Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127212
..0. .o ..., u o 14 (A bove) Honda's RC30 highlights their 1990 street bike lineup; the RVF750 endurance bike replica will be available in limited numbers in '90. (Below left) The Cub, an entry-level dirt bike for the enthusiastto-be. (Below right) The Honda ST1100 sport tourer will be ava ilable in the spring - thus it's billed as a 1991 model. plant is fed by four 38mm downdraft constant-velocity (CV) carburetors. The V-four engine sits in an allaluminum, twin-spar frame and utilizes Hmm cartridge fork with separate rebound and compression damping. The rear suspension is of the Pro-Link single-shock variety, again with adjustable rebound and compression damping. The RC30 will come complete with 17-inch front and IS-inch rear cast alloy wheels, and weighs in at 407.9 pounds. Honda's superbike carries a sugges ted retail price of $14,998 and feat ures a 12-mo n th unlimited mileage warranty. Accord ing to Honda, the amount of RC30s built will be based on orders. Each lo-< ~ fter a rather lacklustre 1989 model introduction, Honda has reloaded its arsenal for 1990 - introducing three all-new street bikes for the American market plus two entry-level motorcycles, the street-going RS50 and an orr-road motorcycle dubbed the Cub. Seventeen street bikes high light Honda 's 1990 lineup with four of those being all-new motorcycles. In addition, 10 orr-road H ondas have been introduced including the popular CR motocrossers (featured in issue n umber 32), the XRs and the all -new Cub. Honda held the line on prices for the majority of its returning models, and reduced the suggested retail prices of two models. After a year without much emphasis on the sport bike, Honda has rebounded in 1990 with arguably the trickest of them all - the RC30. The hand-built R VF750 endurance bike' replica will finally be available stat esid e in limited numbers. The race-ready RC30 features a thirdgeneration , liquid-cooled 748cc DOHC V-four powerplant - co mplete with titanium rods and magnesium valve covers. The power- RC30 is hand built by a team of four Honda employees. The popular AMA Superbike Championship-winning VFR750 is back after a two-year hiatus in an all-new, all -red package for 1990. The re-introduced VFR750 features an all-new, fourth-generation 748cc V-four. The DOHC engine develops over 100 horsepower, according to Honda. T he VF R750 uses a newly designed cylinder head which allows straighter intake ports, and its shimunder -bucket valve actua tion extends valve maintenance intervals to 22,000 miles. T he six-speed powerp lant is fed by four 34mm downdraft CV carbs. A Like the RO O, the VFR750 uses a Pro-Arm single-sided swingarm but the VFRs four-into-one exhaust system exits from the right side of the mach ine un like the ROO. To accommodate this, H onda has given the VFR a swive ling muffler joint for easy rear whee l removal. Other VFR750 features include: an a lum inum-alloy twin-spar frame with removable tail section; 17-inch cast alumin um wheels front and rear; and 41mm cartridge fork. The VFR's claimed dry weight is 474 pounds and it carries a suggested retai l pr ice of $6998. T he third all-new street bike from Honda will not be avai lable until the spring and it's the 1991 STlIOO sport tourer. Designed Ior long-distance sport touring, the STlIOO features a liquid-cooled, 1085cc V-four power-type shimp lant which uses RO O under-bucket valve actuauon. The shaft-driven STlIOO also features belt-driven camshafts, four -valvesper-cylinder, four 3I.6mm CV carburetors, an engine counterbalancer, and maintenance free electronic ignition and hydraulic clutch. The 1085cc engine sits in a steel frame and uses 4lmm,cartridge fork and a single-s hock, swi ngarmmounted rear suspension system with spring pre load and rebo und damping adjustabi lity. An 18-inch cast alloy wheel is used up front with a l7-inch model on the rear; dual discs with twin-p isto n calipers up front and a single disc on the rear provide the stopping power. Other STII 00 features include: a 7.7-gaIlOIi gas tank which is located below the seat for a low center of gravity; 35-liter integrated saddlebags are standard equipment and can each carry a full -face helmet; breakaway rearview mirrors; a quartz clock; integrated fairing protectors for tip-over protection; fuel instrumentation; and a 36-month unlimited mileage warranty. The STllOO's price tag was unavailable at presstime. Honda's smallest street bike is also one of its newest - the NS50F. The NS50 features a 49cc, liq uid-coo led, reed-valve two-stroke engine tha t utilizes a six-speed transmission. The oil-injected NS is fed by an 18mm carburetor and sits in a semido uble-cradle steel frame. The little _H o nda is suspended by 29mm front fork and a single-shock rear suspension; the spoked 17-inch wheels will be filled wit h ei ther Bridgestone or Du n lo p tires. The NS50 has drum brakes front and rear, a 2.6-ga llon fuel capacity, and a full line of optional parts - including a mini -