Prequel – 1991 Honda CBR400RR / NC29

Today’s Repsol replica is a CBR400RR underneath and more appropriately sized for Dr. House than the often seen 1000cc superbike.  Starting with a clean example makes this re-body a very worthwhile endeavor.

1991 Honda CBR400RR / NC29 for sale on eBay

With some major revisions from the NC17 and NC23 specs, the NC29 echoes the CBR900’s styling.  An alloy box-section frame has a welded support to start the seat console, and an asymmetrical swingarm allows the four-into-one exhaust to start upward.  59 hp are pretty good out of 400cc’s with four thumb-sized flat slide carburetors metering the fuel.  Components nod to budgetary realities, with single-adjustable Showa forks and monoshock, though the dual 275mm brakes use four-piston calipers.

Must’ve been a labor of love fitting all new fairings and having the tank painted, and comes off as extra sharp if not original.  The unusual factory blinkers accompany just a few updates, as detailed in the eBay auction –

The bike only has 8,843 miles on the odometer (14,231 kilometers) and is in absolutely fantastic shape for its 31 year age. The bike runs great and needs nothing. I changed all the fluids and cleaned and lubed the chain in May of 2022 and I had the carbs cleaned and adjusted by TFOG (Denver CO) in 2021. Below are some additional details regarding the bike:

• I have a clear Colorado title in my name and the bike is currently registered in Denver, CO
• I have all the original U.S. import documentation, the original owners manuals (in Japanese), the original sales brochure and a Haynes Repair and Service Manual for the NC29 (Please see the pictures of these items) that will come with the bike
• Since I have owned the bike it has been stored in a climate controlled garage and the bike has never been ridden in the rain
• I have only used non-ethanol gas and I always used gas stabilizer
• Please note that the bike came originally in a silver, teal and black color scheme (please see the picture) and it has been converted to the orange, black and red Repsol livery with the gas tank painted to match. I do have all the original body panels safely stored in boxes, but please note that there is a small crack in the nose cone
• I have put a 3M Clear Bra on all forward facing body panels and on the sides of the gas tank
• The stock clutch and brake levers have been replaced with CRG Roll-a-Click levers along with after market foot pegs to match
• I have installed a carbon fiber wrapped SP Engineering exhaust unit as well as a carbon fiber rear fender
• There are some minor blemishes on the forks and some paint is starting to peel on the right side engine cover along its leading edge. I am hopeful that with the high resolution pictures I uploaded people can zoom in and see the blemishes. Other than those minor blemishes, the bike is cosmetically in fantastic shape

Hard to pick which Honda you would’ve brought home from Japan at that time, with the CBR and VFR both available in medium and large sizes.  Largely a budget question these days, with early Fireblades and of course RC30’s requiring a serious commitment.  CBR400RR’s are perhaps more rare, and we’ll get a data point on the market in a couple of days.

-donn