Soichiro’s finest: the Honda RC30

Motorcyclists are a well-read bunch. Despite the well-publicized travails of some mainstream magazine publishers, the niche market is booming. Every country with a reasonably large population seems to have an independent magazine devoted to custom or ‘alt.moto’ culture.

The latest entrant to this pleasingly busy market is Retro-RR from England. It’s a high-quality quarterly with 132 pages, celebrating bikes that were ridden or raced in the 80s and 90s.

We were so impressed with the launch edition, we asked if we could reproduce an abridged version of our favorite article—covering the mighty Honda RC30. Enjoy.

In an age of prosperity, huge tobacco sponsorship and an impending inaugural World Superbike championship, building a winner was the only thing that mattered to the mighty Honda Racing Corporation.

In the late eighties the VFR750R—better known as the RC30—was a dream for engineers and designers. With all emphasis on creating a race-winning production machine with very little regard for the budget, the bike that spawned the term ‘homologation special’ was generously bestowed with magnesium and titanium.

Honda’s engineers already knew how to make a reliable V4 motor and, externally at least, the RC30 motor closely resembled the unit used in the road-going VFR750F. But now they had the opportunity to refine it further, make it lighter and increase the power — to produce the ultimate four-stroke racing engine.

Based on the RVF endurance racer (not to be confused with the later RVF750 RC45) the RC30 used titanium con rods and forged two-ring pistons with skirts so short they weren’t allowed to leave the house.

The firing order was changed to a big-bang configuration with a totally new crank; new, hardened valves were used; the lubrication system was uprated and the gear-drive for the camshafts was revised.

Casings were machined differently for the new oil galleries and the rev ceiling was raised from 11,000 to 12,500rpm. It even had a slipper clutch, long before they became the norm. Only the V4 architecture truly remained.

Each of the 3,000 RC30s produced were hand-built in the racing division of the Hamamatsu plant alongside the factory racers. The geometry was sharp and short and the twin-spar aluminum frame was pared down to save weight but was still stiff where it mattered.

Fully adjustable Showa suspension graced both ends with the front forks designed for speedy front wheel changes. The single-sided swinging arm made for similarly rapid rear wheel swaps; this was a bike that had all the ingredients, both mechanically and aesthetically.

While super-exotic, on paper the numbers didn’t really stack up. In unrestricted form, the bike was claimed to produce 118bhp and 51ft-lb of torque. Hardly staggering performance figures, even with a best-in-class dry weight of 180kg.

But on the racetrack that sublime chassis and motor with its flat, almost totally linear, torque curve added up to a fast lap time. It was easy on the tyres and more importantly, easy on the rider. Never before had the term ‘racer on the road’ been more apt.

The RC30 soon proved to be the bike to be on. The insanely talented Fred Merkel took the inaugural World Superbike title in 1988 and the American confirmed it was no fluke by repeating the feat the following year.

It won domestic championships the world over and tamed the toughest racetrack of them all, the Mountain Course on the Isle of Man. Legendary riders such as Steve Hislop, Joey Dunlop, Phillip McCallen and Nick Jefferies all took TT victories aboard the RC30. It wasn’t long before pretty much every privateer racer wanted one.

More than 30 years on, finding a mint example of one of Soichiro Honda’s most memorable motorcycles before his passing in 1991 isn’t easy. Most have been either raced or crashed. Or both.

But every once in a while, an opportunity presents itself. This is exactly what happened to our friend, Alessio Barbanti [below]. He’s one of the most respected photographers in motorcycling and a thoroughly Italian man who knows style when he sees it.

“I wanted an RC30 for a very long time,” says Alessio. “It was always the dream bike, the one on top of my list. To find one in good condition is very hard.”

“About two years ago a friend called me and said to come over for coffee. Nothing unusual about that, so I strolled over to his workshop and there it was, my dream machine.”

“It belonged to an old Italian guy who’d been living in the USA for about 30 years and had retired to his homeland. The bike was an American-spec bike but not restricted — I spent so much time researching to make sure it was full power and that it wasn’t going to give me problems.”

“I was very lucky. You might say ‘in the right place at the right time’. The bike is in almost perfect condition, everything is genuine Honda and I have the original exhaust too.”

“The one is fitted with the HRC race kit exhaust, which I’ve since found out is incredibly rare. It runs perfectly too. I think the former owner really loved this bike which explains why he was so emotional when he sold it.”

We’re still waiting for an invite to the Italian Alps to find out for ourselves just how good Alessio’s bike is. Though I have a feeling we might be waiting some time.

Retro-RR | Facebook | Instagram | Original words: Rob Hoyles | Images: Matteo Cavadini, Alessio Barbanti

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2020 GMC Acadia: New Nips & Tucks For This SUV

• The 2020 GMC Acadia receives new styling and propulsion updates. 
• A nine-speed transmission replaces the Acadia’s older six speed automatic.
• GMC says the connectivity and infotainment systems are more user-friendly.

GMC just rolled out the 2020 Acadia and it’s everything you’d expect. Big, boxy, practical, well thought-out, dripping in tech and, most importantly, right in the middle of every Venn diagram of what marketing wants, engineering can do, and the customer can afford. In other words, get used to the looks of the 2020 GMC Acadia.

Cause you’re going to be seeing a lot of them around.

Styling & Design

The new Acadia sets itself apart from other SUVs and crossovers with that standard-for-GM, big, honkin’ square-square-square face. The 2020 Acadia gets a new grille with black chrome accents, new front and rear fascias, and GMC’s now signature C-shaped lighting. It’s not exactly ugly, but I’ll bet you a beer nobody in Italy is impressed.

The Acadia rides on 17-inch wheels with 18 and 20-inchers available. The outside mirrors have integrated LED turn signals and are power folding. The power liftgate is a hands-free affair with GMC logo projection for a bit of flash. GM has redesigned the center console with more storage space.

2020 GMC Acadia Denali interior layout. Photo: GMC.

Power & Performance

The 2020 GMC Acadia is propelled by a new 2.0L turbo engine, standard on SLT and Denali models. It features GM’s tri-power variable valve lift technology to balance power and efficiency. GMC says cylinder deactivation during light load conditions will further boost the engine’s efficiency. The turbo itself is a dual-scroll design in which GMC promises better low-speed torque delivery. Bottom line: 230 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Not bad for only two liters.

The 2.5L I-4 and the 3.6L V6 engines are also available for the 2020 GMC Acadia, depending on what trim level you choose. For example, the more rugged Acadia AT4 comes with the 3.6L V6, producing 310 horsepower and 271 lb-ft. of torque. A twin clutch, all-wheel drive system is standard on the AT4.

A new nine-speed automatic replaces the outgoing six-speed as the standard transmission for all engines. The nine-speed offers better acceleration and efficiency. The new tranny even allows for more storage room in the center console by replacing the conventional shifter with an electronically-controlled gear selector.

2020 GMC Acadia AT4. Photo: GMC.

Related: No road, no problem. An in-depth look at the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4.

Tech & Connectivity

As you would expect, the latest Acadia is brimming with tech stuff, comfort and convenience features, connectivity options, and other amenities. GMC says the infotainment system is more intelligent and intuitive than before, with better voice recognition, a higher resolution touchscreen, and an easier interface requiring fewer steps with easier screen layouts.

The eight-inch diagonal screen also has enhanced new features like a personal profile that allows you to tailor the infotainment system to your preferences. So stuff like audio, navigation, and climate settings can come up just the way you like it. You can store up to four profiles, automatically resetting the preferences for the incoming driver. Think of it as a bigger version of memory seats.

There are two new USB-C charging ports in the front and rear of the center console, which is a nice touch. This brings the number of ports in the new Acadia to five.

Pricing & Availability

The 2020 GMC Acadia is built at GM’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, assembly plant and will go on sale this fall. Pricing information is forthcoming.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz. 

Photos & Source: GMC.

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November Customs’ Ducati Scrambler 350 Restomod

Most custom shops have a bike or two quietly lurking in the corner. They’re usually personal projects that only get attention during gaps between ‘real’ jobs. And that’s the story of this charming 1974 Ducati Scrambler 350.

Paul and Linda—the husband and wife team at November Customs—first spotted the Ducati when a nearby shop imported it from Spain. They literally bought it as it was being off-loaded, with the intention of giving it a light sprucing. But once they had it road legal and registered in the UK, it got relegated to the corner.

“It sat in the back of the shed for a couple of years waiting to be worked on,” says Paul. “Well—when I say shed, I mean the either the living room or the dining room as well as the shed. We don’t have much space for our bikes, so we have to move them around depending on needs!”

Paul’s not exaggerating—November Customs is run out of a cramped wooden shed in their backyard, in a small town in the northeast of England. But that didn’t stop them from blowing us away with their Zephyr 750 a few weeks back.

When they finally found time to turn screws on the Ducati, it only took a few months to complete. It was supposed to be a simple resto, but it morphed into something more—and we’re glad it did.

To start, Paul and Linda altered the rear of the frame to straighten out the Scrambler’s kicked up tail. Then they modified the original rear mudguard to sit lower in the frame and fit the rear wheel better.

The stock seat pan was too rusted to be useful, so the duo made a new one, capping it off with black leather upholstery. Then they raised the fuel tank’s rear mounts a touch, so that everything would sit nice and level.

Off came the air box, along with any unneeded frame tabs. November then fabricated up an aluminum bell mouth for the carb to breathe through, covering it with mesh to keep debris out. The exhaust system consists of the original headers, cleaned up and wrapped, with an aftermarket muffler.

As you can tell, the motor was treated to a supreme cleanup too. Paul and Linda stripped it, aqua-blasted the cases, and then rebuilt it with a coat of satin black paint. (They originally tried polishing them, but the look wasn’t working.)

Knowing that they weren’t planning to use a rev counter, the couple realized they could mess with the bevel drive casing without any side effects. So they took it off, bored out the center on a lathe, and turned up an aluminum ring for it. With the addition of a Perspex insert, they now had a window for their bevel drive.

It’s not just the motor that looks brand new—November also went to the trouble of updating the suspension. The rear shocks are from Tec, and were originally intended for another project. And the front forks are a set of WPs from either a KTM 125 or 390 Duke (Paul’s not sure which).

Fitting the forks was a serendipitous process. First, the Ducati steering stem could be fitted to the KTM yokes with just a few mods. Then, it turned out that the steering stops on the frame still worked perfectly with the new front end.

Things got even better when Paul was mocking up the front wheel, and discovered that the diameter of the Ducati’s front axle matched the KTM forks perfectly. So he simply trimmed its length to match.

That also meant running the Scrambler’s original drum brake up front, so November shaved off the radial brake mounts on the forks, then refurbished them with new fluids and seals. A brace was made to lock the drum brakes, and to hold a small, custom-made fender.

For the rest of the project, Paul and Linda mixed restored original parts, with carefully selected upgrades. Both the taillight and headlight are original, but they were refreshed with NOS lenses. The taillight also had its plate mount trimmed off before being powder coated, and the front light was repainted and mounted on new brackets.

The cockpit consists of Renthal bars, replica Triumph levers and new cables. The speedo’s a new old style unit from Smiths. To keep things tidy, the switches were relocated to just below the seat, on the right side.

November also sourced and installed new footrest rubbers with Ducati logos molded into them. The tires are Firestone copies: “I know this will get haters saying stuff about them,” admits Paul, “but we like them, and after all we build bikes for ourselves first. We do actually have some enduro tires we can put on though, should we feel that way.”

The frame, swing arm and wheels were all powder-coated gloss black. And the bodywork was painted in an old Jaguar burgundy, complemented by some off-white panels, and original Ducati badges.

November Customs have struck a balance between customizing the Ducati, and still staying in touch with its origins. And that makes this one of the neatest restomods we’ve seen.

November Customs | Instagram | Images by Tony Jacobs

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Bentley Bentayga Speed: Meet The World’s Fastest SUV

• The Bentley Bentayga Speed has a powerful 6.0-liter engine.
• Luxury appointments include a unique Alcantara interior trim.
• The carbon ceramic braking system is nothing short of impressive. 

The new Bentley Bentayga Speed is now the fastest production SUV in the world. Yes, I know, that’s kind of like setting a record for steam trains or something, but there you are. Just how fast, anyway? The top speed is 190 mph, and it can hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds. Which is impressive in its own right, and even more so when you realize the new Bentayga Speed weighs (checks notes) . . . huh, Bentley doesn’t say.

We’ll just go with really fat until we hear otherwise.

Down With The Sickness

Okay, let’s get this name out of the way: It’s annoyingly bad. Sure, it’s got a “bent” in there, like Bentley, but the rest of it just seems like it’s made up using the same algorithm pharmaceutical companies use to come up with drug names. It’s either that, or an obscure disease threatening the life of that cute love interest in this season’s third-best romcom. “I’m sorry, but Justin Bieber has a serious case of Bentayga.” Bentley could have named it the Bentley Ben Nevis or something, but no. Bentayga.

Get used to it, cause they’re selling a lot of these things.

And sure, I can see why. It’s as comfy as a leather arm chair in The Hunt Club and those speed figures aren’t anything to sneeze at. The organization from Crewe gets there thanks to a 6.0-liter, W12 engine that delivers 626 horsepower. The Speed moniker tacked on here was lifted from the 2007 Continental GT. So it’s not really that much of a stretch. The Bentayga Speed sets itself apart from the more plebian Bentaygas with dark-tint headlights, body-colored side skirts, and a tailgate spoiler.

There’s also a dark-tint radiator and bumper grilles, unique 22-inch wheels, and Speed signature badging.

Bentley Bentayga Speed. Photo: Bentley Motors.

Drive Modes & Braking Technology

The Bentley Bentayga Speed is outfitted with four drive modes: Comfort, Bentley, Sport, and Custom. Obviously, custom allows you to create your own driving setup, but I have no idea what on earth “Bentley” would mean as a mode. The rubber at the corners is controlled by the Bentley Dynamic Ride system, the world’s first electric active roll control technology, according to the automaker. Bentley says it can instantly counteract lateral rolling forces while cornering to ensures maximum tire contact.

The exhaust is tweaked to “further enhance the driver experience,” i.e. it sounds sportier. The whole humongous shebang comes to a halt with the largest and most powerful carbon ceramic brakes ever fitted to a Bentley. The braking system clamps on 6,000 Nm of braking toque (4,425 lb-ft. of torque) and can survive temps in excess of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oh, and they also save more than 44 lbs. over iron brakes.

Photo: Bentley Motors.

Interior Treatments: Swooshes & Speed

Yes, yes dear boy, all that is well and good, but what’s it like on the inside? What do you expect it to be like? It is the “epitome of modern British design,” according to Bentley. Which is what, exactly? I’ll tell you what that is. It’s superior to anything you chaps can come up with, that’s what it is. It is a new color split interior that uses Alcantara trim. And style lines highlighted by elegant “swooshes.” It is contrast stitching and diamond quilting on the cushion bolsters, backrest, and door pads. It is the word “Speed” embroidered at the top of the seats in either blind or contrast stitching.

Available options include 22-way adjustable front seats with massage function, carbon fiber fascia panels, a rear-seat entertainment system, and mood lighting. Finally, a Speed badge adorns the passenger side fascia, with an illuminated tread plate to welcome passengers into the luxurious cabin.

Bentley Bentayga Speed interior layout. Photo: Bentley Motors.

Pricing & Availability

Any other questions? No, no I thought not. Other than how much and when? You’re from the colonies, aren’t you? The answer to the first one is “very much.” Since this is a Bentley, it’ll likely run you the down payment on a Manhattan condo. So figure that into your budget. As to when, the Bentley Bentayga Speed will debut at the Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March and go on sale later this year.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz. 

Bentley Bentayga Speed Gallery

Photos & Source: Bentley Motors.

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