Honda Vfr400Rr Nc30 Project Bike

[floridaguy]

I just bought a NC30 in very good condition and now want to work on it for fun. I know there were a couple of TV members who have or still own this bike, and I remember someone having some parts left over from an old bike that they already sold. Anyone have any extra parts that they would like to get rid of? I might be interested.

My plan is to check valve clearances, full carb cleaning, flush and change all fluids and filters, replace exhaust system, replace or repair instrument cluster (speed and temp not working, RPM is working), replace fork oil, re-skin the seats, replace all brake pads, repaint (fairings, wheels, worn bits), replace brake/clutch levers and handle grips, and replace front foot rests and brake/gear levers. Did I miss anything?

I am also thinking of replacing the rear wheel with a 17 incher from an RVF to increase my tire choices. Also, I would like to route the exhaust under the seat for a cleaner look, but not sure if the current slip on will work. The NC30's with under-seat exhausts that I have seen usually have a smaller end can. Anyone know of a competent garage that can custom bend new exhaust pipes, preferably in Bangkok?

She rides great, but noticed something rattles when I hit a very hard bump, maybe just a loose headlight housing or instrument cluster.

This is how she looks right now:

[karlos]

Nice, i miss my NC30 and tinkering with it at weekends.

As for parts, i sold all the stock fairings a while back but i do still have a rear paddock stand for your bike if you don't already own one?

P.S. I'm out near Suvarnabhumi Airport

[karlos]

There's a ton of information avaliable on this forum http://www.400greybi...wforum.php?f=21

I miss my NC30

[JonnyF]

There's a ton of information avaliable on this forum http://www.400greybi...wforum.php?f=21

I miss my NC30

One of the nicest VFRs I've seen. I was very close to buying one about 4 years ago, kind of wish I had now - worth it for the whine of the gear driven cams alone.

[flying]

There's a ton of information available on this forum http://www.400greybi...wforum.php?f=21

I miss my NC30

Dayum !! That is nice!

Good luck OP too looks like a fun project

[floridaguy]

Karlos, I fell in love with your bike last year when I saw some previous photos. Partly why I began searching for one to buy. I found one and called the guy less than an hour after he posted the ad and arranged a meeting in Siracha where the bike was. An hour later I called to get final directions and he said someone came cash in hand and paid full asking price for it. I was so bummed. I will post a photo tonight. It is now the template I am using for my project bike.

[floridaguy]

Here is a photo of the NC30 I missed out on a couple of weeks ago. I love the clean lines of the underseat exhaust on the CBR600RR seat fairing. He was asking less than what I paid for mine! Arghh

[karlos]

Ohhh that was a little beauty, but to be honest, a lick of paint and your current NC30 will look the same

One thing to do is to check to see what jets the bike is running for this climate, it's been a while since i got down and dirty with a VFR but the rear cylinders should be two jet sizes larger as the rear cylinders run hotter that the front two due to their position and lack of air flow. I think the stock set up should be 110 front and 112 rear, with an exhaust 112/114 respectively. It might be worth taking a trip to red Barron (not the cheapest of places, but they will be able to jet your bike correctly for Thailand’s climate

As for changing to the rear wheel to a 17" RVF wheel, hmmm they are pretty rare and when they do pop up you have to question why such a wheel is being sold.... Has the bike it used to belong too been smashed up, is the rim true? The best tyres for the NC30 would be either the Dunlop Alpha 10 (i think discontinued and replaced with an alpha 12..) or the Bridgestone equivalent will provide superb grip for the stock 18" rear rim. But if you are after a dual compound tyre the only tyre available is the Pilot 2 in stock size.

[floridaguy]

I do want to have my carbs disassembled and cleaned and balanced and sequenced. I will take your advice on the jet sizes, as I really don't know much about carbs. How does the jet sizing affect heat? I understand re-jetting for different exhaust setups, but have not educated myself enough about their effects on cylinder heat.

As for the wheels, it is not very high on my priority list right now. The tires are practically new, so I won't need to think about it probably until after I get everything else sorted. I just don't want to be limited in choices, and have a hard time finding tires.

[dave_boo]

I am mainly posting this to subscribe to the thread, but Pirelli offers 18" rear tyres.

I also really like the matte black, reminds me of the latest 848.

[flying]

Here is a photo of the NC30 I missed out on a couple of weeks ago. I love the clean lines of the underseat exhaust on the CBR600RR seat fairing. He was asking less than what I paid for mine! Arghh

That was a nice one!

Do you mind me asking what the asking price was for it?

I am curious as I have not seen these ever sold in the US. ( the 750 was of course )..years ago

I am sure there are grey imports but still just wondering....

Good luck with the project the one you ended up with looks like a good start.

Edited May 12, 2012 by flying

[floridaguy]

Here is a photo of the NC30 I missed out on a couple of weeks ago. I love the clean lines of the underseat exhaust on the CBR600RR seat fairing. He was asking less than what I paid for mine! Arghh

That was a nice one!

Do you mind me asking what the asking price was for it?

I am curious as I have not seen these ever sold in the US. ( the 750 was of course )..years ago

I am sure there are grey imports but still just wondering....

Good luck with the project the one you ended up with looks like a good start.

That bike was sold for 68000 baht. Exceptional deal. Most bikes in much worse condition are going for mid 70s. At shops they are normally 85-90k, and have seen one for sale at 120,000 baht! It is going to take me at least 15000 baht if I want to get mine to match that one. I guess I will just have to pick my battles and just do the things that I really want, like the under seat exhaust, and of course all the maintenance stuff.

I know there is a shop in Chiang Mai that sells them on eBay for about 4000 USD plus shipping (700-800 USD if I remember correctly).

[flying]

Here is a photo of the NC30 I missed out on a couple of weeks ago. I love the clean lines of the underseat exhaust on the CBR600RR seat fairing. He was asking less than what I paid for mine! Arghh

That was a nice one!

Do you mind me asking what the asking price was for it?

I am curious as I have not seen these ever sold in the US. ( the 750 was of course )..years ago

I am sure there are grey imports but still just wondering....

Good luck with the project the one you ended up with looks like a good start.

That bike was sold for 68000 baht. Exceptional deal. Most bikes in much worse condition are going for mid 70s. At shops they are normally 85-90k, and have seen one for sale at 120,000 baht! It is going to take me at least 15000 baht if I want to get mine to match that one. I guess I will just have to pick my battles and just do the things that I really want, like the under seat exhaust, and of course all the maintenance stuff.

I know there is a shop in Chiang Mai that sells them on eBay for about 4000 USD plus shipping (700-800 USD if I remember correctly).

Thanks for that....That was a screaming deal IMHO

You know your looks like a good start & I would just take your time & find the things you want

to add to it.

Those bikes build into really nice bikes. ( they were cool to start with too )

As to the jetting....If you can find a book or a good mechanic to explain it to you it is easily understood.

All my bikes were no FI so I learned growing up & we use to read the condition of the plug to determine what we needed to do.

(richen or lean out that cylinder ) Personally I have not had to deal with heat affecting jetting as all my bikes were inline 4's

or single 2 stroke race bikes. I imagine a V twin may have a heat affect on jetting regarding the rear cylinder.

Hope you post your progress to this thread as it will be cool to watch.

Good Luck!

[flying]

Oh shows me how little I know about these....

Is it a V twin or a V4?

Also Karlos.....after staring at the beautiful job you did on yours

I would love to hear the story on it.

Did you refurbish it into what we see?

[floridaguy]

Well, I know the radiator hoses were worn! Took the bike out for a blast through the city and a hose split and sprayed hot coolant on my leg! So the bike is at a local mechanic overnight. I am having him replace ALL the hoses, better safe than sorry. Also asked him to make sure he flushes both radiators and runs a flush through the motor before he refills it with coolant. Nothing kills a motor faster than heat.

While he was at it, having him change oil and filter to fully synthetic, and change air filter. He also knows a guy who he thinks can do the under seat exhaust custom routing job, he will let me know in the morning. I will pick up the bike at 9am and see if all is sorted. Ah well, better to have these things happen now and fix it properly instead of finding out a couple hundred kilometers into a long run that my coolant hoses are old. He also tried to convince me not to change the paint from flat black. Maybe I will leave that for last while I decide.

[karlos]

THere is a complete carb strip down, rebuild, set up and sync guide on the link i gave above

[flying]

Sorry to ask but are these Thai Honda built or Japan?

Also are they V twin or V4

Just curious & Thanks for any info.

EDIT: I think I found my answers thanks

http://www.asiatradingonline.com/bikes.htm

Edited May 18, 2012 by flying

[karlos]

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

[flying]

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

Thanks Karlos

Having had bikes in the US I was really taken by the pics & the specs of these as they were always just something we saw in mags or later

on the internet as gray bikes. Of course on my trips to Thailand over the years I saw many gray bikes as they have them there naturally.

But yes they look very cool & interesting. I would be interested in finding one once I arrive to stay permanent next month.

Have always had 4 cyl street bikes here...600RR & 900RR etc.

600 ninja there could be a possibility but not too excited about twins....Not counting Ducati's of course

Thanks

[floridaguy]

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

Thanks Karlos

Having had bikes in the US I was really taken by the pics & the specs of these as they were always just something we saw in mags or later

on the internet as gray bikes. Of course on my trips to Thailand over the years I saw many gray bikes as they have them there naturally.

But yes they look very cool & interesting. I would be interested in finding one once I arrive to stay permanent next month.

Have always had 4 cyl street bikes here...600RR & 900RR etc.

600 ninja there could be a possibility but not too excited about twins....Not counting Ducati's of course

Thanks

I took my time deciding on whether I wanted a CBR600RR or the NC30. In the end, it makes little sense to own the 600 over the 400, in terms of cost, maintenance, availability of parts and knowledgeable service. The cost to buy a 600 is about 5 or 6 times more than the 400. I paid 70k, a 600 will set you back about 300k, and the 600's are used for rentals, so many are just trash. The CBR600RR I rented in Pattaya had the frame welded together after what must have been one helluva crash.

When you arrive in Thailand, let me know if you want some help finding an NC30 or NC35. I have a list of shops that sell them, and also the shops that know how to service them in and around Bangkok. I bought mine off a private seller, with green book, plate and taxes all paid. I have passed through 3 or 4 police checks so far and they haven't look twice at my plate and tax sticker.

[floridaguy]

So I got the bike back from the shop. There was a hole in one of the coolant outlets on the engine block, just corroded and worn through. So he replaced that, changed oil to synthetic, new filter, installed a brand new coolant reserve tank (old one was just old and not properly installed), flushed coolant, and balanced the carbs (apparently the front butterfly valves were not in sync with the fronts). Total came to 2600 baht, and only 500 of that was labor charge. I thought that was reasonable.

I will take my Honda Steed to him this weekend and have the carbs cleaned. A float is sticking and leaking gas.

Ok, now to touch up the paint, and change some other cosmetics.

[Jobo]

The NC35 does not have Ram Air. They are just a couple of plastic tubes stuck on the tank to look like it has Ram Air. They do nothing!

I would also doubt they are even any where near "about on par" with an ER6 in terms of speed.

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

[wana]

The NC35 does not have Ram Air. They are just a couple of plastic tubes stuck on the tank to look like it has Ram Air. They do nothing!

I would also doubt they are even any where near "about on par" with an ER6 in terms of speed.

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

er6 is a whopping 40+ kilos heavier

and also has only about 18 more HP

similar enough speeds i would imagine

[floridaguy]

The NC35 does not have Ram Air. They are just a couple of plastic tubes stuck on the tank to look like it has Ram Air. They do nothing!

I would also doubt they are even any where near "about on par" with an ER6 in terms of speed.

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

er6 is a whopping 40+ kilos heavier

and also has only about 18 more HP

similar enough speeds i would imagine

Yeah, the week before I bought this bike, my buddy and I rented a CBR600RR and an ER6N. The CBR was restricted but the ER6N wasn't. We did many jackrabbit starts from red lights and neither could really pull away from the other. And I can't tell much difference between those 2 bikes and my VFR400.

[Jobo]

The NC35 does not have Ram Air. They are just a couple of plastic tubes stuck on the tank to look like it has Ram Air. They do nothing!

I would also doubt they are even any where near "about on par" with an ER6 in terms of speed.

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

er6 is a whopping 40+ kilos heavier

and also has only about 18 more HP

similar enough speeds i would imagine

So how heavy is the ER6n and the VFR400?

And how much (stated) HP do they each have?

[karlos]

I’ve never opened an NC35’s airbox, so I appologise about stating it has Ram Air, I have however seen where they route to and know that they at least provide fresh/cooler air, which is a benefit, so those tubes that ‘do nothing’ actually do something (provide denser air to the airbox).

The NC30 has a top speed (Wiki) of 208kmh, exactly the same as my 2012 Ninja 650.

Acceleration from 0-60mph is quoted as 4seconds for the VFR, not too sure of the 650's time but i have seen quotes of similar times on various forums.

Lets not forget that the NC30 was designed as a much sportier bike than the 650, so it's not a surprise that an 18 year old NC30 (in top condition) can hold it's own with a brand new sport touring 650 which is powered by a twin cylinder agricultural unit

NC30

399 cc 4-valve V4

Bore x stroke: 55 x 42 mm

Power: 59 hp (44 kW) @ 12500 rpm

Torque: 40 N·m (30 lbf·ft) @ 10000 rpm

Weight 182 kg (wet)

Rev limit: 14500 rpm

Ninja 650 (2012)

211 kg (Wet weight)

Maximum power 53 kW {72.1 PS} / 8,500 rpm (or 71bhp in old English)

Maximum torque 64 N.m {6.5 kgf.m} / 7,000 rpm

Not a lot in it when you consider the weight difference, yes the 650 is nearly making a 3^rd more torque but with the engines on both bikes screaming the difference is an advantage of 12bhp to the 650 but a disadvantage of 29kg of extra bulk. A well set up NC30 would (as I said earlier) ‘would be about on par with a 650’

I have only had a little traffic light blast with a 650 when I used to have my NC30 and as said, very little in it.

The ninja 650 is much happier in the lower 2/3 of it’s rev range, while the NC30 seems to pull/be happier screaming it’s nuts off to match the performance of the 650.

Back to the NC30, it might be worth further inspecting the cooling system after a burst hose. One of my hose burst and I (just like you) replaced all the hoses, flushed the system, and had a new pressure cap fitted. During the inspection I noticed that the inner tract of the thermostat housing was close to popping too, it was incredibly worn inside, the culprit could have been the faulty Thermostat that was only partially opening, creating a high pressure in the housing.

Edited May 19, 2012 by karlos

[karlos]

So I got the bike back from the shop. There was a hole in one of the coolant outlets on the engine block, just corroded and worn through. So he replaced that, changed oil to synthetic, new filter, installed a brand new coolant reserve tank (old one was just old and not properly installed), flushed coolant, and balanced the carbs (apparently the front butterfly valves were not in sync with the fronts). Total came to 2600 baht, and only 500 of that was labor charge. I thought that was reasonable.

I will take my Honda Steed to him this weekend and have the carbs cleaned. A float is sticking and leaking gas.

Ok, now to touch up the paint, and change some other cosmetics.

Might be worth keeping an eye on the metal water pipe that runs between the cylinder 'v', they have rubber O-Rings at each end and are a well known weak link (due to age) in the cooling system. It's unlikely that they will burst or cause a sudden loss of water, the more concerning thing is that when they do leak they do so very slowly and due to their location the small drips of water evaporate off of the engine and go unnoticed. Just something to bear in mind should you find the cooling system requiring regular top ups

[wana]

The NC35 does not have Ram Air. They are just a couple of plastic tubes stuck on the tank to look like it has Ram Air. They do nothing!

I would also doubt they are even any where near "about on par" with an ER6 in terms of speed.

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

er6 is a whopping 40+ kilos heavier

and also has only about 18 more HP

similar enough speeds i would imagine

So how heavy is the ER6n and the VFR400?

And how much (stated) HP do they each have?

i think the kwacker is around 206- 211kg wet with about 71 HP depending where you read it

the NC35 info i got from wiki is on this article http://en.wikipedia....ki/Honda_RVF400

stated HP is around 53-59 HP but id say on a tight twisty track there would be barely nothing in it ....

as usual ,differnt sites have slightly difernt figures for performace

Edited May 19, 2012 by wana

[JonnyF]

V4 and built in Japan from the mid 80's to the mid 90's NC21 NC24 NC30 (mine and the one pictured above) and then the last of the batch with USD's, 17" rear wheel and ram air, which went by the name of NC35.

Cracking bikes and if one is found in perfect mechanical condition they are about on par (acceleration and top speed wise) as a ER6 or Ninja 650

Thanks Karlos

Having had bikes in the US I was really taken by the pics & the specs of these as they were always just something we saw in mags or later

on the internet as gray bikes. Of course on my trips to Thailand over the years I saw many gray bikes as they have them there naturally.

But yes they look very cool & interesting. I would be interested in finding one once I arrive to stay permanent next month.

Have always had 4 cyl street bikes here...600RR & 900RR etc.

600 ninja there could be a possibility but not too excited about twins....Not counting Ducati's of course

Thanks

I took my time deciding on whether I wanted a CBR600RR or the NC30. In the end, it makes little sense to own the 600 over the 400, in terms of cost, maintenance, availability of parts and knowledgeable service. The cost to buy a 600 is about 5 or 6 times more than the 400. I paid 70k, a 600 will set you back about 300k, and the 600's are used for rentals, so many are just trash. The CBR600RR I rented in Pattaya had the frame welded together after what must have been one helluva crash.

When you arrive in Thailand, let me know if you want some help finding an NC30 or NC35. I have a list of shops that sell them, and also the shops that know how to service them in and around Bangkok. I bought mine off a private seller, with green book, plate and taxes all paid. I have passed through 3 or 4 police checks so far and they haven't look twice at my plate and tax sticker.

Not all 600s are ex rental, and there's quite a difference between a 15 year old 400 and a modern 600. A well maintained and uncrashed 400 (very rare) with a modern fairing bolted on can be good value for money, but shouldn't really be compared with 100-120hp 600 supersport IMO.

[Jobo]

Sorry Karlos but those tubes do not supply any air to the airbox. At best some fresh air from them may flow over the outside of the airbox but 100% for certain no air from them enters the airbox! How do I know - because I have a NC35!

I’ve never opened an NC35’s airbox, so I appologise about stating it has Ram Air, I have however seen where they route to and know that they at least provide fresh/cooler air, which is a benefit, so those tubes that ‘do nothing’ actually do something (provide denser air to the airbox).

The NC30 has a top speed (Wiki) of 208kmh, exactly the same as my 2012 Ninja 650.

Acceleration from 0-60mph is quoted as 4seconds for the VFR, not too sure of the 650's time but i have seen quotes of similar times on various forums.

Lets not forget that the NC30 was designed as a much sportier bike than the 650, so it's not a surprise that an 18 year old NC30 (in top condition) can hold it's own with a brand new sport touring 650 which is powered by a twin cylinder agricultural unit

NC30

399 cc 4-valve V4

Bore x stroke: 55 x 42 mm

Power: 59 hp (44 kW) @ 12500 rpm

Torque: 40 N·m (30 lbf·ft) @ 10000 rpm

Weight 182 kg (wet)

Rev limit: 14500 rpm

Ninja 650 (2012)

211 kg (Wet weight)

Maximum power 53 kW {72.1 PS} / 8,500 rpm (or 71bhp in old English)

Maximum torque 64 N.m {6.5 kgf.m} / 7,000 rpm

Not a lot in it when you consider the weight difference, yes the 650 is nearly making a 3^rd more torque but with the engines on both bikes screaming the difference is an advantage of 12bhp to the 650 but a disadvantage of 29kg of extra bulk. A well set up NC30 would (as I said earlier) ‘would be about on par with a 650’

I have only had a little traffic light blast with a 650 when I used to have my NC30 and as said, very little in it.

The ninja 650 is much happier in the lower 2/3 of it’s rev range, while the NC30 seems to pull/be happier screaming it’s nuts off to match the performance of the 650.

Back to the NC30, it might be worth further inspecting the cooling system after a burst hose. One of my hose burst and I (just like you) replaced all the hoses, flushed the system, and had a new pressure cap fitted. During the inspection I noticed that the inner tract of the thermostat housing was close to popping too, it was incredibly worn inside, the culprit could have been the faulty Thermostat that was only partially opening, creating a high pressure in the housing.