- Following its launch in Japan in 2020, the program reaches Europe offering Honda Genuine Parts to owners of the legendary RC30.
- Parts will be manufactured using current molds and techniques and will be sold through the Honda dealer network.
- The VFR750R (RC30) was released in 1987. Its sporting successes at the SBK World Championship and the Isle of Man TT quickly made it a legend.
Following its successful introduction in Japan last year, Honda exports the “RC30 Forever” Genuine Parts Program to Europe.
The “RC30 Forever” program is part of a Honda initiative, which has the involvement of important RC30 owners’ clubs in Japan and Europe, and whose firm will is to keep this legendary model in the best conditions of use and maintenance thanks to to the use of original Honda spare parts, which over the years had been exhausted from the stock of the Japanese manufacturer.
Through “RC30 Forever”, Honda ensures the production of 150 * genuine replacement parts for the RC30 covering components as diverse as the engine, the cycle part, the bodywork and the electronics. The list of available parts has been carefully determined jointly between Honda’s R&D experts and owners of this iconic model.
Parts will be available for supply through European dealers from May ** 2021.
Background of the “RC30 Forever” program
In 2017, the beginnings of the ‘RC30 Forever’ project reveal that none of the original models or molds of the model had been preserved with which it would have been possible to restart the production of components, so there was no alternative but to recover the original plans to carry out the project. Like all motorcycles of the time, the RC30 was built on schematic drawings drawn in 2D, from which models and molds were created. Compared to modern 3D computer modeling methods using digital illustrations, old drawings contain far fewer specific details, making it difficult to reproduce new components.
Available drawings were digitized, scaled 1: 1 and compared to actual parts, some of which were loaned by RC30 owners. Despite this, the necessary information details were still lacking today to produce the parts with the level of quality required for this project. To ensure parts met demanding new production standards, it was vitally important to involve members of the original team, many of whom were in their 60s, to share their knowledge, passion and experience. With this invaluable level of support and this source of knowledge the project team was able to launch the creation of the new models and manufacturing molds.
It was this combination of tangible elements, such as the new digitized blueprints, the recovery of original parts, and non-quantifiable factors such as the experience and wisdom of the original project engineers that ultimately enabled the successful start-up of this ambitious project.
The VFR750R (RC30)
The legendary RC30 was presented for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1987, arriving in Europe in 1988. With a production limited to around 5,000 units worldwide, it was conceived following the homologation regulations required to compete in the recently created Championship. World Superbike.
Handcrafted at the Hamamatsu factory, the RC30 was powered by a liquid-cooled 748cc 90º V4 engine that incorporated state-of-the-art racing technology at the time – a hitherto unprecedented approach. Honda development engineers used proprietary materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and magnesium extensively. The engine featured titanium connecting rods and an anti-rebound clutch that worked in conjunction with a close-ratio, competition-type gearbox. The wheels and brakes featured quick release anchors and the suspension was fully adjustable on both trains. The bike featured prominently an unmistakable Pro-arm single-arm swingarm, designed to facilitate quick rear-wheel changes during endurance races.
The RC30’s legacy was quickly consolidated by winning the World Superbike Championship in both 1988 and 1989 with Fred Merkel. He also achieved victories in multiple national and international races, including triumphs at the Isle of Man with famous drivers such as Joey Dunlop, Carl Fogarty, Steve Hislop and Philip McCallen at his controls.
More information and details of the parts available:
https://www.honda.es/motorcycles/experience-honda/legacy-models.html
* Approximate number
** The start of commercialization will vary depending on the part and any update will be incorporated into the Honda website. Orders will be subject to limited stock availability for all parts.
