Honda RC30

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Having just returned from another cracking weekend at the LeMans 24hr (bikes).

On the track, one bike stood out to all the rest, those simple, classic lines & an engine note different to all the others - sounding more like a Ducati than a four - it was an RC30!
One of, if not the most beautiful bike ever made (IMHO), now 22 years old and competing against the latest flock of 1000cc Jap fours & Italian/Austrian twins.

To see this wonderful motorcycle on full flight is amazing.
For it to finish in position 26 out of 46 starters is also amazing!

For those of you not fussed about sports bikes, lets put this into context.

How would you rate the chances of a bike older than an RD04 put head-to-head against, lets say a KTM 990 in the Dakar.......

Phil

http://www.ps-pt.com/UploadImages/Mi...30-PSPT-02.jpg

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...nda-rc30-1.jpg

[Kjell Lindberg]

I well set up RC30 in the hands of a skillful pilot, will still be more than a handful for the latest machinery.

[sbikerbud]

Originally Posted by Kjell Lindberg

I well set up RC30 in the hands of a skillful pilot, will still be more than a handful for the latest machinery.

According to the commentator the RC was 48kph slower through the speed trap at the end of the straight.

That's a lot of speed to try and make up in the corners

[Kjell Lindberg]

Ouch! That was a substantial amount of speed.

Perhaps the tracks I visited were more twisty, cause I have seen "old" RC30's stay with the best of them on short twisty tracks.

Still, a very nice bike.

(Just noticed in the first post that it was Le Mans 24h, so I guess one can not compare the track I visited with Le Mans,,,)

[sean]

i got back late last night, that RC30 was over 7 seconds a lap faster than the RC8 KTM!!!!! I think they got one of the biggest cheers at the end as well.

[StumpyFingers]

I thought Le Mans was all about distance covered in 24 Hrs.
If so then the RC30 really did well as the older they get the more prone to little things going wrong.

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Originally Posted by sbikerbud

According to the commentator the RC was 48kph slower through the speed trap at the end of the straight.

That's a lot of speed to try and make up in the corners

Maybe true BUT we are comparing a 22 year old 750 bike against the latest 1000 cc machinery!!!
The modern bikes did obviously out drag the RC on the straight. The fact that there was an RC30 there was good enough for me!

Phil

[sean]

phil do you fancy doing Oserschlaben 8 hr next month?

[Mutley]

''Maybe true BUT we are comparing a 22 year old 750 bike against the latest 1000 cc machinery!!!
The modern bikes did obviously out drag the RC on the straight. The fact that there was an RC30 there was good enough for me!

Phil''

Well said Phil, Have you dried out yet?

The RC30 was & still is a gorgeous bit of kit. One of my mates has raced one for a few years at the Manx GP and loved it! What an impressive looking bike with it's fairings off!!

I was looking to buy one a few years ago 'til I found out the price . Ended up with an early VF750 that had loads of bits on.

The Eurosport commentators were very enthusiastic about it.....

[MCsanandreas]

Originally Posted by shel750

The RC30 was & still is a gorgeous bit of kit.
The Eurosport commentators were very enthusiastic about it.....

men of good taste! they seemed to know a good few things about what was going on.