From The British Isles, from Germany, and from the Land of The Rising Sun
HONDA RC36 RVF REPLICA
We’ve showcased Mark Reeve’s work before in PS; his outstanding Rothmans replica NSR900RR FireBlade featured in these pages as a very Special Brew. Unfortunately, he had to let the Blade go during lockdown, but he’s since been busy building another amazing Honda. Mark’s latest creation is an RVF750 replica based around an RC36 VFR750F, and his ability to turn an average bike into something truly eye-popping looks to have gone up several notches even beyond his brilliant Blade.
The detailing on this V4 build is on another level, and Mark has achieved spec updates that even world respected companies like Öhlins told him couldn’t be done (see Suspension box-out). And the further you get behind the exquisite bodywork, the better this once humble sports tourer gets. Here’s how he did it…
ENGINE
“It’s a stock RC36 motor,” explains Mark, “But I’ve altered the firing order on the rear cylinders, so it now mimics a big-bang motor – Ijust rotated the cam by 180°.”
You soon realise Mark’s extremely modest about his work, almost to the point of doing himself down. When asked about the ultra-intricate exhaust system that snakes under the engine like a sleeping python and expels gases from the front cylinders via a slash-cut pipe on the bike’s right side, and those from the rear pots through an under seat two-into-two arrangement, he simply acknowledges that he: “Home-cut-and-shut them for the moment. If I save up, I might be able to get them redone and bent from single pipes…”
SUSPENSION
Forks and yokes are Triumph Speed Triple 1050, swingarm is Aprilia RSV Mille.
The real genius lies at the rear in the former Ducati Multistrada shock. The Öhlins unit comes with mechtronically adjustable damping, but the Swedish firm told Mark he couldn’t create separate adjustment units. Ignoring their advice Mark created his own units, using stepper motors, to adjust all settings while on the go – rebound and compression adjusters are mounted on the right-side frame rail; preload, just above the left side swingarm pivot.
BODYWORK
The fuel tank is NC30 – Mark created his own 3D-printed airbox in order to mount the 400’s tank over the engine and frame.
Kevlar air intakes are there for show until Mark gets the bike on a dyno and perfects the fuelling. Fairing is a modified RC45 unit; the seat unit is from a Honda RS250 race bike, again modified to accept the tail light.
DETAILING
Fine touches abound, from remote ignition actuation and the home
