More than 30 examples of Honda’s legendary VFR750R, better known as the RC30, will take to the Isle of Man TT course as part of a celebration of the iconic model’s 30th anniversary at August’s Classic TT races.
Each year the Classic races take on a particular theme, or pay homage to a particular bike or rider from TT folklore. This year it is the turn of the RC30, one of the most famous production racers of all time. The V4 machine won the first two Superbike World Championships, in the hands of American Fred Merkel, in 1988 and 1989, and won numerous TT races – starting with Joey Dunlop in the 1988 Formula One TT.
A collection of historically significant RC30s will be on display in the TT paddock. The pop-up museum, which is free to enter and curated by the Honda RC30 Owners Club, will not only include TT racers but also machines which have won in series as diverse as AMA Superbikes and the Endurance World Championships. Many of the bikes will also be on track during the Classic Racer Magazine TT Lap of Honour, where the great and good of bike racing will parade the bikes on a closed road lap.
Undoubtedly the stars of the show will be the TT racers that took 80s and 90s heroes Dunlop, Phillip McCallen, Carl Fogarty and Steve Hislop to victory around the 37.73-mile course.
As with all TT races, entry to the Classic TT is free of charge, although there are various VIP packages and grandstand tickets available. The Classic TT Party and the RST Classic TT Heroes Dinner are both open to members of the public and provide a rare opportunity for fans to meet their heroes in a fun and relaxed environment.
This year’s event is also significant as it marks the return from injury of TT legend John McGuinness. The 23-time TT race winner has missed the last two TTs after breaking his leg in 2017 but he will be back onboard a Paton replica for the four-lap Senior Classic TT Race on Saturday 25 August.