NR750 and RC30 - Fresh out the crate

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

That RC30 is lush!

The RC30 is the bike that tops my wish list if I ever win the lottery.

I came ---> <--- this close to buying a brand new one in 1989, but my then girlfriend talked me into getting married and putting the ten grand savings I had down as a deposit on a house, and we all know what happened to the housing market and my marriage, don't we.

One day I will own one

Originally Posted by jambo

Like Matt, if I won the lottery tomorrow I'd be inclined to pick up that RC30, however, it being somewhat exotic, if I took it to someone to work on there's very few people in this country who've spent a lot of time inside those motors. They'd be the ones I'd take it to.

Jambo

Tony Scott... and he just happens to be someone I know reasonably well.

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by ChrisSV

i saw this a few weeks ago.
and although im young, and dont personally remember these bikes, i do appreciate thet fine engineering pieces that they are, and personally consider them pieces of art.
and its for these reasons why people like the ones above p*** me right off, a bike is built to be rode, and Honda built these bikes for people to ride and enjoy, not sit in a glass box to be looked at. For Gods Sake get them on the rode and use them as theyre intended. So everyone can enjoy them as they were intended.

Rant over now

There are still plenty of RC30's, and even a few NR's being used on the road so one more isn't going to make such a difference. The ones that are being used however will eventually wear out, get crashed or just otherwise spoilt so I don't have an issue with a select few being preserved for posterity so that we can still enjoy seeing them in their original splendor for years to come. I've got a mate who has an NR, an RC30, and a RC45 and he does get them out every now and then, but most of the time he rotates them around the front of his bike shop so we can all enjoy them.

[Spanner Man]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

If i win the lotto tomorrow, I shall go offer that man £30,000 for the RC30.

and then I shall take it to spannerman for a thourough checking over, and get it running

and I shall ride it and love it forever and ever and ever

an RC30 isn't just for christmas...its for every single sunny sunday of the rest of your life

Good morning all.


I used to maintain an RC30, which was quite a buzz after many years of mass produced fodder. My customer bought it for £3000 due to a top end clatter.
They're a bit like a Swiss watch inside - Engineering porn if you like

Lifting the cams to shim the beggar was interesting to say the least. They have a scissor gear which is sprung loaded alongside the main camshaft drive gears. You have to insert a locking pin to hold them together when you unbolt the camshaft. The pin hole is 'conveniently' is down the drive tunnel. So it's a 'heart in gob' moment with magnets & rags everywhere.

I turned out that a previous pillock ( I suspect it was the owner) had unbolted the inlet camshaft on the rear cylinder, & allowed the scissor gear to spring back. He had replaced the camshaft without re tensioning the gears, hence the rattle. There was no other damage, after shimming all the valves & balancing the carbs she was sweet. 3k- BARGAIN!

It ran reliably for a couple of years, but unfortunately it was one of the RC30's that was affected by the soft valve seats which was a problem on some. Heads off, & wallet out for the owner, along with the words, 'help yourself'.

It was interesting to work on, the only downside is that everything for an RC30 is around 3 times the price of that of a 'normal' road bike. Head gaskets were a 'HOW MUCH' moment.


Cheers.


P.S. If you ever get to ride one you'll wonder why anyone bothered with fuel injection. The carburation is sublime.

Originally Posted by Spanner Man

Good morning all.


I used to maintain an RC30, which was quite a buzz after many years of mass produced fodder. My customer bought it for £3000 due to a top end clatter.
They're a bit like a Swiss watch inside - Engineering porn if you like

Lifting the cams to shim the beggar was interesting to say the least. They have a scissor gear which is sprung loaded alongside the main camshaft drive gears. You have to insert a locking pin to hold them together when you unbolt the camshaft. The pin hole is 'conveniently' is down the drive tunnel. So it's a 'heart in gob' moment with magnets & rags everywhere.

I turned out that a previous pillock ( I suspect it was the owner) had unbolted the inlet camshaft on the rear cylinder, & allowed the scissor gear to spring back. He had replaced the camshaft without re tensioning the gears, hence the rattle. There was no other damage, after shimming all the valves & balancing the carbs she was sweet. 3k- BARGAIN!

It ran reliably for a couple of years, but unfortunately it was one of the RC30's that was affected by the soft valve seats which was a problem on some. Heads off, & wallet out for the owner, along with the words, 'help yourself'.

It was interesting to work on, the only downside is that everything for an RC30 is around 3 times the price of that of a 'normal' road bike. Head gaskets were a 'HOW MUCH' moment.


Cheers.


P.S. If you ever get to ride one you'll wonder why anyone bothered with fuel injection. The carburation is sublime.

So I can bring it round any time then?

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by jambo

Like Matt, if I won the lottery tomorrow I'd be inclined to pick up that RC30, however, it being somewhat exotic, if I took it to someone to work on there's very few people in this country who've spent a lot of time inside those motors. They'd be the ones I'd take it to.

Jambo

Originally Posted by fastdruid

Meh, RC30? Nothing more than an RC24 with a few kit parts. Slower on the 1/4 mile too.

Less than 5HP more[1], not exactly exotic as stock. I'd home service it myself.

Druid

[1] And I even have figures, from a 1995 PB special I just found, '88 RC24 - 87.7HP@9700, '88 RC30 92.6HP@12500

Jambo is right - there's only one person in this country that an RC30 should be entrusted to should it require significant work.

I want an NR750!!!!!!!

Hello pricetag...http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...40de?logcode=p

[Spanner Man]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

So I can bring it round any time then?

By all means! & bring your wallet too!

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Jambo is right - there's only one person in this country that an RC30 should be entrusted to should it require significant
work.

It was indeed Tony Scott who I sent the heads to for the sorting of the valve seats. I wasn't going to trust any of the others in that trade with a pair of RC heads.

There's no mystique to these so called 'Exotic' engines. They're only nuts bolts & components. Exactly the same as any other engine. Just more expensive that's all.


Cheers.

I'm glad there are a few being looked after. Especially considering this muppet!

[fastdruid]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Jambo is right - there's only one person in this country that an RC30 should be entrusted to should it require significant work.

Significant work is something else. Other than that its a Honda, change the oil/filters, balance the carbs, lube everything and just ride it.

Only thing trickier (or significantly different[1]) from a normal service POV to the RC24 as spannerman says is the valve clearances (RC24 uses tappets with locknuts). I am curious as to how someone managed to have the anti-rattle (scissor gears) on the cams missfitted though, all the ones I've ever seen (NC30/NC35/MC17/MC19/MC22/RC24,RC37) only ever sit at most out by half a tooth when off. Although the RC30 may have been rather different in that respect.

Druid

[1] Well apart from almost every part being different by being lighter/smaller etc.