Honda's famous models are disappearing due to the 2020 emission regulations that expire at the end of October 2022.
The VFR800F will be discontinued along with the CB400SF. The glorious V4 family, whose ancestor was the VF750F launched in 1982, will end its 40-year history.
The last remaining V-4 is only the racer's RC213V.
Honda first adopted the V-type engine in 1979. Honda entered the WGP500, a two-stroke 500cc race, with the four-stroke NR500. The NR was a racer with a V-type 4-cylinder engine that employed oval pistons with 8 valves per cylinder, and although it did not achieve outstanding results, its original mechanism made Honda's technological capabilities known to the world.
In 1982, the VF750F debuted with a V4 engine that drew on NR's experience and won the Daytona 100-mile race the following year in 1983. Although it did not use oval pistons, the 90-degree V-4 layout eliminated primary vibration, and the engine width was as slim as a two-cylinder, advantages that have been carried over to the current RC213V.
And the 1987 VFR750R is probably still talked about as the pinnacle of the Honda V4 series. Feeding back technology from the works racer RVF750, which won two consecutive World Endurance Championships from 1985 to 1986, the VFR750R was released on a limited basis with features that could almost be described as RVF, including an engine with titanium connecting rods and a Pro-Arm swing arm.
Also worth mentioning, although not of the 750cc lineage, is the RC213V-S, which was released in 2015 for 21.9 million yen. Although the Japanese version was limited to a maximum output of 70 PS, it was produced with the same machining precision as the RC213V that competes in MotoGP and was released as a symbol of Honda's technological prowess. The RC was even closer to a real racer than the VFR750R.
HONDA VF750F (1982). This V4 supersport followed the VF750 Saber/Magna.
The VF750F outperformed the parallel four-cylinder machines in its class in races and showed unrivaled strength.
Honda, which won the 1982 Daytona 100-mile race with a CB750F, switched to V4 machines in 1983, and F. Spencer won the race three years in a row. Pictured is AMA's annual champion, M. Baldwin.
HONDA VFR750R (1987). The model name is RC30, and it is very popular as a base motorcycle for racing and as a collector's item. 3,000 people applied for the limited edition of 1,000 units despite the price of (approx.) 9980 USD.
HONDA RC213V-S (2015). The production version of the RC213V, a MotoGP racer, is made for public roads.
In pursuit of the world's best maneuverability, parts weight was reduced and machining precision was brought close to the works machine level. The price is (approx.) 146635 USD.
RC30, RC45, and F series in the shadow of CBR
Honda's V4 750cc series was very successful in racing due to the advantages of its slim and mass-concentrated engine layout, and the 1987 VFR750R (RC30) and 1994 RVF/RC45 were race-ready models that were very successful on the circuit.
On the other hand, the regular model became a minor player, hiding behind the brilliance of the RC30 and RC45; when the VFR750F was released in 1990, it was segregated as a perfect tourer, as the RC30 was still active on the race circuit.
Later, in 1998, the motorcycle was renamed VFR and its displacement was increased from 748 to 781 cc. Since the RC45 existed for racing, it completely broke away from racing with a displacement of 750cc or more, which was the upper limit of the Superbike regulations at that time. Tourer performance was enhanced.
In addition to the VFR, Honda also had the CBR series of parallel four-cylinder sports models, and when the CBR900RR was launched in 1992, popularity was concentrated on the CBR. After the CBR1000RR was launched in 2004, in-line four-cylinder models became the mainstay of production motorcycle racing, and the V-4 was no longer in the spotlight.
HONDA VFR750F (1986). The concept was changed to European supersport.
The engine adopted a cam gear train, and the frame was an aluminum diamond type.
HONDAVFR750F (1990). The VFR750F featured an aluminum twin-tube backbone frame, pro-arms, radial tires, etc., and a direct-press tappet engine for a more compact design.
HONDA VFR (1998). The engine was changed to a side cam chain based on the RVF/RC45 and the displacement was increased to 781cc. A number of new technologies were introduced, including a pivotless frame and FI.
HONDA VFR (2002). The cam gear train was eliminated and replaced with a cam chain.
At the same time, V4 VTEC, which was the same as the hyper VTEC of the CB400SF, was adopted.
HONDA VFR800F (2018). The final RC79 inherited the 2002 model with significant styling changes.
The 2017 model complied with emission regulations, and the update ended with the 2018 Interceptor colors.
