New V4 engine?

[OllieH]

Well, let it be hearsay. Only trying to confirm what i thought people would like to know,I'm not here to play silly little keyboard warrior games.

[Cammo]

I believe it.

Honda is well due for another hero sportsbike and they haven't been coy about all the rumours over the last few years.

[speedy231278]

And unless I'm mistaken, they're going to produce a CRT engine in 2014? Surely a customer engine is half the job done?

[VtypeV4]

I'd love to see a modern day RC30 / RC45 development..

Two of the finest machines ever built IMO so if Honda could build a V4 powered machine of the same pedigree (irrespetive of cost), I think they'd be onto a winner not just for a great bike but also as an almost certain future classic.

If I won the lottery, the first bike I bought would without doubt be an RC30!

[thunderace]

If it's going to have a Desmo price tag, I can't see it being a big seller. Bear in mind how many units will need to be sold to to show a decent return. Honda are good but they just don't have that perceived Ducati exclusivity which, IMO, will affect how well something with that sort of price sells.

Personally, I wouldn't be forking out that sort of money for any bike. There's no way I could get my money's worth in riding it.

[vfrman]

If I won the lottery, the first bike I bought would without doubt be an RC30!

[Neosophist]

Honda are good but they just don't have that perceived Ducati exclusivity .

You do know what the RC30 / RC45 / NR750 are right?

With those bikes fetching between 20 - 40k and some of which are nearing 25 years old.. hardly makes them run of the mill bikes.



Even the most die-hard of Kawasaki fan will admit the RC30 is somethign special

[CRM]

it makes no difference if the price is 20k or 200k, if its a limited edition Honda which is a bit special - it will sell regardless and sell ten times over if the numbers run was high enough.
All the brands have made some special bikes and homologation specials, some just do it a bit better than others, and Honda do seem to have a following like it or not which people will buy into.

Ducati also have a unique following, like them or not, own one or not you cannot deny they are happy to stick to "their knitting" and follow their own idea's regardless if they are the most popular or actually much good.
Look back at the Ducati models of years gone by, it's always more often than not the first of each model is the one the collectors want - regardless if it was much good or not.
The desmo was the first attempt by any of the brands to put as near as dammit a true motoGP bike out on the road. I don't recall anyone else doing anything so risky before.
Ducati made a loss on each one (as they also did with the 749R too) so steve your argument doesn't stack up too well there, and Honda being Honda, would swallow losses on a limited production run of bikes and put it down as PR simple as. Lets say they lost 15k on each bike with a run of say 4000, they could swallow that loss in a heart beat for all the PR and extra sales they would gain off the back of it.

I do have a RC30 and for those too here that own one (and there are a few of us) i am sure will agree, they are great bikes to own and even live with. Sure they are not worth the money they cost, but i would say even if you could pick up a nice used example for say 6 - 8k today - they are worth that in todays money.
Ok the 45 is safe to say never sparked the save levels of interest mainly as it was seen as a water down version albeit evolved, same with the SP1 and SP2 (which again do they really deserve to be in the same class as the 30/45?) but that said they are still fantastic bikes and bikes people actually want to own.

The ZXR750R, even the ow01 were good bikes but really never commanded the same following or values as the RC's and anyone who argues that is a fool, Honda set the benchmark - everyone else played catch up.

I do wonder if we are about to see another lifting of the mark.

[thunderace]

You do know what the RC30 / RC45 / NR750 are right?

Erm, yeah. I grew up around them. In all honesty, I don't like them. Don't get me wrong, they have their place on track but they are useless as road bikes. Even then, I wouldn't pay that sort of money for something I'd be frightened to drop, I'd be racing like a codger on a zimmer frame. I'd much rather stick to the real world bikes - cheaper to buy and cheaper to repair.

At least the likes of the OW01 and ZXR750 are usable road bikes in every day situations.

[CRM]

You do know what the RC30 / RC45 / NR750 are right?

At least the likes of the OW01 and ZXR750 are usable road bikes in every day situations.

Eh ? i would argue that. flat sides make them pretty dire on the road as road bikes as anyone who has owned one / ridden one on the road will agree.

The RC30 is a joy on the road, more so the even smoother 45 which doesn't get too hot in town.