BEST Motorcycles Ever - Honda RC30 & Yamaha RD500

Best motorcycles from the 80s.
4 stroke Honda RC 30 and a 2 stroke Yamaha RD 500.

Both very exotic and great performance motorcycles, but at the same time very different one from each other.

The Honda RC 30 was described as the "Moto GP" street legal motorcycle.

HONDA RC 30:
The Honda VFR750R, frame designation 'RC30', was a fully faired solo seat only racing motorcycle created for homologation purposes for the World Superbike Championship by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC). It was first released to the Japanese market in 1987, 1988 released in Europe then the United States in 1990. There were only 3,000 ever made and sold for $15,000 US - a very large amount for a production bike at the time.

ENGINE:
The 748 cc 16-valve gear driven double overhead camshaft liquid-cooled RC24-derived 90° V4 produced 75.94 hp (56.63 kW) at 9,500 rpm for the restricted Japanese model and 118 hp (88 kW) @ 11,000 rpm elsewhere. It contained race-inspired components. These included such items as titanium connecting rods a first[3] on a production bike that reduced reciprocating weight (50 g or 1.8 oz lighter and eight times the cost) and, gear driven camshafts. The engine firing configuration was very different from the road-going VFR750F from which it was derived with a 360° 'big bang' crank arrangement instead of the smoother 180°. This feature produced a very broad spread of power and, when coupled to the close ratio gearbox which had an extremely high first gear ratio (0 - 82 mph), made the RC30 untouchable in terms of driveability when on the move. Slowing down was made easier with a slipper clutch, and impressive braking capability for the era.

Joey Dunlop coming down Bray Hill, Isle of Man in the 1992 Senior TT race, on his Honda RC30.
While being inspired by the Honda RVF endurance racer (not to be confused with the Honda RVF750 RC45) the VFR750R instead had its engine based on the 1986-7 VFR750F (RC24). The engines are almost identical externally, the only visible differences being in the cylinder heads and the engine side covers. Inside the engine no major parts were identical to the RC24. The clutch, gearbox, crankshaft, oil pump, connecting rods, water pump, pistons, starter clutch, and the entire valvetrain and cylinder heads are specific to the RC30. There were race kits available from HRC Honda.

It redlined at 12,500 rpm (in comparison to the VFR750F which redlines at 11,000 rpm) and had a tested 1/4 mile time of 11.8 seconds.

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES
The RC30 front suspension was made by Showa and had wheel and brake pads that had quick-release mountings. The rear wheel carried a brake disc to the inside and a chain sprocket to the outside of a single-sided swingarm (originally patented by ELF of France), and attached with a single castellated nut and cotter pin. It was also equipped with fully adjustable Showa suspension which, as it only had a single seat thus focusing suspension performance, gave superior ride and handling characteristics. The engine and low storage position of the fuel in the fuel tank combined to give a low centre of gravity which aided its handling prowess. Further statements of its hand-built quality were shown in a full stainless steel 4-2-1 exhaust system, alloy fuel tank and hand laid fibreglass bodywork.

The bike was fitted with a 'Pro Squat Rear Brake Linkage' that linked the rear caliper to the frame via a rose-jointed linkage through the swingarm (reducing rear wheel hop under braking).

[malajes]

La RC30 bajo mi punto de vista es la moto definitiva. Quizá la SP2 (por estética) la supere. Pero el sonido, el chasis tan particular... Sin desmerecer a la RD. Pero es que la RC30... Es la Gracias por mostrar estas dos bellezas.

[jamocerwin]

Ufff la Rc 30, ha sido la moto de mis sueños desde los 90!

[jovanyrosas]

Videos como este deberian tener millones de visitas gracias por compartir estas joyas, yo soy suzuki a morir pero esa RC30 me pondria a ser infiel a la marca XD, a mi parecer de las motos mas bellaz de Honda exelente canal estoy seguro subira como espuma, saludos desde Mexico :)

[Rekadista]

Muy guapas!!! He visto que en el recuadro final has recomendado mi canal. Gracias Hugo!!!

[Dgdlf]

Sería brutal que en los vídeos que subes, hables un poco comentando curiosidades sobre las motos, características o los cambios que se les han hecho etc, saludos !

[AARRPP]

Precioso el diseño de las motos de carreteras de antes. No como las de ahora, con rectas, picos, sin curvas como las de antes, como una mujer.

[susanaesteban]

Tan bonita una como la otra. Y mejor la Husqvarna de enduro que se ve por detras

[andilopezlinares]

Hugito dime onesta mente q es lo q uno tiene q revisar al comprar una moto deteriorada y con un motor operativo pero q es lo q uno tiene q revisar en el motor?gracias amigo Hugo en verdad q estoy apunto de adquirir una vfr400r pero esta muy deteriorada q me recomiendas el motor funciona pero estéticamente esta muy gastada
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