Red Rock: Rare Honda NS750 and RS750 Dirt Track Machines On Display
"when Honda went dirttracking ..."
by Stiffy McFadden
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Dean F. Adams(1/16)
More from the Red Rock Harley visit. Peeking from behind the 'Live to Ride' jackets ... three very rare Honda dirt trackers, including one so rare many 'Honda heads' have never seen one.
Dean F. Adams(2/16)
Honda raced AMA Grand National dirt track in the 1980s on primarily three different bikes, the RS500/600D, the NS750 and RS750.
Dean F. Adams(3/16)
One of the more rare Honda racebikes ever, the NS750. Mike Kidd brought the #1 plate to Honda and rode the NS750D. Basically a CX500 engine, mounted sideways in the frame, converted to chain drive, bored and stroked. It made good power but had trouble with traction. Lots of development led by Jerry Griffith improved the package with the high point being a win at Louisville.
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Dean F. Adams(4/16)
Mike Kidd, formerly in charge of AMA dirt track for DMG.
image by dean adams
Dean F. Adams(5/16)
The back of the mighty RS. The Team used C&J frames, with Pro-Link suspension developed by HRC. Jewel-like quality to the links, arms, and bearings making up the linkage for the Showa Dirt Track shock. Most competitors saw the mufflers this way but at San Jose, they had a noise restriction so the 'Big Twin' class had to use silencer shrouding ('Boom boxes') to meet the limits.
Dean F. Adams(6/16)
NS750D right side. Jeff Haney won the Ascot 'Friday night' race in 81 and was threatening in the National but the NS burned down. Freddie Spencer did not make the main.
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Dean F. Adams(7/16)
The Honda dirt track team was run out of a race shop in Indianapolis.
Dean F. Adams(8/16)
These bikes were reputedly sold to a collector in Monterey, CA.
Dean F. Adams(9/16)
The NS bikes were a true feat of "because we can" at Honda.
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Dean F. Adams(10/16)
RS750D right side. Again, if you are sitting on the bike correctly, the rider's knee bends ahead of the carburetors. Looks awkward but isn't if you know what you are doing. Flat slide Mikunis, K&N's. The RS750 was four valve and overhead cam, making the XR750 look like a caveman's stone axe.
Dean F. Adams(11/16)
Dean F. Adams(12/16)
Back of RS. The stands were designed to stay fastened to the bikes, then a pin with a ring on the end was pulled from the left side, the stand would be slid over an inch and the bike was free. They were like this because practice required getting in line and moving incrementally forward until your practice or turn for qualifying came.
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Dean F. Adams(13/16)
Supertrapp exhausts ...
Dean F. Adams(14/16)
NS750 again.
Dean F. Adams(15/16)
NS lower right. Note that period AMA Dirt track rules required footpegs and shift/brake levers to be covered with rubber. Contrast that now with the typical roadrace footpeg that could double for a cheese grater.
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Dean F. Adams(16/16)
The RS750D Team bikes used a Showa roadrace fork, modified to eliminate the anti-dive arms.
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