Honda V4 Story / Part1=VF750 to RC30=[The catalog is a rearview mirror of the times - Part 11

Honda's first V4 engine was the NR500 with innovative elliptical pistons

Today, the RC213V in the MotoGP class is the only machine equipped with Honda's V4 engine. This V4 layout engine is becoming the standard in the MotoGP world. The history of machines equipped with 4-stroke V4 engines, which are synonymous with high performance engines, is presented in this catalog. Honda's newly developed engine for its return to the 500cc class of the road racing world championship was an innovative V4 DOHC 8-valve engine with an elliptical piston to compete with 2-stroke engines. In 1979, Keisuke Katayama and Mick Grant made their debut in the world championships, but the engine and chassis were so innovative and unprecedented in their mechanisms that they were unable to achieve the results they had hoped for. The regulations of the time also made competition difficult: 2-strokes and 4-strokes had the same displacement, and the start was a push-over start, which disadvantaged 4-strokes. Honda's choice to win the world championship in the face of NR's poor performance was to introduce the 2-stroke V3 NS500. In 1983, the NS500 was successfully driven to the championship in 500cc by Freddie Spencer. Although the NR500 did not achieve the results it aimed for in the racing world, its vast know-how would be reflected in the production car.

VF750 equipped with the world's first liquid-cooled V4 engine

In 1982, Honda launched its first two production models equipped with a 4-stroke V4 engine. They were the VF750SABRE, an on-road sport bike, and the American-style VF750 MAGNA. *Please note that the catalog is privately owned and may contain stains.

For Honda, the liquid-cooled V4 engine could appeal to the uniqueness and advanced nature of its competitors, so it aggressively promoted the V4 strategy. Honda aggressively promoted its V4 strategy. From here, Honda's V4 story began in earnest.

VF750F reflects racing technology

The V4 engine was once again in the spotlight in the racing world. In 1982, the RS1000RW was entered in the Daytona 200-mile race in the United States. Ridden by Spencer, it took second place in its debut race.

In December 1982, the VF750 Sabre was quickly handed over to the VF750F eight months after its launch. The Sabre made a spectacular debut as the first model equipped with a liquid-cooled V4 engine, but many in the Japanese market at the time wanted a more sporty model. The VF750F retained the liquid-cooled V4 layout, but was newly designed from the engine to the chassis. In the catalog, it is mentioned that the technology of the RS1000RW was fed back to the VF750F. Priced at 748,000 yen. This is about 50,000 yen more than the high-end VF750 Sabre model.

Export-only model VF1000R

In 1984, the VF1000R was launched as the flagship V4 road sport model. Although the VF1000R was short-lived, lasting only about three years, its presence is still talked about today.

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World Endurance Championship and the VFR750F

Honda began a new challenge in the 1983 World Endurance Championship with the V4-powered RS850R. The following year, in 1984, Honda also won the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race with the 750 cc RS750R and was crowned World Endurance Championship Rider and Manufacturer Champion. The engine was based on the production VF750F. In 1985, the name was changed to RVF750 and a new frame design was adopted. It also won the World Endurance Championship Rider & Manufacturer Champion, proving the excellence of the V4 engine.

In March 1986, the VFR750F was introduced, incorporating technology from the works machine RVF750. The frame was made of twin-tube aluminum, and the engine output characteristics were also enhanced. This model was put together with a design concept that allowed for comfortable tandem runs. This catalog was produced for the European market as the 1987 model. .

Birth of the VFR750R (RC30)

In 1987, the production model VFR750R (RC30), which reflected the technology of the works machine RVF750, was released on a limited basis. The price was set at 1,480,000 yen, a high price for the time, but its high performance and rarity made it a super sports machine that was very difficult to obtain. The official name of the car was VFR750R, but the model number RC30 reminded people of the works machines of the past, so the PR campaign focused mainly on the "RC30.

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The RC30 catalog was very simple in content, but a booklet covering the mechanisms, commonly known as the RC30 Book, was available. This booklet was accompanied by a record of the RC30's sound, making it a valuable collector's item.

RC30 is the type number approved by the Japanese Ministry of Transport, so only the official VFR750R name is used in the catalog for the Italian market. The machine in the back is the RVF750 used by Noboru Miura in the All Japan Championships. The RC30 won the first championship in the Superbike World Championship, which was started in 1988 and was based on a production vehicle, with Fred Markel as the first champion. It also demonstrated its high potential by winning the manufacturer's championship for Honda. The 1980s was a time when the world recognized Honda's V4 engine, as production cars powered by Honda V4 engines were born and won numerous racing titles. In the 1990s, the NR with oval pistons was born. In the next issue, we would like to introduce the NR and RVF/RC45. *Continued in the next issue! Honda's website has created a site that summarizes the V4 story in the past. Please take a look. Official Honda page: https://www.honda.co.jp/WGP/spcontents2012/v4-story/ Go to the gallery (35)