Honda RVF400
The Honda RVF400R (NC35) was a sport bike manufactured by Honda from 1994 to 1996. It was powered by a 16-valve double overhead geardriven cam 400 cc 90° V4 four-stroke engine, and was known for its handling capabilities.
| Manufacturer | Honda |
|---|---|
| Production | 1994–1996 |
| Assembly | Kumamoto, Japan |
| Predecessor | Honda VFR400R (NC30) |
| Class | Sport bike |
| Engine | 399 cc (24.3 cu in), 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, 90°, V4 |
| Bore / stroke | 55 mm × 42 mm (2.2 in × 1.7 in) |
| Compression ratio | 11.3:1 |
| Power | 59 hp (44 kW) @ 13,000 rpm |
| Transmission | Sequential 6-speed constant mesh manual, chain final drive |
| Brakes | Front: double disc / Rear: disc |
| Dimensions | L: 1,985 mm (78.1 in) W: 685 mm (27.0 in) H: 1,065 mm (41.9 in) |
| Weight | 364 lb (165 kg) (dry) |
| Related | Honda CBR400 Honda RVF750 Honda VFR400 |
Two models were produced, the RVF400RR (1994) and the RVF400RT (1996), although they differed only in their paint schemes. The RVF400RR having Honda colours Sparkling red/Ross white/Atessa blu and the RVF400RT coloured Sparkling red/Ross white/Uranus purple. Most distinguishing is the RVF400RT's "RVF" logo in yellow rather than white.
The RVF (as it was marketed by Honda in Japan) finished production in 1996, though unsold RVFs remained available to purchase from Japanese Honda dealers until 2001. The RVF400R is the smaller sibling of RVF750R (RC45), as the VFR400R (NC30) was to the VFR750R (RC30).
The Honda RVF400R was the successor to the Honda VFR400R NC30, which ceased production in 1993. While at first glance there appear to be mainly styling changes between the VFR400R and the RVF400R, the actual number of changes are vast as the entire bike was redesigned with numerous identical looking components being totally different.
The obvious differences between the VFR400R and the RVF400R are that the front forks are of the upside-down type and the rear wheel takes a 17" tyre (the Honda VFR400R took an 18"), there are two air tubes that feed fresh air to the area just in front of the air box (this is not a ram air system, the airbox is unpressurised) and the headlights have changed from twin round headlights to twin 'fox-eye' lights (this is one feature not mirrored from the RVF750R (RC45) as the RC45 features twin large round headlights).
Unlike the VFR400R the RVF400R was only officially sold new in Japan. The RVF400R has slightly less peak power than the VFR400R (due to Japanese regulations at the time) but has a stronger midrange. There is a Haynes Manual available for the RVF400R.
Like other Hondas with gear-driven camshafts, the RVF's engine makes a loud whine when operating. The exhaust note of the V4 engine is also different from that of a more conventional inline four. The 400 cc VFR and RVF models share a unique exhaust note with their larger siblings—the VFR750R RC30 and the RVF750R RC45—because of their 360° or big-bang firing order.