Well just incase anyone is interested i thought i would pass on my impressions of what it's really like to own and ride a RC30
Incase you dont know, i have drooled over and RC30 for many years and never thought i would actually be lucky enough to own one, and after living with NC30's for over 8 years i am now the proud owner of a RC30 too.
The easiest way to describe it, is to take your ride on a NC30 and times it all by about 50%. Not only is it quicker as you would expect but it also stops, handles and feels better too.
To park them side by side first thing you notice is the size, the RC30 is about the same height, a little longer to look at but quite a bit wider but not much heavier in bulk. The second thing you notice is the fact that although they look the same, they are actually very very different with few parts that will simply swop over.
The build quality is just stunning and the weight of that hand laid fibreglass is just incredible. By picking up each panel you notice just how light this stuff really is compared to the NC30 plastic items. Also as you look down it you can see how the lighting shows each bump and imperfection in the fibreglass unlike the silky smooth NC30 finish.
H0nda certainly over engineered the NC30 (lets be honest they have stood the test of time of ham fisted kids quite well) so the RC30 being 100% hand built certainly will outlast its little brother.
The attn to detail is just amazing for such an old bike and it really fits together so well.
So after firing it up, it sounds like a deep throaty version of the NC30, with a bit more rasp from the std system, but with the same reassuring whine from the cam gear train.
Sitting on the RC30, it is more of a stretch to the bars over the NC30 but the bum feet thing is actually the same. You instantly notice its quite a bit wider too and feels about the same as the 916 but with a much lower seat height and lower center of gravity making it far easier to push and move about. Bearing in mind i am 5'10 i have both feet firmly on the ground with loads of bend in the knees.
So on the road, after taking time to warm it up (these things have single compression rings and have been known to cold seize at low mileages untill they had worn in - so treat it like a stoker, and warm it up accordingly) it rides quite like a NC30 too in many ways, main differences are you can actually see things in the mirrors and not just your elbows, also the screen is just so low as you tower above it but it seems to work remarkably well. It carries its weight well and is a doddle to ride around town and in traffic, but it quickly heats up and the fan makes little impact, so not really much use on a hot day stuck in a traffic jam. Also like the NC it vents some serious heat by your love spuds, and your right leg feels like its on fire from the heat of the 2 rear cylinders.
On the open road, it really is a joy, and after taking a 100 miles or so to let things settle and get the feeling of the bike i started to have some real fun.
Firstly this bike has the best suspension i have ever known and for a 15 year old bike that has never been tracked with 12,000 miles on the clock it is just amazing, the rear showa soaks up bumps that on the particular stretch of road (near maxton enginerring) would have you out of the seat on my old RRX blade or even the maxton setup 916 of mine, this thing just glides over at faster speeds without and worries or catching air moments.
As for the power delivery, well again just like the NC30, smooth and progressive all the way and before you know it you hit the rev limiter by accident. Bit of a rough spot at 7000 then it kicks in and at 9000 really bites hard with such a superb induction roar from under the tank.
It has non of the roughness of the 916 but makes its power just as easily and for a 750 is really quite a shock.
As for performance, well dont forget how old these things are now, but while my old RRX blade would easily see it off on a straight road, i am not quite so sure of the 916, i think this is much stronger after 80 than the 916 and would reach higher top speeds much easier. This could have something to do with the rediculous first gear, and an easy 70 in first is quite the norm, imagine pulling away on a NC30 / NC35 in second to give you the idea, yet it now way feels over geared up top with more than enough power to pull cleanly in any gear at almost any speed.
Brakes are sublime as is the handling (i am using new BT010's and using a RC45 rear wheel 17" so can fit modern rubber) and again feels just like its little brother but with much more feedback.
I think this would give the 916 a run for its money in the handling stakes mainly due to its size and the confidence this thing gives you.
So after a couple of hundred miles they are my first impressions, i have still yet to ride it in the wet, but so far so good.
I can actually see why these things cleaned up the IOM races for so long, i think the combination of a real 100bhp, is a low small chassis with quality components that was screwed togther so well makes for an incredible ride, its no wonder why they were so hard to beat. I feel that 100 bhp is more than enough for a road bike, and this just fits the bill so well. it may be down on power over my 916, but it weighs a bit less, and while riding feels so much lighter, but the main thing i reckon that makes it such a joy to ride is the suspension. so much so i may be asking maxton to sort this one out and see how much better it can actually be.
So if you ever get a chance to ride one of these, jump at it. they really are a piece of history and i am so lucky to be one of the few to actually own one. Just remember though, the bodywork is quite special and no longer available to buy (seat unit £1277 new) so treat it with respect and dont lob it down the road or you will be out of pocket for quite some time. and remember it is actually an old bike but you would be forgiven for forgetting that when you climb on and start to open it up and having fun.
As to its value, well this i reckon by the time i got the wheels, tyres, service, all the bits to make it real nice, and legal it stands me now over 8k which after seeing some of the ex tracked sheds on offer for the same money makes me think this ones a bargain, ok it needs a little paint in a couple of places to make 100% as it has lost a bit of laquer on the seat ender your left leg, and has a couple of minor storage marks, but the bike is std and full power and while not mint is an honest bike that has been used as a road bike only.
But for the money, is it worth 4 x NC30's - most deffo it is not, i would buy a NC30 and something else for the best of both worlds, but then again, i have the bikes that appeal to me (with the exception of the RSV - what a crock those things are, i cant wait to be shot of it) and i didnt buy the RC as a practical bike, its a street sleeper that is easily dismissed as a little NC30 and only it flying past would give it away to your average joe on his R1. also most RC30 riders wouldn't dare give them some stick on the road, so it is the perfect bike without a pillion pad (as you can guess the GF is not overly impressed by it, so have had to put the BP unit back on the 916 to keep her happy)
Oh - and no you cant have a go on mine
[Edited on 26-3-2005 by crm250]
[Edited on 26-3-2005 by crm250]