Post Listing Update: This Honda was pulled off of eBay, final sale price unknown.
Built so Honda could meet WSBK homologation rules, the RC45 was a competitive racer – it won the Daytona 200 in 1996, the WSBK championship in 1997, and the AMA Superbike Championship in 1998. Yet in the history of Honda’s race bikes for the street, it always seems to be overshadowed by thelegendary RC30. Though it was sold between ’94 and ’99, the US only got the ’94 model.
Just 700 models were created world wide (200 the first year for homologation purposes, 500 afterwards for Japanese customers) and it’s estimated that 50 were originally imported to the US. Some consider this bike to the best Superbike ever built, thanks in part to the fact that it made over 190 horsepower in race trim (the US spec was 101, European was 118). Others think it was a disappointment with such little horsepower on the road and parts like the wheels, mirrors, and turn signals from Honda’s CBR600F taking away from the exclusivity of a flagship bike. For more information, check out this article from Faster and Faster, who suggest that it might be “the most desirable Honda ever built”. My vote would go to the RC30 (or even the NR750) instead, but there’s no denying that this is a special motorcycle.
This example (VIN: JH2RC4506RM000046) has 2,200 miles and the seller says it’s close to perfect. It’s got some non-stock parts like the front wheel from a CBR F3, a HRC carbon fiber front fender, and HRC rear sets. It has a Yoshimura muffler (NOS muffler included). THe seller will throw in a service manual, owners manual, parts manual, a sales brochure, and other paperwork. Find this RC45 for sale in Hoopeston, Illinois with bidding up to $33,100 and the reserve not yet met
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