At the recent #ArchRides Laguna Seca track day, Honda let us pilot one of its immaculate and legendary superbikes, a 1994 RVF750R RC45.

The RC45–the successor to the VFR750R RC30 that didn’t have fuel injection–was the street version homologation special, and one of only 50 that were brought into the US at the time. Supposedly fewer than 50 RC45s remain intact.

Keanu Reeves of Arch Motorcycle Company and ex-Honda factory racer Jake Zemke both had the chance to ride the RC45, as did I, and we compared notes. Although in standard street form the bike didn’t have the enormous horsepower of the World Superbike racebike (reputedly around 190 horsepower by 1999!), it did give an insight into the legendary balance and rail-like handling of the superbike. It went precisely where I pointed it and felt easy and intuitive to ride.

Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable difference to a modern machine is the old school riding position that is much more upright yet “seated in” than modern motorcycles where you feel a lot more perched on top. Perhaps that helped make the RC45 so easy to ride.

Check out our video below!