Fastdruid

VF750 based RVF750

Well...The RS850R/RS750R and early RVF750 were VF750 based. In 1985 the RS750R changed its name to be RVF750. Still VF750 based to start with but then the VFR750F (RC24) engine was developed with "lessons learnt" from the RS750R/early RVF750 and VF750. 

The RVF750 then used the new VFR750F engine as a basis. That in turn (alongside the experience from the '6X' VFR750F) fed into the VFR750R (RC30) and then the RVF750 took the engine from the VFR750R as it's basis...

https://www.honda.co.jp/WGP/spcontents2012/v4-story/05/

Then the more restrictive rules came in and Honda had to start with a production bike rather than a prototype. Hence the RVF750R (RC45) was developed with an all new engine. 

The reason the RC45 was called an RVF750R rather than a VFR750R is down to marketing, same reason the US called the VTR1000 SP1 (SC45) an RC51 when it's not a 750 so gets an SC not RC designation.  

It's a shame because it makes it hard to tell what is what. Someone says RVF750...now do you mean the VF750 engine based F1/Endurance bike, the VFR750F engine based F1/Endurance bike, VFR750R engine based F1/Endurance bike or the road bike (or the race derivatives of it)? 

Ignoring the obvious ones (and some that are obvious earlier that aren't later). 

OKI "11" is a HRC RVF750

AM PM "7" is a HRC RVF750

Lucky Strike "4" is a Honda RVF750R (RC45)

Horipro "33" is a Honda RVF750R (RC45)

Lucky Strike "33" is a Honda RVF750R (RC45)

I think. 🙂 

7 hours ago, Stray said:

What’s the difference in the frame welds? I’m intrigued (and know nothing about this stuff!). 

The RVF750 was the "prototype" class endurance race bike, similar to an MotoGP bike now. Hand built in limited numbers by HRC. One off castings, one off frames etc. Not sold to anyone. Probably no two are identical.

The VFR750R (RC30) was the road version of the RVF750. The VFR750R looks like a RVF750 but it's NOT the same thing at all as the RC30 was mass produced (albeit still built by HRC).

This is a 1987 RVF750, NOT a VFR750R (RC30).

Anyway, onto the welds. If you look at a RVF750 (Prototype racer), look closely at the frame above the swingarm pivot.

Now compare this to a RC45

As you can see the construction of the frame of the production RVF750R (RC45) is very different to the prototype race bike RVF750  but superficially they look the same and from a distance it's very easy to confuse them. 

There are many other differences in the frames as well. While the road RVF750R RC45 looks very different to the prototype RVF750 it's harder if you're comparing to a race RC45, if you look closely its still obvious (and the frame is the easiest way to tell) but of course a RC45 may had special exhaust, forks, fairing, wheels etc. Especially if it was a HRC "factory" bike. 

Awesome bikes. 

Shame that Honda called the RC45 an RVF though rather than keep it as a VFR, makes it really tricky to work out which are the REALLY special "prototype" RVF750's and those based off the road-bikes (not that some of those are much less special)!

They're so similar in looks that I end up scrutinising the welds on the frame to tell.