A Superbike Legend: 1990 Honda RC30 | Daily Rider

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

[@RevZilla]

Want more from Zack? Check out his article on Common Tread! rvz.la/2XIabAW

[@p.chakraborty4453]

What a legendary motorcycle! Isn't this the one that formed the VFR ?

[@BN1960]

The VFR came first

[@Mr.ZiggedWhenHeShouldaZagged]

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

[@p.chakraborty4453]

@@BN1960 ok thanks

[@ciello___8307]

I can't believe this passed by my neighborhood

[@FortNine]

Jealous!

[@marconesme]

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!

[@bhok1971]

This should have been in your "most beautiful motorcycle" video

[@guit156]

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.

[@SolamenteVees]

@@bhok1971 100%

[@wengwengtv1440]

F9 is here..😂

[@FXSTB]

V4 with gear driven cams. What a glorious sound!

[@gamingradius8057]

If you think this sounds good wait till you hear my vf1000r with devil endurance exhaust

[@jonnymac8925]

@@gamingradius8057 where does one hear said bike? The vf1000r is bad ass!

[@gamingradius8057]

@@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.

[@zedddddful]

@Bob Sacamano agree with this if you go to loud it drowns out the mechanical engine noises and just gets obnoxious.

[@SolamenteVees]

@@StaTBMK Thank you for the education!

[@mowcowbell]

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.

[@solitaryrefinement6787]

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.

[@dannywhite132]

Having that bike in the driveway would be like waking up and having scarlets Johansen under the tree lol

[@504BigStud]

.... Or like finding a duffle bag full of porno magazines in the woods, back in the 80's

[@davidebbs2797]

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

[@joelness]

I was waiting for the jump!

[@unclejj509]

I was waiting and wondering the whole time! Deep down I knew he wouldn't do it though...... but, what if? LOL

[@derp195]

@@unclejj509 followed by his little Johnny Knoxville laugh

[@waynerobertson511]

Of all the bikes in Daily Rider, I would have this one.

[@roessalaar]

Totally agree. It just doesn't get much cooler

[@louismarino5448]

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..

[@mcgo3595]

All I have to say is “Wow!” This bike is motorbike perfection incarnate. Honda V4s are killer.

[@jimtoone1777]

Far from perfection 🙄

[@BaldKiwi117]

@@jimtoone1777 ok

[@aa-yt7wo]

Shame they won't sell more Interceptors here. Was a great size bike, now sport-touring bikes are all displacement monsters.

[@GaryLaaks1]

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

[@BIGTONY2132001]

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

[@DEREKFUMI]

Still one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever created.

[@AliasTekTV]

Zack, PLEASE find a 90's CBR250RR. That would be an epic episode I'm pretty sure everyone would love to watch.

[@boingkster]

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.

[@Fredmullegun]

I only regret that I have but one thumbs up to give to this video.

[@starkparker16]

Give me an RC30 in the dirt, or give me death. Okay, death it is.

[@Ubeleili]

"I'm also very scared of tipping this bike over, obviously"... proceeds to go rather slow speed with no hands...

[@Bigsbeee]

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.

[@TheOriginalCoda]

Lawson, Doohan, Rainey, and co at Donnington. Those were the days.

[@zacharychoong]

More collabs with iconic motorbikes please... They have so much hidden jewels to showcase!

[@vitornunes7041]

"Less is more" that's what those bikes are all about...beautiful machine!!!Dream bike for sure!!!

[@AJKinetic1]

I cannot believe you've let the key dangle on the top triple clamp🧐😳 for shame...

[@tapio111]

Holy smokes, it's beautiful.

[@C64SX]

30 years old and it still makes such an impression that Zack has to rethink the whole leaderboard system. RC30

[@justinsorci5998]

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.

[@ABCDEFGHIJKELA...]

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.

[@markmarkie1950]

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

[@bd1982]

The other bike I had in mind was the RVF400 V4, very beautiful and I really wish Honda make another version of it.

[@TheOriginalCoda]

I had one and it was an amazing bike. I’m considering trading my Fireblade for another, they are that good.

[@gearjammer3688]

Still want one after all these years. Most beautiful bike ever built.

[@GiancarloFloyd]

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.

[@genesisgermaniae6951]

❓

[@SnowyEvans]

You lose credibility for saying you are a Mechanic, not a Technician

[@GiancarloFloyd]

@@SnowyEvans haha your right. I will correct.

[@JoshuaTootell]

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.

[@iPig]

What a machine. Sport bike styling peaked in the 80s/early 90s. Such an iconic look.

[@inzaneartworks3109]

So nice! Don't forget a heart for the RZ350!

[@th3m3du54]

Zack should review a VFR 800 👀

[@therealkzero]

I absolutely LOVE the 80's and 90's aesthetic of bikes from the era. What a beauty!

[@chrishimes5656]

Thanks for "taking one for the team ". RC 30 ride = best day ever. ✌

[@awilson2385]

I got to ride an HRC kitted RC30 that came to the shop after the owner went to Bike Week and bought it after Daytona. Phenomenal motorcycle.. As for ABS, a competent rider can outstop ABS every time. That's the last thing I'd put on any motorcycle, unless I were looking for more weight and less performance.

[@fastboi2417]

Its a Legacy , im crying in happiness ... A Legendary bike is on this channel omg 😊😄

[@patmclean1951]

That’s a dash board!! That sound, those headlights!! The paint!! Wow.

[@Plasticjesus504]

I saw the caption and immediately got jealous lol. Another great video Zack and keep up the great work man.

[@garrisonhornick3806]

Can you do the bigger touring cousin of this? I'd like to see how a 5th gen VFR stacks up on the leaderboard.

[@thomaswarren2699]

I second that- 5th gen VFR800 is the best one - I'd say it was more a nephew than a cousin though lol

[@gcSpec13]

Having had both I'd vote for the 4th gen over the 5th...a little closer...carbs etc.

[@aukeidema6229]

5th Gen all the way currently one 2 of them

[@thebawzrittenhouse1433]

Yes please!!

[@cameronmay230]

Own a 5th gen. Absolute gem of a bike, good power, great ergos, refined handling. And as reliable as a hammer

[@kurtisklein2682]

Awesome stuff as always Zack! Keep the passion flowing and ride safe.

[@beer3029]

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.

[@spmoore3954]

Needed that ride down nostalgia blvd this morning. Thanks to you and Iconic for making it possible.

[@nevillebowman8419]

Gorgeous machine. Just sold my 98 VFR 800. Currently saving up to buy it back.

[@RUBBERNMETAL]

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.

[@banzaibuck]

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 :)

[@TheOriginalCoda]

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.

[@UncleVom]

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.

[@YouCantSawSawdust]

Zack can ride!! A wheelie and backing it in. So much for taking it easy.

[@meme-cc8os]

Zack, thank you so much for this vid! You have brought back the best memories for me. I had a RC30 and RC31. The RC30 wasn't the quickest or nimblest bike then, but it was the very most composed suspension that existed then. It was an endurance racer, it was the easiest bike to race that i have ridden. Throttle and shifting by thought. Your giggles when riding are what is was; it was that much fun to ride at the end of a racing stint as at the beginning...

[@ktkace]

battletoad FTW!! Nothing like a custom junker for everyday rides!!

[@dnltbrca]

might be time for a "weekend rider" rating alongside. this is a second bike to have, and it would make sense to put it on a scale of other second bikes

[@sburns2421]

@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...

[@johnshelby7973]

What an awesome video. It’s one of my 3 favorite bikes of all time. Having learned on a 500 Interceptor and later moving up to a 86 VFR750F (which I still own) V4s are in my blood. It may not be number one on the daily ride but if I had to do a daily stare I couldn’t imagine many bikes would beat this one.

[@fyorbane]

Had one of these back in the day. Lovely machine. Better dash than any bike of today.

[@R6Dave11]

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 !

[@ruthmoreton6975]

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.

[@danielmori501]

Such a sweet bike and you're riding through traffic talking about MPG.

[@jamesridgeway7799]

Watching that lil key bounce around on the top yoke.

[@paulscountry456]

It may be the paint scheme or the single side or the tank but those were the most stunning looking Honda ever made....

[@awdrifter3394]

This is very cool, love these old bike reviews.

[@ridebecauseucan1944]

Saw one of these new in a dealership in 1990 and is still my favorite bike to this day. Well done !

[@stevenwescott1422]

Me too. George Shott had 1 and the first hayabusa. He owns L.A. Harley and central Maine Powersports

[@MachoMadness69420]

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.

[@Roger_Ramjet]

RIP Joey

[@digichalk]

Caught myself smiling a lot watching this, thanks man.

[@tamusbaby]

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. .

[@randomoto928]

Hey Zack, your videos are fantastic. I enjoy every vicarious ride, regardless of the bike (though the RC30 and RZ350 were extra special). You have a knack for this, and I'm sure you and your crew at RevZilla put a ton of effort into each production. Thanks and please keep up the great work!

[@stratguitar9599]

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

[@tex929rr]

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.

[@TheRattyBiker]

Living room 🙄 great way to let a bike rot from the inside out, bikes were made to be ridden, don't clip there wings.

[@5891jonathan]

I wonder what the owner does with this motorcycle? I bet he rides it.

[@michaelkrenzer3296]

Sorry, it is not a museum piece it begs to be ridden...hard...every friggin time.

[@JoshuaTootell]

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.

[@tex929rr]

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.

[@strangelove9608]

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)

[@josvangastel8494]

@@strangelove9608 I used Marchesini 17's on mine with ride height adjustment and that worked out perfectly. Loved that bike!

[@strangelove9608]

@@josvangastel8494 They look lovely, dont tell me you sold it 8)

[@josvangastel8494]

@@strangelove9608 I did, unfortunately 😪

[@Kwajdaddy1]

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!

[@EEDad401]

Gorgeous! I used to lust after this bike back in high school.

[@davegoldspink5354]

Great video Zack on such a brilliant bike. The RC30 along with Honda’s CB1100R from the early 80s will always be on my dream bike list. They were awesome bikes back in the day and I think they still are today.

[@marcoluoma3770]

Thanks for a wonderful memory, brought to life. I had an ‘86 Interceptor 500 in the same color scheme and same engine configuration. Those earlier bikes had steel, square-cross-section frames. I also had a ‘95 750, an ‘06 800, and there’s a ‘14 resting in the garage.

[@johnrewijk8371]

I have seen this bike in 1990 first time . Made me buy a silver Vfr 800 i 2001 model. Made 120 K on it . Been allover Europe with it. I'll keep this bike forever!

[@jnault6441]

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?

[@5tr41ghtGuy]

Thanks Zack for covering this rare specimen of motorcycle history!

[@Simon-fr4ts]

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.

[@aumkar2]

Ahh, finally. Was so looking forward to this one, Zach!!

[@mcycleshawn]

Love this content and especially a V4. Mostly what my channel is built around! I’ll watch this one over and over again!

[@AutoDIY]

Dream come true, thank you for sharing this one.

[@neoquest2012]

Still sounds creamy good, mechanical music at its finest 👌

[@Lunaxoxoffs]

As always, emotional and correct… super great… Zack for president…

[@free2roam674]

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.

[@garciano4323]

The V4 is a wonderful engine. Honda should bring them back!

[@SolamenteVees]

Sublime. The most beautiful motorcycle design from this era.

[@tcrides2137]

So cool, I remember loving this bike when I was like 11 years old. Dang it I'm old. But she is still a work of art. Love it

[@lazartsaprev2580]

Mate ... I feel you and I see the struggle. Still ... RESPECT and thank you!

[@Nifilheimur]

Got a 2001 fifth gen VFR(RC46) with BOS exhaust that sounds just epic. can well see where the heritage comes from:D

[@norbertkovac6793]

Just the kinda bike I love. Great video 🙂🙂🙂. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@ericpage8410]

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 😍

[@vincentvalerio915]

The first motorcycle I fell in love with at 10 years old

[@firestorm755]

What a lovely bike. Looks great, sounds awesome!!

[@priceyA320]

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.

[@Leatum]

The V4 engine in the 750s and the 5th gen 800 is by far one of the best engines made.

[@amigojefe7708]

Fantastic Daily Rider!

[@chrism5705]

You’ve been upgraded!!! After the last couple of bikes, this is a nice surprise. I saw/heard an RC30 on the road a couple of years ago. I may have broken some traffic laws turning around and catching up to get a better look/listen… RC30 has a reservation at my dream garage!

[@roybunting4826]

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

[@YouCantSawSawdust]

Baby Bunting.

[@vernm6189]

this Bike was a Game changer, Very Good Riding Bike !!

[@YourKeysPlease]

Wanna hear funny? Working in the cycle industry for many years, we typically used the NADA guide for helping value trade-in's. On special models such as this RC-30, (or the GSXR-750 LTD, Yamaha FZR-750 OW01, etc.) let's just say the good folks at NADA were uhhhh, 'slightly behind the curve' regarding what these superb machines were actually trading hands for on the open market. So, if you happen to be moronic enough, or living under a rock and somehow didn't know what you had, your friendly local Honda dealer would be absolutely thrilled to provide you with a $4,500 trade value on your RC towards that shiny new CRF-450L or perhaps CBR-600RR you've been eyeballing... can you imagine? lol -- fwiw, 32 years since this RC was built, still NEVER seen one of these just cruising down the road. Most that weren't raced or wrecked now reside in exclusive collections where they're waxed with a diaper and started twice a year. What a shame.

[@v8will]

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!

[@vintagetintrader1062]

Anyone who’s owned a VFR400/RVF400rr regrets selling them. Nothing comes close to them in build quality or sound or ride enjoyment.

[@v8will]

@@vintagetintrader1062 That's 100% correct and thus the values are only going one way!

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Zack puts me in a good mood.

[@jordanjoestar8839]

Casual power wheelies, backing it in. Hilarious seeing how fun these old Hondas are even on the street.

[@protopigeon]

I had a NC30 for years and this is goals. What a bike!

[@Lascar233]

My extremities always tingle when i hear the NC and RC revv.

[@Spacecruizer203]

ive been loving this bike for long time

[@AndrewTheCelt]

Love the vintage bike reviews

[@DaleSSchneider]

Such beauty. A work of art!