More basic frame, earlier styling which I quite like, but more importantly the best engine in the series - pre-restriction with about 45hp at 16,250rpm. The later engines had a maximum of 40hp with a slightly broader spread of power but to be honest never felt quite as good.
The V4 engine in the 750s and the 5th gen 800 is by far one of the best engines made.
Still want one after all these years. Most beautiful bike ever built.
You park a rc30 in your living room and very rarely drive on the street. I would always be worried about bad things happening to the rc30 on the street. Love the review. Thanks
50K miles on mine; it’s hardly a daily driver anymore but bikes are meant to be ridden. In my case 30 years of riding it are worth than any increased resale value. I’m 64 and I’ll ride it until I can’t get on it anymore. One track day on it and all the rest are street miles.
Living room 🙄 great way to let a bike rot from the inside out, bikes were made to be ridden, don't clip there wings.
I wonder what the owner does with this motorcycle? I bet he rides it.
Sorry, it is not a museum piece it begs to be ridden...hard...every friggin time.
If riding a motorcycle on the street is a concern for fear of something happening, then let it sing on the track.
Only reason a bike like this should get parked is because it gets rotated out other other bikes.
There’s something about the mystique of 80’s and 90’s bikes that keep my motorcycle interests stuck in that era. I recently acquired a mint condition 1990 Bimota YB6 EXUP that cost $20,000 in 1990 while the RC30 cost $15,000, and there were only 114 YB6’s produced.
Thanks for reviewing something as cool as this bike. Growing up in the 90s there’s hardly any videos or info on these bikes and where I live there is no chance of seeing one. This is a great video I hope there’s more like this coming along with riding the usual modern bikes too.
What a machine. Sport bike styling peaked in the 80s/early 90s. Such an iconic look.
Thank you for correcting motor to engine I’m a Porsche technician when I hear motor when people are talking about engines they automatically lose credibility and don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s a minor thing but in higher class shops you gotta call it what it is. Mom and pop shops call it whatever you want.
❓
You lose credibility for saying you are a Mechanic, not a Technician
@@SnowyEvans haha your right. I will correct.
While I personally always differentiate motor (electric) vs engine (internal combustion), motor by definition is acceptable.
I mean, it is a MOTORcycle. Some people have MOTORhomes. Others may have MOTORboats.
It may be the paint scheme or the single side or the tank but those were the most stunning looking Honda ever made....
Saw one of these new in a dealership in 1990 and is still my favorite bike to this day. Well done !
Me too. George Shott had 1 and the first hayabusa. He owns L.A. Harley and central Maine Powersports
I used to ride a VFR750FH and I loved it. My friends also commented that the throttle response was like riding an electric motor. Although it's not quite the same bike this was a huge nostalgia trip for me. Thank you.
This bike would have pegged the "cool" on the old two dimensional Daily Rider leader board, something was lost in the transition. A heart sticker is poor substitute.
Thanks for allowing us to ride along, not really a good daily rider, but you expressed the magic well.
My dad has an NC 30, a 400cc higher revving version of this bike, so i've got a little experience with something similar. The awesome throttle response and good power spread throughout the rev range carries over to the 400, as does the tall 1st gear and close ratios. I prefer 180 degree V4s myself, but the 360 on these bikes sounds pretty cool, especially with the gear driven cams. If you want an RC30 but can't bring yourself to dump 35k + on a bike, the NC30/NC35 is a much cheaper alternative that looks like it will give almost the same experience, but with 59 horsepower instead of 118.
@ 20:16 The top gas tank vent line may look cool, but its a t errible design. It gets in the way if you want to tuck way down, and the vent line is easily pinched, making can make you wonder why your bike suddenly lost all power.
Another fault, which i'm not sure if its the case here, but it is on the 400, the front fairing, gauges, and handlebars are all too close together. If you have the brake and clutch levers adjusted to a reasonable height, they can bump into the fairing and the gauges, so they have to be tilted way down in an unnatural position. Its really a shame as the bike is such a gem everywhere else.
Nice video!
I know a guy who has 5 of these nc30/35's yes, 5.. each with a different use case/setup and the thing is he had it all from ducati 996 to ninjas to gixxers to fireblades. They are down on power but he says its handsdown one of the most, if not THE most fun bike hes ever had.
the NC30s (had 5-6 track bikes) were some of my favourite bikes - still awesome. I bought the RC30s thinking they were going to be bigger versions of the same, but no way - whereas the little 400 handles to perfection, the RC30 is anything but - its something to do with the geometry of the bike overall I reckon - Foggy agreed - and he was none too shabby on a bike
The other bike I had in mind was the RVF400 V4, very beautiful and I really wish Honda make another version of it.
I had one and it was an amazing bike. I’m considering trading my Fireblade for another, they are that good.
Still pretty much the coolest sportbike from those days. I still remember when they were sitting in showrooms for 11 grand CAD and leftover because the other brands were faster. All that mattered back then was HP and top speed numbers. I wish I could have got one when they were cheap !
It's not built like a normal bike.It's more like a fine very expensive watch. It truly is an exquisite machine. When you ride it feels like it's one solid piece.Solid and feeling like it will last forever.
Rode one of these in about 1990. Wasn’t super fast as I recall but my overwhelming memory was how balanced it felt. Like a hot knife thru butter. Beautiful. Wish I had the $16K NZ it cost back then.
Its a Legacy , im crying in happiness ...
A Legendary bike is on this channel omg 😊😄
Needed that ride down nostalgia blvd this morning. Thanks to you and Iconic for making it possible.
that rc30 is still in really good condition! that motor sound brought my old memory back. i used to ride an nc30(400cc version of rc30) daily in tokyo. i miss my old bike. thanks for a great vid :)
I also had an nc30 I used to ride daily until it was stolen. That was a very special bike. I later owned an nc35 which was on the next level but also lost something I cannot put my finger on.
I already have a ton of confidence in the quality and reliability of my 07 600rr but knowing the same company made that RC30 and it's still going strong all these years later, gives me even more.
Such a sweet bike and you're riding through traffic talking about MPG.
All I have to say is “Wow!” This bike is motorbike perfection incarnate. Honda V4s are killer.
Far from perfection 🙄
@@jimtoone1777 ok
Shame they won't sell more Interceptors here. Was a great size bike, now sport-touring bikes are all displacement monsters.
I would pick an RC-30 over all of those bikes combined....there was a 0 mile RC-30 at a dealership I worked for 22 years ago, it was absolutely stunning.
Probably the epitome of analog race bike technology! Certainly its mission was never to be a daily rider, but a finely tuned track bike that was homologated for professional level racing. I remember them when new. Hard for me to fathom that its now 30-some years old! And that I am as old as I am! I enjoyed the commute as always. Thanks!
The RC 30 is just timeless beautiful.
Im a big fan of Abhi ever since I saw him on Jay Leno's Garage in 2015. Everyone should get his T-shirt and support him. Plus he's a another east coast transplant. Apparently being a two wheeled lover, I'm finding I should be living in California instead. Great job as usual. One last question...no cruise control?
I remember that feeling of riding a bike that you have dreamed about. It is a very exciting feeling!
Zack can ride!!
A wheelie and backing it in.
So much for taking it easy.
My 85 VF700 still gets the looks from the youngsters, they can't believe the performance from an old bike. Handles Mulholland hwy like it was made for that road.....
Easily the coolest Daily Rider yet. I rode the baby, more normal version of this bike in Australia a few years ago, a 1992 RVF400. Same dash, same V4 smoothness, same delicious perfect throttle. Mechanical purity and art in motion!
Casual power wheelies, backing it in. Hilarious seeing how fun these old Hondas are even on the street.
Zack puts me in a good mood.
Watching that lil key bounce around on the top yoke.
I happen to live just a mile or so from where the legendary Joey Dunlop did. Great vid, Love from N. Ireland. Stupidly I sold my own NC30 (mini RC30) I regret that!
Anyone who’s owned a VFR400/RVF400rr regrets selling them. Nothing comes close to them in build quality or sound or ride enjoyment.
@@vintagetintrader1062 That's 100% correct and thus the values are only going one way!
As a privileged owner of an RC30 for 33 years I sympathize with your attempts to place this unique bike on your Daily Ride board. Impossible! Excellent video, thanks.
Key observation from racers is the ease with which the bike can be ridden fast as evidenced by lap times at Classic TT, 24 Hour Le Man and similar endurance events. Best wishes from UK
Baby Bunting.
Privileged to say that my Dad had one in my youth so I’ve seen it up close and personal. It’s an absolutely beautiful bike and so well engineered.
I was worried though when he pulled out of the lot and gave it a bit of a rev and I looked at the temp gauge being dead cold!,
This bike makes me nostalgic for when I was kid, running to the mailbox and drooling over the latest issue of cycle world magazine.
Still sounds creamy good, mechanical music at its finest 👌
I was lucky enough to have had a 1990 RC30 back in tbe mid 90's in the UK. Still the best bike I have ever ridden and the best looking. I have owned modern litre bikes too.
Love this content and especially a V4. Mostly what my channel is built around! I’ll watch this one over and over again!
WOW! Thank You for posting! I remember being in a Moto Dealer when the staff rolled out the RC30 for sale from their back room. I was 15. I was there with my cousin, he was bike shopping, I knew nothing about bikes but that day, I fell in love with the RC-30. I can't afford one, so I bought a RC-31 Hawk GT instead. Thank You Again. .
Since you already spotted a ZX7R in the iconicmotorbikes garage you should take it for a spin :)
(Definitely not because I daily ride one myself)
I agree with the placement because the RC30 is not a daily rider. It is a passionate weekend warrior. It is the special occasion rider.
Would love to see you daily rider test more old bikes! This was awesome to see as I the bikes I buy all tend to be pre 2000 😍
The first motorcycle I fell in love with at 10 years old
The local Honda dealer had one of this on the floor back in 1990. I was standing there drooling over it and lamenting the price tag and the sales guy goes, “You don’t want this bike. It’s geared horribly high for the street. You’d get nothing but tickets….”
LOL.
The official (ignored) speed limit in California at that time was 55.
He was right.
Caught myself smiling a lot watching this, thanks man.
Now can we have an old CBX, the best sounding bike of all time?
Amazing bike but you can pick up a good used Gen 5 VFR for almost nothing. I have a '98 which retains the gear driven cams, has FI and the '98 & '99 are pre cat. Mine has a staintune pipe, is so fast and is the best sounding bike I have ever heard. Also very comfortable for sport touring. Great value for the price.
I wish you did a daily rider on the new Hayabusa. Your reviews are most informative.
Never been someone who actually follows bike racing or been into older sport bikes but my god thats beautiful.
More vintage motorcycle content please!!
The sight of that second key on the triple clamp gives me fits.
I need to save my pennies for the day when manufacturers start to recreate vintage sportbikes.
Triumph
Yeah, no. There’s always something fake about modern “vintage” motorcycles. Get the real thing.
A Legend of a bike that gave meaning to the words "If you don't own wings you'll never fly"
I demand a 2hr episode going through that collection. 5 min ride on each and brief discussion. Do it...
The legend in all it's precision engineered glory. What a timeless beauty. And no contemporary emission laws to mess up the carburation.
It is very interesting to see how things have advanced over the years. How difficult is it to do these rides on more vintage bikes like this?
It's still a motorcycle.
I have an nc30, the baby brother of the rc30. Currently getting restored but even looking at it is a pleasure.
Nice gesture
The nod the little heart
Alright here we go! *drives strait into bollard* lol. Thanks for another great video Zack. If you ever get the chance to do a 84 to 86 nighthawk 700S that would be awesome. Id loan you mine if it was in one piece.
I had a 700SC for a while. Such a wonderful daily bike. Picked it up for $300, sold for $600 I think.
My dad had to sell his RC30 a few years ago, I miss that bike more than any.
Great decision to put a heart ❤ next to the RC but pull it from the left side of the board and put it on the top of the right side because it's not a daily rider but a bike that anyone in the know would want to ride or own !!! It's cool it's iconic it has history but what it's not known for is being a daily rider. Maybe the daily rider is expanding to also include cool bikes that don't need to be ranked on the daily rider leader board but just showcased as what I got to ride and what we get to experience because of your ability to articulate and your enthusiasm to ride !! Well done again zack another enjoyable 30 minutes while I drink my coffee and get my day started... on to the next adventure
1986....IOM TT....Joey Dunlop....on an RC30....you had to be there, luckily I was. It's a memory that I will take to the grave. :)
Got a 2001 fifth gen VFR(RC46) with BOS exhaust that sounds just epic. can well see where the heritage comes from:D
I daily'd my 1990 mc22 cbr250rr for a while. The eargasmic noises it made, made it worth while! haha
In the beginning, every word he uses to describe this bike just drips with giddyness.
I'm not proud... I've watched this video 3 times already. The RC30 is a work of art, and Zack is the Sister Wendy Beckett of motorcycles.
Rode a VFR400 as a daily rider in New Zealand for several years. What an awesome way to get to work
Gorgeous machine. Just sold my 98 VFR 800. Currently saving up to buy it back.
Did you get it back?
Not surprised the footless stop is so tricky. After all, a bike that doesn't want to stand upright will fall into the bends much easier...and that's what this bike was designed to do.
Also, you're quite right about carbs not coming back - but I'd be happy if drive-by-wire throttles went away. With that dead spot when you first start to twist the grip, the way you can't feel the cables take up the slack and start moving the throttle plates...and the stepper motors in factory road bikes don't seem able to react to inputs as quickly. I love what injection does for an engine, but I still want a mechanical connection between my hand and the throttle butterflies.
I'm a Kawasaki guy, but always appreciated those unique models other makers would come up with. This was one of them (and their Interceptors). Such a hot bike.
I owned it's baby brother the 400 NC30. they corner like on rails, absolutely loved the bike. had it 8 yrs never broke down once. 1 of the best and most fun bikes ever made imo.
Awesome! I almost bought one...I’d love to own it today! $$$. So I bought a ‘91 VFR 750F instead, an awesome bike in its own right! 4-2-1 Yoshimura R&D exhaust system, K&N Filter, Factory jet kit, Racetech fork cartridge kit, Iridium plugs, FrenTubo braided brake hoses, Pyramid carbon fiber rear hugger, Pirelli Diablos, 150, 000kms and still going strong! Honda quality...rides like a new bike and I’ve owned 6 Fireblades! A keeper 🏍👍
Jesus Christ, a RC30 on the road, not in a living room as a museum piece !!! I wanna cry ! Soooo cool ! 😭 (I cry, emotion...)