The legendary RC30 was the proddy racers' version of the RVF750, which trounced all the knackered old GSXRs and FZRs in the early '90s. The Yam OW01 gave it a bit of a run for its money, spesh with Rob McElnea aboard, but the RC was smaller, gruntier and handled better in race trim. Fogarty was also smaller and gruntier.

Honda put some serious dosh into this little chap to win race honours in the F1 and Superbikes, but the big wins were left to the RVF750, a super-RC30 which cost a fortune. This bike was notorious for the cost of the race carbs used in the TT races, £20,000 or some such mad figure was rumoured.

Beautifully built, the RC30 has a major drawback as a roadbike. The excessive heat given off by the engine escapes under the rear of the tank and gives you superheated gonads. Supremely uncomfortable in the summer - so much so that you dread having to slow down in towns. Not so bad on the track but this heat spoils the bike for road use.

Apart from that the bike is a delight to ride. Engine is nice and grunty for a 750 and has a unique viby V-four feel and sound, but top-end is lacking compared to a modern GSXR750.

If you start to give it serious stick the suspension shows its age a bit and the weird wheel sizes limit tyre choice - 18" at the back and a 17" x 3" at the front. Typical mod was 17" mags with a 3.5" front.

The carburation can be tricky to get right and isn't really helped by a Dynojet kit. The problem is related to the airbox. The only real solution is the factory airbox and carb mods. If you really want to get your RC30 sorted look to spend £3000 plus on induction and exhaust mods, plus some extra cooling to keep the engine temperature under control. Race bikes had bigger radiators, but they cost a fortune.

They go through hedges quite well, as long as there isn't a ditch in the middle!

Suspension is a bit basic and bearing in mind the odd size wheels one starts to suspect that the road bike is a helluva long way from it's racing cousin. 'Course, it wasn't that expensive at £8000 when it came out compared to the £12000 plus of the OW01- the race kit for the RC included wheels and suspension kit as well as engine tweaky bits.

Stuart got one just before an Isle of Man trip. Much excitement at the prospect of sampling the bike at the spiritual home of the RC30 but unfortunately the thing seized the week before we were to leave and couldn't be repaired in time. Once it was repaired it had a few Sunday outings but wound up in a ditch and the magic was kinda gone ..

Some years later, and another RC came up for grabs. A Spanish import, but in good nick and six grand, so why not give it a go. Turned up on a Sunday on it and everyone was hugely impressed that I'd got a legendary RC30.

Due respect was shown for he who was obviously pretender to the Pack Crown. Luckily I revelled in the brief adoration, for as soon as we got started on the road everyone cleared off in short order and left me droning along the roads in a very Hislop over the Mountain sort of way, minus the speed. And the handling. Sports bikes had moved on a bit and the RC was struggling.

Having scraped just about every bit of the bike and me on the road trying to stay with the lads I determined that improvements would be needed if this was to be a competitive outing. But after a few more rides it became clear that the standard RC was not a good road bike. Perhaps with lots of mods to the suspension and breathing it may cut it, but why bother when a Blade will beat it at everything for half the price? So I sold it and got a ... er, OW01.

In 1990 it was the best racer around once the factory kit was fitted, but it was never designed to be a road bike so we're being a bit unfair judging as such. But it serves to show just how much modern production bikes have improved.