With the frequency in which these are becoming available, many folks are questioning just how rare these really are. However the excitement most feel when they spot one hasn’t diminished a bit. This particular example sports the titanium HRC exhaust and a 17″ Marchesini rear wheel for easier tire sourcing. Bodywork will need significant attention on this one before it’s put on display, but on the flip side you could ride it the rest of the season without worrying about dinging up a museum piece like we usually see in an RC30. Opening bid is $12k but in the comments the seller refers a bidder to his website which reveals the asking price of $26,500. Considering other recent auctions, this may be a bit high but you never know who’s in the mood on any particular day…
dc
From the seller’s listing (excerpt, much longer description at the auction):
The RC30 being sold here has 7533 miles showing. The body work is original but has two issues presently. The exhaust runs very hot on all of these bikes and has actually melted the lowers in several spots. While loading the bike in a trailer, it was scratched leading to some very unpleasant painting being done by an “expert” painter. He probably should have stayed with Crayons. The bike is presentable but is not show winning or ready for conquers judging. It is ready to be ridden and used if that is what your intent is. It was dyno tuned when the HRC Race Pipe was installed and using the HRC Racing Jet Kit. The dyno sheet is shown along with the manuals and Race Body work included with the bike.
Well he notes, “There is also never used, new and until recently, unpacked, painted Race Body work that comes with the bike along with the all of the parts and books in the images.”
I’m not sure why you wouldn’t fit those pieces for the sale pictures though as it would represent much better. Maybe they’re not OEM parts?
dc
Wow!! Check out that first picture of the bike.Twenty five years since its release and it still looks AWESOME.My advice is to open your wallets,let the moths fly out,and secure yourself an RC30 now.Complaining about prices is about as senseless as saying,”a Black Shodow is worth $115,000 but I wouldn’t pay $125,000.”
Interesting example! Looking this one over, I’ve come to the conclusion that you have to look beyond the poor bodywork and look underneath for the rest of the story. I see no evidence of an ex-race bike to begin with, and this RC30 appears original, correct, and unmolested, but only and close inspection by someone who’s experienced can verify that for certain. I have that same HRC exhaust on my RC- it’s a work of fabrication and welding art that adds definite value to the bike. Seller is incorrect, though, it’s not titanium- it’s stainless steel with an aluminum canister (carbon sleeve was also available). There are a few tips to prevent it from burning the lower fairing that previous owner didn’t know about. Note the missing original tool kit: I’ve seen replacements sell for over $500 on eBay, too bad it’s gone. Conclusion: a buy recommendation- IF the reserve is realistic and takes into account the considerable expense of repainting the fairings correctly. And IF then motor is good mechanically- RC30’s have two ring pistons and will consume some oil, some buyers don’t realize that, run them low, low end rumble, bearings gone. Hopefully the fuel tank is good as is. Buy it right, send the bodywork to Jim Grainger, and you should have a good example.
Or….leave it as is and run the piss out of it
A couple of things just don’t seem right with this bike- for example the lockwiring on the rear sprocket is not as it should be, and it has obviously had a very wide rear tire at some point.
The way the headlights sit in the upper fairing is strange too.
On the other hand, all the anti-air pollution junk is still fitted and doesn’t look as though it has ever been touched.
I’d probably buy it….
These bikes are not rare! That’s why there is always one available at any given point in time. 4800 odd RC30’s made…… Most of the hype comes from people who have never even ridden one, they are the most overrated homologation bike of all time (well next to the seemingly endless amounts of ‘limited edition’ Ducati’s anyway).
Chris Campbell: you’re obviously fishing with your contrary and highly negative statements, but I’ll bite anyway. You’re of course entitled to your opinon, but your statement on production numbers is flat out incorrect and just destroyed your credibility and ruins your argument. That’s easily verified/googled. This model’s place in motorcycle history is assured and deserved because it dominated and won every global four stroke race and series of the era (AMA Superbike, Daytona 200, Isle of Man, BSB, World Superbike)- that was hard earned, not hype.
Fred Bailey- actually, the rear sprocket safety wiring is 100% correct. The nuts aren’t drilled and wired, the mounting studs themselves are. The things that don’t look right seem to be from the damaged bodywork and mounting points. I stand by my statements as someone who’s owned five of them and restored two, and notices details like the incorrect inner fairing screen nuts.
Dear 6th Gear, I actually wasn’t fishing and as for ‘destroying my credibility’ I was merely stating fact. I have an extensive library of books and magazines from all over the world, I have also owned many different bikes over the years. I normally don’t post (although I send the great crew at RSBFS links to post) as I don’t normally like to argue these sorts of subjects as bike ownership is subjective, I have my preferences, you’ll have yours. One of the latest books to come out of Japan (here is a link for you http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/230844892441?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes ) has researched production figures from Honda that break down worldwide distribution as being 4883 total over the years of production. I’ll humour you for a minute though with your ‘easily verified’ figures which on various forums still equate to over 3000 bikes, I also have another Japanese book stating ‘over 4000’. I’m sorry my friend but that is not rare, especially compared to other homologation bikes. You are correct the 30 did win in multiple countries in multiple formats, as did the ZXR750R M1 and RC45, although the Kawasaki did it without the giant backing of HRC. Try finding a low mileage ZXR M1 or RC45 compared to an RC30 which appear on this site with regularity. I’d also suggest that the very fact you’ve owned 5 and restored 2 lends weight to what I’m saying. At the end of the day I love all homologation bikes, but I’m under no illusion an RC30 is rare because if I want one there is always one for sale.
Chris Campbell …..It may not be the RAREST,but it’s the one all bike enthusiasts lust after.So on ECONOMIES OF SCALE,that is the amount of motorcycle enthusiasts to BIKES AVAILABLE,that makes it RARE. In laymans terms,there are a shit load of enthusiasts that want one,in comparison to the amount of RC30’s available.Result….rare motorcycle.
Chris Campbell doesn’t seem to realize that approximately 300 examples were imported into the USA in 1990 only. Many were raced and destroyed. Thus making this a rare bike.