How cool to have a great championship commemorative that you could just jump on and ride, almost without worry ? Not a temperamental exotic as you’d expect a replica Moto GP replica to be, but a downsized but very sporty model with a winning drivetrain and graphics package. Valentino Rossi’s second season with Honda was a great championship year, Rossi winning 9 of 16 races. At Valencia in 2003, his RC211V sported a 60’s inspired psychedelic livery, transferred here to a sportbike which can almost be considered practical.
1993 Honda NC30 Rossi Commemorative for sale on eBay
Often a gray-market import here because of its diminutive stature, the VFR-400R or NC30 has an exotic V4 400cc engine generating 59 hp. Japanese 400’s being speed limited, the welterweight shootout with Yamaha and Kawasaki mostly took place in Europe. Looking and sounding like its older brother RC30, the 13,000 rpm redline machine has a twin-spar aluminum frame but right-side down forks and rear monoshock, both dual-adjustable. Brakes are appropriately sized with twin front 269mm disks ( with 4-pot calipers ) on the 16-inch front wheel, and a smaller disk on the 18-inch rear.
Whatever inspired the commemo-restoration ( might’ve been an accident, judging from the scraped speedometer ) they took it right to the hilt. The fairing shapes have their similarities but a lot of differences, but just about every graphic element on the RC211V is on the NC30. Otherwise it’s a great looking low-mileage example. From the eBay auction:
CLEAN RESTORATION IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH LOW MILEAGE, NEW TIRES, CHAIN & SPROCKETS,
RECENT MOTOR SERVICE, OIL CHANGE, SPARK PLUGS CHANGE,
MOTORCYCLE WAS COMPLETELY INSPECTED AND RESTORED VERY NICELY, RUNS AND DRIVES EXCELLENT
OWN THIS 4 CYLINDER PIECE OF HISTORY, VERY RARE ONLY A FEW IN THE COUNTRY,
THIS ONE HAS TITLE SO IT CAN BE REGISTERED.
ALL STOCK EXCEPT FOR BRAKE LINE UPGRADE & ROSSI PAINTED FAIRINGS
Tested as the middle performer in the blue ( back then white and red ) and green sandwich, the NC30 was near the end of its run in 1993 and received a 1994 update along with the 750cc RC45. The lighter weight and good balance of the smaller bikes made their sportiness more usable than their upmarket counterparts, almost more fun since you could really wring them out. Less sure is how much value the replica paint adds to the value of an NC30, surely better than a wreck, it’ll be in the eye of the beholder…
-donn
These have a 17″ front wheel – only the 18″ rear is problematic for tire choice. The NC35, which followed this model in 1994 and looks like a little RC45, has a 17″ rear that can be easily adapted, but then you have to deal with a bit of reduced ride height in the rear. The scrape on the speedometer that shows on the ebay photo may just be damage from interference with the clutch lever perch and cable adjuster on full right turn. Lots of them have this issue, but it’s fixable by losing the adjuster lock nut and filing the underside of the perch, if needed. Great bikes.
I have owned one of these since 1993, its my best go to bike……
Agreed, Gary…
this is, by far, the worst bike i’ve ever seen on rsbfs…
“…how much value the replica paint adds to the value of an NC30…” You mean how much value it takes away from the value of this NC30. Very quirky, fan boy, unusually limiting choice made here- how many buyers are going to want to look at this every day? Seller would have been better served by painting it stock or period correct Rothman’s livery, and just buying a Rossi race bike model instead.
C’mon guys, is sporty and with this paint scheme maybe beyond rare so it fits right into what this site is about……….just kidding
Yuck. I tend to love these, even the spanked and put away wet grey market ones..mostly because they are in the relm of realistic possibility price wise compared to its older brother. I do not love this. He’s a confused sad little bike itching for another trip to the spray booth. If it was located closer and post tax return I might just put her back original.
I think this is pretty damn cool, I love the NC30 and while I like the traditional blue white red this is a love or hate it bike by the obvious vitriol being tossed out.
this paint scheme gives me flash backs from when I used to use mind altering substances and not in a good way
You guys have no vision every time one of these comes up for sale that’s not stock colors you turn into a bunch of whining bitches. Props to the owner for not just keeping it stock I collect these bikes to enjoy them getting a bit sick of the flippers that wanna retire from one of these. Getting to the point where I can buy one from Japan have it shipped for less.
hi joe, i specialize in restomods. thisun is neither resto nor mod. i dont flip. and if you import from japan, lemme kno- i’m in!
I have one and it’s a fantastic bike. The engine/exhaust sounds are fantastic. Almost as sweet as my 2-strokes. The correct front tire size is 120/60-17 and this one has a 110/80-17 Shenko so the quality of the “restoration” may be worth looking into….