Beschreibung:

Rare WSB 'homologation special' • Delivered new to Switzerland • 3 'push' kilometres only • Offered from a prominent Danish private collection 'The privileged few assure us, it rides like a magic carpet, turning, braking and tug-tug driving with an aloof deliberateness that is unimpeachable. The fastest two-wheeler on every road? The RC45 comes close.' – Bike magazine. Replacement for the exotic VFR750R (RC30), the RVF750 (RC45) was another racer-for-the-road and even more exclusive. Like its illustrious predecessor, the RC45 was a thinly disguised, limited edition, 'homologation special' intended to provide Honda with the means to win the World Superbike Championship, a feat it achieved in 1997 with American John Koscinski riding. Although that would be its solitary WBS crown, the RC45 claimed overall victory in the AMA Superbike Championship in 1995 and won the 1996 Daytona 200, both with Miguel Duhamel riding, and scored a debut win at the Isle of Man TT when Steve Hislop won the 1994 Senior race. RC45-mounted Ben Bostrom added a second AMA Superbike title in 1998. Although clearly related to the RC30, the RC45 took development to the next level, there being scarcely a single component that had not been carefully scrutinised by Honda technicians with a view to improvement. Developed jointly by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and Honda R&D, the engine remained a 90-degree V4 with gear-driven cams, but was an all-new, shorter stroke, more compact design featuring simplified a camshaft drive (taken from the end of the crankshaft rather than the centre), narrower valve angle, beefier clutch, and PGM-FI electronic fuel injection. A maximum power output of 120bhp was claimed for the standard road version, while in excess of 150bhp was attainable with the factory tuning kit. Models destined for the USA were less powerful, though the missing horses were easily restored by a simple ECU wiring tweak. Basically similar to that of the RC30, the frame consisted of a combination of aluminium castings and extrusions supporting the familiar single-sided swinging arm at the rear. At the front however, the conventional forks had gone, replaced by a set of cartridge-type 'upside-downers', while braking had likewise been improved courtesy of Fireblade callipers and NR750 discs. Hand built on a special assembly line at HRC, the RC45 was necessarily expensive; at a fraction under £18,000 when launched it cost over 50 percent more than a Ducati 916! Only 200 were made for sale worldwide during 1994 and 1995. Its high price and rarity ensured that the RC45 would achieve the same iconic status as the RC30, becoming equally, if not more, collectible. This unused RC45 was delivered new to Honda Switzerland in February 1994. Since then it has belonged to three prominent private collections is Denmark, and is offered for sale from the third of them. Accompanying documentation consists of an original Swiss customs document from 1994 and Danish paperwork relating to its sale in March 2002. Please note this lot is subject to VAT at 20% on the hammer price (denoted by NMT in the catalogue) in accordance with HMRC's NOVA Scheme.