Le Mans 24Hr: RC30 beats big-bang R1
French journos run a 20-year old Honda RC30 and finish well up the rankings
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THE LE MANS 24-HOUR race is one of biking's most gruelling. So you'd have to be mad to try and compete on a 20-year old bike, right?
Well that's exactly what French journos from Moto Journal decided to do, to celebrate the 21st year since Honda first released the RC30.
The RC30 was the first HRC homologation special to be officially sold to the public and won the first two years of the World Superbike championship in addition to numerous wins in all forms of endurance racing around the world. It is a machine that has truly earned the title of 'legendary'.
As good as the RC30 is, Team Moto Journal - Matmut were 10 seconds off the pace of polesitters Honda France on a 2009 Fireblade, ridden by by Steve Plater (HM Plant Honda British Superbike rider), Mathieu Lagrive (Althea Honda World Supersport rider), and Sebastien Charpentier (2-time World Supersport Champion). So take into account Moto Journal are journalists and not professional racers and that's not a shabby time for the veteran racebike.
Team Moto Journal - Matmut finished the race 26th our of 46, beating a whole host of modern bikes on the way, including an Infiniti Racing RC8 and 2009 R1 run by Team LTG 57 - Zone Rouge. Their best lap was a 1:47.776 which was 9-seconds off the race's fastest lap of 1:38.242 set by Honda France.
We've got one word to sum this up and it's respect!
